Allan Saint-Maximin (now playing for Fenerbahce, on loan from Al-Ahli)

[Heron]

Needs to get his head out his fucking arse. Lovely kid, but a lot of showmanship and nee end product at present. To the teams detriment. 

[Thiago]

1 hour ago, midds said:

Even being asked to play in a different position shouldn't be as difficult as he seemed to make it today. He's been in the game long enough to know that if he's been specifically told to play the role of a striker for the day then he should be making a better fist of it than he did today. He knows what strikers do, where they play, where and how they move and his attempt at filling that role today were pretty pathetic tbph. I know he's not a striker and it's definitely not his forte but he was basically ignoring his instructions, ignoring his new role for the day and drifting out leaving him in the position of trying to put in a cross to an empty box. 

 

The CM today also need to have a word with themselves too btw. They should have spotted the potential to get on the end of something but either didn't fancy it or weren't capable. The whole thing was a fucking shitshow. 

Not to bring it back to him again, but we had the same issue with Ben Arfa. 

 

It seems like we wanted him to be a false 9, but being central seems to disorientate him a bit, he's never in the right spot to collect the ball and he ends up wandering aimlessly. The exception is when we win it back in midfield and can quickly get it to him (see Murphy chance) and he can go running in a 2v2 or 3v3 situation. 

 

The truth about Saint-Maximin is this - he is an exceptional dribbler, bordering on world class when he's in his pomp. The rest of his game is not at that same level, meaning he can look a lot like Adama Traore when he's out of form. Howe/We need to keep him on the left and make it so we create overloads on the right when he has the ball and draws a few men towards him, or switch the play quickly to his side when he's isolated. Running things through him entirely is the worst thing we can do as he doesn't have the decision making to be consistently influential. 

[Ketsbaia]

Wasn't he class in our previous game, Man United?   

[Away Toon]

We have been a counter attacking team for so long that none of the players we have are comfortable in possession and have no idea how to pass and move into space and build pressure. They are so used to all being behind the ball in our own half waiting to pounce and launch the ball into space and hare after it like rabbits that the way Howe wants to play is completely foreign to them. ASM is at his best when we win possession and there is space for him to run into, Almiron too, slowly making our way upfield against 11 men lined up in defensive banks doesn't suit the players we have. Howe hasn't so far found the balance between the way he wants to play and the way our players are capable of playing. Rafa knew the players limitations which is why he wasn't interested in us having the ball except when we could win in it transition and counter.

[r0cafella]

ASM is a creator not a goal scorer. So playing up front the goal scoring threat has to come from elsewhere sadly Murphy and Fraser aren’t much of a threat either. 
 

 

[MarkyMark]

Doesn’t create much for a creator is the problem.  It’s exciting watching him start those fast, slaloming runs - he’s a superbly gifted dribbler - but he always plays with his head down, and is too old to have this aspect of his game coached out of him.  This is why he scores and creates so few goals - his phenomenal ball control means that he will grab a goal every so often.  But the rest of the time he’s just beating the odd defender before running into a blind alley.  As mentioned by others, he’d love working with someone like Bruce because Bruce will let him run those alleys without attempting to coach him out of it - he’s not exactly a student of the game.  A manager like Howe is going to demand more than a show pony - and is likely to make him unhappy as a result. 

 

It is a shame that he doesn’t have the footballing brain to match his wit on social media - the lad is clearly sharp and smart away from the pitch.  Seems like a decent bloke too.

 

Nothing would make me happier than ASM to suddenly prove all of the above wrong, of course.  But I’ve seen nowt so far which suggests to me that he has the vision to be a top notch creative talent. 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by MarkyMark

[Emotic]

Ironically, his skill on the ball might just be the problem. Far too often he'd eat up so much time with the dribbles, that it allows opposing midfielders and defenders to organise themselves for the eventual final ball. You'd get away with it in slower leagues, but the recovery rate in the PL is seconds faster. You'd need a winger who can beat a man, and then have the intelligence to look up and transition play into the box. Top players do that.

[nufcjb]

You'd probably be able to do a short video compilation of his fails yesterday. Absolutely enraged with his display.

[The Merse]

Plays the role of maverick winger perfectly - when it works it's amazing but the rest of the time it's frustrating as hell - we just have to hope he has more good days than bad for the rest of the season because the alternatives are a lot worse

[Groundhog63]

Dogshit. Total show pony lacking in any football awareness. Highlight being a shot that nearly went for a throw in.

[ExiledGeordie]

The constant tricks and step overs when there’s the need for an obvious quick ball are very frustrating. I wouldn’t be at all surprised that kore

decisive players in his position will replace him if we stay up. 

[HWTL]

I think trying to get PEA on loan would be a good idea just to give him some competition on that side, I know he is a bit of a knob but still a great player when he turns up and would give ASM a shake and would get goals. Wouldn't be my first signing but if still available nearer the end of January I'd add him to the squad 

[mighty__mag]

[Happinesstan]

16 hours ago, Awaymag said:

opposition just let him do his tricks but if you stand a couple of yards off him, when he makes his move to go past, just out muscle him.   Thats what Cambridge did today.  He then resorts to trying to pass and he screws it up.  I think he passed 3-4 times to a Cambridge player when trying to make a 5 yard pass!

Didn't even look like he was trying to pass, sometimes. He just kicked it away.

[Abacus]

Here's a crazy opinion that should get me jailed. I do wonder if he's better suited to Bruce's style of football (if that's not a contradiction in terms to start with).

 

Constantly running at a defence for a whole game is kind of knackering.

 

So actually, a game where you only have about 30% possession and you're just passed to from out of your own half occasionally, with the licence to run at retreating defenders with their backs to goal and just cause mayhem...well, that suits him down to a T.

 

But take a game like yesterday, where you're expected to be on the ball more, and their team is set and sitting back. 

 

Without the space to run into then you just end up doing stepovers and then trying to cross the ball to no-one in particular.

 

I think he's really talented and can be great to watch in what has been a poor team. But it's quite hard to think of where he should actually play if you're not planning on playing mainly on the break.

 

If you want a more possession based brand of football, basically, I'm not sure if he fits in.

[Awaymag]

Constantly running at a defence for a whole game is kind of knackering.

 

And that is why he has no footballing brain.  He doesn't need to run at the defence for the whole game.   If he was smart he would know that as soon as he has the ball, 2-3 player are attracted to him.  Time to think not run, that means my teammates (ones in B&W not yellow) will have space and therefore I can just lay the ball off and the attack will build!

[NE27]

For being an almost unpredictable player, he's predictably unpredictable.

 

He never seems to use the easy out, in fact he even struggles to pass when he does realise he has teammates.

 

Definitely in the flawed genius camp.

[AJ9]

I mean I know it’s not the same in any way, but when I play 5s or 7s with a player like him it usually makes me never want to play with that player ever again. The lad never plays a simple ball. 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by alijmitchell

[Rich]

4 minutes ago, alijmitchell said:

I mean I know it’s not the same in any way, but when I play 5s or 7s with a player like him it usually makes me never want to play with that player ever again. The lad never plays a simple ball. 

 

 

 

This is how I felt yesterday. After a game or two it gets very old very quickly.

 

His on-pitch attitude has been stinking since I started going back.

[Guest]

His assist first day of the season is what he needs to do consistently. He used his tricks to create the yard of space to cross for Wilson. Very, very rarely see that from him.

[Fantail Breeze]

Just now, ManDoon said:

The Chelsea game I couldn’t believe what I was seeing from him. His body language was stinking. Like a child throwing a tantrum 

 

A player who doesn’t like having to play in a structured team and much prefers Bruce’s relaxed “do what you want” methods.

[HaydnNUFC]

1 minute ago, ManDoon said:

The Chelsea game I couldn’t believe what I was seeing from him. His body language was stinking. Like a child throwing a tantrum 

 

The way Jones had us playing was rancid, mind. Don't think I would've wanted to play in that shite. But still, he's had, from what I can remember, 2 decent games since Howe's come in. That's poor. And he needs to buck his ideas up and get his head out his fucking arse because with the position we're in I can't put up with another season of that shit. 2008-09 and 2015-16esque. 

[Ken Boon]

We need team players so PIF can sell the c*nt as far as I'm concerned. 

[Guest reefatoon]

18 hours ago, xLiaaamx said:

Think the reaction is a bit ott. Not sure why he's the one who all the ire is at.

 

 

 

Is it not just people picking out players who were shit and commenting on it? Or are some players above criticism? Doesn’t matter who the player is, if they play crap then people can pull that up.

[triggs]

11 minutes ago, reefatoon said:

Is it not just people picking out players who were shit and commenting on it? Or are some players above criticism? Doesn’t matter who the player is, if they play crap then people can pull that up.

Don't see many other players being called out to the same extent. It's also not just calling him shit yesterday but many are calling him shit full stop or wanting him dropped.

 

Just get him back on the wing and he'll be fine for the rest of the season anyway.