Álvaro Morata

[Tomo 21,751]

3 hours ago, The Skipper said:

Basically, sometimes there are players that can carry you to a title challenge. Guys like Hazard, Kanté... Morata isn’t that sort of player. My point is, if Morata was the best 9 in the league we’d have an outside shot at the title imo. Of course there are further weaknesses we need to address but sometimes some players transcend that and can cover those weaknesses (if you have enough difference makers in the 11). 

Of course his performance wasn’t awful but it wasn’t good either. This is starting to feel Torres esque almost - praising him for having a 5 or 6 our of 10 when it’s the very minimum we should be expecting. 

But thats where he differs from Torres, he actually gets the basics right. Torres just stood around like a prize lemon and defenders could ignore him and focus on Hazard, Mata etc because they knew he posed no threat not only on the ball but tactically aswell. Alvaro even when poor atleast gets the basics and doesn't get in everyones way, im not saying that's praise worthy in itself but we can still create chances and play good football with/around him because he atleast keeps the CB's honest from a tactical POV.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

16 minutes ago, Tomo said:

But thats where he differs from Torres, he actually gets the basics right. Torres just stood around like a prize lemon and defenders could ignore him and focus on Hazard, Mata etc because they knew he posed no threat not only on the ball but tactically aswell. Alvaro even when poor atleast gets the basics and doesn't get in everyones way, im not saying that's praise worthy in itself but we can still create chances and play good football with/around him because he atleast keeps the CB's honest from a tactical POV.

Yeah 100%.

Having a striker in the team who's not scoring, ok he isn't scoring that is an issue but hes not exactly letting the team down because hes doing everything else you'd expect. I watched the City game today, ok Aguero didn't score but he did everything else you'd want him to do, fair enough its not exactly a perfect comparison because Aguero is an elite striker, one of the best finishers I've seen and will get goals but he contributed without scoring today. If Morata can manage to get goals (I'm honestly thinking he can get 10-15, some might agree I'm sure some will disagree but no doubt there's plenty of ability in him although I think mentally somethings not quite right) but lets say the games he doesn't score and do what he did the other day, fair enough. I think people are under the impression hes not got anything else to offer but goals, where as we've all seen he can play a bit as well.

Obviously as well his price will never help him. People probably automatically expected he was close to being the finished article when we got him, which when you spend 50-60 odd million on a player who scored 21 goals for Real Madrid the season beforehand, its a very fair assumption but many also knew he was still a project because he had never actually been the lead guy for any other team in his career (bar maybe half a season at Juventus?), again it shouldn't be an excuse good players can play anywhere but we seen at the start of last season he definitely can play and can score goals.. he missed some big chances, maybe affected his confidence, maybe hes not as good a finisher, maybe not ruthless enough but this sort of thing reminds me of Edison Cavani at Napoli (I think when we played them he could probably have scored 4 in that game in Naples but he missed some big chances) and even now he still misses some big sitters but it doesn't affect him, he just gets on with it and goes and scores another fuck knows how ever many he gets in a season now a days haha.

I think its mentality that's the problem for Morata, I think if he had that sort of mindset and confidence these guys have he'd be fine, its all in all being a clinical finisher yes and we've seen it with Costa, Drogba, Anelka, even Lampard guys like these over the years but how often do you think they let a miss get them down?  

[The Skipper 20,609]

4 hours ago, Tomo said:

But thats where he differs from Torres, he actually gets the basics right. Torres just stood around like a prize lemon and defenders could ignore him and focus on Hazard, Mata etc because they knew he posed no threat not only on the ball but tactically aswell. Alvaro even when poor atleast gets the basics and doesn't get in everyones way, im not saying that's praise worthy in itself but we can still create chances and play good football with/around him because he atleast keeps the CB's honest from a tactical POV.

That’s my whole point - it’s what Torres used to get praised for as well. If he had a game where he did the basics right he’d suddenly have played a good game. 

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

23 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

That’s my whole point - it’s what Torres used to get praised for as well. If he had a game where he did the basics right he’d suddenly have played a good game. 

Torres would get praised if he could complete a 5 yard pass because he was that shite but for me Morata had a decent enough game, except for not scoring (if it happens for the rest of August then yeah I'd say we maybe have a problem) and its not the same context to say its a Torres situation that we are praising him for doing "nothing". If Morata had played shit but had scored it wouldn't be an issue because hes done what people expect him to do. Its a tough life for a striker in terms of being criticised (same with goalkeepers), play alright no goal = bad performance, score a goal but play bad = done the job. Fair enough 60m or whatever you want more, we all do, still wouldn't say he let anybody down yesterday or played so much worse than anybody else who had a bog standard game.

Lets not kid on Torres got every excuse under the sun, from memory heres some of the classics: team plays defensive football, team doesn't create chances for him, system doesn't suit him... its not going to ever get that bad for any other player. Some of the shit people would say to defend him were quite embarrassing, the guy went through about 6 managers and not one of them could get him scoring regularly except Rafa Benitez, who generally decided to build the team around him and Mata more or less. I wouldnt say that was a mental problem, the way his career panned was more physical because he lost like 5 yards of pace in the space of 2 years. Morata on the other hand I think its just a mental problem, he gets over that he'll be fine.

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

So pissed we didn't sell him to Milan when we had the chance. Was done with this man after he missed a hat-trick of 1-on-1's against Arsenal. 

Will never challenge on the big stage with Morata leading the line - I've never seen a striker who has such limited shooting technique.Every shot from Morata has to be inside right-foot, it's so frustrating. 

 Was hoping we would have signed Gonzalo Higuain when we were heavily linked from him. Shame. 

[Thor 2,688]

He really had to score in the first game, preferably first half for all of you to get off his back. He is doomed with this board. 

Doesn't score? Shit game. 

Realistically, had some great link up, provided good movement, and drew players away from Pedro for the easy goal. Hazard could have gone either way almost. 

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

1 minute ago, Mana said:

Really? At least Torres in his life scored 20+ goals in a PL season (twice), unlike this useless one here!

Torres had a "mental problem" as well. You can also put Falcao in there as well. 

Torres and Falcao before they made their move to Chelsea (or United in Falcao's case) were the hottest strikers in town.

Yes, Torres in his first few PL years was probably world class but he had more physical problems than mental, started picking up injuries and then rushed to get that op to make the world cup in 2010 and many believe that ultimately fucked him. If he didn't lose that bit of pace he'd still of been at least a bit more useful but that physical change affected him so badly, every time he ran he looked as if he was treading water. Falcao is a huge mystery, the guy was unbelievable, such a scary player, one chance one goal, that good. Big injuries and shit loans didn't help.

Anyway talking about 20+ goals a season in the PL, Drogba only ever managed that once in his career if I remember correctly, year he scored 29 goals think it was 09-10. It means nothing. Realistically I'd say 15 goals a season in the PL is a good return for a striker, basically 1 in every 2 games, don't think its not achievable for any of our strikers in all fairness (unless Morata goes and does it). I'm not 100% sure but Costa didn't even score more than 20 in the league in a season (dont think he was far off the first year and the last year he was here but don't think it was ever 20 or over). 

[BlueLyon 9,359]

1 hour ago, OneMoSalah said:

Torres would get praised if he could complete a 5 yard pass because he was that shite but for me Morata had a decent enough game, except for not scoring (if it happens for the rest of August then yeah I'd say we maybe have a problem) and its not the same context to say its a Torres situation that we are praising him for doing "nothing". If Morata had played shit but had scored it wouldn't be an issue because hes done what people expect him to do. Its a tough life for a striker in terms of being criticised (same with goalkeepers), play alright no goal = bad performance, score a goal but play bad = done the job. Fair enough 60m or whatever you want more, we all do, still wouldn't say he let anybody down yesterday or played so much worse than anybody else who had a bog standard game.

Lets not kid on Torres got every excuse under the sun, from memory heres some of the classics: team plays defensive football, team doesn't create chances for him, system doesn't suit him... its not going to ever get that bad for any other player. Some of the shit people would say to defend him were quite embarrassing, the guy went through about 6 managers and not one of them could get him scoring regularly except Rafa Benitez, who generally decided to build the team around him and Mata more or less. I wouldnt say that was a mental problem, the way his career panned was more physical because he lost like 5 yards of pace in the space of 2 years. Morata on the other hand I think its just a mental problem, he gets over that he'll be fine.

Who cares if striker can linkup if he cant score a damn goal.

I want striker to know how to finish, so that you have someone reliable uptop. If he can also link up, thats only a bonus, not an excuse.

Lets not kid ourselves, Morata isnt as bad player as was Torres, but he is bad as a striker. Neither could score. 

Thats a big problem and we must bench him if he wont get shit together by the end of august.

[Thor 2,688]

He has as many goals as Lukaku and Kane so far.

I honestly saw progression in the last game. He didn't score. So what? He did everything right out there, and he didn't go down easy. Had a few great hold up plays.

Not the end of the world if he doesn't score. He had 5 less goals than Lukaku last season in about 10 less starts. The team as a whole struggled last year, and his confidence was shit, plus he had niggling injuries.

He is still super talented. He is going through a rough patch. He will come out of it. 

[Tomo 21,751]

9 hours ago, The Skipper said:

That’s my whole point - it’s what Torres used to get praised for as well. If he had a game where he did the basics right he’d suddenly have played a good game. 

But that's what I mean, how often did Torres actually get the basics right?  It seemed to me his praise came from people desperately clinging onto thin air (hence this false myth of him working hard when in reality it couldn't be further from the truth). Not that I wouldn't be up for upgrading on Morata, quite the opposite infact, but if he is to be compared to a striker in that era I would say he was closer to Eto'o than Torres.

[yuvala 2,167]

Don't really get some of the comments here..
 

Morata wasn't shit that's all. If that is what we're expecting from our striker at this point .......

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Torres had  good games too in which he led the game well, assisted, combined well, tried hard but the he had patches wete he was completely anonymous or even worse produced like 20 turnovers. But for Torres it was his pace he lost with that injury and witj his pace his confidence left. Morata just has shot confidence and struggles to pull himself out. He will have good patches where he scores a few games in a row and other than Torres he still has his pace and is good in the air but he will never be a consiatent leading striker and that is why he can never be a main man in attack. He is too busy sorting himself out too lead the line. He would be a decent 2nd striker like at Juve or a joker or maybe even a starter dor a mid table team where the pressure is not that big but he will never be a Kane/lewandowski type of lone striker