zaliukas and tomorrow

[robbodog]

For me Zali is best defender we have at the club and a few ropey games on the trot doesn't change that.

[Jambomo]

regardless of how good/bad Zal is we got a clean sheet on sat so any good manager imo would keep the same team unless bringing in someone much, much better

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Why don't you try hard and tell us all the goals he has directly cost us last year and this? I'll give you the goal against Aberdreich a couple of weeks ago as a starter for ten.

 

off the top of my head.

 

First game of season v Motherwell. goes charging out of his position for a ball he's never getting too, leaving his man unmarked in front of goal 6 yards out to put the ball in the net.

 

Airdrie at home in the cup - dodgy passback puts airdrie striker clean through (just like Zaliklueless did in Hibs game). Keeper bails him out.

 

Hibs away, dodgy passback in the last minute very nearly cost us a draw.

 

Aberdeen at home. Goes for a ball he was never getting to, complete misjudgement, letting his man clean through on goal to score. Cost us a win.

 

And I know for sure I've seen more Zaliukas blunders than that this season - it's just there are so many it's hard to remember ALL of them.

 

Then we move to the post Zaliukas period.

 

Celtic at home - got himself sent off. WooHoo. We didn't concede the rest of the game.

 

St Mirren away he didn't play - we didn't concede whole game.

 

It was the same last year, and it'll be the same as long as we keep playing him. When Karapidas came in for a spell last year, we conceded less goals than in equivalent number of matches with Zaliukas in the team.

 

When Zaliukas comes back in this year, we start conceding loads of goals again.

 

It's not rocket science to work out who is the weakest link....

[Guest JamboRobbo]

For me Zali is best defender we have at the club and a few ropey games on the trot doesn't change that.

 

For me, if a defender repeatedly costs a team goals, and there are other defenders who don't repeatedly cost us goals, then it proves he's not the best defender at the club.

[Jammy T]

off the top of my head.

 

First game of season v Motherwell. goes charging out of his position for a ball he's never getting too, leaving his man unmarked in front of goal 6 yards out to put the ball in the net.

 

Airdrie at home in the cup - dodgy passback puts airdrie striker clean through (just like Zaliklueless did in Hibs game). Keeper bails him out.

 

Hibs away, dodgy passback in the last minute very nearly cost us a draw.

 

Aberdeen at home. Goes for a ball he was never getting to, complete misjudgement, letting his man clean through on goal to score. Cost us a win.

 

And I know for sure I've seen more Zaliukas blunders than that this season - it's just there are so many it's hard to remember ALL of them.

 

Then we move to the post Zaliukas period.

 

Celtic at home - got himself sent off. WooHoo. We didn't concede the rest of the game.

 

St Mirren away he didn't play - we didn't concede whole game.

 

It was the same last year, and it'll be the same as long as we keep playing him. When Karapidas came in for a spell last year, we conceded less goals than in equivalent number of matches with Zaliukas in the team.

 

When Zaliukas comes back in this year, we start conceding loads of goals again.

 

It's not rocket science to work out who is the weakest link....

 

Or you could apply a more generic approach

 

Last season - pre Xmas, Zali in the team almost every game, goals against was poor, vast amount of defeats

 

Post Xmas - sent off against United, didnt return to defence, Kari goes back in with Berra - not only do results improve but clean sheets go up markedly.

 

This season - on no apparent pre-season basis - Zali back in team, goals against column not so hot, with 2 clean sheets (one against lower division team).

 

Zali sent off - havent lost a goal since

 

I really dont understand what the argument is.

 

The FACTS are slapping us all about the face like a big wet stinking fish

[sandyseymour]

Alrite simmer down idiot.

 

doesnae matter he sounds Lith......and as for Zal getting stick....it's written in tablets of stone in JKB that we must have a hate figure....now that most Lths are not quoted, injured, Clum's away and Robbie was out for ages....well Zal will do .....for what it's worth MS is my hate figure....GTF MS ...

[N User]

In the past few games we've played Zal has been a bombscare. No doubting that.

 

Those laying the blame at his feet for our shaky defence this season are wide of the target though. Berra has had many a shaky game this season, thankfully he's coming back to a game just now.

For his own good Zal needs rested, although because of injuries that may not be possible.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Or you could apply a more generic approach

 

Last season - pre Xmas, Zali in the team almost every game, goals against was poor, vast amount of defeats

 

Post Xmas - sent off against United, didnt return to defence, Kari goes back in with Berra - not only do results improve but clean sheets go up markedly.

 

This season - on no apparent pre-season basis - Zali back in team, goals against column not so hot, with 2 clean sheets (one against lower division team).

 

Zali sent off - havent lost a goal since

 

I really dont understand what the argument is.

 

The FACTS are slapping us all about the face like a big wet stinking fish

 

Agreed mate. It's blatantly obvious. I'm fully expecting to hear he's back in the team tonight though, despit the facts showing that we concede more goals when he plays than when he doesn't.

[Seymour M Hersh]

off the top of my head.

 

First game of season v Motherwell. goes charging out of his position for a ball he's never getting too, leaving his man unmarked in front of goal 6 yards out to put the ball in the net.

 

Can't remember it happening like that would need to see again.

 

Airdrie at home in the cup - dodgy passback puts airdrie striker clean through (just like Zaliklueless did in Hibs game). Keeper bails him out.

 

No goal allowed though, what's the keeper paid for?

 

Hibs away, dodgy passback in the last minute very nearly cost us a draw.

 

But didn't!

 

Aberdeen at home. Goes for a ball he was never getting to, complete misjudgement, letting his man clean through on goal to score. Cost us a win.

 

So Larry and Nade missing open goals didn't cost us? Oh and I gave that one to the guy actually I asked to furnish the hunners of goals he has directly caused.

 

And I know for sure I've seen more Zaliukas blunders than that this season - it's just there are so many it's hard to remember ALL of them.

 

Then we move to the post Zaliukas period.

 

Celtic at home - got himself sent off. WooHoo. We didn't concede the rest of the game.

 

Oh please their collective feet were of the gas way before the unjust red card.

 

St Mirren away he didn't play - we didn't concede whole game.

 

It was the same last year, and it'll be the same as long as we keep playing him. When Karapidas came in for a spell last year, we conceded less goals than in equivalent number of matches with Zaliukas in the team.

 

When Zaliukas comes back in this year, we start conceding loads of goals again.

 

It's not rocket science to work out who is the weakest link....

 

Look he's not my favourite player but I think the abuse he is getting is way over the top. Our captain makes more than his fair share of eff ups. As do our full backs.

[Diego10]

Look he's not my favourite player but I think the abuse he is getting is way over the top. Our captain makes more than his fair share of eff ups. As do our full backs.

 

do you think it's a coincidence that the majority of Berra's mistakes (can't remember too many in the same league as Zaliukas's tbh) come in games when he is partnering Zaliukas?

[rudi]

Zaliukas is,always has and always will be utter guff ,like oh so many of his F C U K Kaunas team mates that have ended up here.

[Seymour M Hersh]

do you think it's a coincidence that the majority of Berra's mistakes (can't remember too many in the same league as Zaliukas's tbh) come in games when he is partnering Zaliukas?

 

No idea if it's coincidence or cause but I don't rate Berra that highly. Of course he's a guid Scots laddie so above criticism.

[Diego10]

No idea if it's coincidence or cause but I don't rate Berra that highly. Of course he's a guid Scots laddie so above criticism.

 

I think it'e entirely related. Berra is the one who has to try and cover for Zaliukas's mistakes, so he looks like he's off the pace sometimes. Like the winner against Killie when Zaliukas made a total mess of a challenge, but Berra took some of the blame for it as he came across to try and cover.

 

I give you that some folk possibly give Zaliukas a harder time because of his being Lithuanian. I just think he's poor because he can't concentrate and should be dropped.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Look he's not my favourite player but I think the abuse he is getting is way over the top. Our captain makes more than his fair share of eff ups. As do our full backs.

 

It's fair enough mate. For my part, it's nothing personal.

 

I just feel he's not good enough as a player, and the stats back up that assessment - we conceded less goals when he had a spell out last season, only for our goals conceded to return to normal when he was back, followed by no goals conceded since he's been out again.

 

If Berra or Wallace or whoever else were the weak link, I'd say so. Only one to come close to making so many defensive mistakes this year is Wallace, something he has to improve on and fast, or he'll go the same way as Zaliukas IMO.

[rudi]

No idea if it's coincidence or cause but I don't rate Berra that highly. Of course he's a guid Scots laddie so above criticism.

 

Aye,just like Elliot,Robbie and now Stewart.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Aye,just like Elliot,Robbie and now Stewart.

 

Exactly. The race/country argument kinda falls down given the fact that there are poor scottish players who get every bit as much criticism.

[Seymour M Hersh]

I think it'e entirely related. Berra is the one who has to try and cover for Zaliukas's mistakes, so he looks like he's off the pace sometimes. Like the winner against Killie when Zaliukas made a total mess of a challenge, but Berra took some of the blame for it as he came across to try and cover.

 

I give you that some folk possibly give Zaliukas a harder time because of his being Lithuanian. I just think he's poor because he can't concentrate and should be dropped.

 

I'm sure Berra as captain feels he has to cover for others but he really ought to concentrate on his own game as it's not that great. Fwiw I'd rather have Karapedis in with Berra but the manager clearly wants him in the holding role. That's one concern I have about CL he seems to be a little to fixed in his ideas. And it's not as if we're cruising the league with them. Back to the centre halves imo neither are good enough tbh. We need better, much better to challenge.

[Diego10]

I'm sure Berra as captain feels he has to cover for others but he really ought to concentrate on his own game as it's not that great. Fwiw I'd rather have Karapedis in with Berra but the manager clearly wants him in the holding role. That's one concern I have about CL he seems to be a little to fixed in his ideas. And it's not as if we're cruising the league with them. Back to the centre halves imo neither are good enough tbh. We need better, much better to challenge.

 

When I say cover I mean Zali makes a ricket, Berra has to sprint across out of position. That's all he can do, other than let folk have a claer run on goal. He doen't have to do that when he's no playing, so he can concentrate on his own game and looks a far more assured player because of it.

 

challenge for what? Europe? if that's what you mean then we need better than Zaliukas but Berra is better than most of the CHs in Scotland. If you mean the league then we need better in about ten positions!

[Jammy T]

Look he's not my favourite player but I think the abuse he is getting is way over the top. Our captain makes more than his fair share of eff ups. As do our full backs.

 

To be fair they get their fair share of abuse on here too. Eggert is slightly off the hook at present given he is playing out of position

 

That said, the stats prove that we concede less goals when Zali isnt in the team - no matter the flaws of others.

[Jammy T]

I'm sure Berra as captain feels he has to cover for others but he really ought to concentrate on his own game as it's not that great. Fwiw I'd rather have Karapedis in with Berra but the manager clearly wants him in the holding role. That's one concern I have about CL he seems to be a little to fixed in his ideas. And it's not as if we're cruising the league with them.

 

I totally agree with most of this.

 

The lack of flexibility is a little concerning - no matter what camp you are in .

[Charlie-Brown]

To be fair they get their fair share of abuse on here too. Eggert is slightly off the hook at present given he is playing out of position

 

That said, the stats prove that we concede less goals when Zali isnt in the team - no matter the flaws of others.

 

The stats also prove we concede less goals when kingston hasn't been playing, when we've only had 10 men & when karipidis hasn't been in midfield.

[Jammy T]

The stats also prove we concede less goals when kingston hasn't been playing, when we've only had 10 men & when karipidis hasn't been in midfield.

 

What last season as well?? Do you actually read others posts in full when you are on "full spin alert" or "full spin ahead" mode?

 

Yes, interesting point re Karipidis. You see I dont think he should be in midfield either because he blatantly isnt doing his job by protecting the defence.

 

So he can head the ball because of his height?

 

Whoopee do. Hasnt translated into preventing goals.

 

But yes I agree we do much better when Kari isnt in midfield and is in defence.

[Charlie-Brown]

What about kingston? We appear to concede less frequently when he isnt playing?

[Guest JamboRobbo]

What about kingston? We appear to concede less frequently when he isnt playing?

 

He is a midfielder, not an defender. Do we score more from attacks down the RHS when he plays, that is more relevent for a right midfielder.

[Tynecastle Valhalla]

zal is a liability hope he is punted

[Stewart MacD]

According to the BBC, he's limping badly after a tackle. Maybe subbed?

[bighusref]

I think he'll play due to the fact that Miko is injured and Stewart is suspended.

 

Whether he should or not is a different question.

 

However, I would hope that Hearts fans aren't going to make him public enemy No1. He's not exactly Gordan Petric!

 

Obviously being in a different time zone has hindered you on this one. Zaliukas and Petric are on a par IMO.

[Francis Albert]

if he marches straight back into the team after his hapless performances in his last 4 games, it can only mean one of two things,imo......................

 

vlad is still picking the team or csaba knows very little about defending

 

surely not after our 1st clean sheet in ages.........................

 

I think that's 5 clean sheets this season and Zaliukas has played in four of them.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Zali and Berra were superb tonight.