Perfectly stated. An unknown at high cost compared to a known quality player in Yokuslu. It's as if there's an ulterior motive.
The 'similarity %' look a bit weird, and it seems a bit of a stretch to even call him "a poor man's Kante"- given that Kante's best attribute is his tackling, while this guy's tackling stats look crap. All of those supposedly "similar" players have better scores than Kayembe for both tackling and interceptions.
Not saying this guy is a guaranteed hit, but I don't think Lewis Ferguson would have been neither, and how much would Yokuslu have cost?
Don't know about him or Kamara, but I'm willing to give them a chance. Vida on the other hand probably isn't any better than WTE right now!
Ferguson plays for a better team (and that’s saying something!) and is a goal threat - but they are different profiles anyway. But he’d be a better use of money. Yokuslu was available for less than £3m in the summer and has barely kicked a ball this season, playing just 32 mins all season and not started a game. Doubt he’d cost much at all! I just think this signing stinks of Gino’s priorities being in the wrong place yet again.
OK (or should that be Okay? ), it's a weird one how we didn't just go all out to get Yokuslu (unless he turned us down, which I suppose is possible), but I'm willing to give this guy a chance. He also has time on his side at only 23!
He's a player that fills me with excitement for next season in the Championship. He is going to be a monster for us.
I like the age profile of the guys we seem to be signing (apart from Vida). It means we will have good young players who can help us get promoted again and possibly improve.
I've watched all I can of him (desperate for him to be the answer) From what I can see he's got a decent shot on him, but that's about it. His passing stats are excellent but it's hard to find too much of his general play. What alarms me though is that the goals they've conceded, he's absolutely hopeless at defending. Either he tracks back at a snails pace, or does the old stick a foot out in hope. Might be a tactical thing with the tracking back, as he looks an absolute unit. However in general he strikes me as incredibly raw
As long as Uncle Mogi gets his cut then it will assure us of future great transfers. Best owners in the world.
Interesting that your observations seem to support the stats - this guy does not seem a "poor man's Kante" at all as he seems poor at tackling, and better going forwards than defensively. Having watched a bit more of him he does seem rather lazy off the ball and definitely not much of a "defensive shield" at all. I'm subsequently hoping that the intention will be to actually use him in the more advanced Tufan/Gosling position, but that still leaves us without a decent ball winner to partner Sissoko until Etebo is back fit. I'm not feeling too confident again that we've picked the right midfielder to spend our limited resources on.
Well hopefully it means the end for both Tufan and Gosling but as you are I'm concerned that it's the wrong type of midfielder. We might aswell took Zinc or Tom Dele back imo. Still time I hope in a Yokuslu or Thorsby type warrior coming in. Gone very quiet on Diawara at Roma too.
That’s because he’s changed role this season — he’s naturally a roaming 6 that’s been pushed further due to being pretty decent at everything. Last season he was averaging 4 tackles/interceptions per 90 compared to this season of 2.6
I still think we need an alternative to Louza in order to balance our midfield. Sissoko has energy + ball carrying, Etebo (when fit) and this guy have legs and hopefully ball-winning. I think we then need someone combative but also capable of giving us a chance to keep possession under pressure and build from the back. Louza’s doing okay at that job when called upon, but I’d like another. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but Will Hughes would be perfect!
Thanks for the info. Where did you get it from? On whoscored it said that last season he was still just on 1.6 tackles per 90 and 1.7 interceptions per 90. Also, this still begs the question of which role we've signed him for? It also doesn't explain why in some of the clips I've watched he still often seems disinterested in winning the ball even when it's near him.
Like I said though, it's hard to really pick out much from highlights. What seems consistent over his last few seasons is that he's a very good passer of the ball. Couple that with being left footed and a physical unit then you've got a potentially useful player. This twitter thread goes into detail on him https://twitter.com/AnalyticsRovers/status/1389147406407720961?t=EgihFju0aPxNvM7TgcJo4A&s=19
Gosling isn’t going anywhere. We gave him a lovely long contract that will see him here till the end of next season.
I think if we do go down, this is the right profile of player who can help us come back. Can see Louza, Ngakia, Pedro, Cucho, Sierralta, the new GK etc leaving us with the basis of a strong side. Sarr will go, Dennis may too. We still have enough to compete IF Gino doesn't do a Gino.
Absolutely no question whatsoever that Dennis will go, I would say even if we stay up, let alone if we're sunk, and personally I think several of those other players would force their way out too. I don't think we'll have anywhere near as impactful a player as we did in Sarr and that will prove to be a problem. We're likely to have to re-solve our striker/centre forward issue all over again too.
Maybe. Dennis has a long contract though. Not convinced Pedro and Cucho have done enough to Warrant the kind of offer Pozzo will want.
I mean, contract schmontract, all that will do is protect his value - he is literally the first name on our sales list, and I'm fairly certain that that is a decent part of why he has been so happy to stick two fingers up at Nigeria for this AFCON - he's the second most productive attacking player in the league; the idea that he would potentially drop down to the Championship with us is frankly moon-man stuff.
I would say Dennis is the first one to be sold, presuming he doesn't get clogged a la GD. The question is the fee.
Or fall off a cliff form-wise like Ighalo. Let’s see what the next months bring before we make claims of a certain departure!
If his form literally disappears, I don’t think it’s a certainty he would be sold even if we go down. Not by choice of the club anyway. That said, I can totally imagine a scenario where he gets a move because he kicks off about playing in a lower league.
