Could we have Beckfords replacement already under our noses? I must admit that the times I have seen Somma in the reserves he never looked that interested and a tad off the pace, however, the form he showed at Lincoln, his goal tally and certainly the quality of the goals could not be ignored.
He has already featured in our first friendly and had a decent run out, if we look past the fact he played League Two, do you think Grayson is considering Somma as more of a first team player than any of us have anticipated?
Some of the goals last season he scored for Lincoln, were class, 18LongLeeds - do you still have the YouTube links?
We also have Mike Grella who could also be a success given a chance .
I wish Grayson would give him an extended run in the team - I visited
Thorp Arch to watch a first team training session and Grella stood out ,
good movement and control and consistently hit the target -
I have a lot of sympathy for him - subbed a lot last season , 5 mins here and there
he deserves a chance aswell.
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Jul 14, 2010 18:06
We also have the option to change shape and play three at the back now,which would afford us the option of playing Somma and Becchio up front,with Grella between them and the midfield linking the play. With his first-touch and the quality of his flicks and passes,he could create chances for the front two and for medifielders to run onto for shooting opportunities.
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Jul 14, 2010 18:32
Grella had a fair lot of chances last season and whilst his work rate was never questioned (and good on him for that) he didn't often provide much quality higher than what we'd already seen. I think that the bosses haven't managed to work out what his best position is yet - course I could be wrong there - but I know for a fact that Grayson didn't rate him that highly as a striker last season. However, Grella looked best I thought when he was partnering a big centre forward who won the ball in the air and linked up well with him. ALAS that player was Kandol. I know Grella is said by LU players like Hughes to be easily the most skilful player we have, but he hasn't shown that level of skill in any of the games he's played. Bluntly speaking, if he couldn't show it in L1 then why does anyone think he's going to improve against better quality defenders in the Champ?
BUT the boss deserves credit for showing loyalty to Grella and as long as the player works as hard if not even harder as he always has, I won't be slagging him, I just don't think he's made much of an impact in the majority of his games for Leeds. I liked the idea of him playing behind the front two but it hardly happened, and having a player in that position is a bit of a luxury in a division like we had to battle in last season. And we are STILL lacking a 'Pocket Napoleon' in midfield.
Had a fair lot of chances ? OK if you think 4 league starts is a '' fair lot ' - I don't ! Kandol only started twice !!! Give the lad a chance . You know for a fact Grayson doesn't rate him ??? How would you know that - if you have Simons mobile number please pass it on to the rest of us then we can all find out who he rates or doesn't. None of us have seen the best of Grella quite simply because he hasn't played enough and hasn't had a fair crack of the whip in my opinion - a couple of starts in the Carling cup and JPT were other opportunities for him along with the Kettering FA cup game where he won the game for us. Apart from that a few minutes as sub here and there are the measley scraps he's had to feed off. It's a mystery to me that he is continually overlooked - he needs a run of games to boost his confidence but for whatever reason doesn't get picked - sooner or later his loyalty and patience will run out and he will move on without us ever seeing the best of him - it will be our loss and someone else's gain.
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Jul 14, 2010 20:28
Somma did well at Lincoln but we are talking 2 leagues up from that. In fact none of our strikers are proven at Championship level so he might as well be tossed into the hat with the others.
Had a fair lot of chances ? OK if you think 4 league starts is a '' fair lot ' - I don't ! Kandol only started twice !!! Give the lad a chance . You know for a fact Grayson doesn't rate him ??? How would you know that - if you have Simons mobile number please pass it on to the rest of us then we can all find out who he rates or doesn't.
Mate, personally, I tend to agree with you about Grella not having got some serious chances to prove himself, but with regards to ONS and some 'inside' info, I give him all the credit he can ask for. He's part of a select few on this forum who do, occasionally, have access to some proper knowledge of what's going on at the club and we know their character well enough to know they're not the kind to just spout nonsense out just for the sake of looking important. Not had the pleasure of knowing him personally, but I'm sure others can vouch in that sense to an even greater extent.
And, after all, if I had some inside knowledge of any organisation, I wouldn't go about spelling out exactly where and how I got it.
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Jul 14, 2010 21:18
Hey fair do's about disagreeing about the player, you rate him very highly because you've seen him do really well in training, and I don't rate him that highly from what I've seen in all his matches. i didn't say a boatload of chances did I? But 'a fair lot' is probably pushing it too, it wasn't really my point anyway. And yes he did win the match against Kettering.
I said the manager didn't rate him, I've no idea what he thinks of him now, there is a difference. I'm not in the habit of bullshitting and if you think I am then come out and say it, I'm not one for namedropping or pretending to be in the know, I know who I spoke with about Grella and I know what was said between them and the Leeds boss. If you're not satisfied with that then fair enough but if you're itrying to insinuate something more about me - which it looks like I think -then let's have it. I could give less of a damn about yours or many other opinions on here or other forums, and no doubt the same some might say the same about my opinion, but I don't try taking the piss, I don't try to impress and I don't try to cast aspersions on people I don't really know.
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Location: lincolnshire
Jul 14, 2010 21:50
im from lincolnshire and ive had my eye on somma while he was on loan at lincoln and although he was only playing in a fairly weak league 2 side he looked class.....his control, vision and most of all finishing was superb so i think we should give this guy a run of games because he could surprise a lot of people, yeah it would be nice to have hooper, lita, maynard onboard but im 100% sure we have enough striker power to cause alot of teams problems this year........maybe we lack championship experience so sg might go for someone else, but lets get that strong, holding midfielder first.
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Jul 15, 2010 07:34
I've said this before and I'll say it again, Grella's problem is he has been too lightweight, easily knocked off the ball and bullied by defenders. There is no question he has the skill and the workrate but as a striker you need to be able to take a few elbows and shins, at the moment thats the part of his game that has let him down. I'm sure given time this will come as he grows more familiar with the English game and 'bulks' up.
Somma is a different player, he is a forward that can lead the line and get in the goal, Grella is more a support player in my view.
I do think Grella deserves a few more chances, perhaps sending the lad out on loan may help, it certainly helped develop Beckford and Somma's game.
Beckford was the same - soon muscled off the ball , gave it up ,fell on the floor ,moaned to the ref , wouldn't challenge for headers - but Grayson and the Leeds fans stuck by him
in the hope he would get us a goal - which credit to him he invariably did .
But how many good games did he actually have - not many ?
Grella on the other hand (from what bits we've seen of him )worked hard for the team
and made a good honest contribution in each game he played - Darlington , Carlisle , Kettering - I think he also scored in all three games ?
I hope Grella is in Graysons plans for this season Sheepy but as Somma is now
back in the mix and we have signed Paynter it could be he's still only going to be
a bit part player so as you say - he may be forced to go out on loan to get a game ?
It seems confusing because I think he signed an extended 3 year contract last year - is that right ?
Has there been any enquiries for him ?
Whatever - he was involved in the friendly the other night so its up to him to make the most of his chances and force his way into the team -
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Jul 15, 2010 10:06
If anyone cares enough to read my comments about Grella then they'd notice that I'm on his side, it's just that I don't quite 'get' why fans are saying give him more chances whilst at the same time saying they totally back Grayson. It seems that there are fans who think Grayson doesn't know his own players and therefore needs some advice on who to pick and where to play them. I've never met Grayson by the way, so i don't have his number but he's rewarded certain players with new contracts because they've worked their proverbials off, and I think Grella is one of those players and he deserved it. Most of you probably remember Beckford's debut for Leeds - he looked terrible! Grella looked better in his first games so who knows, with luck he might make a bigger impact, but Sheepy has said it how it is about Grella's weaknesses.
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Jul 15, 2010 13:31
Differences between Grella and Beckford include - Beckford is a big strong lad and fast as hell, he actually scares defenders, esp with his pace. He was also a focal point for Leeds attacks and possibly even the tactics/strategy. And as has been said a fair few times on here, THAT aspects was one of the team's weaknesses too often. They're two very different players and for all his faults, rightly pointed out above, he was still the first name I think most would have on the team sheet. But he's an out and out striker (who weirdly liked going on the left wing every now and then) whilst Grella is not such a striker at all. But whatever the disagreements about him on here, and the needless sniping, I'll be wishing him only the best and if I'm proven wrong about his limitations then I will be delighted to admit it
but he's rewarded certain players with new contracts because they've worked their proverbials off, and I think Grella is one of those players and he deserved it. Most of you probably remember Beckford's debut for Leeds - he looked terrible! Grella looked better in his first games so who knows, with luck he might make a bigger impact, but Sheepy has said it how it is about Grella's weaknesses.
