Ake has been one of our best players this year.Top top player one of the best promising England players in a long time.Ake is in the top 3 left backs we have ever had play for Watford in my opinion.
Shame he's Dutch... OK that's fair enough, seemed to me you had a bit of a vendetta against him but I was mistaken. I think Ake is better as a defender true, but Holebas is just as good in interceptions and one-on-ones and maybe has the edge going forward with more pace. But it's fair to say that Ake will be definitely be better all-round at 31 if he carries on the way he is - we're looking at a potential Netherlands World Cup/European Championship winner a few years down the line if the Dutch team can get their act together, which is why it's doubtful we'll keep him. No shame on Holebas though, who is more a very good club player.
Cutting edge input as ever,nice one pal. You know we haven't won a league match which Holebas has started?
What impresses me most about Ake is the speed of his improvement. He looked a bit nervous and uncertain in his first few games and to go from that to being able to step into central defence at short notice and do so well against the top scorer in the division is mightily impressive. He's pretty quick, aggressive, good on the ball, decent in the air and his positional sense has been noticeably improving throughout the season. He's got the potential to play for a really big team. I like Holebas too although in my opinion he's a class below Ake. He makes up for it though by amusing me: claiming he didn't agree to the transfer; wearing his shorts like speedos; being unable to take a throw in properly; smashing the ball against opponents from point blank range; and being the world's most bored man in interviews with Hornets Player. He seems like a donkey on the edge who could lose it at any time and in this age of boring sportsmen, I respect that.
Holbas is better than Ake at attacking, but Ake is far more betterer at defending. Overall it's an Ake win.
I'm not sure the two things are directly connected. Bale had a similar record early in his Spuds career.
Personally I hope Cholebas gets sold this summer. He's a decent enough player, but his attitude stinks. He obviously thinks he's big time and way too big time for us. Look, I don't want the players to kiss the badge and all the rest of it, but they could at least make a pretence of liking the club. Everyone was against Dyer for one little outburst, but big mouth Hollerback has been just as full of dissent or more even. His stupid parting and smug looks annoy me too. Don't care how good he is. Get rid.
I think that with the peculiarities of the transfer and the fact that he got very little playing time until Boxing Day, it's no wonder he was a bit tetchy. He appears to have knuckled down a bit now and is getting his chance so I'm prepared to give the benefit of the doubt. As has been said on other threads, he is our player whereas Aké isn't so there's more chance of him being here next season than Aké.
I like players that are what they are and not over-rated because they come from Chelsea. Bit like Chalobah. Ake is good, but like I say, he is not the player we describe him as on this forum. He really just isn't. Very happy to have him in the team, but would just prefer Holebas. I hope liking a player but thinking we've got better isn't too hard to grasp.
I don't think he is overrated on this forum. He is a very good player who by the sound of it, with his willingness to learn, will become an excellent player. He seems to be versatile as shown against Leicester. Utterly irrelevant that comes from Chelsea. They produce some excellent players but ruin them just as they get to an age where they need to play. I suspect they will keep Ake next season, spend £30m on a load of old tosh and he won't get a look in
I imagine most people base their opinion of Ake on his performances for us rather than which club we've loaned him from. We also loaned McEachran from Chelsea and there was pretty much universal agreement he was rubbish. You may not rate Ake as highly as some other people on this forum but that doesn't mean they've been blinded by the fact we've loaned him from Chelsea. Perhaps they just see things differently?
Imagine watching watford this season and not rating ake! There are truly some ******s among our support.
I knew you would have a problem with me saying I prefer Holebas. Like I have said a few yimes now, I rate Ake, never said I didn't. But you clearly find it difficult to understand English and take umbridge when someone does not have exactly the same view as you. Ake is good, but IMHO, Holebas potentially looks better. That said, Ake is not the player he is described as on this forum, nor were Angella, Chaloba or Cleverley for that matter.
Yep. IMHO Confident Ake will do a good job, would be a good purchase if we can get him, but I would prefer to Holebas start. Sorry for voicing an opinion.
I really like holebas, and there is an argument that we should play him ahead of ake so as to improve our own player rather than one of chelseas (seeing as it is most likely we wont be buying ake), however to think ake is overrated is daft. He's sensational and a contender for player of the season in my eyes. But then again, I also really like angella and hope he plays for us again so what do I know....
You're free to voice the opinion. Holebas is by no means a bad player but his attitude, work rate, desire, positioning and most importantly age is way behind Ake. I'm not actually sure what Holebas is better at except attacking? Surey if Ake was actually ours you'd want him to start over Holebas right?
I'm struggling to think of an attribute that Ake hasn't got. Strong, never gives the ball away, positional awareness magnificent, quick, can cross and head. In fact he's creeping into contention for my player of the season vote, alongside Watson, Britos and Deeney. I like Holebas but this is a no contest. For his age and versatility I'd happily see £15m dropped on him.
Excellent. You expressed an opinion without trying to put down the opposite view. You are now having a converstion, and what you say is fair and reasonable. I too like Angella and was dissapointed he did not get the chance to test himself with us this season, but again, on this forum he was proclaimed our next big name who was a class above Cathcart. I got criticised for suggesting he wasn't quite the player we described him to be. I like him, I think he is decent, and I'd be happy to see him back here. But I also think we over-hyped him.
Honestly, no. But conversely, I have no criticism of Ake, I would just rather see Holebas start. But then, I think that building attack across the team is our major flaw, and the area that has held back our potential enormously. That is almost certainly the major reason I would go for Holebas, but I think it is quite a pertinant one.
I really hope you are correct. I like Holebas but I think as TB said,Ake is very good in all aspects. I prefer his hair too!
Same, as it stands. Gomes and Ighalo have at least got to be in contention. I'd say it's between Gomes, Deeney and Ighalo for POTS, but the vast majority of the team could be up there - I'd not be surprised if any of Watson, Britos, Cathcart, Capoue or Ake finished in the top three.
Talking down how good a player Ake is after the season he's had would be ridiculous enough, but to do it after his performance on Sunday is astonishing.
I think Behrami could have at least an outside chance if he continues his form since Swansea away, he's been pretty much impeccable, but sadly I think he's been out for too much of the season (Prodl likewise). Not sure either Deeney is quite up there for POTS, there have been games when he's been awesome for sure, but quite a few when he's been ineffective or not very influential (I'd say the same about Ighalo but at least he has the goals), and he did go nine games at the start of the season without scoring or playing all that well, and it's not like he lacked chances. Top 5 maybe, but not quite at the very pinnacle. And while Watson deserves a lot of praise for his work rate, fitness, defensive qualities, ability to hold the ball up and versatility in both halves of the pitch, he's been notably inconsistent in his set pieces and tends to lack impact against the better teams. For me, my top 5 would currently go something like this: Ake, Britos, Gomes, Ighalo, and a toss-up between Deeney, Capoue and Cathcart, but like you said it's pretty tight with loads of worthy competitors.
Just checked the table and the average number of goals conceded is 38. We've conceded 30 which makes us the 3rd best in the Prem. My POTS can only go to one of Britos, Cathcart, Ake or Gomes and at the moment I'm leaning toward Cathcart.
Cathcart. The thinking fan's defender. How very trendy of you. You would be wrong though, Cathcart has been great but I wouldn't say he's been any better than Britos or Ake in defence. I I had to pick from the three I would go with Britos. I would have Deeney in ahead of Ighalo based on overall contribution on and off the pitch, but my POTS is Gomes (and by some margin).
I agree and would go with Cathcart. He has been our most consistent player (excepting perhaps Watson) whether he has played alongside Britos or Prodl. He was superb in last weeks game against Arsenal. Gomes and Deeney would bevmy other nominations.
