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

[greydos]

This topic is just so sad at the moment. For all the people saying ASM is too individualistic and has to work on team awareness you really need to take an honest appraisal of our team. Our centre midfield has no legs. So of course ASM when he receives the ball on half way, he can make it to the edge of the box with great skill in say 5 seconds, but he then has to hold the ball for 10 seconds whilst our snow-plough midfield plods forward. If ASM was breaking with Dyer, Speed, Bellamy joining the attack he’d have 3 competent players with him instantly. Yet his reality for 2 years has been if he breaks he has to wait for Shelvey, Longstaff, Hayden to catch up. And those 3, as slow as they are, don’t have the balls to bust it to get forward as they know they’ll likely lose it and leave a massive gap to Lascelles, Clark, Krafth and the like, who in turn will be very slow to progress up.

 

In short, often ASM has to beat players, move up the pitch and then wait like 20 seconds for his team to arrive up with him, as this newcastle team has no way of controlling possession so the whole team is up the pitch together. He’s holding the ball in a way that’s necessary. Put him in a better team and that changes I think. For a start, if the midfield can progress the team up the pitch (hello Bruno G!), he’d receive the ball more often 30 yards from goal in the half spaces rather than on the halfway line. He’ll be twice as dangerous and teams will more likely sit back against us.

 

I agree with ASM in his interview where he said if he was beating one man and then could square to Mbappe to finish, his assists would go through the roof and people would say he’s amazing. 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by greydos

[MrRaspberryJam]

11 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

Definitely don't hate him myself, I like him. The comparisons with Robert, Solano and HBA are inviting ridicule that's maybe misread as a dislike for him though.

 

Aye. Wasn't referring to this thread specifically tbh, just more of the comments made across the board over the last few weeks. 

[Cronky]

He's been a very important player for us this last two seasons. Our passing game has been really poor and we've relied on his individual ability to beat opponents. However, his passing isn't that great, and I honestly wonder how he'll adjust if the team develops a more modern style, like all the better teams. That's surely what Howe is aiming for.

 

He's the sort of player who thrives on a free role, with the team built around him. I think that's the reason why bigger clubs haven't been in for him. That's not the way they think.

 

The interview was a bit unwise, I felt. Alongside his statement of love for the club, he was also talking about the possibility of leaving. It sounded like, I'd like to stay, but if we go down, I'm off. It's okay to think like that, but some thoughts are better kept to oneself.

[Kid Icarus]

3 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

Aye. He's the kind of player I watch football for, I love him tbh. I just think realistically, unless he improves a lot, he's not going to be a superstar.

 

At the minute he's one of them "he wouldn't be at Newcastle if he did X and Y" but if things go to plan we'll be beyond all of that after the Summer transfer window 

 

I think he could be more direct at times, but he's class. No problem whatsoever with him saying he wants to win the balon d'Or and he could be a superstar. Would be weird if he didn't have lofty targets like that and I wouldn't poo-poo it at all. It's the comparisons of him now that are crackers. Robert got a goal or an assist in like 3/4 games in his first season with us. Nobby's in Shearer's goals DVD almost as much as Shearer is because of the amount of assists he got.

[LRD]

@HTT II losing out in the long posts category nowadays.

[Detritus Bramble]

I think he’s shone in a poor side where, alongside Wilson, he’s been the only one offering any attacking threat. I think he liked playing for Bruce because his remit was basically go out and do what you want in the final third. Can he be more of a team player in a side that’s actually being coached? Can he perform better with better players alongside him? Can he become more consistent? The jury’s out to be honest, which is why some fans doubt him a bit. There’s no question he’s been one of the few bright sparks over the last couple of years though 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by Detritus Bramble

[triggs]

Can we just stop comparing him to previous players? It just turns into everyone focusing on ASM's flaws every time

[xLiaaamx]

In our last 3 games for example, he's scored 2 and set up quite a few other chances, and what's the response? Nowt but complaining about him. HBA is viewed through massively rose tinted glasses now too, and his own flaws are ignored when used as the comparison. HBA had a much better team around him aswell, with Cabaye, Sissoko, Remy, Ba etc. He always had loads of pacey players to create space for him. 

 

But that's Newcastle fans down to a T. Always harking after the past. It's why Keegan and Rafa still get suggested as manager. We always just want what we used to have. 

 

(And I loved Ben Arfa for the majority of his time here, but I can't see ASM putting on weight the way he did at the end.)

 

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by xLiaaamx

[Bimpy474]

I watch football for many reasons, two of the main ones are watching my team (and others) play lovely football, so I've obviously been on a starvation diet for a feck long time where we're concerned.

 

The second main one is to see players like ASM, and he actually plays for us. I get the criticism of him, but team he plays in is feckin awful, under tactics that left it all to ASM to do something special.

 

That's going to change if Eddie gets it right, and I've no doubt we'll see more of ASM being a mint team players as well as individual spark.

[Happinesstan]

3 hours ago, Mr Raspberry Jam said:

I don't get the ASM hate mind. 

 

Not sure if hate is the right word like but you get my drift. 

It's definitely not hate for me. I love the fella, he's a total character and I want him to become an integral part of a trophy winning team. I've always attributed the frustration to bad decision making and was convinced he would improve in that respect. He has demonstrated an awareness of his issues, in an earlier interview, and promised that better players will help him to address this. 

Personal ambition is a vital characteristic for personal success, and I admire that, but if his development is dependent upon his assessment of the team as good enough for him, then he will definitely struggle to win anything. 

[Dr Venkman]

I like him a lot but I hope we outgrow him over the next couple of seasons.

[GWN]

Just now, Dr Venkman said:

I like him a lot but I hope we outgrow him over the next couple of seasons.

 

 

He will become better with better players around him .

[Guest HTT II]

It’s natural for fans to get pissed off with ASM every now and again because of how he plays, mostly because we can all see the talent he does have, that and I genuinely believe it’s mostly because people want him to be or become the finished article which if he did, well, he’s one of the top players in the world. If he wasn’t an NUFC player, watching him play, he’d be one of my fave players to watch full-stop. That said, if he can fine tune his game, eliminate his bad habits and become more efficient, there would be no issues whatsoever. Can he, will he? We have to remember he is a rough diamond in a shit team. Put him in KK’s team or Sir Bobby’s and we are talking a Robert, a Ginola, a Solano etc. 

[Guest HTT II]

10 minutes ago, GWN said:

 

 

He will become better with better players around him .

He will, but he still has lots of work to do on his own game.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

1 hour ago, Bimpy474 said:

I watch football for many reasons, two of the main ones are watching my team (and others) play lovely football, so I've obviously been on a starvation diet for a feck long time where we're concerned.

 

The second main one is to see players like ASM, and he actually plays for us. I get the criticism of him, but team he plays in is feckin awful, under tactics that left it all to ASM to do something special.

 

That's going to change if Eddie gets it right, and I've no doubt we'll see more of ASM being a mint team players as well as individual spark.

if players could finish he’d have set up two against Leeds on the counter and won a penalty.

 

 

[Guest HTT II]

In reality, as frustrating as he is and as critical as I’ve sometimes been of his game at times, he is the least of our worries. 

[Happinesstan]

5 minutes ago, Shays Given Tim Flowers said:

if players could finish he’d have set up two against Leeds on the counter and won a penalty.

 

 

Willock and Fraser have been rightly criticised for those failures. Why should ASM be immune to criticism for his? 

[BottledDog]

4 hours ago, Mr Raspberry Jam said:

 

Robert (and Bellamy) transformed us from a lower midtable side to Champions League and title contenders. 

 

And yet they ended up as cancers, eating away at the heart of out club.

 

At least that is what some twonks on here were saying at the time.

[triggs]

50 minutes ago, Happinesstan said:

Willock and Fraser have been rightly criticised for those failures. Why should ASM be immune to criticism for his? 

ASM gets criticised more than those 2 players and basically anyone in our team while contributing way more than anyone else

[NG32]

ASM has been the only player on a consistent level to offer any kind of threat, he can hold the ball in tight positions, carry to ball out of midfield, take pressure off the defence, bring a goal threat or can draw a foul from the opposition.  Sometimes holds the ball a little too long at times, some times should bring people into play a bit more often but in his defence, it has all been on his shoulders for far too long and he has been starved of decent players around him to read his game and what he is capable of. 

 

Is he beyond criticism, of course not, but people should balance their views out on the utter garbage he has had  around him. 

 

He's had little to no help at times and most if not all of our play has been through him. 

[Happinesstan]

25 minutes ago, triggs said:

ASM gets criticised more than those 2 players and basically anyone in our team while contributing way more than anyone else

Did I say he wasn't criticised?

[TRon]

2 hours ago, Dr Venkman said:

I like him a lot but I hope we outgrow him over the next couple of seasons.

 

Would be great if he could grow into a better player as the team improves. He's literally got everything, pace, power, a canon of a right foot....if he could release the ball early now and then he'd be winning that Balon D'Or. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next 12 months as we keep upgrading the squad.

[Dr Venkman]

11 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

Would be great if he could grow into a better player as the team improves. He's literally got everything, pace, power, a canon of a right foot....if he could release the ball early now and then he'd be winning that Balon D'Or. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next 12 months as we keep upgrading the squad.

Yeah I’d love home to improve and stay.

[Disco]

Phwoar

[nufc123]

So classy today. Such quick feet.