Is Schneiderlin a bad player?

[The Blue 3/4 of Liverpool]

He's not a bad player, but he's not a good player either. We need someone better in his position. I'd roll him off to Southampton, who may think they need him (how he used to play) and then put the money towards N'Zonzi, or a player a step or two up, because we are really struggling in the middle of the park.

(and all over, tbh)

[sam of the south]

Dont feel bad about it,he was a one on ratings...that was for putting his shirt on with the club crest on the front.

First class

[Lxxx]

He just seems unable to do anything with or without the ball. I'm sure (someone correct me if I am wrong) but at Southampton I'm pretty sure he used to surge forward with the ball and stride through midfield. I always remember Wanyama as the sitting player and he used to influence play more. Maybe it was at a time he was trying to impress and earn his big move away or he may have been hungrier/happier or my memory is playing tricks on me.

[kramer0]

He just seems unable to do anything with or without the ball. I'm sure (someone correct me if I am wrong) but at Southampton I'm pretty sure he used to surge forward with the ball and stride through midfield. I always remember Wanyama as the sitting player and he used to influence play more. Maybe it was at a time he was trying to impress and earn his big move away or he may have been hungrier/happier or my memory is playing tricks on me.

I've been thinking about that myself. Schneiderlin may have been a little more ambitious at the time but I think he and Wanyama were both holding players first and foremost.

That Southampton team had a lot of player types we don't and there's a good chance that those other things are what made the two DM approach work, at least in terms of build-ups:

- two attacking fullbacks (Bertrand, Clyne)
- an effective box-to-box midfielder (Davis)
- a genuinely good creative passer (Tadic)

Maybe Tom Davies is a good box-to-box player (maybe) but we're currently hurting for fullbacks that contribute to build-ups and anyone who can pick a pass in the final third.

(Probably also helped their cause to have Pelle (target man) and Mane/Elia/Long (pace!!!) when they needed to play more directly.)

[Major Clanger]

ask yourself this those of you who play/played footy...

how hard was it to pass the ball into someone who is already man marked.......

and for me therein lies the problem......everyone wants him to play the ball forward all the time....who to ?

DCL ? cant lose his marker and find space......
NIasse......well it's niasse.....

hopefully Tosun will give him that pass......as well maybe bolasi and Walcott out wide will do...

remember last season (his best games for us) he had both barkley and Lukaku in front of him...

he does tend to play the short pass but that's probably because he's got rooney and sugurdson/Gueye next to him...easy ball....

if his job/instructions are win it and give it ..then he's doing his job...isn't he? I think his "lack of bottle" as people are saying are more an instruction to curb his yellow and red cards....

Just my opinion....

There's also the matter of the speed with which we play. If you don't play the ball quickly, every option you'd have will be marked by the time you make up your mind. (And your slowness might in turn be caused by the ball to you already being a shit one, and so on.)

But he has definitely been lackadaisical at times, both on and off the ball.

[Dr. Sponge]

He has the ability, but he doesn't have the desire or mental strength to sustain high level performances. To be a top player you need both of these traits, so I think he needs replacing.

Unfortunately though, he's just one part of the perfect shit storm this season. We were lacking a striker, some pace, a left back, a right back and a creative DM.

Tosun and Walcott should help with the first two, and Coleman is on his way back. 3 down 2 to go, and then we have our balance back.

[SANA_DR0]

First class

pretty sure he stole that from Toffee Tvs player ratings on youtube. lol

[griff969]

It used to be fine having a holding midfielder sitting in front of your back four. Now we need two because one of them has not got the legs to get about and stop runners with the ball. Was the same when we had Barry holding, he could not do it on his own.

It is so easy just to run at our back four with little protection in place. We need pace and dynamism in that position.

[Ridge]

Personally, I think he's just a bit of a selfish prick.

Cowardice comes from selfishness.

[cantoffee]

I've been thinking about that myself. Schneiderlin may have been a little more ambitious at the time but I think he and Wanyama were both holding players first and foremost.

That Southampton team had a lot of player types we don't and there's a good chance that those other things are what made the two DM approach work, at least in terms of build-ups:

- two attacking fullbacks (Bertrand, Clyne)
- an effective box-to-box midfielder (Davis)
- a genuinely good creative passer (Tadic)

Maybe Tom Davies is a good box-to-box player (maybe) but we're currently hurting for fullbacks that contribute to build-ups and anyone who can pick a pass in the final third.

(Probably also helped their cause to have Pelle (target man) and Mane/Elia/Long (pace!!!) when they needed to play more directly.)

Plenty of players who could carry the ball up the field helps and a strong target man as well for when that isn't working.

Mane, Tadic, Clyne, Bertrand, Redmond, even Davis all get up and down the field well with good quick movement and most can carry the ball.

[Wayno]

We need to get rid quickly 

[brap2]

I've been thinking about that myself. Schneiderlin may have been a little more ambitious at the time but I think he and Wanyama were both holding players first and foremost.

That Southampton team had a lot of player types we don't and there's a good chance that those other things are what made the two DM approach work, at least in terms of build-ups:

- two attacking fullbacks (Bertrand, Clyne)
- an effective box-to-box midfielder (Davis)
- a genuinely good creative passer (Tadic)

Maybe Tom Davies is a good box-to-box player (maybe) but we're currently hurting for fullbacks that contribute to build-ups and anyone who can pick a pass in the final third.

(Probably also helped their cause to have Pelle (target man) and Mane/Elia/Long (pace!!!) when they needed to play more directly.)

Going to get shit for this but don’t forget lallana. A fantastic pass and move midfielder who again is a classic ball hog.

[kramer0]

Going to get shit for this but don’t forget lallana. A fantastic pass and move midfielder who again is a classic ball hog.

Yes, true.

Lallana was the playmaker when Pochettino was in charge, Tadic replaced him after they both left.

[GLewis]

With his best in possession skill being the switch of play, it’s only useful if the opposition is dragged towards the ball on one side of the pitch, exposing the other.

That doesn’t happen unless you’ve got good possession high up the pitch.

[blueski]

I wonder if you looked back at his good performances last season how many of them were with Barry alongside making little cuts and creating little angles, picking up the ball and playing it forward; maybe it would confirm he wasn't as good as we thought