Fekir MK II

[rurikbird]

View: https://youtu.be/wSHyL0TwlC8?si=cET7GgKtz059hSIn

I haven’t seen him play a ton, but Cherki does remind me of Fekir in his combination of stocky build, low center of gravity and elegance and trickery on the ball. Given that our data team has OK’d the signing of Fekir, before it fell through because of either bad agents or bad knees, I would guess that a player of this type – highly technically skilled #10/second striker with a bit of combative edge – is well within the type of attackers we like. This analysis by Pythagoras in Boots is very positive in pointing out some of his potentially world-class qualities and stats that underlie them and does make it sound like he could be an alternative to Cunha - with less baggage and more room to grow and develop. He seems tailor-made for that right-sided #10 role where Szobo is struggling and if Slot and the data team prefer him to Elliott, we could probably sign him for around the same money we’d get for Harvey. Him behind Ekitike could set up our attack through the middle for years to come.

Thoughts?

 

[dmishra]

Elite ball skills, and this year he seems to be finally putting it together. 29 goal involvements, with 18 assists is very impressive.

That said, the knock against him in the past has been that he's been bit of a prima donna and lazy. Not sure if that is the sort of character we would want to sign tbh - Klopp would certainly have vetoed someone like that. Maybe we are more willing to take a risk with something like that now, or may be the concerns around his attitude are overblown. Let's see - as an alternative to Szoboszlai for the AM role, and as a RW backup to Salah, we could do a lot worse.

Also, with Trent's departure, we need to start setting up a more technical and creative midfield - so I do think we'll target an right-sided AM. I certainly prefer Cherki to Xavi Simons, who I think is pretty overrated.

The other very interesting player linked to us was Franco Mastantuono - 17 year old from River Plate. Supreme talent, already with 40+ first team appearances, and one of those rare teenagers who's physical development is far ahead of his peers.

He has a 35 million release clause I think, and I wonder if we will recruit directly from South America. Apparently, this was a bone of contention between Klopp/Lijnders and the recruitment team.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRbZw_pE-EU

 

[peekay]

Fekir's career didn't quite take off, and you can't blame his knees for that. Lemar, Lacazette, Aouar, Pepe—there is a long list of young technical players in the French league with impressive YouTube compilations who did not quite live up to the billing. Is there a reason Cherki would be different? He does not seem very pacy.

 

[Glen C]

His lack of pace completely puts me off. Good skills he would slow down our counter.

 

[Frogfish]

His lack of pace completely puts me off. Good skills he would slow down our counter.

~Yep. Many on here have been talking about how we need to add pace to the team now that Nune is blown and Mo. slowing down. Even Diaz can't often beat a FB for pace and Gakpo , whilst very fast, isn't super fast off the mark which negates his speed. Jota couldn't even beat Keita in a sprint !

We need to add serious pace on at least one of our wings and FB postions.

 

[Hansern]

Mastantuono is the one.

The fact that Cherki has been available for a pretty low transfer fee for the last few windows without any takers speaks volumes for me. We can't build a team with one of the pieces being a bit lazy and self centered. I'd stay well clear.
It gives me Aouar vibes all day long.

I think we like Simons (who I agree with is overrated), so hopefully we wont got there either. Depends on the fee. If its a decent one we'll be interested.

 

[rurikbird]

We need to add serious pace on at least one of our wings and FB postions.

… which is why I think Ekitike is a must: we need pace up front and on the wings.

But we need guile too, someone who can pick the lock and release those fast players into space. I think we’ll be seeing more low block against us next season and to counteract that you need someone with top-notch chance creation skills, both with passing and dribbling. Szobo has plenty of pace, but he’s clearly not that player.

 

[Hansern]

… which is why I think Ekitike is a must: we need pace up front and on the wings.

But we need guile too, someone who can pick the lock and release those fast players into space. I think we’ll be seeing more low block against us next season and against that you need someone with top-notch chance creation skills, both with passing and dribbling. Szobo has plenty of pace, but he’s clearly not that player.

Kerkez, Frimpong. Slot has talked a lot about pace.
If we lose Trent that creativity has to be replaced somehow.

 

[Frogfish]

Depends on the fee. If its a decent one we'll be interested.

People (and hopefully the club) need to get away from this mentality. We don't need average or good players 'because they are good value', we need better, higher quality, players and I'd rather just 2-3 of those than 5-6 players at lower fees to fill gaps with just average - good players.

 

[Hansern]

People (and hopefully the club) need to get away from this mentality. We don't need average or good players 'because they are good value', we need better, higher quality, players and I'd rather just 2-3 of those than 5-6 players at lower fees to fill gaps with just average - good players.

The club, manager and scouts might feel differently about the player then we as fans.

 

[rubans]

We also can’t keep spending all summer transfer for the perfect player who has perfect fee, perfect fit and perfect wages. We are also going to have to start taking couple of acceptable risks on players we think could do well. Slot is going to lose our 2nd most creative force as well as refreshers required in other areas and clearly doesn’t rate the current options on bench.

 

[Hansern]

We also can’t overspend on a player not worth the fee set by the selling club.

80 mill Gittens
120-150 mill Isak
80 mill Simons

That’s why if Leipzig are willing to sell at a lower fee I’m guessing we’ll be interested.

 

[tombrown]

Given that our data team has OK’d the signing of Fekir, before it fell through because of either bad agents or bad knees,

In Ian Graham's book he explained what happened

The night before we were due to sin him, the data team did a final check of the the analysis spreadsheet and noticed that cell D10 in the "final evaluation" sheet had the formula "=RawData!A1*AVERAGE(RawData!D5:C18)". Jaws dropped as they realised the intern they had delegated the job to, had mistyped the formula and it should have been "=RawData!A1/AVERAGE(RawData!D5:C18)"

They corrected the error and the "Player Evaluation" suddenly changed from a gold highlighted flashing block with the words "World Class (see note a.17)" to bright red block with the words "Utter shite - avoid at all costs"

Interestingly he also pointed out the "Notes" sheet, which had this as one of the notes "a.17 - as defined by the good people of SCM"

 

[Squiggles]

I've accepted that we're unlikely to make any expensive midfield signings. Ideally, we need a number six and a more attack-minded option, but those are perfect world scenarios and they rarely come off for us. Realistically, Slot could improve things simply by getting more out of the players we already have.

If we sell Elliott for £25 to £35 million and bring in someone Slot is actually willing to use more than five times a season, that would already be progress. When the bar is set so low, the club can afford to take a chance on someone like Cherki or the lad from Argentina. I don’t know much about either of them, but I’m on board with the logic of targeting that kind of profile — cheap, high potential — as long as they’re not a problem off the pitch and can do whatever Slot needs.

It would be a bit like the Shaqiri signing in terms of profile, but ideally, any new signing would be a genuine contender for regular first-team football in a way Shaq never quite managed. The sad part is that under Klopp, Elliott was already producing the kind of big moments Shaq was known for, but life at the top is ruthless and there was always going to be some upheaval. As fans we should give a manager 2-3 proper windows before putting every deal under the microscope as we're still pretty clueless into whatever Slot's long term vision is.

 

[StevieM]

People (and hopefully the club) need to get away from this mentality. We don't need average or good players 'because they are good value', we need better, higher quality, players and I'd rather just 2-3 of those than 5-6 players at lower fees to fill gaps with just average - good players.

You’re the anti-BiBlueMoronomialend!!!!

 

[doctor_mac]

I honestly don't think this guy is much of an upgrade on Harvey, who has shown in the small patches that he has been granted that he makes things happen but lacks the physicality that apparently Slot wants. I don't see how Cherki brings something massively game-changing to the squad.

 

[bluebell]

Elite ball skills, and this year he seems to be finally putting it together. 29 goal involvements, with 18 assists is very impressive.

That said, the knock against him in the past has been that he's been bit of a prima donna and lazy. Not sure if that is the sort of character we would want to sign tbh - Klopp would certainly have vetoed someone like that. Maybe we are more willing to take a risk with something like that now, or may be the concerns around his attitude are overblown. Let's see - as an alternative to Szoboszlai for the AM role, and as a RW backup to Salah, we could do a lot worse.

Also, with Trent's departure, we need to start setting up a more technical and creative midfield - so I do think we'll target an right-sided AM. I certainly prefer Cherki to Xavi Simons, who I think is pretty overrated.

The other very interesting player linked to us was Franco Mastantuono - 17 year old from River Plate. Supreme talent, already with 40+ first team appearances, and one of those rare teenagers who's physical development is far ahead of his peers.

He has a 35 million release clause I think, and I wonder if we will recruit directly from South America. Apparently, this was a bone of contention between Klopp/Lijnders and the recruitment team.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRbZw_pE-EU

"Rayan Cherki's top speed is recorded as 30.17 km/h. While he is not known for being a blazing fast player, he is a strong, versatile player with good ball control and a high average distance covered per match (37.83 km). His strength and ball-carrying abilities allow him to maintain possession and progress the ball effectively"

 

[Modo]

"Rayan Cherki's top speed is recorded as 30.17 km/h"

 

[doctor_mac]

"a high average distance covered per match (37.83 km)."

There's no way he runs 38km in a match! The ball is in play for about 60 mins of an average game and he would need to be solidly running at 38 kmph to hit that stat.

 

[Modo]

There's no way he runs 38km in a match! The ball is in play for about 60 mins of an average game and he would need to be running at 38 kmph to hit that stat.

Players usually run about 9-15 km per match. To run 38km in a game on average he'd have to be some sort of metahuman.

Also:

Top 3 fastest football players of all time
1. Kylian Mbappé: 38 km/h
2. Micky van de Ven: 37.38 km/h
3. Kyle Walker: 37.31 km/h

​

 

[doctor_mac]

Players usually run about 9-15 km per match. To run 38km in a game on average he'd have to be some sort of metahuman.

Also:

Top 3 fastest football players of all time
1. Kylian Mbappé: 38 km/h
2. Micky van de Ven: 37.38 km/h
3. Kyle Walker: 37.31 km/h

​

Yeah, somebody pulled some stats straight out of their arse for Bluebell's little Cherki update.

 

[mark1975]

I do get Shaqiri and also Firmino vibes from Cherki, he's good, but I'm not sure he's the right fit or stylistically completely what we need. The pace thing isn't that much of an issue though, he can be the one who would begin counters, we need pace but that doesn't mean we can't play someone who is slower but has the vision and creativity. It's just about balance.

 

[Modo]

I do get Shaqiri and also Firmino vibes from Cherki, he's good, but I'm not sure he's the right fit or stylistically completely what we need. The pace thing isn't that much of an issue though, he can be the one who would begin counters, we need pace but that doesn't mean we can't play someone who is slower but has the vision and creativity. It's just about balance.

We also need a player who won't "coast" while we're defending. Hence why Szobo is so well liked by our previous and current manager.

 

[binomial]

People (and hopefully the club) need to get away from this mentality. We don't need average or good players 'because they are good value', we need better, higher quality, players and I'd rather just 2-3 of those than 5-6 players at lower fees to fill gaps with just average - good players.

Lower fees doesn't always equate to lesser quality players.

Remind me what Bournemouth paid for Kerkez & Huijsen? Or what Wolves paid for Joao Gomes & Andre, or what Forest paid for Murillo & Milenkovic, or what Villa paid for Rogers & Malen. We've lost our touch finding top talent, good value high quality talent.

 

[Hyena]

There's no way he runs 38km in a match! The ball is in play for about 60 mins of an average game and he would need to be solidly running at 38 kmph to hit that stat.

So I checked the net and turns out the most obvious and depressing explanation is the correct one. The decimal point is in the wrong place

 

[moron]

~Yep. Many on here have been talking about how we need to add pace to the team now that Nune is blown and Mo. slowing down. Even Diaz can't often beat a FB for pace and Gakpo , whilst very fast, isn't super fast off the mark which negates his speed. Jota couldn't even beat Keita in a sprint !

We need to add serious pace on at least one of our wings and FB postions.

This is a good post and agree 100%, we need pace, and I still traumatized by our away performance against PSG. Did you see how fast and quick those fuckers were ? We need that on our wings.

I heard on a show yesterday, speaker being a Cherki fan saying how they look at him and think he is like a Coutinho in early days for us. Is he slower than Coutinho ? Also is not the French league full of pacey black players who are also physical ?, how would that equate to here ?

 

[tombrown]

So I checked the net and turns out the most obvious and depressing explanation is the correct one. The decimal point is in the wrong place

Bloody hell - he runs 378.3 km every match? Iron man

 

[Squiggles]

Lower fees doesn't always equate to lesser quality players.

Remind me what Bournemouth paid for Kerkez & Huijsen? Or what Wolves paid for Joao Gomes & Andre, or what Forest paid for Murillo & Milenkovic, or what Villa paid for Rogers & Malen. We've lost our touch finding top talent, good value high quality talent.

Have we? Nunez aside, what signings of ours were overpriced? We rebuilt a title winning midfield for just over the price of one Declan Rice and have largely inactive since.

 

[ibromurph]

He's a big upgrade on Elliott. Also a big technical upgrade on Szobo, but we'd lose too much legs with him and Mo in the team. Mo would have to be subbed if Cherki was brought on.

He would be useful in some games (low blocks/unathletic teams), but would be useless in other games (stretched games, or tough games we require Szobo to do extra running to cover for Mo's lack of tracking back; think Man City/Arsenal).

 

[binomial]

Have we? Nunez aside, what signings of ours were overpriced? We rebuilt a title winning midfield for just over the price of one Declan Rice and have largely inactive since.

Well that’s partly it isn’t it, the inactiveness….losing our touch.

Other clubs out there getting top talent for good value left, right and center, we sit on our arses until every players reached 200/300 games for the club, then we budge.