Ikon Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 I was most excited about his touch and passing ability, so his tackling, positioning and winning of headers in the middle of the park still comes as something of a pleasant surprise during matches. Gets stuck in too. He just looks like a good all-round player, really promising. I remember in the summer when there was quite a bit of panicking about Rafa's future and someone like Mark Douglas said that completing the Merino signing had calmed things down substantially. You can see why. Definitely better in this department than I expected Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Go on.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 I hadn't thought of Alonso, he's not as much of a long passer. Quality player, hope he can put together a reliable partnership with Shelvey. I think yesterday was one of the most difficult games they'll have with the energy and athleticism in Liverpool's midfield (Wijnaldum excepted). He did seem a little nervous from the off. Have you forgotten that pass with the outside of his right boot to Aarons (I think) against Spurs? Yes I have, I don't remember everything he has ever done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinport53 Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. And a dribbler, close controller, tackler, headererer, and chest the ball downer. Shut the fuck up TCD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can hit a great pass like but it's obviously not his game. Busquets is a fantastic passer too, but he doesn't play the game like Pirlo did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mole_Toonfan Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can hit a great pass like but it's obviously not his game. Busquets is a fantastic passer too, but he doesn't play the game like Pirlo did. I think he's capable of it though, he just doesn't actively look for killer passes. There will be times this season where he shows it though imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. You am Pap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimplyAnth Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. And a dribbler, close controller, tackler, headererer, and chest the ball downer. Shut the fuck up TCD Think he meant 'more' not 'not'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can hit a great pass like but it's obviously not his game. Busquets is a fantastic passer too, but he doesn't play the game like Pirlo did. Yeah, this is how I see it. Without wanting to sound too wanky and hipster-y with this, he's a progressive passer but not especially creative. He has a creative one in his locker, see Huddersfield and Brighton as immediate examples of that, but it's probably not going to be a consistent part of his game. His dribbling is fantastic, mind, especially in tight spots. Think that burst forward he does is the best bit about him, usually because it's been preceded by him also winning the ball back just moments before He's class. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dabe Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. And a dribbler, close controller, tackler, headererer, and chest the ball downer. Shut the f*** up TCD Think he meant 'more' not 'not'. Not very erudite making that mistake. Papman Jones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themanupstairs Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. This were pap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Pilgrim Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He's been great so far, pretty much exactly what we needed. Quite surprised by how defensively useful he is, particularly in the air. He's no Shelvey for hitting passes but he's probably the ideal foil, once he's settled in properly and right up to the pace of English football I think he'll go onto much better things than us fairly sharp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimpy474 Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEMTEX Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He's been great so far, pretty much exactly what we needed. Quite surprised by how defensively useful he is, particularly in the air. He's no Shelvey for hitting passes but he's probably the ideal foil, once he's settled in properly and right up to the pace of English football I think he'll go onto much better things than us fairly sharp. He doesn't have Shelvey's range, but he's a snappier and more incisive passer. He thinks much quicker and you can see it when he's off the ball and it's coming to him, he's thinking and looking what to do with it and again he usually does the right thing which is the sign of a very intelligent player. Shelvey doesn't have that intelligence even if he does have the technical ability. I'm not being funny but give me time and space on the ball and I could ping a sixty yard pass to a team-mate no problem. Could I in the heat of battle bring down a ball on my chest, control it and then play an incisive pass too a team-mate that cuts out a few of the opposition players literally in the space of a few seconds? Could I fuck as witnessed in the recent Lockwood Cup match Shelvey can't either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Shelvey's quick passing was far better than Merino's yesterday like. I do think that's one of Merino's biggest strengths from what we've seen though, when on form he'll nip the ball back and knock it forward with ease. I think it's a bit of an exaggeration to say Shelvey needs loads of time to pick a pass though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. Massive typo there by me. It's his other attributes that are MOST impressive. As I've mentioned in this thread - winning tackles and headers. Even when on the ball he's off for his standard he's everywhere winning the ball, winning headers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 He can pass it very well but it's his other attributes that are not impressive imo. He's a quick passer. A forward passer. And a dribbler, close controller, tackler, headererer, and chest the ball downer. Shut the f*** up TCD Think he meant 'more' not 'not'. Aye. His passing is quick and often forward and he moves with the ball teemendously. But it's the other side I'm most impressed with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimpy474 Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 We've not had an all round player like this since Gary Speed, and i think Mikel is a far better tackler, not in the hard tackling way, but he nicks balls and takes it with him. If Mikel adds goals to his play down the line then we're in feckin heaven. He's a very special player, i've got no doubt about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 He seems so clued-up about football too http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/mikel-merino-reveals-what-he-loves-about-playing-for-newcastle-1-8785241 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawK Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 We've not had an all round player like this since Gary Speed, and i think Mikel is a far better tackler, not in the hard tackling way, but he nicks balls and takes it with him. If Mikel adds goals to his play down the line then we're in feckin heaven. He's a very special player, i've got no doubt about it. Hamann was more defensive, and less passing ability, but his obvious quality was absolutely instant. I absolutely loved him as a player. I don't think we've had a centre mid come in since who's looked a class above so quickly. Still riled about how Hamann left us so soon after joining, citing 'home sickness' and that he couldn't settle. So he went to fucking Liverpool. Give me a Jose Enrique any day, who left because it was plain as day we were never going to win anything, and he wanted to. Cunt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Hamann was much more box-to-box when he was at Newcastle. Liverpool turned him into more of a holding midfielder but he was much more forward thinking here. Loved him for that 4-5 month period end of the 98/99 season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawK Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Hamann was much more box-to-box when he was at Newcastle. Liverpool turned him into more of a holding midfielder but he was much more forward thinking here. Loved him for that 4-5 month period end of the 98/99 season. That toe-poke goal was glorious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 £5m on a regular starter for Bayern Munich, who'd just been playing for Germany at the World Cup. Heh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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