AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 10:48 pm
He's a battering ram, if you get him firing he'll be an absolute handful, but he'll still do frustrating things... He's not blessed with great technical ability, so he'll quite easily look both a menace and like an amateur in the same game.
Issue right now is his touch is poor and his movement is terrible... I think the former will improve as he adjusts to the league, and the latter can be coached.
I don't think he'll score many but even today when he was pretty poor, we still played well because we had him as a focal point... Something we never ever saw if Maupay came in to the team.
So he's an improvement already (yes I know Maupay scored today but he was never going to for us) and that's purely because he's able to put himself about a bit, so once he's adapted I expect he'll be acceptable if not better for a DCL backup.
What's the point in a battering ram if their hold up play is terrible?
He's big, he's a handful physically, but he gets dealt with very easily because most of his abilities just aren't prem level.
AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 10:48 pm
He's a battering ram, if you get him firing he'll be an absolute handful, but he'll still do frustrating things... He's not blessed with great technical ability, so he'll quite easily look both a menace and like an amateur in the same game.
Issue right now is his touch is poor and his movement is terrible... I think the former will improve as he adjusts to the league, and the latter can be coached.
I don't think he'll score many but even today when he was pretty poor, we still played well because we had him as a focal point... Something we never ever saw if Maupay came in to the team.
So he's an improvement already (yes I know Maupay scored today but he was never going to for us) and that's purely because he's able to put himself about a bit, so once he's adapted I expect he'll be acceptable if not better for a DCL backup.
What's the point in a battering ram if their hold up play is terrible?
He's big, he's a handful physically, but he gets dealt with very easily because most of his abilities just aren't prem level.
Got to give him time to adjust to the league though... Only reason he can't hold it up well is because his first touch is sloppy, but I'd imagine he's used to having a whole lot more time to deal with balls in to him in Italy... There's none of that here, and it'll take time to get adjusted to the pace and lack of time.
I think once he went off we missed him, even if he wasn't great he held it up better and bothered the defenders a lot more than Chermitti managed.
Have to give people time to settle, as we've seen all too well with Mykolenko.
He's trying way too hard, and making some poor decisions.
It also shows what an elite player DCL is, when he's out. He is a complete forward, and carries all types of threat - aerial, coming short to hold up play, in behind the defence. Big shoes to fill for anybody.
Give him time. A goal would do him the world of good.
I’ve still got faith in him. Needs a run in the side I think to get upto speed. Also generally it’s not that easy to come into a new league like he has and hit the ground running part way through the season as well. He’s got the raw tools to do well and does work his arse off
We need him to be good and can’t let him turn into a Maupay style villain that we hate!
Sir Stealth wrote: ↑Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:18 pm
I’ve still got faith in him. Needs a run in the side I think to get upto speed. Also generally it’s not that easy to come into a new league like he has and hit the ground running part way through the season as well. He’s got the raw tools to do well and does work his arse off
We need him to be good and can’t let him turn into a Maupay style villain that we hate!
Like
Agree with this, I feel a Maupay style villain situation developing, he needs a run of games, which when DCL is fit he unfortunately won’t get. Definitely a player in there though.
Free Agent wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:17 pm
Maupay is in a rich vein of form at present - just saying like
Aye. An incredible 2 in his last 4.
Granted it's still better than Beto, but different types of players. He also hasn't had a sustained run in the team to generate form and if DCL is fit he probably never will.
Wasn't just that maupay was a terrible finisher he wasn't suited to any system we where willing to play.
We where basically launching missiles over his 5ft7 frame.
Him scoring is only good for us as Brentford might be daft enough to buy him.
He's only ever going to be a physical presence and a enabler for other players.
I'd be happy with 10 goals a season and a few assist thrown in from just being a nuisance.
Outside of that we need him to occupy the centre halves and create space and opportunities for others in the process.
I also think it means too much to him, as weird as that sounds. His reaction to the assist shows how committed he is, but it also shows that that one simple moment carried an awful lot of weight...and you can see that in the way he plays. He looked absolutely gutted about missing that chance and was giving himself a very hard time.
He needs to play a bit more to get up to speed, and he needs to get lucky and score a scruffy goal.
I agree with that. Reminded me of when Richarlison used to look desperate to score. Think once he scores a prem goal he’ll relax a bit. Next game!
UnsyisaRhino wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 5:33 pm
He's only ever going to be a physical presence and a enabler for other players.
I'd be happy with 10 goals a season and a few assist thrown in from just being a nuisance.
Outside of that we need him to occupy the centre halves and create space and opportunities for others in the process.
I also think it means too much to him, as weird as that sounds. His reaction to the assist shows how committed he is, but it also shows that that one simple moment carried an awful lot of weight...and you can see that in the way he plays. He looked absolutely gutted about missing that chance and was giving himself a very hard time.
He needs to play a bit more to get up to speed, and he needs to get lucky and score a scruffy goal.
