Demarai Gray

[Brown Nose]

I just realised that he's been here for over four years now: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35215306 since signing for £3.7m.

Has there ever been a player with so much talent and ability that has completely and utterly failed to realise that potential over such a sustained period?

The Demarai Gray Premier League stats.

15/16 - 12 appearances, 0 goals and 1 assist
16/17 - 30 appearances, 1 goal and 3 assists
17/18 - 35 appearances, 3 goals and 1 assist
18/19 - 34 appearances, 4 goals and 1 assist
19/20 - 14 appearances, 1 goal and 1 assist

Total - 125 appearances, 9 goals and 7 assists.

73 of those 125 appearances have come as a substitute. Why is he a substitute so often? Because he's useless whenever he starts. For example, in 52 starts for us in the Premier League, he has 1 assist.

His attributes are his pace and his ability to run with the ball. I watched the highlights of the 15/16 season a while ago and one notable feature was how much better Gray looked back then. He's actually got worse over time at the things he is supposed to be best at.

He's never learned to pass at the right time. He's never learnt composure when close to goal.

Some other stats. In all those appearances, his main feature is his mazy run ending in a wild shot from outside the area. He's tried 67 shots from outside the area and has scored 2 times. His overall shot conversion rate is 0.08%.

In summer 2017, we were offered £25m for him by Bournemouth (according to John Percy). It's crazy to think that we not only turned that down, but we gave him a new contract with improved terms (he's on £50k a week). One of Shakespeare's especially stupid decisions.

This contract expires in summer 2021 and so we face a genuine issue. Do we allow him to go out of contract and leave for nothing or do we do our best to sell him this month or at the latest this summer? Surely, there is zero chance of us giving him a new deal or any interest from him in signing one.

I think we should be doing our level best to get rid of him over the next couple of weeks.

 

[SJN-Fox]

Given what we will lose on Slimani etc. Losing 3.7m on Gray is neither here nor there. If someone comes in for him then ship him out. If not, then let his contract expire and he can disappear into league one obscurity.

 

[glyn]

Stat of the year

in 52 starts for us in the Premier League, he has 1 assist.

 

[Miles Away]

He’s not been great, has he?

Should have been sniffing around the England squad.

Never developed. Probably won’t. Shame:

 

[tedfoxxx]

Feels like a placeholder when he’s in the team. Other than an exciting run to set up a goal in Puel’s first game I can’t think of anything I’ve seen him do live in a home game. His decision making is abysmal, he has good technique but can’t perform the most simple of actions when under any kind of pressure from a defender.

 

[Lako42]

He's crap

Should have sold him ages a go.

Surely there must be a desperate enough team to spunk some money on him.

Says everything that he can't make it into our team when our Wingers are generally dreadful and rarely impact the game.

 

[Volpone]

Sell him and get Jarrod in. Get Bowen in regardless.

 

[tedfoxxx]

Sell him and get Jarrod in. Get Bowen in regardless.

That would be super smashing great.

 

[Volpone]

That would be super smashing great.

Let's see what you would have won.

 

[homer]

He’s complete dog bob, I’m afraid

 

[TommyK]

I wondered whether BR had worked his magic on him after a few decent cameos. However, unfortunately I think he's just not got the footballing brain needed and hasn't improved.

I heard rumors that he thought he'd made it and must have stopped trying.

 

[H T B]

I heard rumors that he thought he'd made it and must have stopped trying.

If true, he isn’t the first, certainly won’t be the last

 

[bocadillo]

He’s complete dog, bob.

I know.

 

[big_mac4824]

has anyone even placed a bid for him or shown any interest?

 

[Orifice]

has anyone even placed a bid for him or shown any interest?

Not personally. Others may have done so but I've not heard.

 

[Micky]

He's just not good enough. Plain and simple.

 

[FOX Franks]

He's just not good enough. Plain and simple.

It happens. Not every player we sign has to work out perfectly, especially if they only cost about 4m. He was never a guaranteed success. Sell him if we can and move on.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

It happens. Not every player we sign has to work out perfectly, especially if they only cost about 4m. He was never a guaranteed success. Sell him if we can and move on.

I think Gray is the latest of a long line of players who end up being around the place for more than a few seasons, evolving from exciting young prospect, through frustratingly unable to realise their potential, then occasional sightings from the subs bench doing headless chicken duties, and ending up in the "In the name of God go!" category.

Off the top of my head, in the early 1970s, Malcolm Partridge was around for years, reduced to occasional sub appearances when Jimmy Bloomfield decided that Frankie W and Keith Weller were too hungover or too bolshie to put in a shift. Not big money signings, but Stuart Campbell and Sam McMahon I think were here both when MON arrived and when he left. Most Gray-like to me though nowhere near Prem standard, was Lee Philpott, biggish money signing, flashes of occasional brilliance, loads of frustration and the butt of fans' impatience with the team when he did appear.

Demarai needs to go, for his own sake. For me, having been signed by Claudio and getting a cheap Prem Winners' medal, he's now on his 4th City manager, none of whom seem to have rated him that much. I can see that doesn't help, though whether there is a top-drawer, consistent player still waiting to appear is open to question. That the same could be asked, if not already then soon, of Iheanacho, Kapustka, Benkovic etc, is a mark of how far we've progressed, rather than some sort of failure.

 

[give_us_a_wave]

I think Gray is the latest of a long line of players who end up being around the place for more than a few seasons, evolving from exciting young prospect, through frustratingly unable to realise their potential, then occasional sightings from the subs bench doing headless chicken duties, and ending up in the "In the name of God go!" category.

Off the top of my head, in the early 1970s, Malcolm Partridge was around for years, reduced to occasional sub appearances when Jimmy Bloomfield decided that Frankie W and Keith Weller were too hungover or too bolshie to put in a shift. Not big money signings, but Stuart Campbell and Sam McMahon I think were here both when MON arrived and when he left. Most Gray-like to me though nowhere near Prem standard, was Lee Philpott, biggish money signing, flashes of occasional brilliance, loads of frustration and the butt of fans' impatience with the team when he did appear.

Demarai needs to go, for his own sake. For me, having been signed by Claudio and getting a cheap Prem Winners' medal, he's now on his 4th City manager, none of whom seem to have rated him that much. I can see that doesn't help, though whether there is a top-drawer, consistent player still waiting to appear is open to question. That the same could be asked, if not already then soon, of Iheanacho, Kapustka, Benkovic etc, is a mark of how far we've progressed, rather than some sort of failure.

Every fan of every team in the world could probably come up with a similar history I'd say. You're right, it just happens.
My particular problem with Gray is that he obviously thinks he's much better than he is. He's lazy & entitled & I've no time for that sort of person in any walk of life.
He's a Championship player at best.

 

[popillius]

I think he's a good player who could do very well in the Premier League. He's not a good player for us and hasn't been since day one. Sometimes that's just the way it goes. Sell him for more than we paid and move on.