Matthews or Izaguirre

If izzy was playing the way he did in his first season this poll would look like 95% or more for izzy

In izzy's first season he was outstanding most of our play came down that left hand side he was * hot

now matthews last season was very good but nothing like izzy in his first season at all

If they were in both good form would 100% be the better player

 

that time is not three games into a season though.

 

We've clearly been watching different games, Izzy has been average in every game this season. Not good and not bad, just average and certainly not being caught out like you're saying. Matthews has barely been any better.

 

.... plus the 6 odd months of last year. As I said all players came back looking * but they've all improved massively, I have seen zero improvement by izzy from the 1st Helsinki game to this one.

Let's hope he somehow improves 100% this week in training and batters Madrid!

 

part in bold is utter tosh mate, if it was not for matthews in the first leg last week we could have lost the game he had a great game

 

Matthews right now is on fire.

Izaguirre is still making his comeback from a horrendous injury that has clearly taken it's toll on him both physically AND mentally.

Once this guy finds his feet again, we will see the return of a tremendous young player who lit up our eyes and our hearts in his debut season.

Can you imagine both Izaguirre AND Matthews playing to the top of their game? If we had a striker who could score from crosses then I think even some major European teams would find our play unstoppable.

 

Aye Izzy of 2010/11 is better but i dont think we'll see that again. I dont know if its a confidence thing with him but he just doesnt look as if he'll get back to his best, he's had the end of last season to get back from injury and from what ive seen so far in pre season and the first few games he looks a totally different player. I think Izzy will have a few games this season where he stands out but i dont think he'll get back to his best form, or Matthews best form.

 

Only time I remember Matthews being caught out at all in the last * knows how long is when he misjudged a header last night and gave away a corner, which came to nothing.

You're telling me you don't remember Helsinki's goal? Izzy - the fastest player in Scotland in his 1st season - got done for pace and skill on his flank, let his man get the ball in and we conceded what could have been a crucial and vey bad goal.

He was giving the ball away loads as well trying to dribble out of danger instead of just booting it and last night gave the ball away and got caught out a bit as well, but luckily wasn't punished as HJK were * *.

 

Mathews is the man on form this year

 

If you want to go to that kind of level then Matthews got done by that Savage guy in the second half which almost cost a goal?

I'm not getting on your case here mate I just hate when people get on Izzy's back because he is not playing to the level we know he can. The guy came back from a very serious injury last year, looked like he was about up to speed by the end of the season and has started the season slowly. It's not the end of the world; he's still 10x the LB in his current form than guys such as Naylor or Telfer could ever dream of being.

 

6 odd months!

He came back in January, that's just over four months of games towards the end of the season. It was also commented on several times that he came back to early at the time. He looked much sharper towards the end of the season last year and just as he was getting back to speed it ended.

Then a player who was just up to full match fitness suddenly wasn't playing again.

These things take time, particularly for a pacy, tricky full back who broke his ankle!

 

Izzy was done by neither pace or skill, watch the goal again. He was completely out of position and it wasn't even him who got back to defend the move. This is his own fault for being out of position, but that happened a lot in his first season too and is one of the risks of being such an attack-minded full back.

Matthews let Savage get picked out by a long diagonal several times last night, deep into our half and behind the last line of defence. A decent player would have exploited that. I don't want to make this about Matthews, who I like.

 

Where he only made 12 league appearances and not all of them were starts. And, he didn't look out of sorts in all of them. So what you are saying is, he has probably had about 6, maybe 7 poor games. Hardly time to be bringing in a new left back is it. If we based this on all our players there are a * sight more players that have had more bad games than that and they are still playing week in week out.

 

Sounds like my thoughts on the matter (albeit you've summed it up alot better than me).

 

based on current form matthews.

 

Matthews for me.

 

I guess my standards are just so high because he (Izzy) was so good in his 1st season. No one can deny though he's a million miles away from that level and can't be winning either polls or football games until he gets his * in gear and gets back to his best!

I think a lot of people are also forgetting that Izzy is in his late 20s and has peaked or should be peaking right now, Matthews is only just 20 and when Lenny brought him in it was for maybe next year, not even this year and never mind last year! He's done remarkably well and I think comparatively and relatively speaking did as well as Izzy in his 1st season.

 

Izzy is still recovering from that injury he will pick up form once the confidence comes back and he plays more games, for me he is better.

 

He's 26 (so mid 20's) and won't have piqued yet, 27 - 30 is the optimum time for a full back in my opinion.

I don't think anyone disagrees that he has a ways to go to get back to his best, but the suggestion that he's played 6 months of non stop games and isn't trying (* in gear comment) is a bit on the nose.

Matthews is playing out of his skin just now and long may it continue but to compare them both, at this point in time, is relatively pointless.

 

Izzy needs to cut the bullshit while off form, if you have three players round you in yOur own half tou need to pass it, launch it foward and not try and rip the * out of three players.

Matthews wins for me, may not be as skillful as izzy but by * he can defend and really help us going foward. Also very seldom you see him out of position.