Allan Saint-Maximin (now playing for Al-Ahli)

[The Prophet]

He's generally played very well through the middle this year, I actually think being able to drift and pick the ball up between the lines suits him better than playing out wide.

[nufcnick]

4 minutes ago, huss9 said:

just didnt look happy.

saying that though - that assault on him should have been a red.

Get away man, it was a foul no more, he’s in a huff because the guy that used to let him get away with murder and do what he liked has gone, now he’s expected to be in training 5 days a week and put some effort in. Wait till the new manager comes in and fines him every time he’s late(which is apparently every time there is a training session)

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by nufcnick

[et tu brute]

12 minutes ago, nufcnick said:

Get away man, it was a foul no more, he’s in a huff because the guy that used to let him get away with murder and do what he liked has gone, now he’s expected to be in training 5 days a week and put some effort in. Wait till the new manager comes in and fines him every time he’s late(which is apparently every time there is a training session)

 

 

 

 

Could be interesting if it's Favre

[nufcnick]

Just now, et tu brute said:

 

Could be interesting if it's Favre

Whoever it is, it needs to be this week 

[et tu brute]

2 minutes ago, nufcnick said:

Whoever it is, it needs to be this week 

 

Totally agree I was hoping for this week just gone. Can't let it keep going as it's a walking disaster at the moment on the field. 

[Rafalove]

Only watched the last 20 minutes but apparently Chelsea were triple man marking him. In theory it should mean more space for others, but it didn’t because it doesn’t really matter too much how much space our other players have (except Wilson) they’re all shite.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by Rafalove

[nufcnick]

16 minutes ago, Rafalove said:

Only watched the last 20 minutes but apparently Chelsea were triple man marking him. In theory it should mean more space for others, but it didn’t because it doesn’t really matter too much how much space our other players have (except Wilson) they’re all shite.

 

 

 

I just think the fact, that for the last 2 years cabbage head has trained them to basically “get the ball to ASM then sit back and watch/hope” that is going to take some time to forget and train out of them. 
Look at willock when he came in last year, all of that proper training at arsenal(5 days a week vs 2/3 days) was still in his mind so he was making runs and getting into positions that most dynamic midfielders do and it was getting him and us goals, cabbage head trained that right out of him from the summer and he’s now a shadow of his former self, are you telling me he’s now a shite player after 6 months of bad coaching, even after how he performed from February to May?
We have a lower mid table capable side with proper coaching, the problem is time is now getting short to get them playing like footballers again. 

[Billy Pilgrim]

Stop playing him upfront on his own or in a two, he just isn’t that sort of player and never will be. He needs space to run into with bodies in front of him. 

[Guest HTT II]

27 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

He’s pissed me off honestly. Look I don’t want him to press constantly but he’s clearly sulking. He barely tried to even get in shape to defend 

Aye, they were on him from the off often doubling up which is hard for even the best to deal with, but he just looks like he’s in a sulk. That said, if we had good players and better coaching, the opposition doubling up on him would be an advantage to us even if it nullifies him, but Bruce, Jones, Championship players…

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by HTT II

[HaydnNUFC]

Said in another post, playing him up front or through the middle is like playing with 10 men. He needs to be out wide where he'll drag 2 or 3 defenders out to him creating space for Wilson or a late runner in Willock. Palace was his worst performance since he's been at the club imo and he was nullfied on Saturday by having him through the middle. Someone needs to tell Jones that ASM is a winger and a very fucking good one at that.

[Guest HTT II]

Just now, HaydnNUFC said:

Said in another post, playing him up front or through the middle is like playing with 10 men. He needs to be out wide where he'll drag 2 or 3 defenders out to him creating space for Wilson or a late runner in Willock. Palace was his worst performance since he's been at the club imo and he was nullfied on Saturday by having him through the middle. Someone needs to tell Jones that ASM is a winger and a very fucking good one at that.

He plays best when he’s kind of free, he often drops deep and gets the ball and just takes players on, or when not, he will drift up front and his pace will get us into break always etc.

[HaydnNUFC]

Just now, HTT II said:

He plays best when he’s kind of free, he often drops deep and gets the ball and just takes players on, or when not, he will drift up front and his pace will get us into break always etc.

 

Aye but he needs to start from a wide position so he creates space in the middle. When ASM is the one in the middle, who's he creating space for? Wilson? Ritchie and Manquillo? He's not going to hold the ball up as that's not his game. 

[Big River]

ASM reckons his best position is through the middle. Wouldn't be surprised if Bruce/Jones just play him there to keep him happy. Good man managers after all 

[HaydnNUFC]

2 minutes ago, HUGZ said:

ASM reckons his best position is through the middle. Wouldn't be surprised if Bruce/Jones just play him there to keep him happy. Good man managers after all 

 

Aye. They knew his importance so they just let him do what he wanted probably; jet off to France whenever he felt like it, not turn up or not try 100% in training or whatever. No wonder he liked Bruce so much imo. That's not me having a go at ASM btw, still absolutely adore the bloke, but going by most of his performances thus far this season and with a new manager coming in soon he needs a rocket up his backside.

[Guest HTT II]

5 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Aye but he needs to start from a wide position so he creates space in the middle. When ASM is the one in the middle, who's he creating space for? Wilson? Ritchie and Manquillo? He's not going to hold the ball up as that's not his game. 

Oh I agree, but overall I think you kind of let him roam around in midfield and attack, left or right or through the middle (of midfield), he’s no CF that’s for sure.

[Abacus]

He's a real puzzle - one of the few bright sparks of talent and creativity, and I've loved watching him, but it's not altogether clear whether he's good enough to build a system around, and if so what that system should be.

 

You could say the same about a number of our players, albeit not about whether they're good enough to build a team around. Just about what they actually are.

 

See Almiron, Willock, even Fraser. They all have flashes of talent, but they're hard to describe in terms of where you'd actually play them, or in fact what system suits them best.

[Guest HTT II]

8 minutes ago, Abacus said:

He's a real puzzle - one of the few bright sparks of talent and creativity, and I've loved watching him, but it's not altogether clear whether he's good enough to build a system around, and if so what that system should be.

 

You could say the same about a number of our players, albeit not about whether they're good enough to build a team around. Just about what they actually are.

 

See Almiron, Willock, even Fraser. They all have flashes of talent, but they're hard to describe in terms of where you'd actually play them, or in fact what system suits them best.

I don’t think he is of the right kind of level to operate at a more elite level, mentally, tactically and in terms of discipline. He has starred for us though since he signed and is clearly way too good for us. I’d hope a decent manager would get more of a tune out of him without just giving him the freedom to do whatever he wants, when he wants like Bruce has otherwise the team especially when it gets better will suffer.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by HTT II

[Disco]

 

[Rafalove]

Not sure about Hatem “always did something”. I would say he went missing more often than Maxi. Played with better players in a worse league too. Not trying to knock Hatem like, he’s mint. I rate Maxi higher though.

[Rafalove]

Here’s the translation 

 

 

 

[et tu brute]

4 hours ago, ManDoon said:

I always felt he tried tbh, but get what you mean. ASM truly doesn’t try off the ball atm. I’m usually the most forgiving for that but it was so bad on Saturday. 

Both players are going to have very similar careers possibly due to one single thing attitude.

[buzza]

Honestly, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place with ASM at the moment. He is needed to create opportunities (about the only one) but at the same time he has me screaming at him to try and do his fair share of the dirty work...defending.

The position we are in we need every single player giving their best both offensively and defensively otherwise we are going down. He needs to remember that it is a team and a team game.

 

I would only have him on the pitch for the last twenty minutes in any of the upcoming games. He has been awful in the last two games, no effort to close passing lanes or to even approach players with the ball. Really poor.

[Rich]

Very interested to see how Emery handles him and how ASM responds to the structure of the team becoming the focal point.

[arnonel]

Not gonna allow him to be lazy at all

[Ikon]

He'll have to get in line of that's what the manager wants. Can't be like a kid anymore like under Bruce. Hopefully everybody wins and he does well for us.