Didn't mean the Gardener comparison as a bad thing I was saying he reminds me of Gardener when he was on his good days (which when he was was could be brilliant) at a his basic level.
And to be honest if it wasn't for injuries Gardener was a very good player at times with his odd crazy moments.
Think you've misunderstood my points I am not saying he's not got huge potential but what I'm simply saying he's still a bit raw and we are being really over guilty of hyping up after today's game where it was not much of a contest for any of our players on the pitch.
What I am trying to say is he was ok. But not sensational like people are trying to make out he was.
You're on a wind up surely?Gardner was a more natural defender than Ledley though Ledley was a better footballer and his training and commitment made him a monster.
Gardner on his day was amazing. Sanchez seems more physical and harder though.
Bit early to call him the new Ledley, Ledley with one good leg was the best centre back of his generation, but it was an impressive debut. Yes, Everton offered less than you'd expect, but perhaps that is in part to how well we snuffed them out as soon as they inched near our area. The guy is very strong and quick too, which against the Lukakus of this world will be invaluable. Rooney doesn't seem to have got any change out of him, nor Sandro Ramirez. I think that his rawness is evident though and he won't have it so easy against more unpredictable, nimble forwards like "insert Manchester City attacker here".
All in all the balance was very good, the most cerebral styles of Jan and Toby to read balls down the channels while the physicality of Dave in the middle imposing himself on anything in the air and mopping up with his pace. On the ball it also releases Toby to pick passes down his channel or cross field in a way that he just can't do when he's dead centre. There is only upside with this signing.
I liked Wimmer, but watching this guy yesterday and the athleticism he injected into our defence makes me understand what we were missing when we played a 3 man defence. It will be interesting to see what becomes of Dier when Wanyama and Dave are both fully fit and flying on all cylinders, his insistence on being a midfielder is undoubtedly part of what pushed us to bring in this guy and he may find his starting spot very much in doubt as a result.
I liked what Dier offered in midfiel, i know that Wanyama has his fan base on here... But for me Dier offered more going forward. I think we have 2 DM for cCL and the PL in Dier and Wanyama. Plenty games for both in the coming months.
It doesnt have to be one or the other.... Dier also offers as cover in defense as we can't play that back 3 in all our games throughout the season.
Bit early to call him the new Ledley, Ledley with one good leg was the best centre back of his generation...
He was, but people forget the massive improvement in Ledley as a defender that came after playing alongside Naybet. Ledley at 21 was playing in midfield. Ledley was immense for us, and Sanchez might be, but if he is then it will be in his own right.
I just picked this bit out because I wanted to make a general point re: the King/Gardner comparisons. I'm never convinced about talk of players being the new this, or the new that.
What was it that Helder Postiga said about people comparing him to Klinsmann when he took the no.18 shirt? "Klinsmann is Klinsmann, Postiga is Postiga." Never a truer word spoken.
I don't think that there's anything wrong about drawing comparisons with past greats per se, the day romanticism is eradicated from football completely is the day I stop watching. I do agree with you though that we should judge Sanchez in his own right, not against anyone else. At the same time though, if in the season he has played 25 - 40 matches for us and has consistently displayed Ledley like ability then I don't see the harm in proclaiming him the second coming as at the end of the day it's just a way of complimenting him.
Also, while Gardner did have potential, anybody who says he was at any point looking more likely than King to become top class is rewriting history. King looked magnificent from the moment he made his debut.