11 | Jeremy Doku - 2023/24

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We do need to factor in that we don't get enough players in the box as we should. Only Foden, Alvarez and Haaland do that, so crossing to two attackers around 6 or 7 defenders is harder.
 
Still was a good platform up until the injury to build from.
Yeah, but not 13 goals and 8 assists.

The injury hasn’t change how he’s played. We need to work on our creativity as a team and try and maximise our output.

It feels like we’re back at the point where Pep changed to the false 9 after the West Brom 1-1 draw in 2020.
 
Yeah, but not 13 goals and 8 assists.

The injury hasn’t change how he’s played. We need to work on our creativity as a team and try and maximise our output.

It feels like we’re back at the point where Pep changed to the false 9 after the West Brom 1-1 draw in 2020.
Doku is still capable of that and the injury hasn't helped him really adapting to life at City.
 
Doku is still capable of that and the injury hasn't helped him really adapting to life at City.

Hopefully he is capable, so let's see it.

As of right now, he's not in Saka's league in terms of contributions in their respective teams scoring goals.

He's been back from injury a while now, it should be no excuse for shanking chance after chance into row Z.
 
21 years old, first season in the Prem & first season with Pep

Might be worth remembering what Gundogan said ;)

Gundogan on working with Guardiola

Speaking in an interview with ESPN, Gundogan explained: "Seven years before I joined Manchester City, I thought, 'I know football'. I was 25 or 26 years old.

"So I thought, 'I've seen a lot'. I won league titles, cup titles.

"But standing here, after seven years of Pep's school, I probably would say I didn't know anything about football before, you know.”

This after 5 years with Klopp & a year with Tuchel
 
The AFD jokes are getting out of hand!

One swallow…and all that!
Nope there is a little overhype with Saka. I am not even suggesting Doku will become a world class player whilst at City either but he will be an effective one
 
Up until Doku's injury he too was looking he could contribute as much as Saka.
I think Saka is overrated, but I don't see Doku reaching his levels. He just seems the antithesis of a Pep player, it didn't make sense when we were linked and it makes less sense now.
 
I think Saka is overrated, but I don't see Doku reaching his levels. He just seems the antithesis of a Pep player, it didn't make sense when we were linked and it makes less sense now.
If we did play to his strengths he would and if we started winning more penalties.
 
If we did play to his strengths he would and if we started winning more penalties.
But what are his strengths? He can beat a man, for sure. His first touch is ok. But he lacks composure when he gets into the decisive positions. People suggest he's fast, I don't think he is, particularly.

If Pep were to leave tomorrow, and we became a counter attacking team, we'd maybe get a tune out of him. But I don't see becoming a success for us while Pep is here.
 
It won't work for him here, you can't teach the things that he's no good at.

We should have been bringing in someone 'like' Luis Diaz, who can dribble with the ball and create and score goals.

He's got incredible close control, and has natural ability with the ball at his feet.

This thing of Doku only being 21 and therefore having time to develop is nonsense, you can't teach natural ability at that age, you've either got it or you don't. His natural abilities are borderline useless at City, as we don't play that way, and if we did, his end product will never be good enough to play in such tight spaces.
Yeah, I'm increasingly of the feeling that Doku's weaknesses aren't really things you can learn under Pep. His basic ball control is almost non-existent. With players like Grealish, Rodri, Bernardo, etc. in the past, who haven't fully clicked 100% in their first seasons, you can see where little tweaks will make things better. They were all good with the ball but just had to understand their roles a bit better. But apart from a crazy first half against a shocking Bournemouth team (at the time) Doku's offered virtually nothing - most of the time he just runs into trouble and then loses it unnecessarily. There was a moment yesterday when he had De Bruyne right with him, but he just ignored him and ran into three Arsenal defenders who promptly started a counter attack. His first touch is terrible, he often looks like he doesn't know which foot to lead with, and he slips over an awful lot because he's moving before he's thinking. You can't just learn to control a ball properly because Pep's your manager. Looks a bit more dangerous when he's played centrally, and when we're up against teams who commit men forward against us, but how often does that happen? I think letting Mahrez and Palmer go at the same time was a mistake if this guy was who we had our eye on. When we were linked with him the only teams who were seriously mentioned alongside us were West Ham and Spurs - we should have known then what his level was.
 
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But what are his strengths? He can beat a man, for sure. His first touch is ok. But he lacks composure when he gets into the decisive positions. People suggest he's fast, I don't think he is, particularly.

If Pep were to leave tomorrow, and we became a counter attacking team, we'd maybe get a tune out of him. But I don't see becoming a success for us while Pep is here.
Good dribbler is still not easy to defend against as proven when was brought on against both our rivals. Finishing is erratic but Saka's isn't much better in that regard penalties aside. Tactically they are similar although I would give Saka a head start as he has been in the Premier League a lot longer.
 
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I am really surprised at the negativity: I think he has done very well for a young player in his first season at the club, and in a new country. As always, give new players time - we don't often get things wrong.
 
Have there been many examples of a player who literally can’t kick the ball where they want to at age 21, then being able to later in their career? Feels like something he would be able to do by now if he was ever going to. It’s like he has two wrong feet.
 
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