Nir Bitton

This guy will only get better.

Can't wait to see him in Europe next season!

Can see this guy attracting serious attention next year,let the bidding start at 6mil!:icon_mrgreen:

 

Big Jeff Goldblum was excellent today.

 

Strolled it. Really want to see him a wee bit further forward and getting beyond the ball now and again.

 

Thought him and Johansen were excellent in the middle of the park.

 

Done very well today

 

Plays smart for a man of his height, instead of doing a Wanyama, but he's still good. We could've used him vs. Aberdeen. Oh, well. At least he took his chance to stake a first team spot claim, today.

 

he tries to do a similar job that Vic did in the center of the park but in a very different way. Less athleticism and more reading of the game. Hopefully he reads it well enough to make up for not being a pacey brick shithouse like Vic was

 

I don't think he wants to play like Vic though, much more classy on the ball.

I would much rather see him a bit further forward with a Vic type behind him.

 

Thats the best ive seen from the big chap so far. Thought he looked comfortable on the ball and absolutely strolled through the match. St J midfield had no answers to him and Johansen today. Good to watch.

 

I don't think that would be better for him... he seems to need people in front of him and his anticipation is crucial to shielding our back two. Defensive midfielders like Busquets (the prototype, not saying he'll come near that) have always been effective, they don't need to be built like Vic.

 

Exactly.

He should be a deep lying midfielder. His reading of the game is very good.

I'd like to see him sitting back and Johansen moving a bit further forward.

 

Agreed. Thought Nir and Johansen were excellent together, Nir as the defensive midfielder sitting in front of the back four, and Johansen pushing more forward. I like the way Biton plays with his head up, his movement is good for a big guy, and he slips some delightful forward passes through, just what we have needed.

 

As I've just posted in the Match thread I really believe next season we have good solid pairings all through the side

Virgil-Efe
Johansen-Biton
Stokes-Griffiths

really exciting times ahead

 

Yep. They were both deep midfielders at their previous clubs but if one should learn to get forward more I think it should be Stef. He seems more naturally inclined to learning to play that way too.

 

Was class today.

The nutmeg on whoever...then they spin on the ball was class to watch.

 

I'd like to see both him and Johansen further forward with a DM behind them.

I'd rather Biton making 20 yard passes to the forwards rather than 50 yard passes.

That's just me though.

 

Have to agree with that. Mulgrew could fill in at either centre back, midfield or left back in rotation. And then Kayal could easily slot in at midfield too.Mouyokolo also would give us more cover at the back.

I think Samaras and Forrest may well be surplus to requirements now. We play better when they two are not in the team IMO.

 

Our point though is that he is a DM. This is like the argument for bringing VVD into midfield. For some reason we're averse to having technical players in "hardman" positions (and even like how people didn't understand in the Johansen transfer thread that he tries to be a playmaker but also has a high work rate and likes a challenge). It's almost like people are suspicious of them. He's a natural DM and outside of England or Scotland nobody would even consider moving him up the field.

 

He and Stokes were MOTM