I would have brought him on today for Clarke after we went one down, playing three at the back - then bring on KAG for Solly pushing DaSilva up. Would have been a better plan B.
Plenty of players are part of the squad that we got relegated with... Solly for one, another being Bauer and Jackson. Why do we pick out Sarr? He wasn't awful and a lot of his games were from the bench. He's had a decent pre season at Charlton and played well midweek.
I agree, cut him some slack. The boy is 23 years old. Two seasons ago he was 21. He can't help his price tag or his wage.
The irony with Naby is Il Duce got done by his own strategy - attaching a value to player on paper, this is where real experience not a laptop'd yoof misses the point.
Mind you there are plenty of mistakes made on overvalued players in football, but still (sad but) funny that our owner appears to have been burned this way.
He was a terrible buy but that is all irrelevant now - we don't need evidence on the ineptitude of the owner - Sarr is this season a new addition to the squad and is good enough to be an asset to this squad - the £1.5m price tag is ridiculous - but unfair to keep holding it against him.
So a huge player with pace, touch and Hoddle like passing. What went wrong first time round? And wasn't a regular in French level two. Possibly one of the few in our squad with Prem potential. Every defender makes mistakes but he needs to stay in the XI.
Came into the team at a really toxic time for the club. Hopefully the atmosphere now, although we're still under the bloody Belgiums, is more confidence-building
So a huge player with pace, touch and Hoddle like passing. What went wrong first time round. And wasn't a regular in French level two.
My issue is he couldnt adapt to level two in France because quite simply he is French surely that shouldnt be a problem?
I argued his case over the summer that he's potentially struggled in England because until Robbo came along he had foreign managers who didnt know the English game either which made it difficult to coach how opposition Strikers would play.
Taking into account Robbo's interview after today he doesnt sound to be just a poor lad who struggled to adapt and going by the end of that specific interview today it does seem in a way as though there is an attitude issue (not in the troublemaker sense though).
i.e. the fact he's only just gone and got somewhere to live in South East London says a lot... He'd signed a four year (?) deal two years ago so with that length of Contract why didnt he do this sooner and make settling into English life that bit easier (Its not like he's a million miles from home either).
On the basis of pre-season and today Id love to see him given more of a chance as thought he was excellent and believe everyone should have a second chance... Only other issue is we signed him as a Championship Defender not as a League One player so there shouldnt really be a struggle for him at this level - If he does struggle at this level you have to wonder if he'll soon be on last chance saloon as he slowly slips down the Leagues (whatever the country)
I'm really pleased for Naby. Hope he makes a lot of people eat humble pie. He's obviously had problems since we signed him but it looks like he's finally feeling settled and I'm sure playing in a decent team has helped his confidence. Long may it continue. Would be great if he wins over The Valley crowd.
Came into the team at a really toxic time for the club. Hopefully the atmosphere now, although we're still under the bloody Belgiums, is more confidence-building
*Belgians* Don't normally correct spellings but I know you know better...
So a huge player with pace, touch and Hoddle like passing. What went wrong first time round? And wasn't a regular in French level two. Possibly one of the few in our squad with Prem potential. Every defender makes mistakes but he needs to stay in the XI.
That summer left the squad in a terrible state, it was made up by a lot more academy and inexperienced foreign players. A number of them not good enough and/or ready at the time, including Naby.
He was one of 3 centre backs alongside Bauer, young, foreign and lacking experience (though Bauer had at least had a season or two of first feam football) and Diarra, who was really a midfielder.
Months into the season Karel Fraeye was put in charge. We never had a chance of any sort of success that season, especially players like Sarr.
Sarr wasn't a good or the right type of signing at the time, even if he proves himself at a lower level two years later.
Had he came in as back in a strong squad with a settled management team he may have done ok two years ago.
So a huge player with pace, touch and Hoddle like passing. What went wrong first time round? And wasn't a regular in French level two. Possibly one of the few in our squad with Prem potential. Every defender makes mistakes but he needs to stay in the XI.
That summer left the squad in a terrible state, it was made up by a lot more academy and inexperienced foreign players. A number of them not good enough and/or ready at the time, including Naby.
He was one of 3 centre backs alongside Bauer, young, foreign and lacking experience (though Bauer had at least had a season or two of first feam football) and Diarra, who was really a midfielder.
Months into the season Karel Fraeye was put in charge. We never had a chance of any sort of success that season, especially players like Sarr.
Sarr wasn't a good or the right type of signing at the time, even if he proves himself at a lower level two years later.
Had he came in as back in a strong squad with a settled management team he may have done ok two years ago.
He came into a side that was incredibly thin at the back. He was playing with one of Bauer, new to the league, Diarra, not really a defender, or Harry Lennon, pushing Sarr onto the right. I think because he was big and shouty and English Harry Lennon got away with a lot more as well.
Sarr, until now, hasn't had a coach who coaches, with the exception of Riga. But by the time Riga came in Sarr's confidence looked shot and we signed two decent center halves that January.
Sarr has all the tools. I wish I could remember who said it, but today he looked like the player we thought we'd signed two years ago. Still a long way for him to go but given all the stick he's gotten I really hope he goes on to have an excellent season. We are a better team with an on form Naby Sarr in the side.
I still wake up in cold sweats thinking about his performance at home to Huddersfield. Got absolutely schooled that day by a total journeyman is Ishmael Miller. Even allowing for being homesick/short on confidence he was a flat out liability during that and several other matches.
Seems to have done well when he has played this season so hopefully he has turned a corner, he must have had something sometime in his past to play for France at junior levels and end up somewhere like Sporting, but there is no disguising he has kept it well hidden from our eyes since joining us.
Hope he builds on this and becomes a good player for us, making out like he is a league 1 Beckenbaur and should be first name on the team sheet is a triffle premature though.
We didn't even have Lennon for part of that season, he was on loan at Gillingham between October and November.
Sarr's mistakes were obvious, Lennon looked more solid but still wasn't really good enough for what we needed at the time.
Yeah and then he came back when Bauer got hurt and Diarra went through a stretch of needing to come off seemingly every game--and to be fair to him, he was playing with a fracture in his foot. And Lennon played left center back and Sarr played right CB.
I agree Lennon looked more solid, and that neither he nor Sarr were what we needed at that point.
Just pleased for him. Its not his fault our dysfunctional club paid one & half mill for him. Now two years on he has a much better chance of success.
Will be very interested in his progress now, i guess he needs at least 6 games before we can form a judgement. I will say though he has the attributes to be a big asset for the team - imo.
Just to add my voice. Very happy for the guy. He was dropped into a club which was in a terrible state, and a squad not fit for purpose but he seems to have adapted (early days but anyway....). Could be a good 'old' signing. I wonder why it's taken KR so long to try him as he apparently had a good pre season.
I think credit to KR here he has eased him back in and seems to have 're integrated him with the squad. Clearly he has the tools and potential. Would like to see the fans get behind him and demonstrate out support for him.
I think KR's done the right thing to ease Sarr back in. There's no way he'd replace Pearce in the team but I'd say there's now a case of if Sarr can keep on performing it could be Bauer replaced once Pearce is back.
Either way I'd say he's pushed himself up the pecking order ahead of Lennon.
So a huge player with pace, touch and Hoddle like passing. What went wrong first time round? And wasn't a regular in French level two. Possibly one of the few in our squad with Prem potential. Every defender makes mistakes but he needs to stay in the XI.
That summer left the squad in a terrible state, it was made up by a lot more academy and inexperienced foreign players. A number of them not good enough and/or ready at the time, including Naby.
He was one of 3 centre backs alongside Bauer, young, foreign and lacking experience (though Bauer had at least had a season or two of first feam football) and Diarra, who was really a midfielder.
Months into the season Karel Fraeye was put in charge. We never had a chance of any sort of success that season, especially players like Sarr.
Sarr wasn't a good or the right type of signing at the time, even if he proves himself at a lower level two years later.
Had he came in as back in a strong squad with a settled management team he may have done ok two years ago.
He came into a side that was incredibly thin at the back. He was playing with one of Bauer, new to the league, Diarra, not really a defender, or Harry Lennon, pushing Sarr onto the right. I think because he was big and shouty and English Harry Lennon got away with a lot more as well.
Sarr, until now, hasn't had a coach who coaches, with the exception of Riga. But by the time Riga came in Sarr's confidence looked shot and we signed two decent center halves that January.
Sarr has all the tools. I wish I could remember who said it, but today he looked like the player we thought we'd signed two years ago. Still a long way for him to go but given all the stick he's gotten I really hope he goes on to have an excellent season. We are a better team with an on form Naby Sarr in the side.
The problem has always been that nobody knew whether this was the case. We signed a defender who had played in the Champions League who we thought might be a decent championship defender, let alone League 1.
Seems like a good display yesterday by all accounts and I have been backing him over Lennon for months now, but I think we should go easy on that statement because nobody still knows much about Naby Sarr and how useful he can be.
I think Pearce being captain, recent League 1 winner, organiser at the back and probably our best CB is the reason he would be in the team. I agree that despite them both being left-footed, Pearce would get the nod over Sarr every day of the week.
No reason why Sarr and Pearce couldn't play together though. Not a massive fan of Bauer but he is good enough and does chip in with the odd goal too.
Annoys me that people can't even spell our players' names to be honest.
Naby Sarr is not the best player in our squad, far from it, but he is adequate enough as a back up centre back in the third tier of English football. No he wasn't billed as such when we bought him, but that's what he is and I for one firmly believe he is a better footballer than what many are willing to accept
I think Pearce being captain, recent League 1 winner, organiser at the back and probably our best CB is the reason he would be in the team. I agree that despite them both being left-footed, Pearce would get the nod over Sarr every day of the week.
No reason why Sarr and Pearce couldn't play together though. Not a massive fan of Bauer but he is good enough and does chip in with the odd goal too.
KRs pressing game is dependent on keeping a high defensive line which Pearce is incapable of delivering, which is why we have struggled against mediocre sides who stop us playing out from the back. Sarr is comfortable on the ball and if oppo swarm forward he has ability to ping it over their heads to a red shirt. Pearce is a limited brawler.
Comments
I agree, cut him some slack. The boy is 23 years old. Two seasons ago he was 21. He can't help his price tag or his wage.
Mind you there are plenty of mistakes made on overvalued players in football, but still (sad but) funny that our owner appears to have been burned this way.
I argued his case over the summer that he's potentially struggled in England because until Robbo came along he had foreign managers who didnt know the English game either which made it difficult to coach how opposition Strikers would play.
Taking into account Robbo's interview after today he doesnt sound to be just a poor lad who struggled to adapt and going by the end of that specific interview today it does seem in a way as though there is an attitude issue (not in the troublemaker sense though).
i.e. the fact he's only just gone and got somewhere to live in South East London says a lot... He'd signed a four year (?) deal two years ago so with that length of Contract why didnt he do this sooner and make settling into English life that bit easier (Its not like he's a million miles from home either).
On the basis of pre-season and today Id love to see him given more of a chance as thought he was excellent and believe everyone should have a second chance... Only other issue is we signed him as a Championship Defender not as a League One player so there shouldnt really be a struggle for him at this level - If he does struggle at this level you have to wonder if he'll soon be on last chance saloon as he slowly slips down the Leagues (whatever the country)
He was one of 3 centre backs alongside Bauer, young, foreign and lacking experience (though Bauer had at least had a season or two of first feam football) and Diarra, who was really a midfielder.
Months into the season Karel Fraeye was put in charge. We never had a chance of any sort of success that season, especially players like Sarr.
Sarr wasn't a good or the right type of signing at the time, even if he proves himself at a lower level two years later.
Had he came in as back in a strong squad with a settled management team he may have done ok two years ago.
If he can keep his place he could be important for us.
He came into a side that was incredibly thin at the back. He was playing with one of Bauer, new to the league, Diarra, not really a defender, or Harry Lennon, pushing Sarr onto the right. I think because he was big and shouty and English Harry Lennon got away with a lot more as well.
Sarr, until now, hasn't had a coach who coaches, with the exception of Riga. But by the time Riga came in Sarr's confidence looked shot and we signed two decent center halves that January.
Sarr has all the tools. I wish I could remember who said it, but today he looked like the player we thought we'd signed two years ago. Still a long way for him to go but given all the stick he's gotten I really hope he goes on to have an excellent season. We are a better team with an on form Naby Sarr in the side.
Sarr's mistakes were obvious, Lennon looked more solid but still wasn't really good enough for what we needed at the time.
Seems to have done well when he has played this season so hopefully he has turned a corner, he must have had something sometime in his past to play for France at junior levels and end up somewhere like Sporting, but there is no disguising he has kept it well hidden from our eyes since joining us.
Hope he builds on this and becomes a good player for us, making out like he is a league 1 Beckenbaur and should be first name on the team sheet is a triffle premature though.
I agree Lennon looked more solid, and that neither he nor Sarr were what we needed at that point.
Form is temporary
Class is permanent
Will be very interested in his progress now, i guess he needs at least 6 games before we can form a judgement.
I will say though he has the attributes to be a big asset for the team - imo.
Either way I'd say he's pushed himself up the pecking order ahead of Lennon.
Seems like a good display yesterday by all accounts and I have been backing him over Lennon for months now, but I think we should go easy on that statement because nobody still knows much about Naby Sarr and how useful he can be.
No reason why Sarr and Pearce couldn't play together though. Not a massive fan of Bauer but he is good enough and does chip in with the odd goal too.