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a feature is being written on the best and worst signings in Premier League history.
Supporters of teams which have been in the top flight since ’92 are being asked to nominate players from their own club.
Rather than me give just my thoughts, I am opening it up on here so I can get a good cross section of views.
All I need is for you to tell me what you think Latic’s 2 best signings (made whilst in the Prem) and 2 worst, plus a brief explanation for on each on why you chose them?
FA Cup Winners 2013, sounds good that
Good
1. Wilson Palacios – For me one of the most complete midfielders we have ever had(bar his shooting). His energy, passion, determination and loyalty is a good marker for anyone to aspire to.
2. Arjan De Zeeuw – A lot of sentiment in this one but i have never seen such a consistently solid Centre Back. He was highly regarded at Barnsley and they were gutted he left after their relegation from the Premiership. When he went to Portsmouth we were as equally gutted but he was even better when he came back. The premiership experience and playing under Harry Redknapp made him a top performer and was vital in our first season.
Bad
It would be easy to just pick a De Ridder or Bouaouzan but they didn’t play and i don’t think can qualify. so here goes…….
1. Fitz Hall – Shame really because he came with a half decent reputation as the season drew nearer and lack of centre backs i think he was a poorly researched signing and a bit knee jerk. His lack of pace was exposed too many times and his defensive ability wasn’t good enough to cover for it.
2. Marlon King – Again came with a good footballing reputation but his lack of skill, pace, strength or finishing was very quickly realised. The consistency of his poor performances became too often and inevitably cost us 5m, a prison sentence, terminated contract and one goal to show for it.
Vladimir Stoijkovic and Hendry Thomas pushed them close though.
Best:
1. Hate to say it, but Camara, despite his strops and disappearances, did as much to keep us up as any player. Scored lots of goals, many of them great.
2. Valencia – Jewell picked up a bargain there.
3. If I’m allowed a third, for what Jewell paid for Boycie, what we’ve got from him has turned out a bargain.
Worst:
1. Boselli, but fingers crossed he may yet come good
2. Landzaat was disappointing, but arguing against myself, I’m not sure he was disastrous
3. A mixture of forwards including Marcus Bent and Marlon King, who couldn’t pick up the simple idea that Heskey wins everything and all you had to do was stay close to him and RUN! when he wins it.
best:
N’zogbia – probably most talented player ever to wear the shirt, and could be argued has single handedly saved us from relegation.Valencia – an absolute bargain buy and a joy to watch when he was on form.
worst:
Boselli – simply dreadful. and 6 million quid to boot.Webster – came with decent credentials but looked like a fish out of water, seemed like he never unpacked his bags.
Best:
Al Habsi (if loans count). For the first time in the Prem we have a keeper who instills confidence in everyone. No offence to Filan intended.
Valencia. Proved himself, worked hard and thoroughly earned his move to a bigger club unlike many others.
Also a honourable mention to Palacios.
Bad:
Zaki. Took the pi55. Things must have been bad if even Bruce questioned his loyalty. It briefly looked so good, but what a huge disappointment.
Webster. Something fishy about that transfer with all its legal wranglings. Plainly not good enough for the Prem.
And a dishonourable mention to Agahowa, King, Koumas etc…
Best:
Wasn’t sure if De Zeeuw would count because he was signed before we got in the Prem. So,
1. Emile Heskey. I know this might be contraversial but i believe that without him, especially in our tough second season, we might not even be here in the Premiership. His ability to hold up the ball is second to none.
2. For similar reasons, the fact that we are still in the Premiership, and his pace and skill with the ball, it has to be Charles N’Zogbia.
Worst:
So many to choose from who just didn’t come anywhere near the standard required in the Premiership.
1. Olivier Kapo. Even though there may have been less skilfull players here, he has been one who has been a big drain on resources, on high wages with little desire to break into the first team.
2. Maybe not all his fault, but next has to be Mauro Bosselli because of the near disaster of the start of the season where he failed to impress (partly because of our system). Never has so much been promised at latics (£6million signing and all that) for it to fail so boldly.
Best: 1. Charles N’Zogbia, another winger who Wigan have turned into one of the most feared. Direct, tricky and diminutive he’s constant threat and scores the odd vital goal too! Likely to yield a high transfer fee too, but will be missed more than Valencia I think due to the unlikely chance of a replacement anywhere near as good.
2. Antonio Valencia, like Palacios, was bought for peanuts and sold for millions. He was a brilliant players whilst here too and we enhanced his performance to somewhere close to what it is now. Also scored some vital goals like the two at Villa Park in May 2008. Gets the nod ahead of Palacios because he achieved more at the club.
Worst: 1. Without doubt Julius Aghahowa. Anything/one whose value drops from £2 million to £100k in 18 months is a financial disaster. Despite his raw pace and back flips (which we never actually witnessed validly) Julius was lightweight and had the goalscoring ability of a goldfish. The greatest example that using Championship Manager as a scouting tool is very risky.
2. Jason Scotland, there were may shockers to choose from, King, Webster, Hall, Connolly, Skoko, Olembe, Kapo, Mido, Haestad, Todorov… Yet Scotland just beat them all to second place. 1 goal in 30 odd Premier League appearances as a striker is shocking. I don’t care what the circumstances, you’ve got to be doing better than that. In reverse to Aghahowa, was as strong as a bull, but had the pace and touch of one too. Definitely one to forget.
Not really on topic but
Stoijovic
Olembe Hall Webster Edman
De Ridder Kapo Bouaouzan
Aghahowa Boselli ScotlandSome team is that.
Not really on topic butStoijovic
Olembe Hall Webster Edman
De Ridder Kapo Bouaouzan
Aghahowa Boselli ScotlandSome team is that.
My personal opinion is that Olembe, De Ridder and Bouaouzan were not given a chance so i think it’s unfair to stick it to them because they didn’t get a chance.
Boselli has only played a handful of games and i still think he can come good. You don’t get called up for a nation like Argentina for a laugh. He has goals in him, it is just whether Martinez can find the key to unlock them.And there was nowt wrong with Edman. He was belting for us. He had a shocker against Tottenham after a year or so out and never got another chance but before that he was an ideal replacement for Bainsey
i thought edman was good to be honest. some of these players id totally forgot about until this thread like webster and olembe. id say boselli has to be our worst because of the price tag and that he might as well not be there when he plays
best would have to be a toss up between palacios and valencia as they were cheap, fantastic and made us a quick buckMy personal opinion is that Olembe, De Ridder and Bouaouzan were not given a chance so i think it’s unfair to stick it to them because they didn’t get a chance.
Boselli has only played a handful of games and i still think he can come good. You don’t get called up for a nation like Argentina for a laugh. He has goals in him, it is just whether Martinez can find the key to unlock them.And there was nowt wrong with Edman. He was belting for us. He had a shocker against Tottenham after a year or so out and never got another chance but before that he was an ideal replacement for Bainsey
I based it on how they did for us, rather than overall ability. At least 4 of those have played in the world cup so there was talent in there. Maybe im a bit harsh on Edman, he was great before the injury. After his comeback however he was poor and the Tottenham game was one of the worst performances ive seen by a Latics player in the Prem.
1. Emile Heskey. I know this might be contraversial but i believe that without him, especially in our tough second season, we might not even be here in the Premiership. His ability to hold up the ball is second to none.Not just holding the ball up either. His ability to chase lost causes all afternoon, defend, track back, head, tackle and generally put himself about makes him one of the most underrated players, not just for us, but throughout the Prem.
His performance at Bramhall Lane was the finest I’ve ever seen of anyone in a Latics shirt.
Best
Charles Nzogbia
Valencia
Palacios
BoyceWorst
Agahowa (lazy)
Kapo (bone idle)
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