Sandro Tonali

[The Butcher]

Hard to look good in a struggling side when you're in and out of the team all the time.

 

He should start every single game imo. Give him a proper run in the side.

 

 

Edited November 26 by The Butcher

[Scoot]

Spending thick end of 90 million on him and Barnes and not starting them whilst we're crying out for a right winger, striker and centre back seems an odd decision now.

[Kid Icarus]

Why does Barnes continue to keep getting mentioned like he isn't doing what he's supposed to? Baffling 

 

 

Edited November 26 by Kid Icarus

[Sergio]

Getting close to Pardew levels of man management with Ben Arfa, this. Dropped for inferior players then sent out to show us some "magic" in 25-30 mins. 
 

Juventus already sniffing around to sign him. 

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, Sergio said:

Getting close to Pardew levels of man management with Ben Arfa, this. Dropped for inferior players then sent out to show us some "magic" in 25-30 mins. 
 

Juventus already sniffing around to sign him. 

Would bite their hands off for our money back personally. 

[Erikse]

2 hours ago, Ikon said:

Tonali wasn't very good at all overall last season. This season however when he has looked very good at times he hasn't exactly been rewarded with playing time despite having done well earlier as well as showing great form for Italy.Judging him on last night is absolutely laughable considering the circumstances. We looked all over the place and like headless chickens. Howe's very odd changes definitely didn't help.

 

I think he helped us change the game against Wolves (I think it was) and Forest after he came on. We were poor in those first halves, and were playing very well in the second. Even when he does well from the bench he's just seen as someone who does well against tired legs.. Not easy to change the game when you come on, you can't do much more when you're not starting.

 

 

Edited November 26 by Erikse

[Erikse]

10 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

That’s fair enough I think.  It would be a disaster for the club if he doesn’t work out.  I of course hope he does - I’m just not confident at the moment

 

I think giving Gordon a long run in the team looks disastrous atm, but he's still starting. I wish we gave Tonali the same chance, but I thinw we don't simply because he's a new guy. We don't give many second chances to newer players.

 

 

Edited November 26 by Erikse

[Ikon]

Tonali isn’t the problem! Has done very well for us mostly. Never mind Italy where he has dominated against the likes of France. I want more playing depth for both him and Bruno. Not Willock who’s mostly effective when there’s a lot of transitions. I want another type. Think this would help both Bruno and Tonali as well as making us less predictable. Preferably some creative player out wide too. Not just a direct runner type of player like Gordon and Barnes. Someone different with a bit of flair. I’ve been going on about quite a lot I know. It would help Isak immensely too. We are too easy to predict and most of our patterns are the same. A player out wide where the opposition would have to double/triple up would do wonders alone as a whole. 

 

 

Edited November 26 by Ikon

[r0cafella]

Just now, Ikon said:

Tonali isn’t the problem! 

Hmm, he doesn't fit our team and cost a lot. I don't think he's personally the problem but is he the solution ? 

 

As of right now he's the worst signing the club has made, objectively speaking. 

[Mikky]

4 minutes ago, Ikon said:

Tonali isn’t the problem! 

This - we are crying out for a formation change - 4231 - Bruno and Tonali as the 2 - Big Joe ahead as the freelance 10 - Gordon left and Barnes right 

[Ikon]

4 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Hmm, he doesn't fit our team and cost a lot. I don't think he's personally the problem but is he the solution ? 

 

As of right now he's the worst signing the club has made, objectively speaking. 

He hasn’t really played a lot with say Bruno and Willock for example. That would give us some sort of playing depth and balance imo. Even if Willock isn’t the type of attacking midfielder I want unless there’s lots of transitions and space. 

[r0cafella]

8 minutes ago, Ikon said:

He hasn’t really played a lot with say Bruno and Willock for example. That would give us some sort of playing depth and balance imo. Even if Willock isn’t the type of attacking midfielder I want unless there’s lots of transitions and space. 

Indeed he hasn't played a lot and has pulled up trees when he has. Admittedly his start to his career with us has been less than ideal. 

 

I'm not saying he's bad, I think he's really good but I'm not sure he fits us and obviously he cost a fortune and he's on big money. 

 

Let's hope he's just doing Eddie's trademark easing period and he comes and shines. 

[Menace]

34 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Would bite their hands off for our money back personally. 

 

Italian Clubs will pay that 55m over the next 25 years.

[r0cafella]

8 minutes ago, Menace said:

 

Italian Clubs will pay that 55m over the next 25 years.

[Yorkie]

47 minutes ago, Ikon said:

Tonali isn’t the problem! Has done very well for us mostly. Never mind Italy where he has dominated against the likes of France. I want more playing depth for both him and Bruno. Not Willock who’s mostly effective when there’s a lot of transitions. I want another type. Think this would help both Bruno and Tonali as well as making us less predictable. Preferably some creative player out wide too. Not just a direct runner type of player like Gordon and Barnes. Someone different with a bit of flair. I’ve been going on about quite a lot I know. It would help Isak immensely too. We are too easy to predict and most of our patterns are the same. A player out wide where the opposition would have to double/triple up would do wonders alone as a whole. 

 

Has he though? There's been the odd tidy performance but I'm not really sure what we're missing with him out of the team. 

 

I've no beef with the guy, just looks like he wasn't the CM we needed. Still early days to some extent. 

[Ikon]

9 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Has he though? There's been the odd tidy performance but I'm not really sure what we're missing with him out of the team. 

 

I've no beef with the guy, just looks like he wasn't the CM we needed. Still early days to some extent. 

Yes he has imo. The very few times he has started as well as coming on. At least I’ve seen tons of quality. Not saying he has been amazing every minute he has played, definitely not. The quality has been there to see clear as a day imo. Iffy team performances here and there and other players out of form at times certainly hasn’t helped us as a team in general. I just think that the space between our flat midfield and Isak doesn’t help him or Bruno at all. No playing depth. Both can be very good progressive passing players but there’s not many shorter options to play through the lines, as if we had a more triangular shape with some depth. We go wide 9/10. Also makes Isak quite isolated. 

 

 

Edited November 26 by Ikon

[Smal]

He needs a proper run in the team really. It’s near enough impossible to judge him so far.

[nufc123]

2 hours ago, r0cafella said:

Hmm, he doesn't fit our team 

Not attacking you here but you are not the first one who is saying that. Why does he not fit? What is he doing so much wrong that he doesnt fit?

[Andy]

I think there's an expectation on Tonali due to his name and price tag, but to me all that's currently relevant is that he does the simple things better than Longstaff, he is better technically than him, and he is more physical than him. It's not a high bar of comparison admittedly, but right now Longstaff is keeping him out the team on the basis of "we seem to win more when he plays", which is primary school level analysis. 

 

By the eye test he looks a much better footballer than Longstaff and so he should be starting. Beyond that, he can't be judged fully until he has had a consistent run in the team. 

[Ikon]

That he doesn’t fit our team is absolute nonsense! 

[Sibierski]

I’d like to see him giving a run as the central CM, with Bruno +1 either side. He’s got the physical stats to cover the ground, technical ability to keep it simple and well, and importantly, gets Bruno closer to making the difference in final third.

[Kanj]

^ yep. 
 

i think he should play at the base, with Bruno dropping into a 2 defensively and in the first phase of build up. When we progress up the pitch Bruno should cover that RCM/free role he likes to get where he covers left and right of the pitch. Willock should be the other LCM and be overlapping/underlapping that LW side. 

[Kid Icarus]

7 hours ago, Andy said:

I think there's an expectation on Tonali due to his name and price tag, but to me all that's currently relevant is that he does the simple things better than Longstaff, he is better technically than him, and he is more physical than him. It's not a high bar of comparison admittedly, but right now Longstaff is keeping him out the team on the basis of "we seem to win more when he plays", which is primary school level analysis. 

 

By the eye test he looks a much better footballer than Longstaff and so he should be starting. Beyond that, he can't be judged fully until he has had a consistent run in the team. 

 

Think he's in because we look an obviously much better and more balanced team with him in vs when Tonali's in that position tbh.

 

Tonali's pointless at RCM to the extent that his competition in midfield is now more likely Willock at LCM than Longstaff at RCM.

[TRC]

7 hours ago, Ikon said:

That he doesn’t fit our team is absolute nonsense! 

 

Who does fit our team and what even is our identity?

[Andy]

1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

Think he's in because we look an obviously much better and more balanced team with him in vs when Tonali's in that position tbh.

 

I think that's been more down to the other changes that were made at the same time. For example, Willock coming back in, Joelinton going to the left. We've looked more balanced because the team as a whole has had more balance, not because of Longstaff.