Some fans allowed ourselves to think the alternative was Isak.
he’s a top rated young striker. We should be excited and delighted the club are making moves like this.
Let’s just wrap it up ASAP so he’s integrated and ready to start the season.
Hugo Boss
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he’s a top rated young striker. We should be excited and delighted the club are making moves like this.
Let’s just wrap it up ASAP so he’s integrated and ready to start the season.
But there were actual brilliant French players playing in the league over the years, particularly at Arsenal. We just signed the wrong ones (and not signing Anelka and going for spit the dog instead was criminal).
But with Italians, I struggle to think of anyone after Zola. Vialli was only okay from memory. They really are shite in England aren’t they.
But with Italians, I struggle to think of anyone after Zola. Vialli was only okay from memory. They really are shite in England aren’t they.
His first touch, dribbling and ball carrying is levels above anything I've seen from Darwin. If he improves his decision making and his finishing, he'll be world class.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlOGePvmvks
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlOGePvmvks
3G 4A (24 shots, xG 3.48) in his last 8 matches (695 mins) though
View: https://x.com/fc_mossman/status/1942929242167071210
View: https://x.com/StatmanDave/status/1935326715389050883
View: https://x.com/Squawka/status/1946863240715096312
I couldn’t agree more
People really overrate finishing as an attribute.
It really shouldn't be the starting point for evaluating attackers. Chris Wood is a good finisher. Kevin Phillips and Darren Bent were great finishers. Were they great attackers?
The first thing to look at while evaluating potentially great attackers is event-creation. Every single elite attacker has it. Watch 5 mins of this guy's clips, and event-creation just absolutely screams at you. It's the most difficult skill there is, and frankly you either have it or you don't. That isn't something that can be coached. Finishing, on the other hand is highly teachable.
Examples galore of players who were considered poor finishers, but went on to become great goalscorers. Henry is a prime example. Suarez first season with us - had just 11 goals, and half the forum here was labelling him a poor finisher. So his lack of finishing ability at this stage really doesn't bother me.
What is exciting is that he is already a great event-creator at this age, AND his pressing / defensive numbers are off the charts. Essentially, you're looking at a Firmino archetype in a pacy 6'3 frame. That's a very very exciting proposition. Even if he never becomes a great finisher, he's the sort of player a great coach would absolutely build a fantastic attack around.
We're not short of clinical players in attack - getting such a unique player with so many potential tactical advantages would be very attractive to Slot.
Essentially, we now will have in attack - 3 workhorses (Ekitike, Diaz, Szboszlai) and 3 executors (Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo). That's a very nice balance. If Ekitike actually becomes a great finisher, then the ceiling on this is through the roof.
It really shouldn't be the starting point for evaluating attackers. Chris Wood is a good finisher. Kevin Phillips and Darren Bent were great finishers. Were they great attackers?
The first thing to look at while evaluating potentially great attackers is event-creation. Every single elite attacker has it. Watch 5 mins of this guy's clips, and event-creation just absolutely screams at you. It's the most difficult skill there is, and frankly you either have it or you don't. That isn't something that can be coached. Finishing, on the other hand is highly teachable.
Examples galore of players who were considered poor finishers, but went on to become great goalscorers. Henry is a prime example. Suarez first season with us - had just 11 goals, and half the forum here was labelling him a poor finisher. So his lack of finishing ability at this stage really doesn't bother me.
What is exciting is that he is already a great event-creator at this age, AND his pressing / defensive numbers are off the charts. Essentially, you're looking at a Firmino archetype in a pacy 6'3 frame. That's a very very exciting proposition. Even if he never becomes a great finisher, he's the sort of player a great coach would absolutely build a fantastic attack around.
We're not short of clinical players in attack - getting such a unique player with so many potential tactical advantages would be very attractive to Slot.
Essentially, we now will have in attack - 3 workhorses (Ekitike, Diaz, Szboszlai) and 3 executors (Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo). That's a very nice balance. If Ekitike actually becomes a great finisher, then the ceiling on this is through the roof.
Event creator sounds like something an Instagram influencer would have in their bio.
We could easily have gotten Gimenez if we wanted when he left, and we could still get Gyokeres, Osimhen, Guirassy.
We haven't (openly) targeted any of them. Instead, Richard Hughes' laptop is reported to have targeted Joao Pedro, Ekitike, Alvarez for our long term target.
So probably Arne Slot wants someone more than a guy who is a good shooter. Mind you, I would have complained if we just signed an elderly bagsman to soak in the beauty of Wirtz and Salah's passes.
Slim pickings indeed, but I'd say Di Canio was pretty good for Wednesday and West Ham.
Ah yes, the metric our extensive data experts should use, the last 20 shots on Instagram reels. I'm sure you've checked that they actually are his last 20 shots and not a varied collection?
Perhaps they can call them Event Creation Reels. All the kids will refer to them as ECRs.
I hope @dmishra doesn't think I'm shitting on his idea.
What about that white haired bloke who played for Middlesboro?
Fabrizio Ravanelli. Scored a hattrick for Boro against us that season (96/97)...
In his debut, if I remember correctly.
He did OK for a while, but not a particularly long while if I remember rightly.
I think the terms have been agreed but they're holding off because some forumites prefer to wait for Isak.
Good call -- I thought he played more, but on looking it up, he only lasted a season at Boro.
Bringing up Ravanelli automatically makes me recall Juninho. Lovely player. Thought he stayed longer, but again, also didn't seem to last that long at Boro. Brazilian though. The search for the next past Italian "gem" continues.
Yeah - Juninho was a big thing for them, sadly he had to leave I think after the 2nd/3rd season because they got relegated on the last day against Leeds, and I remember him crying that day. He had to leave to get into a better team so that he could get his place back in the Brazil squad for the 2002 world cup in Japan.
I have to admit - the power and influence of 6CM forumites to determine LFC transfer policy is just incredible - I am so proud to be a member here.
tbf isak last 20 shots wasn't impressive either. Yes i know isak is easily better than ekitike right now but just saying we can't just go on that alone.
It's the SCM way.
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