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    •  February 14, 2017

    The Iceman who trumps the Liverpool forwards

    February 14, 2017
    Ben Mountain
    Contributor
    Ben Mountain
    Contributor

    Gylfi Sigurdsson, although a man whose name is a pain in the neck to spell, is a quality footballer. His quality is completely unquestionable; so let’s get that clear from the off.

    Admit it; he’s in your fantasy team, you have a cheeky bet on him to score first every now and then and when he does put one away – bet or no bet – you kind of wish he played for your team. For this very reason, Swansea City fans are in their absolute element every time he pulls on a white number 23 shirt and steps onto the pitch for them, but they must also be wracked with fear. Why? Because in no world ever is he at that level, and they all know it.

    We’ve seen it before, Matt LeTissier with Southampton and, obviously, Steven Gerrard with Liverpool to name just a couple of times. Some players seem to be hell-bent on wasting their careers at a club whereby they’ll always be playing at a level they’re above. Whether it’s through complacency, loyalty or a lack of ambition; something stops them from moving on to pastures new. Whoever it is that does it, it’s always a shame to watch. And we’re seeing it happen right now.

    Swansea are currently battling relegation from the Premier League in their worst top-flight season to date. Among their ranks are some very average players who are getting by at the bottom end of the table just as you’d expect them to; Łukasz Fabiański and Leroy Fer, for example. And there’s only one shining star whose talent surpasses each of his teammates ten fold; Gylfi Sigurdsson. He’s been repeatedly playing below his level and will only waste his promising career if he stays at the Liberty Stadium. The sooner he moves, the better.

    SEE ALSO: Moussa Dembélé will leave Celtic this summer, and he’s right to

    The fella is only 27, for Christ sake. He’s still got at least another five years at the top of his game; unlike the 29-year-old Dimitri Payet, who we all happily admitted was a class above the rest at West Ham United. He has a joint-sixth combined goals and assists in the Premier League, netting eight times (more than Juan Mata, Adam Lallana and Phillipe Coutinho that is). On the Liverpool theme, the Icelandic man has five more assists than Roberto Firmino. For all the hype around the Liverpool forwards, it’s the Swansea midfielder who trumps them all.

    The man has been part of 52% of Swansea’s goals this season. 52%. That’s a staggering amount, he’s undoubtedly completely instrumental in that team and The Swans are beginning to become reliant upon him just at the wrong time.

    Not only has Sigurdsson been excelling in Wales in the bottom half of the table, but he’s proven himself at the top as well. Having played regularly for Tottenham Hotspur between 2012-14, netting 13 times, he’s more than proven his class when those around him are of equal talent. And that was before his stunning and current peak at Swansea. As for international games, the Icelandic talisman scores in more than every 3.5 games. Essentially, wherever he is and whoever he’s surrounded by, Gylfi Sigurdsson dominates.

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    He’s instrumental for club and country; an ever present but unacknowledged spine to either squad. Rarely on the bench or unfit, the midfield maestro is not only consistent and reliable but immensely skillful too. Find us a montage of the Premier League’s best ever free-kicks without Gylfi Sigurdsson in it and you’ve either got too much time on your hands or are endorsing a bitter Cardiff City fan.

    In 2016, Everton reportedly bid within the region of £25 million to prise the Icelandic away from South Wales but were clearly unsuccessful. This year, and after the season which he’s having, who knows how much Sigurdsson is worth? If Paul Pogba costs £89 million and has currently added about as much competence to Manchester United’s squad as my Nan would to a PC World, then Sigurdsson has to be worth something within the region of £40 million. Surely? The fella is world-class and we fear that, by staying at Swansea, he’s simply stagnating his career and prolonging the emptiness of his trophy cabinet.

    Gylfi Sigurdsson could be remembered for his imperious class on the pitch, unstoppable ability to rake one in from 25 yards and clinical and unselfish ruthlessness with the final ball. Instead, he’s going to be remembered as that guy who once won you 50 quid for, who was it again? Swansea City? Nah, he was far too good for them, must have been someone bigger. 

    Gylfi, when the summer comes, take your chance please. Stop wasting your career at a club who rely on you so much and who are so terrified of losing you. The caliber of the top four is calling and there isn’t long left to answer.

    Have a look at the other players where clubs held them back from success…

     

    Ben Mountain
    Contributor
    CLICKON's self-appointed and unofficial Crystal Palace correspondent, who is one of the few Eagles fans not to sport a beard. More through inability than choice.
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