Michy Batshuayi

[mccg 1,528]

Yeah lets all behind Batman ffs 

[LAM09 7,043]

Fucking kudos to Batshuayi. He wasn't anything special today but he gave us a chance to win instead of making us look like playing with 10 men. That's good enough (for now) for me considering how this season has panned out for Batshuayi so far.

No doubt he would have buried the header that fell to Costa near the end. Hope he starts on Tuesday tbh.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I thought he was great up front. Made some very intelligent runs. No doubt he would have scored the penalty if he'd have taken it, and he'd have gobbled up the chance Costa missed.

[Stats 7,139]

His hold up play was terrific yesterday. He managed to set up so much counters and win us possession and free kicks with his play yesterday. Considering he has barely played and was coming into a game like that, he can be proud of how he performed. It is a shame because he won't get much chances to keep that momentum going and he prob will revert back to the bench.

[nyikolajevics 2,690]

I liked how he was eager to take the penalty. It shows that he is confident and eager to prove his worth.

[manpe 10,861]

Good decision by Conte not to let him take it. 1) Willian is more suited for high pressure occasions like this 2) Had he missed, it would undo all the good work he'd done in that game to gain some confidence. In a deadbeat League Cup game against a League 1 side when 4-0 up? Sure, Billy the masseur can take it, but FA Cup semi-final against your closest rival to go ahead? No way, your best man must take it. He had a good game without scoring, that is enough.

[King11Didier 916]

I liked his link-up wih Pedro and Willian. Was trying to combine with them a lot, also made a good pass with his backheel to Pedro for the first goal, if Im not mistaken. Also, he was dynamic in the opposition box and was trying to free himself and to be in a good position for a shot. I really, really want to see more of him and Hazard on the same time on the pitch.

[Viva La Hazard 17]

As mentioned before i think his hold up and link up play was fantastic. Something Costa has never really been able to do. If neither of the strikers are scoring i'd rather play the one that is going to retain the ball and set other players up. 

[manpe 10,861]

20 minutes ago, Viva La Hazard said:

As mentioned before i think his hold up and link up play was fantastic. Something Costa has never really been able to do. If neither of the strikers are scoring i'd rather play the one that is going to retain the ball and set other players up. 

Wouldn't call it "fantastic". It was the minimum a striker should be capable of doing, we just think it was fantastic because we have had to watch Diego screw up his moves for months now.

[Special Juan 28,100]

Just now, manpe said:

Wouldn't call it "fantastic". It was the minimum a striker should be capable of doing, we just think it was fantastic because we have had to watch Diego screw up his hold/link-ups for months now.

I agree. He did OK but nothing flash, his time is over here IMO and he will be either sold or loaned.

[Viva La Hazard 17]

Just now, manpe said:

Wouldn't call it "fantastic". It was the minimum a striker should be capable of doing, we just think it was fantastic because we have had to watch Diego screw up his hold/link-ups for months now.

Held Alderweireld off all game, brilliant first time flick to put Pedro through for the first goal. Pretty great in my eyes. Just needs to work on the actual scoring. 

[manpe 10,861]

1 minute ago, Viva La Hazard said:

Held Alderweireld off all game, brilliant first time flick to put Pedro through for the first goal. Pretty great in my eyes. Just needs to work on the actual scoring. 

Yup. Sounds like the minimum a striker of our team's stature should be doing.

[gadget 126]

Think Conte will be more impressed in this game than any of the early stage cup games where he scored. His hold and link up play seems to have come along way. Seems more happy to pass to other rather than focus on getting himself on the scoresheet

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

If Conte doesn't think Batshuayi is up for it, maybe there's a reason for that. I don't see him ever starting over Costa until the season is over actually. 

[Leif 6,006]

Definitely his best game for us.
Definitely not good that we're excited about a striker just doing the basics right, just like right after the Torres fiasco.

Ba was a more dangerous & effective player, but nobody would've taken prime Ba as our leading striker in these times. 

Bats will never be good enough to lead us, and it's nothing to do with the terrible man-management he suffered this season. He's simply not a goalscorer. He is part of the dying breed of Bergkamp wannabes. He isn't a winger, he isn't a midfielder, but his job is to assist & win free kicks. (He had crucial build-up play leading to our Willian freekick - that's what he's good at. And that's what Diego severely lacks.) Yet we don't ask for a player like that. We don't play that way. So it was lunacy from day 1 to be linked with him.

I think next season, Bats will be loaned out (a la Atsu) and we'll keep Costa. The club won't want 2 brand new faces up front for chemistry&marketing reasons, so someone has to be retained. And I've no doubt Conte to the board want a more reliable and ready-made bench option, so Bats just must be loaned out (our board, as arrogant as they are, never have the balls to sell a player after just a season, no matter how horrible.) 

I expect more or less the same next season, just with a better bench option, who scores plenty, but still doesn't get to start any games.