Leroy Fer to QPR

[Paul Handscombe]

On his day he's the best player in our squad.

I missed one home game last season and went to 7 away and have to totally disagree with that statement, he was nowhere near the best player in any of those 26 matches last season.

I think he had one good game away at West Brom 

 

[BarclayBoy88]

I missed one home game last season and went to 7 away and have to totally disagree with that statement, he was nowhere near the best player in any of those 26 matches last season.

I think he had one good game away at West Brom 

I thought he was pretty good at home against Southampton, if I remember rightly. 

 

[NY Canary]

'On his day' being the key words. When he's up for it he's the best player by far. We also didn't get a chance to see his best since all of the players were messed about with different formations and defensive instructions last season. Leroy showed glimpses of what he can be. Killer through balls, keeping posesion and emerging with the ball when closed down by multiple players etc. I would love for him to be here this season but if he is, surely we can't play the diamond since its him or Wes at the top of it and one or both won't be happy sitting on the bench.

 

[Agent Dale Cooper]

'On his day' being the key words. When he's up for it he's the best player by far. We also didn't get a chance to see his best since all of the players were messed about with different formations and defensive instructions last season. Leroy showed glimpses of what he can be. Killer through balls, keeping posesion and emerging with the ball when closed down by multiple players etc. I would love for him to be here this season but if he is, surely we can't play the diamond since its him or Wes at the top of it and one or both won't be happy sitting on the bench.

I think Hoolahan signing a long-term deal guarantees that Leroy won't be here at the end of the month. Shoot me down if I'm wrong, but he's as good as gone.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Doubt Wes getting a contract has anything to do with what club Fer will be at next season. They don't even play in the same position.

 

[BarclayBoy88]

Doubt Wes getting a contract has anything to do with what club Fer will be at next season. They don't even play in the same position.

Agreed, I don't think this will have any bearing on Fer at all. Fer in the Championship would do the most damage playing in central midfield rather than the advanced role that Wes plays. 

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Dont understand why so many people under-rate Fer. Fer is the most complete central midfielder we've had at this club for a long time. For years we've had players with singular strengths and we've needed to almost play our entire midfield to get all the components we need on the pitch at the same time. Tettey to intercept it, Johnson to win it, Fox to pass it, Wes to create it, Howson to smack it. Fer, by contrast can do everything. A player who can win the ball then not need to pass it to somebody else who can pass becaus eOMG he can do it himself. On almost every attribute Fer will match or come second to any other player in the squad, but his all round game is superb. 

If he went missing in games last season it is because of the lack of a genuine quality partner next to him and our inability to make the most of his talents. Fer is on another level compared to our other midfielders. He would be a massive loss

 

[KeiranShikari]

Lazy, money grabbing foreigner who dunt run after every ball.

 

[Agent Dale Cooper]

Doubt Wes getting a contract has anything to do with what club Fer will be at next season. They don't even play in the same position.

Not exactly, no, but as I posted on another thread, I doubt Wes would have signed the deal without the guarantee of first-team football. Assuming that Johnson and Tettey compete for the base of the diamond, that leaves Hoolahan, Fer, Howson, Surman, O'Neil, Redmond, Pilkington, E Bennett, Murphy, Hooper, Loza, Grabban and Lafferty competing for five positions. This deal implies we should brace ourselves for further departures; I've not even included Becchio in this list, if Tettey leaves then O'Neil will compete with Johnson for the deep role, and if Hooper and Fer leave too that's still ten players for five positions.

 

[BarclayBoy88]

Lazy, money grabbing foreigner who dunt run after every ball.

Really don't like the assumption that if someone is not running round like a headless chicken, they are lazy. He was just a more cultured midfielder with better positioning. Also don't think it's right to label him a "money grabbing foreigner", a wild generalization . 

 

[KeiranShikari]

Obviously he's happy and in the manager's first team plans but I very much doubt he has that in his contract. Passing interest from Villa aside I doubt he'd get a Premier League move and he's undoubtedly getting more money here than he would at most Champs clubs. I'd expect a lot of rotation this season, of both personnel and formations.

In whichever formation we would play you would have thought Fer would be guaranteed a place in the team. IMO only Fer and Ruddy would have that.

I do think Fer will go though.

 

[Agent Dale Cooper]

Yeah I'm not implying he'd have it written into his contract that he has to start, that would be ridiculous. I just mean he wouldn't have signed a contract unless he was satisfied that he's an important part of Adams' plans. I thought Wes was one who would leave to alleviate the logjam of attacking players mentioned above – but with him nailed down to a long contract, it increases the changes of other attacking players leaving. With O'Neil, Tettey, Johnson, Howson and Surman all capable of playing CM, I think Adams is resigned to losing Leroy. Wouldn't be surprised if Leroy has told Neil he wants to leave by the end of August, and his 'happy tweets' are just signs of being a good professional.

 

[KeiranShikari]

 his 'happy tweets' are just signs of being a good professional.

Or he's happy having just gotten married and been to a World Cup. Just had a look over his feed and he seems pretty neutral on NCFC. I don't take the 'back to business' one as anything at all, it seems some people have grasped at straws there.

Leroy moving this summer has always been likely and as I've said before, new Wes deal hasn't changed anything.

I wonder if the club have considered loaning him out instead of selling. With 3 years left on his contract there is potential for his value to grow with another season in a top division, we would surely be able to take a decent fee and wages. Then next season he can come back into the squad or move on depending on which league we are in. It is of course a risk but it could be a worthwhile one imo.

 

[ZLF]

Some Leroy Fer NCFC 2013-14 facts

No city outfield player started in more wins than him

He had the highest points per game started ratio of any midfielder (only 3 players bettered it all with under 20 starts)

We only won 1 game without him - losing 6 of those.  

We gained 50% less points per game when he didnt start than when he did - largest player swing.

No city player won more tackles than him (more than 20 more than any other player) through the season.

Only two players scored more goals than him.

Not bad for a lazy foreign layabout is it?

Put simply no player,  including our pots, was as influential in points won than him,  and this in a season when he was at best inconsistent.

We should simply try to keep him,  he will only be better this season, whichever league he is in. 

 

[gerryinromania]

If I had a choice, Fer or Howson, theres no way tht I could put Howson first, but, If Fer goes he goes, not a disaster

 

[NY Canary]

If playing a diamond Fer would surely be in the exact same position as Wes. The base of the diamond would go to Johnson, O'neil, Howson or Tettey.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Not sure which Fer you've been watching but the one I have is most certainly not the most advanced midfield player. He's more of an engine doing both defensive and offensive work. His physical aspect would be wasted as an out and out AM.

 

[Yellow Fever]

Looks like we can rule QPR out - it seems they wanted Fer on the cheap.

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/qpr-cool-interest-norwich-city-7568796?

 

[KeiranShikari]

 

[Andy]

Looks like Leroy's on his way. QPR fans seem convinced that deal is done & Tony Fernandes is now following him on twitter