👋 Farewell, Pablo Fornals

[Graza]

Been seeing some shade thrown Pablo's way in other threads (I also went on twitter and it reminded me why I never go on Twitter) and I'm left scratching my head.

At 23 he's still very young, a prominent member of the Spanish under 21's team that won the U21 euro championship and has bags of potential.

Given his age and experience it was always unlikely that he was going to hit the ground running in the premier league, which is so unlike anything he'd done before. The main complaint is that he takes too much time on the ball, this happens often to players who come in from Spain or Italy where the game is played like that, with less physicality and less pressure.

For me the problem people have is with his price tag. We paid £24m for him (which was our second highest fee ever when we paid it) and we simply aren't used to dropping that kind of cash on someone not ready to be dropped in and be the main man yet.

I'm disappointed at the amount of people not taking into account his age and relative experience. He has shown flashes of what he could become, certainly in the summer if not so much on the pitch for us. It's been 6 games (7 including the league cup), in which he has largely been a bit part player. With a bit of patience and easing him into the league I think we have a proper future gem.

The injury to Lanzini complicated matters as it might force him into the starting line up earlier than he's really ready for and if patience is not shown in the stands we could stifle his development. If Antonio were not out as well I think there may have been options for him to sit out a bit more, but short of deputising Snodgrass I think he might be thrown in to sink or swim.

[S-H]

Well said, Graza.

[Up the Junction]

Been seeing some shade thrown Pablo's way in other threads (I also went on twitter and it reminded me why I never go on Twitter) and I'm left scratching my head.

Social media was full of talk about sacking Pellegrini after the Man City game. It's a cesspit, often.

[Phil S]

Graza, it's like some people either want him to fail or say "I told you so"

I saw enough on Sunday to tell me there is a player in there who wants to do well.
He clearly has talent and I reckon Pelle is the man to get the most from him.

I remember Geoff Pike getting a fair bit of stick over the years
Speak to Dev or Trev and they'll say how good he was and the work he did for them that allowed them to play.

What do fans know?

[iLoveLasagne]

Can't boo Masuaku these days. Carlos doesn't provide as much opportunity to boo. Up you step Pablo.

There are no guarantees he will come good. But I am still very hopeful. He has a good attitude from what I can tell. Fans can be so annoying.

[mushy]

I always think there is at least one player in every starting eleven that fans want to have a go at.
You could win a game 6-0 and there would always be someone saying 'yeh but player X is a crock of **** and we need to upgrade in the next window'.
It's like it's human nature for fans to have at least one player to moan and shout about. I assume that we must get off on the negatively. It's like we cannot accept the fact that everything is going well so we try and find something (anything) to complain about.
Maybe we as fans (deep down) are uncomfortable with success and would prefer us to be the plucky losers, the little club that gets bullied by the big boys.
Not long ago Ogbonna was both finished at the club and a complete waste of time. Sunday he was close to man of the match.
Fans eh?
What do we know.

[YorksHammer]

He needs time - he's playing in a much different league, being given less time on the ball and so on. La Liga is a very different league to the Premiership.

Thought he grew a little bit into the game on Sunday and think that will continue - he'll get a run now with Lanzini out and it will surely help him.

I honestly do think, however, that we've signed him as part of the Noble succession plan and it will be Mark's role that he comes to take in the next season or two rather than the Lanzini one.

[fjthegrey]

It'd be madness to not start as many players as available in our next prem game, who played against Man U.

We controlled the game and were solid throughout. It's only their pretty negative approach that stopped us from creating more opportunities.

Play Fornals. He only gets better if we play him.

[S-H]

He was visibly growing in confidence the longer the game went on, even showboating in the final stages with some lovely trickery and step overs.

He will, in my opinion, surpass Lanzini, once he's properly settled in to his new home, acclimatized to his new league, and when he's firing on all cylinders.

[ereford ammer]

It'd be madness to not start as many players as available in our next prem game, who played against Man U.

We controlled the game and were solid throughout. It's only their pretty negative approach that stopped us from creating more opportunities.

Play Fornals. He only gets better if we play him.

I am in total agreement.

[mushy]

It'd be madness to not start as many players as available in our next prem game, who played against Man U.

We controlled the game and were solid throughout. It's only their pretty negative approach that stopped us from creating more opportunities.

Play Fornals. He only gets better if we play him.

Unless both the owners and management of this club consider that next Saturdays game is more important and want those players fresh and uninjured.
Judging from previous appearances in this competition I would say that thats entirely possible.

[Nick Sneddon]

Judge him at the end of the season, personally I think he'll be a different player by then

[ageing hammer]

This lad is class, give him time to gel with his new team mates he is only 23.

24 Million will prove to be a bargain by the end of the season.

[OohAahButler]

Well, it seems to be pretty unanimous on here that we're in favour of giving him time to settle, whatever Twitter says (or that numpty on the match day thread who labelled him a 'dud'!

Clearly the skill is there, as is the vision. He just needs to react quicker and adjust to the fact that he's in a league where the moment you receive the ball you are instantly under pressure.

I also felt that he started to find his feet and influence the game more in the last 30 mins on Sunday. The injury to Lanzini could well be the making of him, giving him the opportunity to get some minutes under his belt and up to speed. I'm still excited about what he's going to bring to the party.

[Estuary]

He looked like a talented player who will ease into the team over a couple of games. Sat was his first 90 mins for us in the PL v a side that are going to be in and around where we want to finish, I thought he did well enough.

[London Fields Hammer]

I am delighted to see the love and patience that Pablo is getting.
We are not Man Utd who can go around spunking £80 million on average but established internationals. He is clearly a player who needs a bit of coaching and time to settle but has bags of technique, energy and enthusiasm. He is no Manuel Lanzini but for £20+ million will definitely become a decent PL player. Once he gets a goal or two he'll start to grow in confidence as he gets up to the pace and physicality of the PL.

[Kialos]

Can't say I've seen a huge amount of criticism, not even on twitter. I liked what I saw with Fornals when he came on at Villa and thought he did fine on Sunday

[Boooogers!]

Pablo will be just fine. Just needs time to settle in.

[Gsbgsb]

For me when he came on against Villa he showed he had the skill to play in the Premier but his speed of thought and decision making could be better. First 20 minutes against Man Utd at the weekend were similar, we were desperately missing the link that Lanzini offers be that by carrying the ball forward or releasing others. Fornals really grew into the game though in my opinion and by the end he was looking a lot better.

That said Wilshere when he came on, albeit against a tired team, immediately exhibited the link play required and must be an option for Palace if Fornals (who should start) struggles against Bournemouth.

[Ozza]

Who said he was a dud? Was it that 212121 fella? If so he has no idea what he's talking about and i've told him that.

This kid looks good, just needs to settle into the pace of this league, a lot of Spanish players have struggled at first.

On another note, I've never understood why some people feel the need to have a scapegoat.