The College Dropout Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 First half looked like a player coming in from Serie A. Too slow on the ball, too many touches. Second half a lot better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack j Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Wouldn't mind seeing him start against Burnley. He seems to have played all the tough games so far. Be nice to see him against.lesser opposition (nee disrespect to Burnley obvs) Keep Longstaff and big joe for PSG... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexf Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 He looked like he was playing injured first half. Kept feeling his leg. Too slow and poor first touch playing him into trouble nearly everytime. Much improved 2nd half though. Still got zero concerns about him long term, once he's up to speed and acclimatised, he will be fantastic. Maybe 2nd half of season or even next season we will start to see his true level. Just like what's happened with Gordon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Duper Branko Strupar Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Im not sure we're even going to see the best of him this year, personally. If Gordon wasn't up to speed when he joined, Sandro is even behind that imo. Hopefully after Christmas he starts balling, but I'm not going to be chastising him for falling short here and there. Once he's up to speed, though. Mark my words. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Those first touches will be an asset when he gets used to the pace. He’s always trying to create space for himself with his first touch but so far he often ends up in crowded spaces or not realising how close the opponent is to him. In Serie A he had more time and space in midfield, just needs to adjust. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonas Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 He's been thrown straight in unlike Bruno. Give him at least the same time. Rob Lee, Gary Speed amd Anthony Gordon were written off with more games under their belts. Do wonder though if he's more the sort of player to come into an established point of the project rather than when were in the process of establishing ourselves, a bit of gloss on the finished product rather than to get us there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
loki679 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 4 hours ago, Disco said: One of the worst songs in football matching his performances is apt. He's got the perfect name and nationality to go in so many better ways for his song Adapt a bit of Dean Martin or some Italian classic? Nah mate, HE EATS SPAGHETTI. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLvOR Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Was great second half. Some of his first time through balls were really close to coming off, think it'll be a matter of time before that clicks. Gonna be great releasing Gordon and Isak off with those passes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 He played a much more conventional RCM role in the second half with Tino providing width and Murphy tucking in a bit and I thought that really suited him. Much better second half. That deepest mid role against strong midfields is tough work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 If he can perform like he did in the second half, every game, that would be a good starting point. That would be my message. If he can do that, I've no doubt his character will grow with the team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I remember when Isak first joined and he didn't look like one of the lads, now he's front and centre. Tonali will get there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Tonali struggled first half, he wanted too much time and too many touches, granted he was played some hospital passes. Second half he was moved further up the pitch and he came alive. He looks far more comfortable as an eight than as a six. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWMag Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Agree with what’s been said, definitely an 8 and not a 6. what’s also not ideal is that he needs time to settle and form links with team mates but keeps being moved around. Last week it was left of midfield, then as a 6, now back to the right. feel like he needs a solid run in one position to really kick on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 8 hours ago, Super Duper Branko Strupar said: Im not sure we're even going to see the best of him this year, personally. If Gordon wasn't up to speed when he joined, Sandro is even behind that imo. Hopefully after Christmas he starts balling, but I'm not going to be chastising him for falling short here and there. Once he's up to speed, though. Mark my words. I find the impatience and rush to judgement of players so awful nowadays. It's made so much worse with all these social media platforms now because all these players are on there and see it and so the pressure on them must be immense. Fans end up working against players in their own teams. I was saying to a friend of mine that supports Arsenal that if social media was as it is today back then, Henry probably ends up a flop at Arsenal and is still being ridiculed to this day. Pretty sure he was their club record signing at the time, having come from Juventus as a left winger that wasn't known for his goal scoring and hadn't really pulled up many trees over there. Came to Arsenal and was played upfront and didn't score in his first 7 games I think it was, and actually went and told Wenger he should play elsewhere because he wasn't a goal scorer, but Wenger told him to stick with it. Imagine what AFTV would have been like then? Screaming about playing a left winger upfront that doesn't score. Guy would have had a mental breakdown. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpie Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 11 hours ago, jack j said: Wouldn't mind seeing him start against Burnley. He seems to have played all the tough games so far. Be nice to see him against.lesser opposition (nee disrespect to Burnley obvs) Keep Longstaff and big joe for PSG... Totally with you there Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I have complete faith in Howe to make the right calls in terms of getting the best out of him so if he plays against Burnley then fair enough. But if we're now in a position, squad availability-wise, to default to the 'ease him in' approach then that's definitely what we should do imo. He's had a baptism of fire and mostly struggled because he's been burdened with significant responsibility before he's had a chance to settle. Would be great if he had a chance to only enter the pitch as a sub for a few games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 5 hours ago, KaKa said: I find the impatience and rush to judgement of players so awful nowadays. It's made so much worse with all these social media platforms now because all these players are on there and see it and so the pressure on them must be immense. Fans end up working against players in their own teams. I was saying to a friend of mine that supports Arsenal that if social media was as it is today back then, Henry probably ends up a flop at Arsenal and is still being ridiculed to this day. Pretty sure he was their club record signing at the time, having come from Juventus as a left winger that wasn't known for his goal scoring and hadn't really pulled up many trees over there. Came to Arsenal and was played upfront and didn't score in his first 7 games I think it was, and actually went and told Wenger he should play elsewhere because he wasn't a goal scorer, but Wenger told him to stick with it. Imagine what AFTV would have been like then? Screaming about playing a left winger upfront that doesn't score. Guy would have had a mental breakdown. He didn't score, but he was electrifying in those first 10 games mind. Like a dribbley Darwin Nunez on steroids or Luis Suarez in his first half-season. Cristiano too. You knew he was a player. Nunez movement is 10/10. A little more composure and cleaner ball striking he's a 20-goal-a-season player easy. He's almost brilliant. We saw it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbandit Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Aye, Nunez is going to score a lot of goals at the highest level because of his pace and movement. He’ll always have a rick in him and he’ll never be a great footballer but he will score goals. Just gutted that I can’t enjoy laughing at his misses as much now after the Liverpool game this season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 2 hours ago, The College Dropout said: He didn't score, but he was electrifying in those first 10 games mind. Like a dribbley Darwin Nunez on steroids or Luis Suarez in his first half-season. Cristiano too. You knew he was a player. Nunez movement is 10/10. A little more composure and cleaner ball striking he's a 20-goal-a-season player easy. He's almost brilliant. We saw it. Yeah, he was still good, but even he was doubting himself as a striker and went to Wenger looking for a change, so imagine that self doubt with all the social media noise on top of it. I think we potentially miss out on the level of player we ended up seeing. Henry can be a bit temperamental too. Don't think he would have handled it well at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 15 minutes ago, KaKa said: Yeah, he was still good, but even he was doubting himself as a striker and went to Wenger looking for a change, so imagine that self doubt with all the social media noise on top of it. I think we potentially miss out on the level of player we ended up seeing. Henry can be a bit temperamental too. Don't think he would have handled it well at all. Interesting. I think he has a good mentality. He wasn’t as talented naturally as Anelka but ended up a level maybe two - better. Thats mentality. I see Isak in that mould a little. A instinctive natural finisher like Anelka but more determined like Henry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 1 hour ago, The College Dropout said: Interesting. I think he has a good mentality. He wasn’t as talented naturally as Anelka but ended up a level maybe two - better. Thats mentality. I see Isak in that mould a little. A instinctive natural finisher like Anelka but more determined like Henry. I think Wenger's influence was a big factor in him eventually developing that mentality. The initial faith in him to persist upfront from Wenger would have been massive for his development. And then once it actually came together and he started performing there was no stopping him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheikBoom Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 Pleased for him today. Won the ball high up the pitch which led to the penalty (I think)?. Slowed the game down with Bruno really well at 2-0. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeletor Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 Gonna get a good run in the team now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 Not that confident in him starting against PSG, feels like he's still not in tune with our high pressing game. I don't doubt he's a technically gifted player, just used to playing in a very different style for Milan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiquidAK Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 I always get so invested in players who get what I feel is unfair criticism coming good. I want so badly for him to show what he can do - just needs time to settle and adjust. Easy to forget he's only 23 too Felt he fit in well today when he came on. Getting there for sure - be interested in seeing how he does after a few starts against some comparatively weaker teams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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