robsblubot

We lose all 50/50s in the final third. They are all stronger physically. Palmer's place is really behind a striker far from the contact zone.

Sorry, there is no comparison regarding skill, close control, first touch. They were not firing in all cylinders and still projects when with us, but they clearly had qualities. I'd say Madueke looks far worse than Mudryk skill wise. Madueke IMO is only pace and power, nothing else. That's why he does well U21. in other words, we already know the answer, but choose to give these players the benefit of the doubt.

it's hard to trouble someone without a first touch eh

Madueke's ball control there was something else... 😆

I personally find this characteristic not very useful for strikers at big clubs... perhaps even detrimental for the team. There should be several more qualified players for that job at an elite outfit. For me Jackson's a bit of a ball hog, which is the one thing I dislike about his game. Also, as and if we improve, and become respectful again, he will have less and less opportunity for these runs. xG is indeed relative and most, if not all, strikers have wild fluctuations in their xG throughout their careers.

Fair, but when you describe skill on the ball above it's picture-perfect Mudryk for me. 😆

My understanding is that training for youngsters is completely different from senior players; even the hours are different as these players are literally in puberty. So, they just haven't had the time to gain muscle mass yet. They would given time. Also, some of these players did not come from other PL outfits. They may have undergone a very different type of training and philosophy in their academies regarding muscle mass and physique in general. Anyway, I disagree that the issue with the overly younger side is only one of experience. It's a lack in both physique and experience, and they will definitely struggle physically esp in away matches where that side of the game will be tested more often. Regarding Pochettino's training, that's pretty much the same in all elite clubs these days: you train like you play.

That's called a rant 👆 It's hard to discuss because there are 20 different points there some of which similar to what was also criticized. No straws. It matches my understanding of how physique in players play a part; that a player without enough muscle to sustain their movements is more likely to put his joint (knee/ankle) under stress: unnatural movement and whatnot. Muscle injuries, like James are far more complicated, but he's no youngster and pretty powerful athlete on his own right. I honestly thought the physique point was fairly obvious eh. We will come to the conclusion players bulk up for no reason in the PL. That when a player built like a tank goes at one with the physique of a 17yo it's fair game; that the frail player is no more likely to get hurt than the tanky player... For science! 😆

boy you guys think a lot more of this current squad than I do 🙂 I see players who never will reach Timo's level as the one-season wonder he was. And worse yet is that these players don't even bother to "run tirelessly" or "like a dog" like Tuchel used to say.

We have a bunch of "not one wonder season yet" players at the moment, so a 2-season wonder player sounds really good to me. 😄

Muscle mass *can* protect joints from injury. Would you dispute this claim? I've personally gone through strengthening (as in increase muscle mass) to protect my knee. It worked. That's what I've heard from physios, but I'm no expert. Regarding a 19 yo not being fully formed... I hope we are not disputing this one. That's what I usually mean when our 19yo players face players in the 28/29yo physically. I call it a disadvantage, but suppose people here love their kids. Here's an even more obvious problem of signing very young players: you don't know if they will be injury prone or not. When we signed Thiago Silva (an extreme example to make the point), we knew exactly how injury prone he was, which is not at all. We simply don't know how these players will cope once they are playing twice a week--most have never done that.

right, but regardless of what the strategy is, it takes time. When you sign a 23+yo esp from a PL club, or a big club in Europe, he'd have already undergone strengthening and whatnot. A 19-20yo simply has not had the time at a big club to do that. Can definitely see that being the case with Lavia and Carney, for ex. So, their fitness struggles don't really surprise me nor do I think they necessarily reflect any injury proneness. It's just the fact they aren't fully developed physically yet. Reece James, however, that's a different story. 😕

Tbf, that was no sitter. It was a nice cross from Mudryk, but the goalie was pretty much on a 1x1 with Broja. Totally fine to score some and miss some esp for younger players. Broja did well today for me. Out of the players, perhaps Madueke and Palmer weren't great. Palmer because I expect a lot from him. Madueke played his usual game which I very much dislike -- looks like a giraffe trying to control the football. Mudryk has improved his overall game, so he is no longer a liability when he plays. he can consistent one twos, track back, and participate. I remain convinced his tight control is nowhere near good enough for a WC player, but he's been looking decent.

Super young players haven't had the time to build enough muscle mass, which provides protection against injuries.

yeah @bluesman2610 mentioned the city academy above and that's indeed reassuring. You guys have seen more of him, so I hope you are right and he can improve our team from the get-go. First he needs to get and remain fit. 😕

Nkunku needs to stay healthy. He's a big question mark fitness wise. He hasn't played 90 minutes for us yet, then we can talk about his place int he PL. Sterling is the only winger we got. 🤷‍♂️ Yeah Poch has made it perfectly clear that he will not play attacking FBs w/ this squad, so either the club addresses that (it seems Cuccu is a bust), or Colwill will keep playing there for the foreseeable future. Playing Colwill in LB provides some strategy alternatives like becoming 3atb at times, without needing to replace players. It's all been done before, but it does demand time to get it right. Regarding the bolded part, completely agree. I've said the same thing to @Vesper I think early on this season. That we don't need WC players in every position, and an experienced mid might help more than another WC project... however good he may become a few years from now.

"Play the kids" does not mean a whole lot these days. That would pretty much look like our starting XI.

Fun fact (although you prob know already), but SC Internacional faced a small team in Brazil called Guara for the Brazilian cup in 1997. The game was away from home and ended 0x7 for Internacional. One would think there was nothing salvageable from Guara, but Internacional decided to sign Guara's CB on the spot ... yup after they conceded 7 goals in a match! You might be familiar with the player: a Lucimar Ferreira da Silva (aka Lucio). 😉

I'm aware. Is that a good thing tho? considering where they ended up? 😅

Haven't see much of Lavia yet, and the mandatory caveat that he's fucking 19, but it does look like an unbalanced midfield to me. Aside from Enzo, the other players aren't very skillful. Compared that to a Kova and Jorgi, and it's really night and day. Kante's skill on the ball was very underrated IMO -- ball control at the speed he plays(ed) is very difficult.

ah I did not know that. That's indeed reassuring... given Palmer. 👍 I just don't expect him to set the PL on fire just yet.

indeed. What scares me tho is that our hopes lie on a 19yo who was playing Championship just a moment ago. Feels like way too much pressure on these very young players.

And yet they may not improve enough (considering the requirements we have)... we just don't know. I don't think the disarray we had was only down to players. it was a relatively young squad too. It isn't that that squad was old, but rather that this squad is way too young. I think the biggest criticism one can make is that there was no need to make such a drastic change all at once. We could've done what we are doing and at the same time keep some foundation, or sign some foundation. It was just so weird to go full feeder club at this level, but it is what it is I guess.

yeah prob right unless Salah does not come back (picks up a knock). The PL title will be very tight this season and anything might tip the balance. Yeah I know. We had plenty of opportunity to retain him back then... it sucks. 😕

yeah football is funny at times. Mo Salah might be the best player in the world today--certainly the best winger for me. Klopp makes 3 changes in attack (even replaces Diaz who was doing very well) and it works... so much quality off the bench. Gapko is still not settled tho.