Babel

[Gravy]

Was he on the bench yesterday??

[Raj]

No.

[Nathan Explosion]

Hope not.

[richwilks]

Nope. Sure to be sold.

[Nate.]

Shame this.

 

Lad has all the tools to be a top player, possibly will somewhere else. Never looked anything but brainless here though.

[kop205]

Was in his suit on the pitch at the end I think, head down, wandering aimlesly and not looking especially interested...

[CarraLegend]

Lad has all the tools to be a top player, possibly will somewhere else.

 

These tools have looked less and less obvious by the week, I think he was just overrated to begin with and I was bigtime guilty of that. He's mentally weak and not that good anyway.

[richwilks]

These tools have looked less and less obvious by the week, I think he was just overrated to begin with and I was bigtime guilty of that. He's mentally weak and not that good anyway.

 

 

I remember seeing him tearing people apart in his first 6 months at the club, gradually got worse as the season went on and this season has been woeful.

 

I thought we should have tried to move him on last summer, really expect it to happen this summer.

[Dan]

He's got pace and a good shot on him. Thats about it.

[DanielS]

Was in his suit on the pitch at the end I think, head down, wandering aimlesly and not looking especially interested...

 

So he did play then? How did we get 4 subs on the pitch?

[Zoob]

I remember seeing him tearing people apart in his first 6 months at the club, gradually got worse as the season went on and this season has been woeful.

 

I thought we should have tried to move him on last summer, really expect it to happen this summer.

 

Not sure I'd agree that he ever tore anyone apart, but his first goal for the club - against Derby - where he put 2 defenders on the floor before finishing sweetly, did make me think he understood football far more than he obviously does.

[cymrococh]

Not sure I'd agree that he ever tore anyone apart, but his first goal for the club - against Derby - where he put 2 defenders on the floor before finishing sweetly, did make me think he understood football far more than he obviously does.

He had me fooled that first season.

 

I remember saying he was 'a proper footballer'.

[kop205]

So he did play then? How did we get 4 subs on the pitch?

 

I'll set them up, you knock them right into the back of the net.

 

 

[richwilks]

Not sure I'd agree that he ever tore anyone apart, but his first goal for the club - against Derby - where he put 2 defenders on the floor before finishing sweetly, did make me think he understood football far more than he obviously does.

 

 

I remember a few games where he played wide and regularly beat the full back. That seemed to go from his game, think people figured out that if you stop him getting in behind you he has f*** all.

[Herbie von Smalls]

I'll set them up, you knock them right into the back of the net.

more like hammering it into the net after it's already crossed the goal-line.

[Nebraska Red]

the lad is missing something, maybe in his head.

 

he has been given chances and has hardly ever taken them.

 

he has all the skill in the world and the potential to be a world class player, I just don't think he is suited to the English game. he's never going to be a player who scraps for the ball when needed, he's the guy you bring on when the game is won and you need to rest a player for 20 minutes, and that is not what we want.

 

someone will pay a decent fee for him and he'll do well in a different league.

[GWistooshort]

Signing Babel was rumoured to be one of the reasons Rafa & Pako fell out, wasn't it, with Pako not rating him

[deacon]

Signing Babel was rumoured to be one of the reasons Rafa & Pako fell out, wasn't it, with Pako not rating him

 

Wasn't it more to do with the fact that Pako didn't think he was right for the left side, which is the position Rafa signed him for?

 

I know he gets slated here, but I think he's an example of Rafa's failure to nurture through young talent. He looked a great prospect when he arrived, but has just regressed since. In a side like Arsenal's, Babel would have prospered I reckon. Van Basten advised Babel against going to Liverpool, and he clearly was correct.

[Whitey]

Babel was an exciting signing for sure - at the time it seemed like we stole a march on other clubs.

Sadly it's not worked out, and I'm concerned at his value now - he's not played, has little confidence etc.

Would be nice to get a good offer, but not quite sure who would fork out for him now?

Edited May 26, 2009 by Whitey

[RP]

Not sure about him having all the required tools - I think he is lacking the most basic requirement for a top class footballer, possession of a 'football brain'.

[anfield11]

Not sure about him having all the required tools - I think he is lacking the most basic requirement for a top class footballer, possession of a 'football brain'.

 

:lol: Totally agree. A bit of a chicken in the physical end of things too.

 

This site tend to talk total garbage, but hopefully this is one thing they may get right.

 

http://www.tribalfootball.com/aston-villa-...er-babel-246972

[Knox_Harrington]

I know he gets slated here, but I think he's an example of Rafa's failure to nurture through young talent. He looked a great prospect when he arrived, but has just regressed since. In a side like Arsenal's, Babel would have prospered I reckon. Van Basten advised Babel against going to Liverpool, and he clearly was correct.

Not sure about him having all the required tools - I think he is lacking the most basic requirement for a top class footballer, possession of a 'football brain'.

He'd have got more games for Arsenal but no one would have tried to instil a football brain in him so he'd have been sound - i.e. winning nothing and being carried by better players who have a brain. Reality is that regardless of who manages him he'll never be a top player and, further, Walcott would be better off under our manager (as, arguably, would Fabregas and van Persie).

[Spike]

I call Babel Oz. All he needs is a brain, a heart and some courage.

[_00_deathscar]

I know he gets slated here, but I think he's an example of Rafa's failure to nurture through young talent.

 

Not sure what the age limit/cut off age is, but Torres was 22 when he came here, as was Mascherano. Alonso was 23. All three were definitely better than Babel when they came to Liverpool, but Rafa has really brought their games on.

[_00_deathscar]

Additionally, Arsenal (and ourselves) regularly play a quick one touch passing game, especially in the middle of the pitch.

 

Babel has, to my recollection, never displayed that quick passing and thinking ability.