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

[TRon]

19 minutes ago, Cronky said:

He's a great athlete, and that ability to suddenly change pace and direction often takes him past defenders. That ability is quite separate from the skill of being able to control the pace, direction and timing of a pass to a team-mate. But I think those two abilities get confused when words like 'flair' get used. 

 

ASM is very good at one, but not the other. If he was good at both, he wouldn't be playing for us. It's a matter of accepting his strengths and limitations, and at the moment, with the state of the squad, we haven't much choice but to set things up to make the most of him. As others have said, whether that will always be the right call is another question.

 

Incidentally, I thought HBA actually was good at both. The problem was between his ears.

 

HBA just didn't take football seriously, otherwise he was one of the most gifted footballers in the modern era. Max isn't really in the same league, talented though he is. With HBA you always felt like if you put the right players around him, he would make a team almost unstoppable. Ba, Cabaye, Tiote, Cisse and HBA together was a pretty formidable collection of players who complemented each other's abilities almost perfectly. Pardew the useless cunt probably couldn't believe his luck. 

[1964]

So is this fucker fit then?  

[TorchyTBB]

12 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

You think ASM didn’t spend god knows how many hours perfecting his craft? Now you just suddenly want him to have a totally different attitude and mindset and play the game like Declan Rice?!  

 

It’s almost as if all human beings are different. 

And I'm sure there's many a lower league player that has spend hours trying to perfect their craft, but they are still in the lower leagues.  Natural ability and mindset/attitude can go together.  Guess we'll just beg to differ on our opinions.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2021 by TorchyTBB

[Lush Vlad]

It’s not really begging to differ. I just still find it strange that you are using Declan Rice, A DM, who has played centre back. As some sort of yardstick for ASM’s way of playing the game, mentality wise. 
 

BTW, I don’t think ASM is flawless. People have already mentioned his decision making. He clearly does have a few fitness issues, it has been said he’s been hard to work with in the past and he does love a sulk and a roll about. But the latter is true for about 80% of modern footballers  

 

I’m just not sure transplanting another player’s personality is the way forward. 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2021 by Lush Vlad

[STM]

Would stick with Almiron and Fraser in the wide areas for the next game.

[Guest HTT II]

6 minutes ago, STM said:

Would stick with Almiron and Fraser in the wide areas for the next game.

Would rather stick pins in them all…

[sh74]

Why did he look like the mummy when he came on?

[Tyne81]

54 minutes ago, STM said:

Would stick with Almiron and Fraser in the wide areas for the next game.

Damn that's depressing but kind of agree. I rate Almiron but his output is not what it should be. Suppose our previous regime and setup has alot to blame for that though. Fraser, I hate, but fair dues looked OK recently.

[joeyt]

Almiron plays like an expensive competition winner

[Raconteur]

16 hours ago, joeyt said:

Almiron plays like an expensive competition winner

 

Weren't we involved with a Middle Eastern TV show that gave three kids spots in the academy? Maybe 10-15 years ago?

[Lush Vlad]

18 hours ago, sh74 said:

Why did he look like the mummy when he came on?

 

Sponsored by Tubigrip.

[Cookie1892]

more padding than an NFL player, i reckon his knees must be fucked

 

plus he is always hobbling

[Rafalove]

Created the second most chances in the league outside “the big six” so far with 27. Only Michael Antonio has created more with 30

[duo]

34 minutes ago, Rafalove said:

Created the second most chances in the league outside “the big six” so far with 27. Only Michael Antonio has created more with 30

Just no one on the end to finish them.  

[Hanshithispantz]

It's depressing watching him create a bit space and there to be absolutely nobody in sight who seems to know what to do or where to be.

 

It's why I think a winger on the other side of the pitch and a goalscoring CAM/CF are a must. 

[hakka]

1 minute ago, Hanshithispantz said:

It's depressing watching him create a bit space and there to be absolutely nobody in sight who seems to know what to do or where to be.

 

It's why I think a winger on the other side of the pitch and a goalscoring CAM/CF are a must. 

 

Yeah the fruit of ASM labour is annoying when rest of the team isn't up with him to receive. Although occasionally of late he's ignored an option (Fraser one sticks out) or he has tried to do too much alone. But there definitely has been way too many occasions ASM takes it to the danger zone and we've failed to get bodies ready to receive. When you watch better sides the way they press, move off the ball and with the ball much is so much better and we'll drilled. Our off the ball players running/movement when we have possession is one of most frustrating issues as it's been that way a long time. We often lose possession in middle or can't fashion chances as we don't give options quickly to our man on the ball. Pressing and fitness standard of most PL sides is very good, so you have to counter it with team movement to make quick passing options, else it's forced errors or dead ends.

 

So yeah, fully agree we need the type of players that will be attacking minded to compliment and get up with ASM.

[Optimistic Nut]

22 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

It's depressing watching him create a bit space and there to be absolutely nobody in sight who seems to know what to do or where to be.

 

It's why I think a winger on the other side of the pitch and a goalscoring CAM/CF are a must. 

Yet against Liverpool, Fraser would have been clean through on two occasions if ASM had seen him (and he wasn’t hard to find both times). Works both ways, that.

[Hanshithispantz]

10 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Yet against Liverpool, Fraser would have been clean through on two occasions if ASM had seen him (and he wasn’t hard to find both times). Works both ways, that.

Eh? I'm not trying to start a pissing contest you know? 

 

ASM's end product is hit and miss and he makes the wrong choice now and then but numerous times in the past couple of weeks our counter attacks have broken down because Wilson is the only one in sight with his back to goal. We have no threat coming from the right wing and the lack of goals in the centre of the pitch is blatantly obvious. 

 

 

[Optimistic Nut]

Let’s see what Howe can do with the forwards he has? We’ve scored 3 in one of the games, beaten Burnley, one game we played with 10 for the majority, and the rest have been against teams we had little chance of getting bugger all against.

 

Fraser’s shown glimpses the last couple of games for me, once we start playing teams who aren’t top 6, I reckon we’ll see improvements naturally. Would like to see Willock doing more of what he did last year for example coming from deep into the box, too, which is likely once the opposition is more our standard. 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2021 by Optimistic Nut

[TRon]

1 hour ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Yet against Liverpool, Fraser would have been clean through on two occasions if ASM had seen him (and he wasn’t hard to find both times). Works both ways, that.

 

That's the dilemma, one of the reasons players are reluctant to get up in support of ASM is that he isn't usually looking for the pass. Not easy to predict when the crosses are coming in either because he likes to do a few step overs or drag backs first. Team mates are often stood around waiting to see what he's going to do, or whether he'll lose the ball in which case they'll be miles out of position when the opposition counter attack. 

[Hanshithispantz]

That seems a bit fantastical though. Do you think that if we had Raphinha and Maddison or something that they'd be standing about confused as where to be when ASM is on the ball?

 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2021 by Hanshithispantz

[Hanshithispantz]

Not suggesting we try to buy either of them or out like just examples

[TRon]

2 hours ago, Hanshithispantz said:

That seems a bit fantastical though. Do you think that if we had Raphinha and Maddison or something that they'd be standing about confused as where to be when ASM is on the ball?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well there is some blame on both sides, we also have players who just don't have good movement so it's not all ASM's fault, but Alan Shearer is one for example, who as a striker, always said he appreciated the early cross before everyone had piled back. Players who want to do an extra dance step or juggling trick give the opposition time to do just that. 

[GeordieDazzler]

Has anyone tried the board game he's invented then?

[NEEJ]

10 hours ago, GeordieDazzler said:

Has anyone tried the board game he's invented then?

He's quickly becoming the king of relentless shit advertising patter on the socials, like.