Anthony Stokes

Would be offering far more than what GMS currently is.

 

Honestly I miss Stokes, yes he properly not bought into the new regime as say Griff but he partnership with Izzy was working just as it did with Hooper before. I think his link up play with Commons was very good too. At this moment in time we need to have a settled team and players who know how the other ticks and vise versa

 

Correct. He is one of the most under rated players we have ever had. As you say his link up play is excellent, look at his assist record ffs. Another massive black mark against Deila is the whole Stokes situation.

 

Stokes is average but so are the rest of the attacking midfielders. I wouldn't be against bringing him back in to be honest.

 

What's this * about his "great linking up with Izzaguirre"? It was hardly an earth-shattering duo. I've never heard it mentioned outwith this forum.

 

They have linked up better than any other players in the team in recent years though, since Gary Hooper left who linked up great with everyone, he was the heartbeat of the team for me. Stokes became the main link-player in the team - the best partnerships since Hooper left were Stokes and Commons, Stokes and Griffiths and Stokes and Izaguirre.

They were good to watch too, constant over lapping, backheels and wee flicks and tricks.

There's clearly creativity missing when you take out a guy who's assisted 72 goals in 5 seasons. Probably almost all of those assists from open play too unlike Commons who has 60 odd assists too but probably over 20 of Commons have been from corners or freekicks.

Even in the EL for us last season Stokes set up the most chances

 

Great post I cant believe people (including the manager) dont see what he offers us

 

I miss him too tbh. He never got a run again after that injury.

 

I really don't, he's frustrating as *. Mind you, so are most right now.

 

hes got to come back in surely. especially with so many others off form right now

 

If Anthony Stokes is the answer then we're asking the wrong question.

The only way Stokes is any use to us is as part of a front two. I think it's pretty clear at this point that Ronny Deila isn't all that flexible when it comes to tactics and formations. He has his system and he sticks to it. Stokes does not fit into that system.

 

And yet in that system he still set up the most amount of goals last season as well and done it while him and Izzy got a lot of praise. Since he's went out the team it's not been as creative and Izzy's been getting a lot of stick.

Don't think that's coincedence.

 

What? I like Stokes too, but him and Izzy being a more important combo than vvd and denayer? Than broonie and Bitton? I think the loss of the former, and deterioration of the latter is far more important than a combo who didn't really play together consistently at all since almost 2 years ago.

 

I think the Izaguirre-Stokes thing is overblown. It wasn't all that noticeable to me anyway. Not like the connection Izaguirre had with Kris Commons when Commons first arrived at the club. The link up between those two stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

One point that continues to come across is that RD is stubborn as * with regards to his tactics and line up, Stokes not so long was getting all the praise from the very same manager for his link up play and assist plus I seem to remember the line build the team around blah blah. Stokes, Commons and izzy don't just become bad players or don't fit into a system all of a sudden !! Johnsson is clearly the golden child and can't do no wrong when everybody knows he should be dropped! Brown clearly not at his best carting an injury but gaffer can't leave him out of line up hence not as influential as normal and don't get me starting on Rogic . Time for Ronny to bite the bullet and put Stokes back into the first 11 or in the squad , play Commons in his familiar role again and stop tinkering with Ambrose scenario as it's clearly spent. We need togetherness and continuity back

 

He gets goals and assists in the SPL, that cannot be denied and we clearly lacked something against Aberdeen.

 

Stokes has a great record against Aberdeen as well, in his career he's played 20 games against them, scored 13 and assisted 9. Only team he's scored or assisted more goals against are Dundee Utd who he has 15 goals and 9 assists against but he's played against them 27 times.

 

Funny, I never thought they linked up particularly well. Always thought it was Commons running inside to link up with Hooper and Stokes drifting wide left with Izzy that was the best thing about that.

 

Naw when Commons was high on the left in that inverted 442 he made loads of space for Izzy on the overlap. It was beautiful.