Ballack is slowly coming back to top form. People can speculate as much as they like about dropping him. But Hiddink knows his value better than most and I don't believe he'll drop him. Certainly not for the important games. Some folks don't appear to realise how much of a team player he really is. He's unselfish in his ball distribution and very much aware of the options available to him. He works harder than is apparent. Let's wait and see and let the team selection by Hiddink be the deciding factor.
as I said two good games this season (where he finally scored his first League goal of the season) and combined with three goals against Championship opposition hardly justify his astronomical wages nor his permanent place in the team. For those of you pinning your hopes next season on a 33 year old, oft injured player who contributes less and less each season, I hope you are seeing something the rest of us are not because quite frankly unless Ballack has a fantastic run of form and contributes with several goals during his brief remaining stint this season- I can not see a reason to keep him.
No doubt, but I think it goes the other way as well, with some people not recognizing that he had an excellent season (albeit shortened from injuries) last season. I may not be quite as enthused as Macksam in thinking he was our best player, but the second half for sure he was one of the tops. I think it's in our best interest to let him go next season, as he is just too old and too injured, but he did play very well last season, and I thought his first season was a little underrated. In either case, I think he has tried hard, and played hard for us, and looking back, probably has done just about as well as we should have expected given his age.
agreed. Although I think you will find several more people willing to conceed that Ballack was very good during his almost 6 month return last season and was an intergal part of our success than those who continue to adamantly defend him no matter how poor his play. I for one still think that Joe Cole was our POTY last season due to the fact that he played the entire season. If Ballack would have followed suit then he would have certianly earned that honour but as you have detailed- injuires prevented him from doing so. I think you will also find a large contingent who will recognise that despite a generally first lacklustre season with the club that many of us felt that Ballack was a key member of the Cup sides (both European and Domestic) and we all hoped he would adjust well to the Prem his second season, which was delayed by injury. Honestly- I thought this would be his impact season and I have been bitterly disapointed that he has not produced and has only as of last Tuesday shown anything close the form we expect from him.
Same. I really thought that if he could show the kind of form he did in the 2nd half of last season we'd be essentially unmatchable through the middle of the park with any combination of him, Lamps, Essien, Mikel and (admittedly) Deco. As it happened, he fluctuated between being a passenger and an outright liability for the first 6 months of the season and by doing so put an awful lot of weight on Lampard/Mikel's shoulders.
I have a good feeling he'll put the final nail in Pool's coffin. I expect a goal from him on Tuesday.
I think is being a little overstated. This game will be put behind us just as our game against Liverpool was put behind them. The players will dust themselves off and get a result on Tuesday. New team, new game.