Most liked posts in thread: Akpan

Congratulations to Hope on the birth of his daughter. Looks like he's pushed his missus out of bed so he can take all the credit

 

Akpan's the classic example of a player who made a bad start and unless they have ten 'incredible' (to use Pep's favourite word!!) matches, they will never be treated fairly

Let me state, right now I don't think he's outstanding and would put even Reeves ahead of him if fit.

However, can we please stop re-writing history to suit negativities.

IMO he was no worse than Cook yesterday (imagine the abuse on here if he'd been the one sent off ) - neither were actually that bad. We were up against a team that have four or even five ball playing midfielders and hence they were overrun

This laughable derision of him, as though he's barely better than Devine or Anderson is ridiculous and based on last season

The facts per match this season (from https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/22/Show/England-Bradford ) are that

1. His pass success percentage is on par with Palmer's. Cook is significantly better than both
2. He completes only slightly less passes than Cook, but far more than either Anderson or Devine. Palmer wallops all of them on this stat
3. Churlish to mention, but he of course outstrips them with goals
4. His tackling stats are poor

i.e. far more closer to Cook and Palmer tha Devine and Anderson and hence 'deserves' their more fair minded comments

Instead we get constant abuse about his character, i.e. "You wouldn't want him fighting in the trenches with you. You'd turn round constantly thinking where is he". I wouldn't worry about him "in the trenches" with me any more than I would Cook, Palmer or Devine. I'd realise that he has a languid style which isn't the same as the more fist pumping one that Cook or the energetic Palmer.

But ultimately, getting back to footie, I'd realise (as I did last season) that he's not a defensive midfield player and hence wouldn't be insulting his character, when he sometimes fail at this

Hence my initial comment, i.e. given the number of creative players we have - he's low down on the list, we need a more defensive midfield player if we're playing Cook and three of Oteh, McCartan, Connolly, Prichard or Ismail

Meanwhile, given that he's in the team through injuries and we are second, it'd be good if we supported his 'improvement' rather than want to prove he's still the same docile oaf of last season

 

I overheard a Crawley staff member outlining the difference between us and them +- we get an injury, we just bring in an experienced midfielder like Akpan.

Needless to say, Akpan used to be one of Crawley's best players.

It's like us going to Sunderland, and they just casually bring a million pound striker like Wyke on.

It's all about levels, and for the right wage, Akpan would not be short of L2 suitors.

Given the level he has played at, he may also have L1 suitors

 

Look at Doyle and Wright.

No hope whatsoever of them putting in performances for us, now key players at their current clubs.

Akpan is better than Wright, but had anyone scouted Wright at his last two clubs it should have been an absolute no from Orient.

 

Probably the same sort of team like Burton who wanted him to stay. His languid style doesn't help. In a weird way he reminds me a bit like Toure who was called lazy but had a relaxed style about him

 

Yes, that one incident summed him up.

I want to like him, I really do, and I'm not generally one to scapegoat or slag off our players. I've seen enough to recognise that the guy obviously has talent and is undoubtedly playing better now than he did last season or at the start of this one. The fact that he has previously done well at two levels higher is further evidence of his ability.

I know his style is languid but there has to be more application and consistency from him. As things stand I think Palmer, or even Reeves if he returns anything like his former self, would be a shoo-in to nail the regular slot alongside Cooke. And that simply shouldn't be the case given Akpan's higher league pedigree.

 

I believe Bowyer wanted to give the new signings a run out and see how they performed and how they coped with a 13,000+ crowd, to do this and cover other areas Akpan was left out.

 

I don't care what a player earners. No point even thinking about what someone else earns. If you're not happy about your wage then have the balls to ask your manager for a pay rise, if you get nowhere with your manager tell him/her to fu@k off then ask the real boss the owner or better still set up your own business and be in control of your own money failing that come work for me.

Akpan's wage isn't the issue. Lack of effort or motivation maybe but we all know he's better than Devine.

Devine as highlighted yesterday isn't nowhere near good enough.

Let's not dress this up Devine doesn't have the ability or strength. Northampton just pushed him off the ball like a little under 9's player. He is sh&te.

Akpan just needs to raise his game.

 

Absolutely the right thing to leave him out of the match day squad. He’s not pulling his weight. Real test of GBs man management skills to get a performance out of the guy.

 

unless he gets an offer from a non-league club or someone outside of this country it would be pointless him accepting a pay off as he wouldn't be able to sign for another FL club until January and unless he is prepared to take a hit on what the rest of his contract is worth for a lump sum I don't really see what benefit it is to us to get rid of him unless he was causing some issues off the field.

 

We are still actively paying for McCartan. The fee was apparently spread in instalments for the length of his contract.

 

How are you going to do that? We can’t bring in anyone else now. He contracted to next year and it’s not like we were swamped with interest in the Summer. I’m happy to argue the case that he is good enough for this division, in fact it’s probably his natural level. GB needs to find the lazy lump’s ON button. Finances and our limited midfield options dictate we have to get Akpan performing to something like his best consistently.

 

Hope we’ll have a few wins between now and December for the few games we’ll lose to ‘showcase’ his talent in readiness for the January window.

 

But is that to say that if he left, we would not have to pay the full amount?

And if so, the reported fee is false.

 

McCartan correct me if I am wrong is our record signing.

Either way we paid 250k for him. In my mind he turned up looking unfit and he's been sh&te. Oh and guess what he now isn't fit or can't get in the squad.

Bowyer waxing lyrical about the likes of Akpan, McCartan, Scannell etc seems to be a way of getting them out of the club.

McCartan has been a major let down. Devine is just sh&te.

You understand the difference don't you?

 

Yes we would

 

I agree with some of the points in this post.

It's a good post.

He's not our record signing, though, but perhaps you meant record post-Premier League signing?

 

If you’re happy with that midfield then power to your elbow. I’ll finish the discussion there.

 

I think in view of recent events t'other side of
Pennines,fans should be concerned about wages
players earn, when they're not even in the squad!

What concerns me more is the lack of understanding
that a game is 90 minutes not 45 and actually starting
like you want to win might improve results!!