Donyell Malen
- Thread starter rurikbird
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My theory on which qualities translate well from other leagues, particularly less physical ones like Holland or Portugal is that any striker who bangs in goals due to being "physically dominant" in their league will struggle to replicate it against stronger defenders – plenty of examples here from recent ones like Haller and Joelington to Bas Dost, Slimani, Afonso Alves, Morata, Soldado, Morientes etc. So no to any "target men" unless it's someone clearly world-class like Lewandowski. The "fox-in-the-box" types do marginally better, but still more misses than hits – even a true genius finisher like Huntelaar didn't quite become a star in a stronger league and Higuain flopped in England even though he was successful elsewhere.
What does translate is speed and superb technique – the kind of strikers who could be playing as wingers or #10s – almost every successful attacking import falls into this category, including some of the absolute best like Suarez, Thierry Henry or Salah. Superlative technique without speed can also work – Bergkamp, Berbatov and Suarez again. Dirk Kuyt is instructive – he was actually the target-man type in Holland, scoring all these tap-ins, headers and "outmuscling" defenders; that part clearly didn't translate, but he was able to reinvent himself as a hard-working winger.
So for all these reasons Malen to me seems much more promising than someone like Andre Silva, for example – I see more qualities in him that will serve him well in the EPL. The way to unsettle Premier League defenders is with pace, unpredictable interchangeable movement of the attackers and superb control and shooting. To put it another way, strikers who usually take one touch to score in their home league will probably struggle to do that in the EPL and those who also rely on being physically bigger and stronger than the defenders will almost definitely flop, but those who can create their own scoring chances will probably continue to do that here just fine and maybe even enhance their reputation.
What does translate is speed and superb technique – the kind of strikers who could be playing as wingers or #10s – almost every successful attacking import falls into this category, including some of the absolute best like Suarez, Thierry Henry or Salah. Superlative technique without speed can also work – Bergkamp, Berbatov and Suarez again. Dirk Kuyt is instructive – he was actually the target-man type in Holland, scoring all these tap-ins, headers and "outmuscling" defenders; that part clearly didn't translate, but he was able to reinvent himself as a hard-working winger.
So for all these reasons Malen to me seems much more promising than someone like Andre Silva, for example – I see more qualities in him that will serve him well in the EPL. The way to unsettle Premier League defenders is with pace, unpredictable interchangeable movement of the attackers and superb control and shooting. To put it another way, strikers who usually take one touch to score in their home league will probably struggle to do that in the EPL and those who also rely on being physically bigger and stronger than the defenders will almost definitely flop, but those who can create their own scoring chances will probably continue to do that here just fine and maybe even enhance their reputation.
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Definitely. He gave over 150 appearances to Kevin Grosskreutz, who was a similar hard-working type playing alongside much more silky and talented players.
Except I dont believe that is his name. He just mistook what his mother screamed at him all the time as his name.
Absolutely, coz you know "Dirk Kuyt works hard". Also, the ability to listen to tactical instructions and execute them on the field, the ability to step up and provide leadership under pressure, selfless and puts the collective above the individual. Klopp would love him. Also, the dude was a one-man gegenpressing machine before it became cool and hip. This is what the cold-hearted Rafa who hardly ever praised his players said about Kuyt
" He could play in any attacking position and always knew what he had to do anticipating the situation. He set examples which speak volumes for his form, his commitment and sacrifice for the team. When no-one showed to receive from a throw-in there was always the willing and ever ready Dirk. If you needed someone to get in to position to finish, of course it would be him. When you needed someone to run behind the defence against Milan to create space between the lines for Gerrard again it had to be Kuyt. If you needed one last effort to help against a defender who was getting forward, Dirk Kuyt did it willingly as if he would do it ad infinitum.
A lot of people talk of players who play for the shirt and their loyalty, but I can tell you that in my opinion, in my career as a coach, I don’t know of many players who have played for the Liverpool shirt like he did from the day he arrived to the last second he played for that red shirt. Never, not once, did he complain about having to play in a different role or out of position to help the cause. Not everyone can say the same. He was always the first to train, to improve, to progress and to set an example, he was a true team mate in all senses of the word on the pitch and a model human being off it.
Those who count these things say that he has played 285 matches for LFC and has scored 71 goals, 51 in the Premier League. That’s not bad at all. Especially if we take in to account that they are icing on the cake of all his assets which statistics don’t show: the contribution and good he brought to the team with his industry, his thoroughness, his sacrifice, his generosity and camaraderie.
These are simple things, notes in the margin of a story created from a philosophy engrained with playing for the team.
http://www.rafabenitez.com/web/index.php?act=mostrarContenidos&idioma=in&co=1613
Klopp would probably take a six month sabbatical and spend it on composing poems honoring Kuyt.
I considered making a thread title with a "Don't yell" pun and thought better of it; you can all thank me for that.
BTW, this is a bit weird, did Mino Raiola pay for the plane?
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I have a soft spot for Dutch attackers who can play across the 3 - still waiting for Drenthe to come good - so suppressing the urge to go all in and be more critical.
Looking at his cameo against Austria and it’s actually not very good. I know he was a late sub and got an assist but some pretty heavy touches from long passes, not quite as in control of the ball when in top flight as you’d like and a couple of failed take ons.
Looking at his cameo against Austria and it’s actually not very good. I know he was a late sub and got an assist but some pretty heavy touches from long passes, not quite as in control of the ball when in top flight as you’d like and a couple of failed take ons.
Interesting. And agreed. Doesn't Haaland fall into your "potential fail' category?
I know I am being hyper-critical but that touch at 1:08 worried me. Firmino, Mane, Salah, Jota would have controlled it more elegantly.
Have to say though that that video was less than impressive. Superb control? He seemed to fluff most and took 2-3 touches to bring it under control. Firmino's technical skills seems way way better. If he was an England player at Euro 20 he wouldn't be getting much praise.
Ah yes. Keni noticed it first.
We are not going to break the bank for him, but I don't see that we would need to.
The highest fees I can think of for sales from the Dutch league comes from Ajax selling de Jong and de Ligt, both of whom had a clear early trajectory of talent. Aside from that it's unusual the Eredivisie sells a player for over the value of 25mil or so. That means compared to a lot of leagues there is value to be found.
On the whole it looks like Malen has the things we need. Patience to sit on the bench behind a donkey like Weghorst, scoring goals (for PSV), some connections to the prem (Arsenal academy), and an unselfish player who runs a lot.
I think he'd be willing to sit on the bench for a few months to prove he could make it here, and we could get him for the cost of selling Wilson, Shaqiri and Williams (30-35mil)
The highest fees I can think of for sales from the Dutch league comes from Ajax selling de Jong and de Ligt, both of whom had a clear early trajectory of talent. Aside from that it's unusual the Eredivisie sells a player for over the value of 25mil or so. That means compared to a lot of leagues there is value to be found.
On the whole it looks like Malen has the things we need. Patience to sit on the bench behind a donkey like Weghorst, scoring goals (for PSV), some connections to the prem (Arsenal academy), and an unselfish player who runs a lot.
I think he'd be willing to sit on the bench for a few months to prove he could make it here, and we could get him for the cost of selling Wilson, Shaqiri and Williams (30-35mil)
The latest game video is more impressive, but unfortunately got deleted because of copyright – hopefully someone will reupload it. I wouldn't read too much into that one touch (which he did manage to keep in play still) – I've seen him on more occasions (including that full game against Ajax) and his touch is good. He looks like a proper powerful CF in the Eredivisie, but I think in England he might struggle to hold up the ball up top at first until he gains a bit more muscle strength – but long-term I think that would not be an issue. Overall he's well-built, balanced and explosive.
I would love to see Dirk as the focal point of our current team, flanked by Mo & Sadio. He'd be exceptional at leading the press and was a good finisher, we just played him wide more often than not and didn't play to that part of his game. He was what Klopp would call a mentality monster, and he would be a front 3 version of Gini making the system tick.
No, he's a freak of nature – there is no category for someone like that.
Why are people pretending that Firmino doesn't have about 4 months of every season where he can't complete a 5 yard pass and he spends the game wandering around doing his repertoire of flicks and backheels that go straight to the opposition.
Simples. If you are buying someone to replace him shouldn't that guy look good? I mean that should be the most basic requisite !
My view would be Isak has the higher ceiling in terms of the level he could get to. But he probably will take a few years. Malen is closer to the finished product. So if it was a replacement for Firmino in terms of having to go straight into the starting XI probably Malen, if we expect Firmino to stay next season and phase the new player in then I'd choise Isak.
Malen looked a bit poor technically, and he made the wrong decision a few times for me. Isak has looked a cut above him from the little I've seen so far. And I trust Isak's performances in Spain more than Malen's record in Holland.
It's a moot point, though, because we won't be signing either.
It's a moot point, though, because we won't be signing either.
Not sure about Isak for us, looks a bit awkward in general and similar to Paulo Wanchope in style.
Malen looks much more in fitting with our current front 3 and maybe a much more straighter fit while Isak looks like possibly needs more of an adapter to plugin but I haven’t seen enough of Isak much before the tournament to say enough.
Malen looks much more in fitting with our current front 3 and maybe a much more straighter fit while Isak looks like possibly needs more of an adapter to plugin but I haven’t seen enough of Isak much before the tournament to say enough.
Do you think he's quick enough to play in that wide forward space? I'd have thug he was better suited through the middle
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