Álvaro Morata

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/chelsea/story/3297364/antonio-conte-will-be-just-fine-at-chelsea-michael-emenalo

Quote

Emenalo admitted that Conte was frustrated to miss out on Lukaku, but insisted that the episode has had no lasting impact on Chelsea.

"As everybody knows in every walk of life, you develop an idea and you have a policy in mind and you have an intent, and if it doesn't go the way you want, there is some level of disappointment," he added.

"But I can tell you today Conte is extremely happy with Alvaro Morata, and I think that is down to Morata and is also down to the fantastic work they do at Cobham.

"There are no ill feelings now, I think he's moved on from that and he's just focused on trying to get through what is a tough schedule and to try and find some rhythm with the team again."

Emenalo essentially confirming that Lukaku was the first choice target. Biggest bullet ever dodged?

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/chelsea/story/3297364/antonio-conte-will-be-just-fine-at-chelsea-michael-emenalo

Emenalo essentially confirming that Lukaku was the first choice target. Biggest bullet ever dodged?

Without a doubt. I’d hate to see what Morata could do and bring to their team with the depth of attacking players United have like Mata, Martial, Rashford and Mkhitiryian. Imagine they had a CF who could properly link with those players (probably Zlatan can but surely he will be 2nd choice), would make a hell of a difference.

For the money we paid for Morata (or would of paid for Lukaku), it’s so clear how much better of a deal we got. Obviously strikers are there to score goals yes but Morata has so much more to offer.

[Jase 43,479]

5 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Without a doubt. I’d hate to see what Morata could do and bring to their team with the depth of attacking players United have like Mata, Martial, Rashford and Mkhitiryian. Imagine they had a CF who could properly link with those players (probably Zlatan can but surely he will be 2nd choice), would make a hell of a difference.

For the money we paid for Morata (or would of paid for Lukaku), it’s so clear how much better of a deal we got. Obviously strikers are there to score goals yes but Morata has so much more to offer.

Funny thing is, Morata wasn't even United's first choice considering they were targeting Griezmann before that. As for us, genuinely curious on what Conte saw in Lukaku and thought he would be perfect for us.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

Just now, Jason said:

Funny thing is, Morata wasn't even United's first choice considering they were targeting Griezmann before that. As for us, genuinely curious on what Conte saw in Lukaku and thought he would be perfect for us.

Yeah it’s weird. I generally thought that Morata would of been his first choice as he signed him at Juventus, although he didn’t coach him but still maybe he wasn’t exactly sure how Morata would do being first choice playing every week as he has been a impact sub or squad player more often than not. Who knows, thought the club were pushing for Lukaku as opposed to Conte.

[Jase 43,479]

3 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Yeah it’s weird. I generally thought that Morata would of been his first choice as he signed him at Juventus, although he didn’t coach him but still maybe he wasn’t exactly sure how Morata would do being first choice playing every week as he has been a impact sub or squad player more often than not. Who knows, thought the club were pushing for Lukaku as opposed to Conte.

Maybe but when you see what Morata has said about Conte - e.g. the coach who believed in him, he's willing to die for him - you would think Conte knows all about him and has a plan on how to bring the best out of him. Guess Conte wanted someone who already knows the Premier League and one will need less time to adapt while being able to compete effectively on all fronts.

[Rapkun 668]

19 minutes ago, Jason said:

Funny thing is, Morata wasn't even United's first choice considering they were targeting Griezmann before that. As for us, genuinely curious on what Conte saw in Lukaku and thought he would be perfect for us.

I think Jose wanted both actually. He wanted Griezmann for a long time and the Morata rumours started to emerge after Zlatan's injury. Griezmann's alternative was most likely Perisic.

As for Conte wanting Lukaku over Morata I seem to recall The Telegraph reporting Conte liked Morata but was worried about his work off the ball, quite baffling if you ask me but they were the ones who leaked the info.

[Leif 6,006]

Having seen the Alan Shearer documentary about ex-footballers developing dementia due (allegedly) to heading the ball so many times, I've genuine concern re: Morata. I already love him, and regardless of that fact, any player / person doesn't deserve dementia. That's the only reason I want him to start scoring with his feet more - to the point he's so good with his feet, that he can actually be instructed by an ITK manager to start heading less. 

I headed the ball twice when i was growing up before deciding it wasn't for me. Absolutely shook my skull, gave me a headache and I could hear the blood swooshing around; no idea how these pro's do it first in training, then in games. (Then became a goalkeeper for a while; my first save was my foot, ricocheting with force straight back where it came from, up the leg of the striker, straight into his nose, breaking it, making the toughest guy of the town cry. I shat myself.)

[Tautvix 1,321]

1 hour ago, OneMoSalah said:

Without a doubt. I’d hate to see what Morata could do and bring to their team with the depth of attacking players United have like Mata, Martial, Rashford and Mkhitiryian. Imagine they had a CF who could properly link with those players (probably Zlatan can but surely he will be 2nd choice), would make a hell of a difference.

For the money we paid for Morata (or would of paid for Lukaku), it’s so clear how much better of a deal we got. Obviously strikers are there to score goals yes but Morata has so much more to offer.

As usual overrating rival team players... Mata doesn't even play and is not good enough. Martial is a good player I must admit. Rashford is not someone who would link up well with anyone and Mkhitaryan can't adapt at Man Utd at all... They don't have players like Cesc and Hazard. Morata can hardly have better players to link up in EPL than he has at Chelsea.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

1 hour ago, Tautvix said:

As usual overrating rival team players... Mata doesn't even play and is not good enough. Martial is a good player I must admit. Rashford is not someone who would link up well with anyone and Mkhitaryan can't adapt at Man Utd at all... They don't have players like Cesc and Hazard. Morata can hardly have better players to link up in EPL than he has at Chelsea.

Acknowledging how they are good players who would benefit, like Hazard has, from having somebody good to link up with? How is that overrating them? I never said they were better than Cesc or Hazard and yes I’m aware they haven’t been as good as the start of the season but they all offer something and give United decent depth in wide positions. Also Mkhitaryan started this season on fire. 

[Jase 43,479]

8 hours ago, Rapkun said:

I think Jose wanted both actually. He wanted Griezmann for a long time and the Morata rumours started to emerge after Zlatan's injury. Griezmann's alternative was most likely Perisic.

Doubt it. Think the plan for Mourinho with Perisic was to play him out wide. Why would he do that with Griezmann, who is more of a striker these days and is half the player when pushed out wide?

[Tautvix 1,321]

Morata is so wasteful...

[Blusan Alamb 295]

Morata and Lukaku competing for the no. of sitters that can be missed it seems.

[Leif 6,006]

I like him a lot, though more as a person than player - but remember we didn't sign a great striker here. We signed a very good one, given the current landscape of the game, because we were desperate. We went home with a 7 simply because we had no hope of securing a 10. The only way this deal proves to be of value is if we revert to a 4-2-3-1, keep him & Hazard central, but also add 2 incredible wingers who make up for when Morata doesn't score, and at the same time, make the chance of him scoring increase tenfold. 

[LAM09 6,744]

His finishing on the ground is something else.

[The Skipper 20,593]

On 23/11/2017 at 11:38 AM, The Skipper said:

Always did say he isn’t clinical enough, it’s one thing Lukaku is better at - but he can improve. He needs to do extra finishing work at training, especially finishing after relatively long (or bursts of) dribbles. 

He gets himself into excellent positions. Better off the ball movement than I thought. 

.

[El P. 1,354]

Next time Fabregas should aim at his head, there is no use of feeding him with balls like this.

Goalkeeper actually spread his legs wide open, but Alvaro wasn't even looking at the keeper, he was just watching the ball and got keeper in his leg.

Still hope that he can make it as a top striker, but that hope is really thin now.

[Leif 6,006]

As many chances as he'll miss, and as many chances as Lukaku will score, 10 times out of 10 I'll still take Morata with a spoonful of sweetness - which says everything about Lukaku. He may help you get goals, but my god, even if he's missing chances it's far more palatable to watch Morata for 90 minutes. 

90 minutes being part of the problem - too many times has he played the full 90 this season. That's simply another blunder by the board - this need for a clear striker hierarchy. If we were to accept two number 1 strikers, I imagine our fortune would change. I don't think someone like Morata would throw a hissy fit at playing 65% of our games, maybe even some percentage more if partnered with that other striker. That other striker, while i call him a number 1, would be content with being on the bench considering Chelsea's stature, but leave us with no doubt regarding his ability like Michy does, or even Llorente would. 

It's no good that without Morata our strike force goes from B+ to C-. Similarly it's no good that without Hazard, his role in the team drops from A+ to C+. What's wrong with genuinely great back-up options? Why are we addicted to ensuring our back-up options are barely fit to sit on the benches of teams below us? (I'll need to use this emoji a lot more often to cope) 

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

10 goals this season and superb all round play. He's allowed to miss from time to time. He's not a cyborg. More importantly he's clearly better than Lukaku and Costa. His all round play is so much better and pleasing to the eye and he's just the most talented of those three. In this game he created a shot from himself from literally nothing that almost went in.

Our best players are allowed leeway from time to time.