The trouble with ZZ

Weegie Addick

I think he did well on Sat and takes unnecessary stick from 'the bloke behind me' (as noted elsewhere on here). It must be extra difficult for him considering all the Chinese superstition around the very unlucky number 4 - I wonder if this means he can't pass to or receive a pass from any/ all of the following:
4 - Sam Sodje
14 - Jerome Thomas
24 - Jon Fortune
34 - Grant Basey
44 - Danny Mils?

PassItToLeaburn

I'm usually a fan; tidy footballer, good work rate, keeps possession, runs into space. But I thought he had a bit of a stinker on Saturday!

WSS

everyone has "a bloke behind" them who moans - it's brilliant

Barn Door Varney

I'm also a fan of his but thought he was a bit off the boil on Saturday. He's played a lot of games recently so maybe the international break has come at the right time for him.

Weegie Addick

[cite]Posted By: WSS[/cite]everyone has "a bloke behind" them who moans - it's brilliant

We have two guys right behind us who just talk inanely throughout the match. They love Reidy to the point he's the best player they've ever seen, but aren't convinced at all by ZZ. They also didn't understand what was going on when the Cardiff guy dived and was then booked for cheating and we got a free kick. I tried to explain what had happened, but they certainly weren't going to listen to a woman, and went on to exclaim that they'd never seen anything like it before -
'a free kick given against cheating, well, that's a first. Be good if it happened more, but never seen that before and didn't think the ref could do that...!' I give up!!

LargeAddick

I've been a big critic of his but I thought he was outstanding at both St Mary's and Ashton Gate but let it slip a bit on Saturday. Maybe he's just getting used to the pace of the CCC.

Salad

I was calling for him to be subbed off when Ambrose came on, then he goes and scores.

Ledge

yeah wasn't ZZ best's game but hey we'd all love to play below par and STILL SCORE

fazza

there's no trouble with zz.
He gets more posts on here than mostly any other player. He can't play a blinder every time....

Nobody's talking about Mills not going on his steaming runs up front like he did the first few games.... I thought he wass touch off colour.
No ones posting how ineffective sam Loyd was indeed how easily Varney got bounced off the ball like a school kid.

ZZ scored a goal and was still a touch below par. so what... we've won 3 on the trot.

Well done the whole team, long may they all still play crap and win games.

bingaddick

I think most agree it wasn't his best game on Saturday (including me). Yet he had a goal disallowed in the first half, was involved in Big Chris' goal and scored one himself. Are we perhaps being a little harsh on him? He tried some things on Saturday that didn't come off including getting caught in possession trying to lay the ball off when perhaps he should have gone for goal. He could have easily hid bearing in mind some of the errors he made but he didn't and was rewarded with his goal. I think he's got the right character and desire for this league and generally his energy and technical ability is high. He also can be used for tactical switches which makes him very useful. Perhaps he was just a bit jaded after two extremely hard games? Reid was excellent on Saturday but still got caught in possession, fluffed corners, and skied one pass in the second half. So I hope we can all keep things in perspective. I for one am pleased he is with us and a bit fed up by people around me carping about him during the game.

Nug

I don't understand the criticism he gets, like Reid he sees a lot of the ball, so he's gonna make some errors, rather him keep showing than go missing like Ambrose/Thomas do on regular occasions. I also thought he worked really hard getting up to support big Chris and getting into the box. Can't see us breaking up the Semedo, Reid, ZZ combination they are a cut above the rest.

LenGlover

At the risk of annoying Chirpy ZZ is the new Kish.

Someone has to be scapegoat and it seems to be him.

AFKABartram

The trouble with ZZ is there is no trouble with ZZ. He's one of our better players still finding his way in an unusual league, being asked to play in a role he hasn't before, yet was very unlucky not to have two goals in the last game despite it being one of his lesser performances.

paulbaconsarnie

[cite]Posted By: Nug[/cite]I also thought he worked really hard getting up to support big Chris and getting into the box.

agree. i thought he worked his socks off on saturday.
i really don't understand some of the criticism he gets.
if we didn't have an exclusive work permit for him, he would be at a premier league club (imho).

Southendaddick

ZZ is great, cannot understand why people have a go at him.

LenGlover

A lot of ZZ's best work is off the ball. His running off the ball means opposition players go with him and thereby it opens up space for Reidy to do his stuff. Semedo contributes too in that way.

A lot of people have said ZZ had a stinker at the weekend. Well if a goal, a disallowed goal and an assist constitutes a stinker then he can have a few more as far as I am concerned!

WSS

[cite]Posted By: LenGlover[/cite]At the risk of annoying Chirpy ZZ is the new Kish.

don't think so Len, plenty of people on here seem to like ZZ

;-)

Weegie Addick

This was meant to be a light-hearted thread about superstitions! Cheer up everyone.

PassItToLeaburn

Sorry, I feel like I may have lead the topic down this path which wasn't actually my intention, was just surprised that Weegie thought he had a good game on Saturday when I thought, unusually for him, that he didn't.

Also, I've not noticed him being made a scapegoat really. Looking above we're pretty much in agreement that he didn't have a great game on Saturday but also that he's a valuable player for the team (there's actually not one post to the contrary). Sounds fair enough to me.

I've got nothing to moan about from Saturday, we won comfortably, our third win on the trot and third clean sheet but by the same token if someone asked me how I thought ZZ played I'd say 'not up toi his usual standard', same as if they asked about Lloyd Sam who I thought was quiet and pretty ineffective.

Rothko

Top player, gets round the park, hardly gives the ball away, technically excellent, a threat going forward, and does his shift going backwards.

Don't know what the problem is

Ketman

ZZ has been our most effective player this year in my opinion & is one of my favourite players this season. Cannot imagine what games people are watching but high work rate, getting up with the forwards to support, retaining possession in the last third of the pitch, scoring goals, linking play are pretty good things to have as a midfielder, he has them all. Compare him to some of our Premier league midfielders we have had in last two years & he is bleedin Zidane.

Brunello

Another point in defence of ZZ is that out of the three main midfielders, him, Reid and Semedo he is the one that plays a different role to suit our formation. In the two recent away games he was playing just in front of Semedo and square of Reid whereas on saturday he was playing on Iwelumos shoulder. This gives us a more attacking or defending formation. Technically they are two different roles and beyond the capabilities of most average midefielders which he isnt. Top player and we are lucky to have him and anyone not recognising this is a football incompetent.

AFKABartram

very interesting point about him being inter changeable. He is certainly having to do the yards work of the three.

TEL

Thought he had a good first half myself, and yes a little bit bemused at playing just behind Big Chris in the second, but hey its not his favourite position. Ironically, the two moaners behind me, changed their rant from Big Chris who could not do a thing right in previous games to slagging ZZ for every touch or run into space....whats he running away from the ball for....he should have shot, he didnt tackle....so on and so forth, seems we all have one sitting on our shoulders. He's a bloody good player and we are lucky to have him....end of.

bingaddick

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]very interesting point about him being inter changeable. He is certainly having to do the yards work of the three.

Can I just mention that I said it first in my normal succinct and few well chosen words post above....:-)

northstandsteve

he is class end of thread.

AFKABartram

[cite]Posted By: bingaddick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]very interesting point about him being inter changeable. He is certainly having to do the yards work of the three.

Can I just mention that I said it first in my normal succinct and few well chosen words post above....:-)

Sorry Bing, but i got halfway through then decided on suicide like the Japanese pilot :-)

pickwick

When we are playing 4-5-1 he is making the runs from the deep in support of big Chris and as it has been said here as a result of his running scored twice on Saturday (1 disallowed) he is really a box to box midfielder and must be one of the fittest players in the team. Perhaps a tad jaded on Saturday but is coming of two games were we have played predominantly 4-5-1 which asks a lot of him.

Think he is great and don't understand criticism.

Henry Irving

He seemed to get pushed up to almost play alongside the "big useless lump" Iwelumo : - ) which I don't think is his game but as has been said netted twice. Still don't think we get the best of of him. Very tidy player, can control and pass the ball in tight situations and makes lots of decent runs into the box which don't get picked out. Also works very hard for the team. Waiting for one of the long range shots to go in.

Latimer

ZZ....quality simple as that, works his socks off, great distribution, consistent, flexible playing style, scores goals, great team player

AFKABartram

I don't mind putting my neck out and saying when we get promoted, despite who comes in, he will also be one of our star players next season.