The Cresswell Thread

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prophet:marginal
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The Cresswell Thread

Post by prophet:marginal »

[apologies if there is one on page 45, but...]

Aaron Cresswell made his 200th top flight start for the club tonight.

Deserves some recognition?

I personally think he has been re-calibrated, by Moyes, and that he is in a top half team's squad on merit. Sure, he will never be 6'2", nor will he have the fearlessness of Coufal, but I think he has done what few fellow professionals can muster and actually returned from a serious injury and been still better, even if he is now, of course, a few years down the line.

200 top flight games for any club deserves some credit...
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Puff Daddy »

I love the title of this thread
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by HammerAl »

Credit for the 200 games, definitely.

Overriding feeling of Cresswell is:

Was excellent in his first season under Big Sam.

Was then poor for 4 or 5 seasons, other than the 15/16 season where he was ok, but I believed he was very lucky to still be a PL player last season.

He can no longer play LB in the PL but I honestly think he’s an excellent LCB. He seems to actually win tackles, headers and seems pretty fearless by putting his body on the line in that position, which he does not at LB. He also doesn’t need to run as much at LCB, his passing is better and offers us another attacking dimension from that position, even more so at LCB than LB, due to being able to put in good crosses from a deeper position.

I hate seeing the starting lineup with him at LB but feel very comfortable and confident with him at LCB.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by prophet:marginal »

This season, already more than halfway towards matching Demigod Payet's first season of assists in the league, for West Ham United.

Yes, he isn't also scoring, but this, predominantly, is a defender supplying these assists.

6 in 17 league matches and LC change is phenomenal.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by hammer1975 »

He's much improved, but it still feels the weakest position in our starting 11 when everyone is fit - our left midfielder is effectively an auxillary left back when we play 4 at the back.

Were Fornals to get injured and someone else ended up playing at left mid then we'd have problems imo

Still need investment at left back
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by OohAahButler »

Solid performer, harshly maligned, in my opinion.

Apart from just after he returned from injury, I don’t often see him hiding and his assists record is excellent.

He gets a lot of criticism on here and from our fans on social media, but that’s very rarely reflected by opposition fans, journos, commentators or pundits.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Ethanadict »

I think he’s been a great, loyal and professional club player. 200 appearances is a fantastic achievement and fair credit to him.

Some seasons have not been as good as others and I was one who was desperate for a new LB signing this Summer, and I still am in this January window. But he has put in some great performances on the left side of the back three CBs.

Tonight against Everton he did well at LB in a back four. Not often I’ve felt comfortable with him there but again fair credit for tonight’s performance.

Most of all I respect his professionalism. With Masuaku injured he’s played 90 minutes in three games in five days, and he’s no spring chicken. I don’t think he’s fully fit either, but it’s typical of the player that he’ll give everything for the cause.

We still need to bring in a decent LB to take over from him at an appropriate time, but I think he deserves a lot respect for what’s he’s brought to our club for 200 games.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by goa127 »

For two games in a row the opposition have targeted our supposed weak link. Neither had much success. Cresswell's weakness is against players running from deep, where he can get caught out. Against an opponent trying to take him on he's decent. He'll never beat anyone for speed so you wouldn't want to match him against Traore too often. A perfect example was v Arsenal at home last season,. Every time Pepe got the ball Cress was on him stopping him going anywhere. Cresswell goes off injured Arthur comes on ,stands off Pepe, bang goal
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Pacific Hammer »

I was going to start a thread called Cresswell's Balls:

Inch perfect, well curved and hairy for defences 😅
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by -DL- »

Another good, honest pro. Not the best in the world, but reliable and dependable.

Always liked him.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Crouchend_Hammer »

Been one of his biggest critics for a number of years but this season he has played well both at LCB and as a LB - so fair play

You definitely cannot fault his committent

I have always maintained that with the additional security of Rice and Soucek and now Coufal in there, both Cresswell and masuaku are fine for LB against most of the division - just need the organisation and discipline to be coached in
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by alantaylorsleftfoot »

He's our only left back. Moyes appears to want to play a back 4 and the only reason we played wing backs was to find a place for Masuaku in the starting line up.

Man Utd and Spurs signed expensive foreign left backs in the summer, but who else within out budget could we sign to replace him? Liverpool paid £13m for a Greek player that they are already trying to bin.

He is criticised for his defensive deficiencies, but Robinson who was signed by Fulham, Lowe signed by Sheff Utd and Lewis signed by Newcastle have struggled to establish themselves in the Premier League. Manning eventually signed for Swansea.

Rico Henry and Omar Richards are the latest names linked but they both look more like converted wingers than left backs.

Cresswell may not be a world beater, but he has a wand of a left foot and weighs in with more than his fair share of assists.

Moyes is the ultimate pragmatist, he will play Cresswell until a better, more affordable option arises. We can't sign players who don't exist.

Johnson can do a job as back up and Longelo or Fevrier may develop. In the meantime the squads greater need is for another mobile striker and a strong mobile midfielder to back up/compliment Rice and Soucek.

That said I'd be happy if we signed Henry or Richards, or even Hamalainen, Sorinola, Wagner or Barasic. But it should not detract from the job Cresswell had done and is doing. More importantly it would appear that Moyes appreciates it.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by southendmadhammer »

Just wanted to put something out there that I've thought for a while:

He has the best first touch of the whole squad.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by AlfieG »

southendmadhammer wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:35 pm He has the best first touch of the whole squad.
Really??

Its Haller surely..... :D

PS. Cress has been superb in his new role this season.

Long may it continue.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

Nice to see a positive thread for a change :)

Not the same player after his injury but he has been rejuvenated somewhat under Moyes. Good passer of the ball and takes a good set piece.

Signed for what? 5 million? That's an excellent bit of business in my book.

Well done on reaching 200 games Aarron, keep it going.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by prophet:marginal »

southendmadhammer wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:35 pm

He has the 2nd best first touch of the whole squad.
Fornals has the best, imo.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Metal Hammer »

prophet:marginal wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 8:38 pm
200 top flight games for any club deserves some credit...
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by wormley »

At £3.75 million he's been a bargain and a decent servant.

Individual errors have cost us a fair few goals but he's scored a few too and assisted plenty more.
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by JLCABA »

prophet:marginal wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:42 pm Fornals has the best, imo.
Must be his 2nd 3rd or 4th touches then that he misses so many glaring chances and is incapable of finding a team mate with a pass
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Re: The Cresswell Thread

Post by Turns to Stone »

As with most players, his performances are heavily impacted by those playing around him. In a side playing with confidence and with players who support him in front of him, and who put the work in around him, he's actually a very solid Premier League left-back. Cresswell has been poor at times, but I reckon there are some world-class left-backs who some of our bizarre selections/signings and the work ethic of those playing around them could manage to look ordinary over the last 5 or 6 years.
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