bmck 117 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 i'm astounded to see how many people would be happy to let mendes go. some of the reactions are knee jerk. the guy's played half a season for us; he's been inconsistent, but not even RDB was that consistent when he arrived. do people not get 6 months to settle in? he had hardly kicked a ball the first half of the season. it's same with the players coming back from injury - they're not brilliant for a bit and its decided their surplus. i think the idea is that if you could get someone better. but then they need to time to settle. i think you need to persevere with some level of inconsistency - from young players and older ones - to ever get to consistency. some people would've punted steve davis, kyle lafferty if even a decent offer came in. hutton and broadfoot and a million other examples show that people tend to get better at what they're asked to do after a while - after a period of inconsistency you get better, and can then start turning to style. i think with mendes if you get rid of him (and players like him) too quickly - or are too keen to get rid of them, it just shows a sort of impatience or anxiety. i think is happening not because of the players but a sort of general feeling that the future's not quite right. but in footballing terms i think it's wise to assume retaining - where a silly money offer doesn't come in - anyone who could walk into most comparible first teams. even if they dont perform to their capabilities instantly, its wiser to give them time than to chop and change. challengers need impetus and renewal - that's all the things celtic will be cultivating this year - but we need resolve, thoroughness and to establish a team who know each other as winners and all that sort of stuff. i don't know who we should keep, but big chopping and changing i think would set us back. obviously the finances dictate, but i think the "if we get decent money we could get someone better" line will only set us back - by the time there's agents fees, and the costs of transfer, and the little bit to the debt, we lose momentum at too high a cost. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I'd keep him. Scores crucial goals, albeit not on a regular basis but he seems to be the only player we have in midfield who isn't afriad to shoot from distance. Sometimes I feel it's the attack who don't make enough movement for Mendes to pick out a decent pass. He's dfeinately go the ability. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I think people were expecting a lot more from him. His general contribution seems to be to receive the ball and immediately make a simple pass, and now and again making a killer pass. Once in a while he has a shot from distance and it usually hits row z but a few times it's whizzed into the back of the net for crucial goals. I think what people want are for him to run with the ball more and sometimes take a man on and beat him before delivering a great final ball. Just being a midfield link doesn't seem enough, we want glimpses of Laudrup, Gazza, Steven, Durrant or even Wilkins. I think many now realise that's not who he is and they'd like to replace him with someone who is. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I think people were expecting a lot more from him. His general contribution seems to be to receive the ball and immediately make a simple pass, and now and again making a killer pass. Once in a while he has a shot from distance and it usually hits row z but a few times it's whizzed into the back of the net for crucial goals. I can't remember Mendes hitting row Z with any shots. Sure he may miss the target every now and again but never row Z. I do think you're right about people thinking he was the new Gazza or Durrant. He's not that type of player. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilledbear 16 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I'm not his greatest fan, but how much do we spend to get someone better. He looked a decent player with Thomson beside him, and got some form back when Edu replaced Ferguson. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Agree with comments so far, he is the one player that has an extra bit of quality in the locker. people do maybe expect too much magic but he isnt the same player as a Gazza or Laudrup or even De Boer. That said, if we got 3 million plus for him we may have to consider it for a 30 yr old. But i expect him to shine in Europe next season, it will suit him much better. And if Thomson can get back to full fitness next to him then we are sorted in the midfield. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,150 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Fine first post B... I'm one of Mendes' critics but I'd certainly agree he (or any other player) deserves more than 12 months at the club to show their worth. The whole team were under incredible pressure this season to win the league for CL access. That pressure is off to a degree next season so hopefully Mendes et al can really start to hit some form and consistency. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I'm one of Mendes' critics but I'd certainly agree he (or any other player) deserves more than 12 months at the club to show their worth. Sebo? :fish: Agree, Barry makes a good point. I'm possibly one of the posters who has said sell him if the money is right. However, he obviously can produce that little bit of class that perhaps our other midfielders cant. He's had a year to settle in and hopefully this year can produce his best on a more regular basis. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,150 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Obviously players can still be judged to a degree. Mendes has shown glimpses of what he can do - especially with a more mobile, defensive player alongside him such as Edu or Thomson. Now, if a good offer came in, then it may be worthy of consideration but we can't stop selling players if we want consistency and quality on the park. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppardized2001 0 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 I think the thing with Mendes is ,given his track record in the Premiership, we were expecting a lot more from him. I for one was expecting him to dominate midfields up here and become our midfield orchestrator or playmaker, something he hasn't really done and certainly not on a consistent basis. A lot of this maybe due to Walters tactics, maybe due to the 'Barry Factor', or perhaps just due to the fact that the guy is not as good as we thought he was. I'd love to be proved wrong, but the fact is that he came up here for �£3.5 million, a fortune for us these days when every penny is a prisoner, and needs to start showing his worth on the park week in and week out. Personally I think Davis has outshone him whenever he has played centrally and if it wasn't for the odd spectacular goal would we really miss Pedro?? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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