Kerem Bulut

Manni

God love you for going into bat for Kerem.

"Now the question is what has changed for him and in the circumstances affecting him contrasted to his last season with us, which was when he was more than adequate in these areas and was successful?"

The pace and the style of play in the league in general and the WSW in particular has changed. He hasn't changed. But you'd have to ask him how he didn't score two or three goals against the Smurfs.

"Bulut has not had a long and rich history of scoring heaps of goals for all clubs he played for"

That's an understatement. He has a long and rich history of not scoring.

"He has shown for us the past ability to score goals, so what has changed?"

Nothing has changed. He scored six goals in six weeks for us, and another three goals in six years. There were those like Kerem himself who chose to believe in the continuation of these six weeks. The reality looks more like the rest of his career. No surprises there, really.

Manni

 

God love you for going into bat for Kerem.

 

"Now the question is what has changed for him and in the circumstances affecting him contrasted to his last season with us, which was when he was more than adequate in these areas and was successful?"

 

The pace and the style of play in the league in general and the WSW in particular has changed. He hasn't changed. But you'd have to ask him how he didn't score two or three goals against the Smurfs.

 

"Bulut has not had a long and rich history of scoring heaps of goals for all clubs he played for"

 

That's an understatement. He has a long and rich history of not scoring.

 

"He has shown for us the past ability to score goals, so what has changed?"

 

Nothing has changed. He scored six goals in six weeks for us, and another three goals in six years. There were those like Kerem himself who chose to believe in the continuation of these six weeks. The reality looks more like the rest of his career. No surprises there, really.

FCB...you into Breitbart/Russia Today reshaping of information? 

I'm not going into bat for Bulut. I'm trying to expand the frame of references for understanding why he isn't succeeding now when he had that six weeks of six goals. You can't posit 'nothing has changed' when he had a period when he did score goals, and now he seems to have reverted to type. What was aberrant in that period that is different now? Can we ascribe it to 'he can't score goals' full stop, or go beyond that assessment and look at more elements in this situation? That's what I'm trying to do...not defend him from questions over his performance.

Associated with this, and something you have touched upon is what expectations has the club's fans have of him, and how does his personality and/or his first go around with us colour our perception of his failure to do what we hoped this season? Have assessments been (perhaps unfairly) made of him because so many thought he would replicate what he did in 2014/15?

The six weeks were a fluke. Scratch them out of his CV and you have a striker who doesn't score. Nothing has changed. Or rather: the game has changed while he hasn't.

The six weeks were a fluke. Scratch them out of his CV and you have a striker who doesn't score. Nothing has changed. Or rather: the game has changed while he hasn't.

Hmmm...so you think that his period of success was pure luck, chance, an aberration?

So perhaps the bad luck, the ill-fated nature of that offside call against his goal vs Melchester is also relevant to considering his career in red and black 2.0?

Out of curiosity/ignorance...why is he getting into offside positions now that he wasn't in 2014/15? Is that because all the teams he's played against this season are springing offside traps or is he making mistakes now that he didn't back then?

When a striker cannot score, he becomes more and more desperate. The more desperate the more chance of being in an offside position.

I believe it's pressure.

When he entered the fray two seasons back, there was really no expectation from the fans and the season was a write off anyway, allowing him to play in a more relaxed environment, do his own thing sorta. Now that all eyes are on him , it seems the pressure and expectation is weighing him down and as tardotz just mentioned, the lack of goals and building desperation will be an ever growing burden if he doesn't net a few soon.

Some can deal with it, some can't.

When a striker cannot score, he becomes more and more desperate. The more desperate the more chance of being in an offside position.

Makes plenty of sense...

Following up on that, as KB has had a shocker re offsides this season, when his legit goal was called back how much of the ref's decision may have been influenced by Bulut transgressing so often beforehand?

It's interesting to think how things may have been different if he'd stayed with us last season rather than have a go in Greece. Would he have been able to continue on the run he got going? Would we have bothered signing Pio? Imagine last years squad with Bulut in place of Pio and an extra foreign player outside the cap.

Spotted Bulut training solo

Spotted Bulut training solo

There it is...

Officially K.O.D.'ed

A broader question for another thread...why is it we have had better returns from Fathead scoring goals in one season than Tomi, or for that matter Bulut and of course Pio?

I think that first season has a lot to do with:

and

Dino did everything except score (lots of) goals, and Shinji pulled the strings like a master. I would've liked to see Nico and Bridge's partnership too.

Spotted Bulut training solo

That's depressing

Spotted Bulut training solo

Popably to become better at playing solo

 

Have to agree with FCB, Manny. I don't think that he or I are using simplistic "he's shite" analysis.

 

Agree that circumstance can shape belief, yadda, yadda, but it's evident that of the three strikers that have started for us this season he is a clear #3 in positional awareness, strength on the ball (my biggest gripe with him) and decision making/distribution. I could almost add closing down, but I'm reserving judgement on Lachlan for that given his limited game time.

 

Okay, you have made specific reference to two specific issues, i.e. his positional awareness and his strength on the ball. Now the question is what has changed for him and in the circumstances affecting him contrasted to his last season with us, which was when he was more than adequate in these areas and was successful?

 

Bulut has not had a long and rich history of scoring heaps of goals for all clubs he played for...I'm not denying that, However I am trying to broaden the discussion beyond saying this to elements of his play that aren't quantifiable technically. He has shown for us the past ability to score goals, so what has changed? Has he always been a shite player who got lucky for one season? Is he a decent player who has had his career blighted by internal or external influences? Was 2014/15 an aberration? What has Popa done training wise that echoes his management of Bulut since his first stint in red and black, and what has been different?

 

I'm not trying to push any redemptive message for Bulut...he probably is cooked as our key striker this season. However I find it worth questioning all aspects of his second go round with us, just as I am intrigued as to the problems we had with Pio and Saba. It's relatively easy to find positives when a player is doing things right; it's far more intriguing to ascertain what is going wrong when a player isn't doing well.

I don't mind him in the squad but......as the 3rd/4th choice. He still can't dribble...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I miss Tomi

 

Tomi was great...but even he could only manage 8 goals for us in his best season (same as Bulut).

 

A broader question for another thread...why is it we have had better returns from Fathead scoring goals in one season than Tomi, or for that matter Bulut and of course Pio?

 

I honestly think it has to do with the setup of the team or formation.

Playing as a lone striker, the strikers have to put more work in ie, holding ball, defending from front, backs to defence, pressing from the front etc etc

Our goals have always come from short, little interpassing between our attacking mids. Santa is the only striker to have figured out how to combine with them and get into positions for scoring. He is also nimble and agile like the others. Therefore the only really successful goal scoring striker for us.

Dino and Tomi were more taller and less agile, therefore weren't able to place themselves into positions for scoring so much. But they were good foil for our mids who played off them. Tomi was also quite capable of scoring if he got it right on the day. Pio and Bulut, it was just a case of having no idea what was happening or where to run. They don't fit in with the style of play which has never relied on having a regular goal scorer, but 3 or 4 players scoring a decent amount of goals.

If he's training by himself that wouldn't seem to be about not getting enough goals, that sounds more attitude related.

Be a shame if he blows this chance, I'd love to see it work.

He is WSW as far as I'm concerned.

Bulut recently posted a pic in his Insta, and nobody from the team liked it...

I think he is out.

Bulut recently posted a pic in his Insta, and nobody from the team liked it...

 

I think he is out.

O dear, he is getting the 'full Popa' treatment.

I wonder what he did to get this kind of treatment 

I wonder what he did to get this kind of treatment

I have an idea what he hasn't done so far.

 

I wonder what he did to get this kind of treatment

I have an idea what he hasn't done so far.

 

No back heels...

I wonder what he did to get this kind of treatment 

Ahhmmmm, not much??

He's a striker ffs. Putting goals away would be a start.

Some good and realistic comments here - unlike the somewhat over the top wishful thinking pre-season when most were talking up the Kerem train as if he was the long awaited Messiah.

I think now is Bulut's time.  This somewhat difficult moment will make or break him.  It will reveal whether he truly has the character to play for WSW or not.  Let's face it, Sir Bridge was pretty crap at SFC.  I was decidedly under-whelmed when I heard we signed him in S1.  He turned his game way around and became a saint of WSW - real character.

Santa has had mammoth injury issues and hard patches - he has given everything to turn things around and make it work. 

The best, most memorable players we have had are ones whose careers have been stalled, backfiring, ordinary, injury-plagued... and have worked their butts off under popa's strict regime, bought into his game plan and pushed themselves to overcome what ever adversity they have faced.

Those who have failed generally have been proven soft.  Sure Saba, Pio... had difficult transitions, dry spells but ultimately had very little character and didn't fight for their place.

It's now up to Bulut.  He obviously has talent (popa sees something - as do many others). He has passion. He has scored goals but he has also applied excuses from time to time - out of his right position, coach didn't understand me, team played wrong style...

I remember Craig Johnston at LFC.  He went over to trial (parents mortgaged their home to get him there).  He wasn't good enough and didn't make it but didn't have the heart to tell his mum so led her along.  Everyday he went out and trained hard as possible by himself and forced himself to improve some aspect of his game everyday.  When he had one unlikely opportunity he took it, scored and  the rest is history - and more hard work.  Bulut has to show he really does have the right character to play for WSW.  He has to put in extra and learn what he doesn't know. He has to work his butt off everyday and learn.  Talent and passion doesn't necessarily score goals or get you on the park.  As some have said, time will tell whether Kerem becomes Sir Kerem or joins the Saba/Pio train out of here.

Some good and realistic comments here - unlike the somewhat over the top wishful thinking pre-season when most were talking up the Kerem train as if he was the long awaited Messiah.

I think now is Bulut's time.  This somewhat difficult moment will make or break him.  It will reveal whether he truly has the character to play for WSW or not.  Let's face it, Sir Bridge was pretty crap at SFC.  I was decidedly under-whelmed when I heard we signed him in S1.  He turned his game way around and became a saint of WSW - real character.

Santa has had mammoth injury issues and hard patches - he has given everything to turn things around and make it work. 

The best, most memorable players we have had are ones whose careers have been stalled, backfiring, ordinary, injury-plagued... and have worked their butts off under Popa's strict regime, bought into his game plan and pushed themselves to overcome what ever adversity they have faced.

Those who have failed generally have been proven soft.  Sure Saba, Pio... had difficult transitions, dry spells but ultimately had very little character and didn't fight for their place.

It's now up to Bulut.  He obviously has talent (Popa sees something - as do many others). He has passion. He has scored goals but he has also applied excuses from time to time - out of his right position, coach didn't understand me, team played wrong style...

I remember Craig Johnston at LFC.  He went over to trial (parents mortgaged their home to get him there).  He wasn't good enough and didn't make it but didn't have the heart to tell his mum so led her along.  Everyday he went out and trained hard as possible by himself and forced himself to improve some aspect of his game everyday.  When he had one unlikely opportunity he took it, scored and  the rest is history - and more hard work.  Bulut has to show he really does have the right character to play for WSW.  He has to put in extra and learn what he doesn't know. He has to work his butt off everyday and learn.  Talent and passion doesn't necessarily score goals or get you on the park.  As some have said, time will tell whether Kerem becomes Sir Kerem or joins the Saba/Pio train out of here.

It was Jack Charlton's Middlesbrough that took a punt on Craig Johnston, played for the Boro from 1977 - 1981, made his debut at just 17 in a cup tie, left for Liverpool after that. Jack could see he was a real talent and not sure where this 'not good enough' thing came from as the manager and fans all loved him right from the start.

Why is it with Aussie's when they talk Craig Johnston they think his career started with Liverpool lol He might have had trials with other clubs pre Boro, but from what I hear he was always likely to sign with a second tier top division club like the Boro were then and are now.

His sale to Liverpool started a decline in the club that nearly ended with them going out of business in 1986, it can be traced to 1981 when Jack Charlton's team was broken up.

You're right - wrong team - I remember an interview with him talking about this period and how he got his start. I'm not big on EPL so only knew him at LFC and made an assumption - my mistake.  Still, he showed guts ad proved himself.  Hope Bulut has the same intestinal fortitude.

* slightly related story

I used to walk past Craig Johnstones house on the way to school when I was a kid. (When he played for Liverpool)

Me and the other young blues used to yell abuse (what abuse we knew at the time) from the road.

Well at least one of the other kids told us that it was Craig Johnstones house, i always thought it was. If it isn't then some poor sod was probably wondering why a bunch of 10 year olds used to tell abuse at it his house around 330 every afternoon

* carry on

I've had five (?) beers and a scoutch and I am finding it dufficult to follow this conversation.

What has the season again why Bulut missed that header against the Smurfs? The kind of chance which is usually referred to as a sh1tter?

Bulut recently posted a pic in his Insta, and nobody from the team liked it...

 

I think he is out.

Mario Shabow

Liam Youlley

Aspro

Josh Sotirio

I've had five (?) beers and a scoutch and I am finding it dufficult to follow this conversation.

What has the season again why Bulut missed that header against the Smurfs? The kind of chance which is usually referred to as a sh1tter?

In all honesty I needed one of those nights after the Victory game last match away. After Gosford, I feel we are back on track!

Maybe can you save yourself for another big one again for Saturday night? I'm not sure we are through the dodgy patch yet!

Also, Bulut being back in the squad means nothing, could easily be in the stands again on Saturday night.