He is my player of the season. He doesn't score, is not the best tackler and does not make defence-splitting passes. Boy though, do we miss him when he's not there.
We played 31 league games winning and losing 13 of them. With him in the team we have won 11 and lost 7. However of the 7 defeats 2 were Man Utd and City and 2 were in games we could conceivably have won had Odem and Popov not had moments of madness and got sent off. When he is out of the team we have won 2 (QPR and Norwich) and lost 6 - relegation form.
Recognising his value to the team Clarke brought him back too soon and he was subbed after 35 minutes against Villa when we were 2 down. He missed the next game - a defeat against Everton but was back for Spurs. We played well in that game but Popov's sending off put paid to us.
The next game he was fully fit and it was our defensive display of the season - away to Liverpool. His partnership with Mulumbu is tremendous and it is a tragedy they will not be together on Saturday. We will lose Lukaku for next season and Odemwingie (fingers crossed), however we cannot afford to lose this guy.
Claudio Yacob
posted on 4/4/13
Gareth McAuley by a mile.
posted on 4/4/13
Take a bow, Peter Odemwingie
posted on 4/4/13
Jonas Olsson has come off the boil in recent months but he has it in him to return to form.
posted on 4/4/13
D'Jeezus
You went and mentioned Lukaku. Now we've got pundit here again...
posted on 4/4/13
I only said his name twice, thought it was 3 times like the Candyman and Beetlejuice.
posted on 4/4/13
.....too late, mate. He heard it.
posted on 5/4/13
....saying 'Lukaku' when pundit is in earshot has the same effect as shouting 'walkies' to your dog.
posted on 5/4/13
540 minutes left of Lukaku.
Then it's all about Shane Wrong.
posted on 5/4/13
Obsessed.
What you would give to have Shane Long.
Bythe way I think you'll find it should be El Pandit (ask your Spanish teacher at school) , you just make up these words
posted on 10/4/13
In the end I voted for Gareth McAuley. Mr Totally Dependable, does his job well, scores goals, never gets into trouble with referees, plays the game cleanly and properly, doesn't get himself sent off, a real professional.