There has been an ongoing debate on here about how we should use Stanislas. My contention has been that, being right footed, he should be used on the right, but one regular contributor, who I will not embarrass by naming, has maintained that Stanislas should be played on the left so that he can come in on his right foot, citing Messi as the example as the wisdom for this stroke of tactical genius by Zola.
Well after watching Messi's performance tonight against Arsenal, I have to accept I was wrong. If Messi can do it, why can't Stanislas? I mean Messi plays on the right and only has a left foot doesn't he? Quite why he scored the fourth with his left, coming in from the left, is beyond me mind you. Nor do I understand why, being left footed, he scored the second beautifully with his right. Nor do I quite understand why he spent much of the game playing down the middle. Nor indeed why, during that Maradonnaesque run, he dribbled with both right and left foot. Puzzling.
So yes, I have to accept that if Messi can do it, Stanislas must be able to do it too. So start him on the left and give him license to roam. What number does Messi wear? Let's assign that number to Junior and watch the boy rip the likes of Arsenal apart.
Sunderland? No chance with Junior Messi on the left for West Ham!
Come On You Lionel Blair-Stanislas Irons!
21 comments:
The man is a phenomenon! Obviously, no comparisons to any human can be made. I think Messi would be good in any position he played. I mean it is no co-incidence that he alone is worth at least five times what the Davids paid to get control of West Ham! He is probably worth much more after last night!
Now, Stanislas has a lot of potential. He has pace and skill which is very rare. West Ham badly need these attributes he brings to the team. I wish I could say with confidence that Zola will not make the same mistake again. I can't, however, because he proved us all wrong so many times. He has a stubborness in persisting with some decisions. If it wasn't for that stubborness, we would be well out of trouble by now. Let's hope that he will not dare go back to his old tactics and selections again. Another such mistake would be our last!
"Lionel Blair-Stanislas Irons"? what the hell are you going on about?
Thou shalt not take the name of the West Ham in vain: for the Supporters will not hold him guiltless that taketh this West Ham Warrior call in vain. COYI
Psa 60:11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
hahaha I've sussed it - now I know why you allow anonymous posters - because if you didn't it would prove that there are more detractors than actual regular posters.... it's so easy to pretend and fantasize that all detractors are one and the same - oh you sad sad little man - all 5'6" of you!!!
I could delete all the detractors on the other hand and pretend everybody thinks the blog is brilliant. Oh dear, a hole in your argument. It is davefking who is 5'6 (well 5'4 I'd guess), not me. If I was short, would I make dwarf jokes? Another hole in your argument. Not bright are you?
Savvakis, are your opening two sentences referring to me by any chance?
"The man is a phenomenon! Obviously, no comparisons to any human can be made."
; }
O dear. Are you still suggesting Messi is not left-footed HF? What am I gonna do with you? If Messi uses his other foot now and again (like every footballer does), it does not make him both footed. He is still lefty-footed as his clubs official website says.
As for the Stanislas debate; I didn't maintain he should be played on the left, I was merely arguing for why he was. I also highlighted the fact that he sees himself as a left winger and that's where he has played all his short career (wrong or right). I also gave many examples of why it works; Messi being one of them. There are various others like Ashley Young (scored the other day from the left) and Bellamy and Adam Johnson who destroyed Burnley the other day playing on the opposite wing.
Now I don't mind seeing Stanislas on either wing but I prefer that we utilise one of his strongest assets, and that's his shooting. This is easier to do when he comes in from the left.
This style of play is very much a modern one and the evidence shows that it does work. I also believe there is great wisdom in it. The game changes HF, don't be averse to this.
Look at the two pictures above Stani. Both Stanislas and Messi are leading with their right foot! Yes Messi's PREFERRED foot is his left, but he is almost equally adept with his right. ALL GREAT PLAYERS are TWO FOOTED. Stanislas, on the other hand, cannot dribble or cross with his left foot. Like Etherington and Heather Mills, he is ONE FOOTED. Young can operate on the left because he has a PREFERENCE for his right foot but is COMFORTABLE using his left. Same with Bellyache. Not sure about this Johnson kid, not seen enough of him. Lennon can't do it, he in one footed, LIKE STANISLAS!
Simples!
By the way, Redknapp doesn't think the game has moved on. Two good wide players on their correct flanks, a midfield enforcer teamed with a good passer of the ball, a big guy little guy combo meal up front, an overlapping left back, two strong centre backs - could be the 1970s, 80s or 90s. Where were Tottenham when he took over? Bottom three with Ramos playing the "modern game" wasn't it? Where are they now? Top 5 isn't it? And what's happened to us over the same period? Almost the mirror image journey! The Game Remains The Same to adapt the title of a brilliant Zepellin song slightly!
HF,
I am not saying that system (right on right, left on left) does not work or should not be used. Redknapp has the players and wants to play like that so fair enough to him. You also cannot compare Spurs' position under Ramos as it was a false position. It's like teams showing off they are at the top of the table after 3 games of the season.
As for the pictures; Stanislas is leading with his right and using it. We cannot say that for Messi as he is running and his right foot is not at the ball. He is just running with the ball in front of him. His next stride may involve him kicking the ball with his left foot, we don't know. It's insignificant anyway. I hope you didnt deliberately search for those photos!
Adam Johnson, who I was going on about earlier in the season (why didn't we buy him?) is the next Ryan Giggs. How Stuart Drowning used to get in front of him for 'Brough I still don't understand. Don't be surprised to see him in the squad, or team even, for the next friendlies against Mexico and Japan late next month. City bought him for £6m, an absolute bargain!
Come off it Stani, there is no way the left foot is going to take the ball in the next stride. Let it go. Messi is two footed, to argue differently does you no credit. Why did he ELECT to put home the second goal with his right last night? He could have used either foot, he wasn't under pressure as he closed in on goal and shot. No one footed player would have opted to use the wrong foot in that situation and there's no way a Stanislas or a Lennon would have finished with such aplomb off their wrong foot. The guy is a genius - end of argument!
Credit HF? The official Barca site say Messi is left-footed and you're disagreeing mate.
Like I said, that picture and it's argument is insignificant because I could find you a million pictures and video clips to show him using his left to counter it. It doesn't matter.
Similarly with the argument in which you say he scored his second with his right foot; I can say he scored his other 3 with his left. 3:1 ratio would show he is left footed. I reiterate my point above, that if a player uses his other foot, it does not make him two-footed. They are allowed to use their other foot HF, without being transformed into two-footed players.
And anyone would tell you that Messi used his right foot for the second goal because that is how the opportunity presented itself and he would have bee foolish to stop and turn onto his left and risk the opportunity disappearing. The most left footed player in the world would have used his right foot there because it was easier to do so. It is that simple.
I'm not arguing Stanislas and Lennon are two-footed. I am also not arguing that you have to be two-footed to play on either flank.
hf - sorry he is left footed - I think just once in a while an apology for getting it wrong might do your creditability (or lack of it) some good
Oh dear. There is a difference between being left footed and being left footed only. Messi FAVOURS his left foot but he is two footed in the sense that he is very adept with his right. Unlike Etherington who IS left footed.
HF,
Messi is better than Etherington at using his right foot, no doubt, but he is still left-footed. I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one mate.
Nothing much LEFT to say on the matter Stani!
HF, I don't know you well enough to suggest that you are even human? But since you ask me, I like most of the things you write and admire your courage to speak your mind. I don't like some of your chosen pictures and I wouldn't bother, if I were you, responding to all those trouble makers that want to pick a fight with you on the blog. If for no other reason it is hard for us to go through this "shit" in order to read something meaningful. Although, I detect a little megalomania syndrome which I gather you have well under control, most of the time. Just joking really. Keep up the good work. And if you can, I would advise you to stop responding to those who post comments with the sole purpose of irritating you and spoil the fun for those of us who care to have a good discussion.
comparing messi with ethringto!? no one is left footed only or how would they run / dribble etc., that would be plain silly to suggest otherwise
You can dribble with one foot. You do need two to run, unless Paul McCartney's millions are at the end of the street and somebody shouts, "First one there gets half!"
Sav, some enjoy the enchanges. It takes something a darn sight cleverer to irritate me. I enjoy their irritation if truth be known. Can't imagine ever getting irate with a blog myself. If I don't like what I read, I click off. Simples.
HF,
You're RIGHT :)
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