I'm not suggesting that Moses is a better player but he did manage to contribute more of an attacking threat despite being restricted to a lot of sub appearances.

 

Willian has been afforded the opportunity to have an extended run in the side this season and it's hard not to feel rather underwhelmed by his overall contribution. 

 

Willian, 32 appearances, 7 as sub - 2 goals and 3 assists. 

 

Schurrle, 31 appearances, 15 as sub - 7 goals, 1 assist.

 

 

I'm looking at those numbers and wondering if it really was worth the £50m investment? 

 

Oh I didn't think you were, I was just impressed by Moses' numbers.

 

I agree with you that Willian's end product has been generally lacking this season (although he is capable of occasionally pulling off the spectacular). I suppose there's an argument to be made that stats don't tell the whole story and that his contribution comes in unquantifiable ways (winning the ball high up the pitch, playing simpler passes to string together moves, providing an energetic presence to bully opposition midfielders/full backs, etc...) but I don't really buy it myself. I don't think he's been bad, but I agree that he needs to show improvement in the final third to be worth the outlay. Apparently he is statistically the best crosser in the squad though, I wouldn't have guessed that.

 

It's only his first season (and his competitive season technically started in July) so I don't think we should jump to any rash conclusions too quickly, but I agree that he needs to show us more next year.

I think it's just looking for someone to blame. He's not currently earning his price tag but it is his first season. He's an attacking midfielder but he is being asked to do a very energy consuming role which generally helps the team. I think with a better striker he can link up with well we will see a lot better statistics from him.

Statistics for me tell a very warped story at times, if Jose likes him who are we so say he's not good enough.

For me this is what it comes down to.

£30 million. Yes i know he does a handy job and i know he works for the team but its just not unreasonable for us to have expected a little more for £30 million. We'd have the same amount of energy and running if we had signed Lee Cattermole.

I think he is decent enough (i gave him my mom last night) but he cost £30 million. Just a little under what we paid for Hazard and more than we played for Mata and Oscar. Suarez cost less. As did Silva at City. Obviously its a little unfair to compare him to other transfers at other clubs for that type of outlay there should be more end product and id even allowing for a settling in period when saying that too. It genuinely not unfair to compare Moses contribution last season compared to Willians when your look at the prices paid.

We'll see if he improves next season, he's dones enough to be considered a worthy member of the squad but I cant help but feeling we have overpaid and the money wouldve been far better spent elsewhere.

Already said somewhere else this morning that we have 4 current Brazilian internationals on our books that cost approx £100 million. We simply are not seeing that outlay repaid at the moment.

We have overpaid significantly for what we have theres no doubt about that.

Oscar

Willain

Luiz

Ramires

Torres

That's around £130-140 million right there.

To think many of us think 4 out of 5 are not up to it tells it's own story.

I think it's just looking for someone to blame. He's not currently earning his price tag but it is his first season. He's an attacking midfielder but he is being asked to do a very energy consuming role which generally helps the team. I think with a better striker he can link up with well we will see a lot better statistics from him.

Statistics for me tell a very warped story at times, if Jose likes him who are we so say he's not good enough.

 

Can a player be criticized on these boards without being labelled a scapegoat?

 

You said it yourself, hes not earning his price tag. Why are you blaming Willian for our poor form?

 

 

 

I think the problem is the combination of Willian+Oscar. 2 of our 3 AMs are basically work horses. Neither of the 2 are very creative and dont seem to be capable of unlocking defences on their own.

Agree on Willian's lack of goals, but he's not the only one! I like him and think he brings the hunger and energy that others lack in this team and I hope he will contribute even more next season. At the moment he is the only Brazilian squad member I am happy with.

Agree on Willian's lack of goals, but he's not the only one! I like him and think he brings the hunger and energy that others lack in this team and I hope he will contribute even more next season. At the moment he is the only Brazilian squad member I am happy with.

 

We know, and that is why others have been questioned too.

Can a player be criticized on these boards without being labelled a scapegoat?

 

You said it yourself, hes not earning his price tag. Why are you blaming Willian for our poor form?

 

 

 

I think the problem is the combination of Willian+Oscar. 2 of our 3 AMs are basically work horses. Neither of the 2 are very creative and dont seem to be capable of unlocking defences on their own.

I'm not blaming him. I get your point but I see Willian getting a lot of criticism for recent performances when it's most of the team. I've seen no really spirit from any players, no desire really. Oscars form has really dipped, no cm is playing decent balls in behind and there are no strikers, its like playing with 10 its a joke. Also the fact is that we have no back up plan, everyone on our bench provides the same sort of thing, all our am players play in such a similar way that the only thing one coming on provides is fresh legs. As I said if we had a good striker I think we'd see a lot better from Willian, he likes to cross into the box but at the moment there's just no point

I'm not blaming him. I get your point but I see Willian getting a lot of criticism for recent performances when it's most of the team. I've seen no really spirit from any players, no desire really. Oscars form has really dipped, no cm is playing decent balls in behind and there are no strikers, its like playing with 10 its a joke. Also the fact is that we have no back up plan, everyone on our bench provides the same sort of thing, all our am players play in such a similar way that the only thing one coming on provides is fresh legs. As I said if we had a good striker I think we'd see a lot better from Willian, he likes to cross into the box but at the moment there's just no point

 

This is a Willian thread, and naturally he will be the most discussed player.

 

Hes not a 30m player, for me that much is clear. Im not really blaming any player for our poor form, because i think theyre all trying their best (except for Torres maybe).

 

And i was the first one to question Oscars ability, and i dont really think his form has dipped. I think he was a flash in the pan at the start of the season.

With our options alongside Matic looking thinner and thinner I have to wonder if Willian could well be the answer to be his partner. 

 

We know Willian struggles to score, but in terms of linking up around the box and making short passes he is leaps and bounds ahead of Ramires, and is the only player in the squad to offer a similar, consistent level of energy.

This is a Willian thread, and naturally he will be the most discussed player.

 

Hes not a 30m player, for me that much is clear. Im not really blaming any player for our poor form, because i think theyre all trying their best (except for Torres maybe).

 

And i was the first one to question Oscars ability, and i dont really think his form has dipped. I think he was a flash in the pan at the start of the season.

I've just heard a lot criticism for him and read on lots of posts, he's done the job asked of him and that's working hard for the team. I'd say the quality hes shown hasn't been worth 30m but transfer the price tag is never just about ability, we paid over the odds for him but that's not his fault.

I've just heard a lot criticism for him and read on lots of posts, he's done the job asked of him and that's working hard for the team. I'd say the quality hes shown hasn't been worth 30m but transfer the price tag is never just about ability, we paid over the odds for him but that's not his fault.

The job asked of him is to create chances and chip in with goals just as much as it is to track back and defend.

Hazard does both so obviously we should expect the same from a player who cost basically the same amount of money no?

The job asked of him is to create chances and chip in with goals just as much as it is to track back and defend.

Hazard does both so obviously we should expect the same from a player who cost basically the same amount of money no?

Yeah I do agree be should do more, although he is better at getting back than hazard, last night hazard didn't track back for most the of the first half and was lucky not to get caught.

His task is very demanding and he's gone from one of the easiest leagues to one of the toughest, we play in a system that suits hazard more than it does Willian, if we had Drogba still I think you would see a lot more crosses coming in from Willian and a lot more assists. Maybe I am letting him off easily because his return isn't what I'd expect but has done well in his first season apart from that.

As I've said in the other Willian thread, to me he is just a quicker and more technically proficient version of Dirk Kuyt - although Dirk probably had much more successful seasons in terms of statistics than Willian is currently having. 

 

If Spurs had ended up signing Willian and he had similar production we'd be laughing at them while their fans would probably be happy because he works hard. 

 

I appreciate his tenacity but a lot more is expected from him and he usually fluffs his chances or takes the wrong decision with his passes in the final third. 

 

If you look at our Rivals most have him in the top three flops of the season because they don't watch our matches and just look at who scored the goal or who got the assist. Willian is not a highlights player - the question is if we needed a defensive winger why didn't we look for someone who might be a little less expensive. 

Not worth £30m, not even close. Hazard apart, all our attacking players have very poor stats this year when it comes to goals and assists. Not good enough when you consider the amout of money we've spent on them all. Yes, Willian runs around a lot, but workrate should be a given of any professioanl footballer, we a title challenging side needs is someone who can make the right decisions, play the right passes, to create and score goals.

It's his first season in England, let's give the man time.

 

Yes, he should be more direct and should score more. He's a quality player though, and I believe he has a potential to get better.

I think it's hard to properly judge how good our attacking midfielders are until we have a striker that opposition defences actually have to worry about, give them a distraction like Costa and i think we'll see figures for the likes of Willian improve.

No one knows for sure either if he did cost £30M or if it was £25.5M. I like Willian but agreed he does need more end product. Another player like Schurrle who wants to play on the left so he can cut inside.

As I see it, Jose signed him so he wouldn't join the spurs, pave the way for the eventual departure of Mata, and the need of a defensive winger. I remember his stats were like 20 goals from 200+ games, so everyone knew he would;t add 10 goals a season. Funnily enough his best games were against Chelsea, why play against him when we could have him?

 

Not saying he's a failure by any means, but no an upgrade for that much $

The £30m was worth it for the song alone.

The £30m was worth it for the song alone.

Same for demba ba and Torres

Edited April 3, 201412 yr by Veeria

I sometimes wonder if talking about the price tag is fair, especially when it comes to Willian.  He didn't ask to go for that much, so if the club paid too much for him, then it's surely their fault?

 

Also, I can't help but feel Roman threw in an extra few million because he was dealing with a Russian club

As I see it, Jose signed him so he wouldn't join the spurs, pave the way for the eventual departure of Mata, and the need of a defensive winger. I remember his stats were like 20 goals from 200+ games, so everyone knew he would;t add 10 goals a season. Funnily enough his best games were against Chelsea, why play against him when we could have him?

 

Not saying he's a failure by any means, but no an upgrade for that much $

 

I hate this theory, You honestly think we would spend £30M or £25M on a player just to stop him going to Spurs?. First off we don't even know if it was a Mourinho signing or an Emenalo signing and secondly he was a target for the club for like 2 years so he was wanted.

I hate this theory, You honestly think we would spend £30M or £25M on a player just to stop him going to Spurs?. First off we don't even know if it was a Mourinho signing or an Emenalo signing and secondly he was a target for the club for like 2 years so he was wanted.

We had been following him for a few years and been linked with signing him for tat least 2 transfer windows, so to say we bought him just so Spuds didnt is complete bollocks in my opinion.

We had been following him for a few years and been linked with signing him for tat least 2 transfer windows, so to say we bought him just so Spuds didnt is complete bollocks in my opinion.

But I do enjoy the theory :-)

But I do enjoy the theory :-)

It is fun to upset the spuds :).

Anyway, I've always enjoyed the practical more than the theory.