Tiemoue Bakayoko

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

I can't believe how lucky we are to have upgraded our midfield so greatly in just one transfer window. Both Danny and Baka are so much better than Matic it does not reall seem right to call them replacements. They offer so much more in terms of skill, movement, passing and dribbling that I expect our game to become much more fluent. Also we can counter more efficiently now as less balls will get directly lost again because of Matics wayward touches and inaccurate passing. There is no more slowing the game down because of his one sidedness but more Danny or Baka carrying the ball forward with their decisive runs. Also I think we will concede less needless fouls because some Serbian beanpole sticks out his twiggy legs to hurt people with his pointy bones.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

2 hours ago, Magic Lamps said:

I can't believe how lucky we are to have upgraded our midfield so greatly in just one transfer window. Both Danny and Baka are so much better than Matic it does not reall seem right to call them replacements. They offer so much more in terms of skill, movement, passing and dribbling that I expect our game to become much more fluent. Also we can counter more efficiently now as less balls will get directly lost again because of Matics wayward touches and inaccurate passing. There is no more slowing the game down because of his one sidedness but more Danny or Baka carrying the ball forward with their decisive runs. Also I think we will concede less needless fouls because some Serbian beanpole sticks out his twiggy legs to hurt people with his pointy bones.

Upgrade? I'm sorry but how can you say we've upgraded on someone who was key to both our title wins in the last three years with Bakayoko who has played maybe 120 minutes of football for Chelsea? Just severely insane to even consider that, also on Drinkwater too I don't see him as a huge improvement on Nathaniel Chalobah like some are saying, yet alone even being close to Matic.

Matic was one of the midfielders in our squad who would play the ball forward quick, far quicker than Mikel, Romeu, Kante, Meireles, Essien and whoever else has played in that sort of deeper MF role in the last 5 years. It's no surprise Matic is already a key figure at United, he has freed up Pogba and given United a solid base in MF and I fear that we made a huge mistake selling him to a rival. 

Fair enough Bakayoko is a good player with potential but to say we've upgraded on somebody who was extremely key to both our title successes in the last 3 years, without him having played more than one full game, is ludicrous by all accounts. Kante got all the plaudits last year but the "wayward, inaccurate and slow" partner he had next to him was equally good I thought, playing to the standards he showed when he arrived back from Benfica. The rumour was that Conte didnt even want to sell him at all never mind to Man United.

[YorkshireBlue 3,122]

3 hours ago, El P. said:

It goes like this I think:1. Messi 2. Hazard 3. Verratti/Isco 4. Neymar 5. Matić ... 55. Bakayoko

I so much totally agree!

Lmfao this post should be nominated for biggest load of shit of the year. You would win hands down.

[YorkshireBlue 3,122]

3 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Upgrade? I'm sorry but how can you say we've upgraded on someone who was key to both our title wins in the last three years with Bakayoko who has played maybe 120 minutes of football for Chelsea? Just severely insane to even consider that, also on Drinkwater too I don't see him as a huge improvement on Nathaniel Chalobah like some are saying, yet alone even being close to Matic.

Matic was one of the midfielders in our squad who would play the ball forward quick, far quicker than Mikel, Romeu, Kante, Meireles, Essien and whoever else has played in that sort of deeper MF role in the last 5 years. It's no surprise Matic is already a key figure at United, he has freed up Pogba and given United a solid base in MF and I fear that we made a huge mistake selling him to a rival. 

Fair enough Bakayoko is a good player with potential but to say we've upgraded on somebody who was extremely key to both our title successes in the last 3 years, without him having played more than one full game, is ludicrous by all accounts. Kante got all the plaudits last year but the "wayward, inaccurate and slow" partner he had next to him was equally good I thought, playing to the standards he showed when he arrived back from Benfica. The rumour was that Conte didnt even want to sell him at all never mind to Man United.

Last season matic wasn't key to fuck all, he just got the pleasure of standing next to the player that was.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

2 minutes ago, BluesMadLad said:

Last season matic wasn't key to fuck all, he just got the pleasure of standing next to the player that was.

Don't be daft. Kante was great sure but he didn't do it all by himself, Matic was back to the standards he played when he returned from Benfica I thought and also got 7 or 8 assists which for him is pretty impressive. But yet again now he's a United played so I'm not surprised that nobody thinks he was important. Same with Mata.

[Blue Armour 4,278]

6 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

Don't be daft. Kante was great sure but he didn't do it all by himself, Matic was back to the standards he played when he returned from Benfica I thought and also got 7 or 8 assists which for him is pretty impressive. But yet again now he's a United played so I'm not surprised that nobody thinks he was important. Same with Mata.

I think it honestly works both ways. Many Chelsea fans might no longer think he's important (not necessarily true, since I've seen plenty expressing their misgivings about the transfer on other sites)....but bloody hell, you see all the trumpeting that goes on in the papers, from pundits and journos, the only thing you keep hearing is how important Matic was.

[El P. 1,354]

18 hours ago, BluesMadLad said:

Lmfao this post should be nominated for biggest load of shit of the year. You would win hands down.

I know - glad I made you laugh, my post was sarcastic of course.  I just wanted to see what it's like to be The Wiz for a second.

[TheWiz 109]

 

On 7.9.2017 at 8:04 PM, BluesMadLad said:

Last season matic wasn't key to fuck all, he just got the pleasure of standing next to the player that was.

Of course he was. He nonchalantly walked us to the Title, putting Opponents Midfields into submission almost causally ... While Kante played the Workhorse and got rewarded fore it deservingly.

OneMoSalah is right .. The Subtext of Conte's Statements  when we sold Matic was, that he did not even want him to be sold ... Hence Matic pushed for the Transfer more than anyone else.

I begrudge him fore that. And now we have a Squad Situation with a Replacement that was not even meant to be a Replacement ITFP.

 

[Rekin 835]

I think Bakayoko will be a huge player for us. He was a bit shaky the first 30 or so for us today, but really grew into the game. Except for some poor passing decisions he was very dominant several times, and created some opportunities all by himself. Give him time to get used to the league and he will form an amazing partnership with Kante. 

[The Skipper 20,593]

What a performance man. Looks right at home in the PL. Will only get better too. A huge reason why Kante was able to have such a top game. 

[Blusan Alamb 295]

Loved his tussle against Ndidi. Grew into the game as time went on. Needs to improve his decision making though.

[Jase 43,479]

He's like the second coming of Essien.

[LAM09 6,744]

He's like the second coming of Essien.

Not as good technically

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Very solid all round display. I love his composure with the ball at his feet. It still remains to be seen how it will work when Conte wants to play a 3-4-3 and everyone is fit. Will he play Bakayoko-Kante there without Fabregas? Where will creativity come from central areas. We shouldn't have to rely on Hazard, Pedro/Willian to do everything.

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

He is getting better and better and this was only his 2nd startand the first time he has been near match fitness. Great things to come from him, remember he is only just turned 23.

Had Matic turned in such a performance, people would claim the Matic from 2014 is back and how he singlehandedly won us the game by a MOTM performance. Some might also praise his fleet-footedness, vision and nonchalant lobs^^

[Amblève. 4,995]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

He's like the second coming of Essien.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

[Pizy 18,368]

Like Conte said perfectly after the match, he was a beast off the ball but just needs to improve on it. Wasn't poor but his decision making just needs to improve. He'll get there. 

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

3 hours ago, MrExcalibur100 said:

Very solid all round display. I love his composure with the ball at his feet. It still remains to be seen how it will work when Conte wants to play a 3-4-3 and everyone is fit. Will he play Bakayoko-Kante there without Fabregas? Where will creativity come from central areas. We shouldn't have to rely on Hazard, Pedro/Willian to do everything.

Exactly. Bakayoko and Kante have such redundant skills and I don't think Conte will be able to play both without Fabregas in the starting XI, especially against the bottom tier teams. 

IMO, gut feeling tells me our 2 CMs should be one of Kante/Bakayoko AND one of Fabregas/Drinkwater. And in the tough away games, if he wants Kante and Bakayoko, then Fabregas as a RF, so drop and become a CM when necessary. 

Otherwise, Bakayoko played very very well. And I like that we have a CM who is confident and skilled enough to dribble through the heart of CM and take  3,4 or 5 players out of the game.