In the recent Twitter takeover with West Ham United full back, Joey O’Brien, he said that he felt that record signing, Matt Jarvis, was the unsung hero of the team. But is he right?
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Jarvis has had mixed reviews since his summer arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a club record fee of £10.75m. He has certainly taken a bit of time to settle into the team, and it was thought with the arrival of Andy Carroll, he would prove to be a key ingredient to Jarvis’ strengths, that being getting the ball in the box.
Jarvis was also brought in to add pace to a slow team, which I think he has, and with Jarvis and Mohamed Diame, we have good outlets from midfield. The signs were good in the first few games, with Jarvis also getting on the scoresheet away at QPR. However, he had a dip in form over the festive period, and his price tag was quite understandably being questioned by some sections of the West Ham faithful.
However, in recent weeks, he has started to show the form which prompted Allardyce to spend the majority of his summer budget on him, and also the form that got Jarvis into the England set up a few years back. It was always going to be difficult for a player like Jarvis when playing for a newly promoted team, especially away from home where he is expected to track back more, and is not going to see much of the ball. But his performances against Stoke and West Brom were excellent, and I think the Liverpool game at the weekend shows just how far he has come under Sam Allardyce. Jarvis has added the defensive side to his game, but always offers a pass out from the defence, and uses his pace to get up the pitch quickly.
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Jarvis is now established in the first team, and with Joe Cole playing down the other side when fit, our attack looks pretty good. All we need to add is a striker. I think Joey O’Brien is right, I think Jarvis is an unsung hero of the team – and long may ot continue!
COME ON YOU IRONS!!
By Chelmo Hammer
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I think Matt Jarvis has been very good for the circumstances he’s in. He is always forced to go into a more central role and in that position, he can’t do his best. We just need to make space for him, tell Carroll to just stand in the box so MJ can just cross, cross, cross, cross.
Although his performances have improved over the last few games, let´s not forget he´s not scoring, he´s not providing assists, and his crosses are often off target. .. He also isn´t devastating as Lennon, Bale, Nani, Giggs, Kewell, Young, Nasri, Robben, Beckham, McManaman can all be. And obviously the list goes on.
… I like him as a player. I think he´s added to the team both width and intelligence. Something we were missing last season. … But he´s not the answer imo. He´s not creative enough to make something happen out of nothing. He´s industrious, his legs move fast, and he gets crosses in. .. But he´s not a Top winger. Over the next 2 seasons we need to be signing Top players. … I wouldnt be disappointed if we signed another out and out winger this summer. But first priority is right wing.
I think you need to remember that all the other players you mention play/played in top teams. Jarvis has to fight for the scraps from the defence. With better players around, giving him more freedom, I think the best is yet to come.
CH
Personally think he is great and has been great since we signed him
I think Jarvis has filled a gap in our side that has been missing since Matty Etherington left. He’s a real threat with his crosses and beats his defender more than most of those wingers mentioned. The problem is not having a natural finisher. We play out of form Nolan instead of a 2nd striker. Now we’re almost safe, hopefully BFS will experiment with some of our youth a little, and give them a chance in the first team for the benefit of the long term. It might even save us some money on squad cover for next season. I’d say we need at least 5 new players, defensive cover for Reid and Ginge, a replacement for C Cole, Matty Taylor and Jussi and a right winger.
I honestly think Jarvis’ performances depend a lot on the players around him. He can definitely hang with the best & cause all sorts of trouble given the service. He’s coming out of a bad spell for whatever reason and looks sharp. He’s reliable too in terms of injury. We’d soon miss him if he was gone!
No, no, no, no,no, Joey O’Brien is wrong. He has 0 assists and 1 goal in 26 games, whatever way you twist it that is just not good enough especially for a guy that cost 10 mil.
If Jarvis played on the right where all he had to do was cross he might have more luck. Vaz Te on the left would be far better too as he can cut in and shoot something which Jarvis seems to be incapable of. He puts in a load of crosses but not really with much zip on and he hasn’t been creating any chances. You can’t blame the finishing of the striker when the cross gives him little chance to finish. Jarvis has been a waste of 10 mil, filled a gap but way too expensive for someone who has just filled a gap.
Am i missing something? 0 assists? Didnt he get an assists vs chelsea and liverpool earlier this season? Also while that may not seem like much it doesnt help that he has never got anyone to aim at in the box and allardyces tactics do not help matters either.
Nope he has 0 assists mate. Absolutely could be the tactics I wouldn’t disagree with that at all but still 0 assists is terrible. Vaz Te who is playing out of position has played 8 less games, scored a goal and has 4 assists in the PL this season yet no one gives him the support Jarvis is getting from some fans.
Great signing very underrated.
Whatever STATS may say or NOT as the case may be, the BIG picture is that he brings balance to the side and is two footed.
This means that opposition teams have to make plans for him or alter the way they play, which means we gain initiative rather than concede.
Too many people want to make hurried judgements rather than understand that he’s an integral part of our Premiership rebuilding process and we wont really see the best of him until next season when we have brought in a bit more quality to play off of him.
A good buy for me and it’s early days!
I also happen to rate Vaz Te and although he has a languid style at times, he is deceptive.
Good playerJarvis. Next season you’ll see his best. A bit more quality around him.
Disappointed with he’s first season. Lacks confidence,goals,aggression and he’s final ball seems to be a cross to space rather than picking out a player. It’s not he’s fault we payed all that money for him, would like to see him more on the right side. Next season has to be a massive improvement in he’s contribution ( get him to watch a few vidoes of mark ward in the 80’s)
Jarvis is a very good player, I have been at matches sat next to other supporters who are slagging him off and have disagreed with them, the home match against QPR being an example. If you watch him he often makes runs that the slow witted midfield are not forward thinking enough to pick out (Gary O Neill nearly always looks right first for a lengthy time instead of left and often slows our counter attacks ). He is a genuine winger and the statistics for the PL show he is the most successful one in terms of completing crosses, he doesn’t have lightning pace but that is not the reason he is successful at making and completing crosses, the reason for that is he can quickly move the ball a short distance and whip in the cross its almost impossible to defend against much like Beckham. @Dan the final ball is into space because that is where all crosses should be, in a space that turns defences around and / or creates a space to be attacked by forwards.
He did take a little while to settle in but I would say along with Diame he has been a really successful acquisition.
COYI!
Everone needs confidence and a feeling of security to be at their beat. Players have families and settling in a new place is not easy. Jarvis has done well and will be an integral part of our progression.