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The Ghost of J.Pierce
- Thread starter James
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Too many of our fans dismiss Jeff and judge him soley on what they percieve to be his work rate or lack of,whilst totally ignoring any good points he brings to the team.
I have said all along you can't just change a guy's natural game.He like any player will have played the same way throughout his career and I'm sure if G/Franny did their homework which they no doubt did they would know what type of player Pierce is.
If he was back checking all game like like some fans would like to see would he be in the right place to score a killer goal?Yeah he may be a passenger at times but he is one guy on our team that gets people out of their seats and for my memory so far this season has scored 3 of the best goals we have seen.
I have said all along you can't just change a guy's natural game.He like any player will have played the same way throughout his career and I'm sure if G/Franny did their homework which they no doubt did they would know what type of player Pierce is.
If he was back checking all game like like some fans would like to see would he be in the right place to score a killer goal?Yeah he may be a passenger at times but he is one guy on our team that gets people out of their seats and for my memory so far this season has scored 3 of the best goals we have seen.
Does anyone remember how Cristiano Ronaldo played while at Manchester United? in the 5 years he was there i dont think i ever saw him defend or track back and help out, but you can bet your house that when the play went the other way he would be there to finish something off and he and United were hugely successful because of it. Pierce is a similar player, G/Franny would have known the kind of player he was before bringing him over, he's a match winner and the one person in the team you would want to have the puck on his stick on a breakaway because he makes things happen. The problem is Devils fans arent used to it, were used to gritty hard-working players at both ends, but working hard doesnt always bring home trophies, every team needs that one player who can produce pure brilliance and makes you wonder how on earth he did it, IMO like Ronaldo he puts bums on seats because people want to see what he's going to do, sports people cant always change there weaknesses but they can make there strenghts more effective and as the season thats what i fully expect to see from Jeff
...and like Ronaldo he has beautiful hair.
Interesting article. I wonder if he will read it and it will inspire a grittier performance or whether that's just not his style and we'd be worse off if he started throwing his weight around?
If he can keep putting points up while avoiding the corners that's gotta be ok? Right? We can have that luxury player? Different from the standard Devils mold.
I'll repost my comments from the Giants game thread:
Maybe he needs to be on a tougher line, 2 big grinders like Voth and Matzga who can hit and fight in the corners and feed him the puck whilst he zips around the offensive zone, minding his own, waiting for the opportunity to score a beautiful goal. Someone to take on the physical work, protect him and help give him space to work.
Interesting article. I wonder if he will read it and it will inspire a grittier performance or whether that's just not his style and we'd be worse off if he started throwing his weight around?
If he can keep putting points up while avoiding the corners that's gotta be ok? Right? We can have that luxury player? Different from the standard Devils mold.
I'll repost my comments from the Giants game thread:
Maybe he needs to be on a tougher line, 2 big grinders like Voth and Matzga who can hit and fight in the corners and feed him the puck whilst he zips around the offensive zone, minding his own, waiting for the opportunity to score a beautiful goal. Someone to take on the physical work, protect him and help give him space to work.
I quite enjoyed the article and thought it summed Pierce up quite well, although was a bit too harsh with regards his workrate which has definitely improved. You won't change the way he plays now though so we either utilise it the best we can or bitch all the time. I'd prefer the former.
I think with 10 fit imports there were be few complaining about his workrate. With 8 its a lot more noticeable. For me though he is the kind of player that gets you up off your seat and clapping but can also have you thumping the fall in frustration in the next breath!
I think with 10 fit imports there were be few complaining about his workrate. With 8 its a lot more noticeable. For me though he is the kind of player that gets you up off your seat and clapping but can also have you thumping the fall in frustration in the next breath!
Bit ham-fisted in the mixed messages for me. I have seen that kind of love/hate article in North American press and it can be done in a light-hearted way without assassinating the guy quite so harshly.Perhaps going for tongue in cheek but just seemed a little sharp to me. It's all about opinion though - the piece and our reaction. None of it can be deemed totally wrong...
Granted this guy is the absolute master, but here's how Rick Reilly delivers a bitter-sweet comparison: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7272995/rick-reilly-rodgers-better-favre
Granted this guy is the absolute master, but here's how Rick Reilly delivers a bitter-sweet comparison: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7272995/rick-reilly-rodgers-better-favre
Reilly's articles are excellent.
"Yes, Favre is one of the most unforgettable quarterbacks of all time. He's Halle Berry in a bikini. But Rodgers is Halle Berry in a bikini carrying an ice-cold 12-pack and the keys to a free Maserati."
Brilliant.
As for Pierce, for me he has some of the quickest hands and feet to have pulled on a Devils jersey. So long as he's scoring, I don't care that he doesn't go into the corners. I've seen 2 or 3 of the best goals for a long time from his stick.
As has been said before, effortless skating doesn't mean lack of effort.
"Yes, Favre is one of the most unforgettable quarterbacks of all time. He's Halle Berry in a bikini. But Rodgers is Halle Berry in a bikini carrying an ice-cold 12-pack and the keys to a free Maserati."
Brilliant.
As for Pierce, for me he has some of the quickest hands and feet to have pulled on a Devils jersey. So long as he's scoring, I don't care that he doesn't go into the corners. I've seen 2 or 3 of the best goals for a long time from his stick.
As has been said before, effortless skating doesn't mean lack of effort.
I think he is a great player, if he doesn't know what he is to do next, how can the opposition?
Murphy was in knots after the goal on Sunday :lol: and that spin-a-rama the other week :shock:
G has got him not to go into the boards but for that sparkle and magic moment, ok so it doesn't work out every time, but boy when it does..
Not sure how you can coach him or coach against him, with the season going as it is it is he is good to watch.
Murphy was in knots after the goal on Sunday :lol: and that spin-a-rama the other week :shock:
G has got him not to go into the boards but for that sparkle and magic moment, ok so it doesn't work out every time, but boy when it does..
Not sure how you can coach him or coach against him, with the season going as it is it is he is good to watch.
I found the article amusing and pretty accurate. It seems to me that the skill players who aren't overly interested in other aspects of the game will shine up to a certain level and then disappear completely. They shine so long as they are playing at a level that allows their skills to come through, which at EIHL is still the case for JP. Put him up to a higher level, where the Ds have the measure of him and he'd be a liability because his defensive frailties suddenly outweigh his attacking skills. This is the reason,, I believe, that more selfish skilled players can be amazing at one level but not succeed at all at the next.
i understand where you're coming from Bedevilled but do you think that the defenceman in the elite league have got the measure of him? i think he's proved on numerous occasion that even the top defenders in the league cant handle him when he's on form, barring maybe the panthers game last week, saying that in other games against the panthers he has been a handful for them
Absolutely spot on, give me this young mans flashes of brilliance every time, lets get one thing straight here, if we had a full squad all season, and the players didnt have the off ice problems to deal with, plus a truelly crap pre season fixture cock-up, i believe we would be there at the top or there abouts, on our day we can mix it with the best of them and thats not a pipe dream.
