Bailey

1 hour ago, Shukes said:

Guys, Maupay has had plenty of chances created for him during these friendlies. It’s his finishing that has been atrocious. 
Even the ball that Gana slid him yesterday, just hit his leg and went up in the air. 
 

To give a guy a chance to turn on the penalty spot is a GOOD chance! The friendly before he was slid in with the ball in front of him twice… and absolutely bodged it. 
 

We aren’t creative enough in any way. But we have created enough chances for him to have bagged a couple of goals easily. He is extremely poor at finishing.

I 100% believe if Danjuma would have been on the end of Maupays chances, he would have bagged a couple.

We don’t need just another carbon copy of Dom. We need a couple of players in the team that can just simply get a decent shot on target. 
 

Even yesterdays absolute stinker of a match created a couple of chances on the floor for Dobbin. They weren’t crosses into the box, they were chances on the floor in front of the forward ready for a shot on goal. You don’t have to he 6”+ to take those chances.

Maupay is on a par with Niasse and Cenk. Difference is he doesn't work as hard as those two did.

No-one is arguing that Maupay isn't a terrible finisher. Stevie Wonder can see that but in the two games I have seen properly, his presence on the pitch has led to more chances being created by the team.

I think you are being very kind to Gana and unkind to Maupay regarding that chance. Gana fired it at him from not much more than 5 yards away whilst he had his back to goal, with a defender nearby. If he takes a touch to turn, he is getting tackled. My memory also wasn't that it was on the ground either. Personally I think he should have moved the ball into Doucoure's path. I have no idea why a guy who can't score an easy chance thinks he will score a worldie. 

We don't need a carbon copy of Dom, but we need someone that suits the style of football we are playing. I wouldn't hang your hat on creating too many chances against Nyon, Wigan and Bolton to support your argument that we are creating enough for him to score into the new season. The only time we have really been able to advance the ball and look threatening in the last two games has involved Maupay dropping deep, and Dobbin running past him. There was very little to no semblance of attacking football before that yesterday. Just look at the chance you mentioned created by a wonderful ball from Onana. The reason there was enough space for that ball to Dobbin was because Maupay just drags the other centre half out of position. Not a lot but enough for the ball. 

I also think you are confusing the need for a back-up Dom between chances with getting us forward up the pitch as a team. It isn't about being 6ft plus, its about being able to compete for duels and stretching the defence. No-one else will compete for duels, but at least Dobbin, with someone like Maupay as a foil (sure Danjuma could do the same and be more prolific), creates a dynamic we don't have when we have a McNeil/Maupay or Danjuma/Iwobi front three. 

4 hours ago, Palfy said:

I understand where you are coming from in the calculated way improvising the parent club. Let’s say the Man U owners owned Mansfield and used Mansfield purely as a tool to improve themselves, as a Mansfield fan I who has a very emotional attachment to their club, and dream of one day being the best team in the country, whether realistic or not doesn’t matter that’s the dream the hope of every fan in the country that one day the club they love makes it to the top. So as a fan of Mansfield a feeder club to Man U my dream and hope that one day we become the best in the country have been killed because we can never be better than Man U because they own us and will stop that ever happening, and in doing so destroys my dream and relationship with the club I support, because dream no matter how impossible can never be achieved. So that’s why I say it’s a shit for the supporters of the feeder club.  

There would be nothing to stop Mansfield climbing through the leagues, albeit Im not sure if the rules allow it in the same country?

Its more likely that you will have say a French side and PL team. Not sure what the Champions League rules are though?

3 hours ago, Cornish Steve said:

I totally agree with you. More than anything, I'm highlighting just how poor an option is Maupay.

I still don't understand why we bought Maupay and I am not a fan of his but I have some sympathy for him, and Danjuma, when he played yesterday.

Firstly, if Maupay was as bad as you suggest, we would have seen a big improvement with Danjuma on the pitch, first match or not, but he was worse. 

Secondly, I watched players like Patterson and Iwobi floating balls into the box for him to try and win against 6ft plus defenders. Likewise the midfield are playing through balls to him when he doesn't have the pace to chase them into the channels. He has no chance. It is no surprise that he improves a bit when he has someone like Dobbin around him, stretching the game, so that his movement can drag defenders in, allowing the ball over the top. That is more akin to what he had at Brighton.

If Dom doesn't stay fit and we do not get another body in to replicate his style of football, a lot of people are going to be very disappointed with Danjuma trying to play the same role because he is as equally ill suited to it. The slight saving grace for him is that he has some pace and has more 1 v 1 threat, which Maupay has none of (both counts).

3 hours ago, Palfy said:

Great if you’re a supporter of the club being fed, but shit if you’re a supporter of one of the clubs being used as a feeder. 

Even if it means the feeder club gets players it would never have had the chance to without the other club? 

If its managed right it could see both clubs be successful, albeit not that I would like the idea of it myself.

As an example, look at the player United are looking to sign who was on their radar last season. He was a £20mil player then and now be is £70mil. If they had a feeder club, like some do, he either signs for United and goes on loan there or signs for the feeder club for £20mil and then signs for United this summer for a far lower fee. 

The feeder club get to watch a potential elite player for a year bang in goals for fun meaning they win more games. The parent club stack up a group of talented players preparing them for a step up to the big leagues for a fraction of the price in the seasons that follow giving them loads of room for FFP when they go and sign players from outside the owners portfolio of clubs. 

I don't see how it is fair.

2 hours ago, Palfy said:

That wouldn’t work in the Championship never mind the PL, you need to clear that thought from your head Bailey it destroys you mate

So far in preseason it has been our best combination which highlights our problems!

They have created chances but neither of them look like taking one

I think its easier to name the positions we don't need. 

Both centre backs look shaky. 

Patterson doesn't defend or attack well enough to be first choice.

Midfield lacks almost any quality, its saving grace is the energy from Doucoure, Onana and Gueye(ish). Garner might patch it all together when he is match fit but its a big ask. 

Iwobi on the right wing will do a job but he is inconsistent as hell. 

We need a striker that can act as a focal point when Dom is injured.

Not too much to be concerned about.

On Dobbin, he has the pace and potentially the dribbling to trouble teams but I don't think there is a lot of quality when he gets into those positions. He does seem to be able to help us get from front to back quite well when he has a foil to play off. 

I agree on some of the comments about Onana. He doesn't look like he should be a top earner or that he should have commanded the fee we paid but he provided a bit of drive and produced the one ball of quality in the final third all game.

I feel like our best back-up option to DCL is Maupay up front with Dobbin playing around him.

This time Tarkowski with a good ball to Dobbin who cant finish again. Lovely run in behind, using his pace.

Best passage of play yet. Lovely ball Onana, Dobbin misses a good chance.

McNeil looks in pain from that challenge

Tarkowski was so far off his man. I hope its just the effect of preseason on him because he reminds me of Jags at the end.

Aside from McNeil, the only other player I have thought looked competent is Young. He hasn't done anything exciting, just the basics but nailed them. 

Our only chances have come from a set piece where the shot was blocked and a stab from Garner where we would have been offside in the build-up! 

Danjuma doing his best Maupay impression at the moment

Patterson is full of energy but lacks so much quality. Such a shame.

We should be a lot sharper than this. I have seen a few teams this preseason, against better opposition too and we look miles behind.

Tarkowski is looking very leggy this pre-season.

Bit better since but its mainly due to McNeil and Garner getting more touches.

Pretty dreadful first 10 mins.

What do people think about these owners that own multiple clubs? 

I think that whilst its allowed it is a really good idea because you can take a lot more risk and basically own a series of feeder clubs.

From a competition point of view it is a massive concern as it gives wealthier owners (and therefore football clubs) an unfair advantage. 

I think it is something that needs to be looked into by Fifa asap but until then Mohsiri needs to start finding another club to own and start buying some rough gems to send there! 

10 minutes ago, Shukes said:

To be fair, he is the next scapegoat. But he’s still in the top ten defenders in the premier league. Will still go for 20+.

Reality is, he wouldn't want to come to us as he would still be expecting to sign for a team in Europe. And you can bet he will.

This. 

I think he has been thrown under the bus a fair few times by some terrible decision making from De Gead too. 

He would probably still be our best defender if he came here. Well on par with the other two at the least. He certainly has a higher level of ability, it is just where his head is at.

Im not sure our owner has completely clean hands himself! 

22 hours ago, MikeO said:

Chicken and mushroom pies that don't have a trace of mushroom to be found

Should have just stopped at chicken and mushroom pies...

7 hours ago, c1982 said:

I watched a bit of Brighton vs Brentford pre-season last night and Simon Adingra stood out in Mitoma’s role - looked incredible actually and scored 2 goals. Turns out, Brighton signed him last summer and sent him on loan to their sister club, just like they did the year before to develop Mitoma so that when they lost Trossard, they weren’t weakened! Proper, forward thinking football club!

They are so far ahead but it isn't rocket science.

They aren't identifying players that other teams aren't, they are just taking the risk and backing themselves to find more stars than duds. They have a good network, albeit one I think needs to be looked at from an anti-competition point of view, and they have an excellent manager.

We wanted an owner that wanted to throw money left, right and centre at "stars" whilst other teams were doing things the right way and getting in young talent.

Bournemouth look to be doing a very similar thing over the last couple of windows too. From a completely different perspective, Chelsea are looking at bringing in some of the best young talent too, albeit at a higher price tag and a lot more risk.

The only problem they may have is that at some point the conveyor belt will break, like it did at Southampton.

11 hours ago, Btay said:

Agree on both points here. I think he has a fair bit of potential though. Physically very capable just needs to sharpen up on some technical attributes which will come in time.

Him & cannon have us pretty covered for young strikers with potential, especially as they are different types of players.

This touches on what I find a little disappointing with players coming through because I assume he has spent year in an academy and technically he should be sound already. Decision making will come in time, but there shouldn't really be a lot to work on technically by the time they get to the first team. It is more of an adjustment to playing against men instead of boys.

The other thing is this lad scored 4 goals in PL2 and 8 in the U18s. Cannon scored 8 in the Championship. I think there is a massive gulf between them, albeit Cannon is just under 2 years older.