I thought he did take the defender on. Our best two chances, Cleverly and Pedro came from him but we insist on playing him up front
He basically is a winger even if he's nominally named as a striker. The problem is that leaves Pedro with very little support as Sarr drifts right and the only width from the left comes from wing-back, leaving him to drift wide even further away from Sarr (and of course Pedro isn't a Gray or a Murray type who will make a typical striker's runs so even if Sarr has his defender on toast he's got little to aim at). Pedro has actually looked better as a lone striker (not super amazing, but definitely has got into games more) I think, with a genuine winger to the left of him, and someone on the right (has been Quina in the few games we've seen him play there) meaning that he doesn't have to drift to the right as much, but I don't know if we'll see Sarr play that role as when Quina has played there he's been more withdrawn than Sema on the opposite side. Of course that also leaves the problem of Femenia on the left, who has to cut in on his right going forward if he plays at LWB
fair play to Ivic, whose coaching is ensuring Sarr will see out his contract with us. Watfords Messi? He is turning into the second coming of Nordic Wooter.
Good first half but we didn't get the ball to him after that and Sarr ended up looking disinterested.
Had a poor game today and his finishing looks bad at the moment. I'm not convinced he's as good as I hoped he was.
Nordin Wooter was better. Sarr has come no where near to his goal at home to Norwich yet. Plus Wooter cost peanuts in comparison even though he was our record signing at the time.
We've had this debate before... but Deulofeu played 70 games for us, scoring 18 and assisting 12. That made him directly responsible for a goal almost every other game. If that's a "lack of end product" then I'm really not sure what we, as a bottom half and then miserably relegated Premier League side, really should or could have expected from him? The notion of him having no end product is a fallacy. Sarr's stats are actually similar (including now 11 games at a lower level and I would presume his ratio of goals to chances is utterly abysmal considering the amount he's fluffed), but it's not just about that. Deulofeu is a vastly superior technical football and dribbler, and a far more confident, positive attacking player. Sarr is playing in the Championship - which he was supposed to be far too good for - and yet is still scared to even take players on. He's so passive. He doesn't lack just end product, he's lacking in a lot of areas. Deulofeu would be absolutely turning defenders at this level inside out, I'm certain of that.
Deulofeu league minutes for Watford: 4585 Goals: 15 (1 every 305 mins) Assists: 10 (1 every 458 mins) So a goal or assist every 183 mins. Sarr league minutes for Watford: 2831 Goals: 8 (1 every 353 mins) Assists: 5 (1 every 566 mins) So a goal or assist every 217 mins, although 3 goals and 1 assist came at a lower division. This is for my own morbid curiosity, rather than anything else.
As I said, the idea that he had "no end product" is a complete fallacy built upon almost nothing and instantly disproved by the stats. Were people expecting him to directly provide a goal every single game without fail or something? Bizarre. Probably the most exciting player to player for us in the past couple of decades.
I believe the stats also showed Deeney contributed more goals and assists per game than Deulofeu last season showing stats can be a wonderful thing but also misleading. Deulofeu is a wasteful player who promises a lot, goes missing a lot and delivered little for somebody rated so highly. You can throw any stat you like about him, but I know what I saw. As Nath said, it’s been debated before and not everyone will agree.
Deulofeu is the best player to ever play for us, and a better player will not play for us in future. He's the peak our club will ever reach . And still we have trumpets posting on here moaning about him.
There’s no belief in this entire squad. And it’s harsh that his price tag has meant all eyes are on him with an expectation that he should walk around players. Having said that, he really should be able to do that
I love Gerry D but not THIS much. At present he is so much better than Sarr though and it'd be great to see him back next season. Sarr needs some serious coaching.He is regressing and we cannot afford that.
I suspect yesterday QPR worked out how to play him and he didn’t know how to change tactic 2nd half. He was getting very frustrated again.
You could change greedy/selfish for wasteful in your comment. If he only passed the ball to a player in a better position rather than taking on the shot himself his numbers would be so much better. And if the other player missed the chance then they would get the stick for being wasteful not GD. His numbers are good, but could be so much better, hence the impression of being wasteful.
Yes a fair point. It also has to be accepted that if he didn't have his glaring deficiencies then he would have managed more of a career at Barcelona, Everton or Milan. They've all tried with him and moved him on for a reason. You could also say that if he was a better player then clubs would have been queuing up for him in the summer rather then scrabbling together a loan move to our sister club. Back to Sarr - he is of a similar ilk at the moment in terms of not being clinical or effective but he is in a good place, and a good division, to try and put that right.
Effectiveness. I get a lot of people get lost in hype and potential - see Quina for a current example - but having a positive effect is what counts. Which would you prefer; A - A supremely talented footballer with bags of natural skill who can beat players for fun and gets you 10 goals a season B - A less talented but committed player who will be less exciting to watch but get you 20 goals a season.
Had a virtually identical chance to Chair's goal for QPR, but did not do the obvious thing and shoot across the keeper like Chair did, why?
If 50% of B's goals are penalties I'll take A please. A's presence as a talented player who can beat players for fun will cause teams to adjust their gameplan, likely putting two men on him. This will be a huge benefit to the team as it should open up space for others.
No I didn't, thank you so much!! Pop player A on penalties and there you go, he's probably at around 20 goals, plus he's a more talented player so will create more chances. If you'd honestly prefer to have Deeney in the squad than Deulofeu then fair play to ya
Because he is not a natural finisher and hence should not be being used our main striker, but as an out and out winger instead.
Price tag not his fault but what on earth were we thinking blowing £35m on a fairly talented but obviously quite fragile Sarr? We blew our whole budget on him and couldn't strengthen elsewhere, then didn't use him for the first chunk of the season. He was a bit underwhelming but ok last season and tried. Then we let a load of serious underperformers head off on moves to top flight clubs elsewhere and priced him out of a move anywhere, thus further hampering our chances of restructuring the squad. He's obviously not as good as we had all hoped but keeping him and the millstones of Gray and Deeney has meant we couldn't bring any young, mobile hungry finishers in. Mistake layered upon mistake.
I'd actively try and sell him in January. He is offering almost nothing. His main asset is his pace and he doesn't use it whatsoever. He's an incredibly negative winger. Refuses to go at his man and constantly slows down play and passes backwards, and his final ball is mostly appalling. Honestly, try and convince Deulofeu to come back in January if Udinese will allow it.