7 | Omar Marmoush - 2025/26

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

It’s early days, but it does kind of look like foden, cherki and Marmoush all want to play in the same position.

 

[skillman]

Explosive. Really like him.

But his first touch leaves a bit to be desired.

He reminds me of Salah a bit, not an obviously exceptional footballer but effective where it matters.

 

[Lkzerinho]

This may be a controversial opinion.

But outside of the Newcastle game and the worldie vs Bournemouth, Has anyone been impressed with him?

Just today he seemed to float way too much around the pitch and got in the way of other players.

 

[Brewster's millions]

He’s an enigmatic player.

He can make the very difficult look simple, and the simple look hard work.

Will need to improve his first touch significantly if he’s to play regularly.

 

[Jonas.shaffer]

This may be a controversial opinion.

But outside of the Newcastle game and the worldie vs Bournemouth, Has anyone been impressed with him?

Just today he seemed to float way too much around the pitch and got in the way of other players.

I still don't know what to make of him, tbh.

What I like is that he's working 10 times harder off the ball than when he arrived, but he can be a bit too selfish at times and chase his first touch too often. Time will tell.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

His first touch is way better than Julian's and we had a fair bit complain about Julian not being a midfielder when Pep played both him and Erling together.

The big difference is Omar and Erling compliment each other way better!

 

[Tricky_Trev]

His first touch is way better than Julian's and we had a fair bit complain about Julian not being a midfielder when Pep played both him and Erling together.

The big difference is Omar and Erling compliment each other way better!

Tbh none of our attackers have much cohesion with each other. Always feels to me like they each just do their own thing. There’s little to no chemistry in the way we attack.

 

[Damocles]

Tbh none of our attackers have much cohesion with each other. Always feels to me like they each just do their own thing. There’s little to no chemistry in the way we attack.

I was going to react badly to this reactively but after thinking about it, this is actually a very insightful assessment.

Yeah that's a problem at the moment. In a lot of these types of teams, we just need a player who makes it all "tick". The person who, whilst not being the most talented player ever, makes the sum of the parts greater than the whole. Barry. David Silva. Fernandinho. Cancelo. It's not about position but adaptability that's able to merge other people's styles.

I hope Reijnders is that player but there's no math* formula or algorithm to this. You can't buy chemistry.

*Fuck off Gordon

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I was going to react badly to this reactively but after thinking about it, this is actually a very insightful assessment.

Yeah that's a problem at the moment. In a lot of these types of teams, we just need a player who makes it all "tick". The person who, whilst not being the most talented player ever, makes the sum of the parts greater than the whole. Barry. David Silva. Fernandinho. Cancelo. It's not about position but adaptability that's able to merge other people's styles.

I hope Reijnders is that player but there's no math* formula or algorithm to this. You can't buy chemistry.

*Fuck off Gordon

Marmoush is head down, smash a shot from anywhere, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Doku is foot-jiggle and a dribble, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Savinho is head down, dribble either into a dead end or to an inconsistent cross, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Haaland barely touches the ball enough to have an on-pitch connection with the others.

Foden, a bit like Marmoush, often receives the ball in areas where we can construct an attack but the only consideration is a long shot.

Everyone wants to make the difference, I’ll give them that, but they need to realise that they’d each make the difference more often if they look for each other on the pitch as the first port of call. They need to build on-pitch relationships because right now I don’t see any among them. Not one.

Our attackers might be close off the pitch (I don’t know) but on it they often look like they don’t enjoy playing with each other. They don’t mesh well.

You knew that David Silva was going to slide a ball to Sane inside the fullback, and you knew Sane’s first thought would be “is Sterling at the back post?” They looked for each other, they had relationships.

You knew prime KDB would look for Sergio/Erling as a priority.

You knew Nasri and Yaya would look for each other to play a one-two.

You knew Rodri would play a clipped pass over the defence to Mahrez’s out-to-in run at the back post.

I can’t think of a single connection we have among our attackers right now.

 

[Craig]

Explosive. Really like him.

But his first touch leaves a bit to be desired.

He reminds me of Salah a bit, not an obviously exceptional footballer but effective where it matters.

If he was half as good he’d be some player. Kind of get what you mean but Salah has been freakishly brilliant

 

[madloaf]

Marmoush is head down, smash a shot from anywhere, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Doku is foot-jiggle and a dribble, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Savinho is head down, dribble either into a dead end or to an inconsistent cross, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Haaland barely touches the ball enough to have an on-pitch connection with the others.

Foden, a bit like Marmoush, often receives the ball in areas where we can construct an attack but the only consideration is a long shot.

Everyone wants to make the difference, I’ll give them that, but they need to realise that they’d each make the difference more often if they look for each other on the pitch as the first port of call. They need to build on-pitch relationships because right now I don’t see any amongst them. Not one.

Our attackers might be close off the pitch (I don’t know) but on it they often look like they don’t enjoy playing with each other. They don’t mesh well.

That's why teams have managers.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

Tbh none of our attackers have much cohesion with each other. Always feels to me like they each just do their own thing. There’s little to no chemistry in the way we attack.

Well Omar and Erling seem to be on a better page than Erling and Phil.

But Omar and Erling have assisted each other a few times.

Can they get better? Sure!

Just saw your long post.. yeah it's pretty accurate.

 

[Dubciteh]

Still waiting for him to have a performance away from the etihad? Have i missed one? Maybe Bournemouth in the fa cup at a push?

 

[Haaland94]

World-class player, one of the best players today. Always impresses me. Mind, we don't use him as well as we could. It will come, though. We are rebuilding the team, so it's only natural. Solid today.

 

[Craig]

World-class player, one of the best players today. Always impresses me. Mind, we don't use him as well as we could. It will come, though. We are rebuilding the team, so it's only natural. Solid today.

World class gets banded about far too much and that’s just another example. Aguero, David Silva, KDB were world class. Very few players currently in the Premier League are world class. 2 or 3 from Liverpool maybe and that’s about it. Haaland obviously is a world class goal scorer.

 

[RayCTID]

He is the best we have got in terms of being cover unless you are looking to replace Haaland.

 

[WallyA]

Never been more convinced, he and Doku don't work.

On paper, Marmoush seems like a perfect false 9.

But his first touch and passing vision is not at that level.

What is at a high level though is his ability to make runs drifting from LW into left half spaces.

Just gotta rotate between them, I get that Pep wants to play both, but it doesn't work unless Doku goes RW.

 

[Dazzle84]

Marmoush is head down, smash a shot from anywhere, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Doku is foot-jiggle and a dribble, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Savinho is head down, dribble either into a dead end or to an inconsistent cross, no matter where anyone else is positioned.

Haaland barely touches the ball enough to have an on-pitch connection with the others.

Foden, a bit like Marmoush, often receives the ball in areas where we can construct an attack but the only consideration is a long shot.

Everyone wants to make the difference, I’ll give them that, but they need to realise that they’d each make the difference more often if they look for each other on the pitch as the first port of call. They need to build on-pitch relationships because right now I don’t see any among them. Not one.

Our attackers might be close off the pitch (I don’t know) but on it they often look like they don’t enjoy playing with each other. They don’t mesh well.

You knew that David Silva was going to slide a ball to Sane inside the fullback, and you knew Sane’s first thought would be “is Sterling at the back post?” They looked for each other, they had relationships.

You knew prime KDB would look for Sergio/Erling as a priority.

You knew Nasri and Yaya would look for each other to play a one-two.

You knew Rodri would play a clipped pass over the defence to Mahrez’s out-to-in run at the back post.

I can’t think of a single connection we have among our attackers right now.

Great post.

Hopefully these connections will develop, but there's a lot of work to do to make it happen. Or luck.

 

[Dazzle84]

World class gets banded about far too much and that’s just another example. Aguero, David Silva, KDB were world class. Very few players currently in the Premier League are world class. 2 or 3 from Liverpool maybe and that’s about it. Haaland obviously is a world class goal scorer.

Well Rodri is the archetype of world class...

I do think Marmoush has the potential to explode, but that's just potential

 

[Craig]

Well Rodri is the archetype of world class...

I do think Marmoush has the potential to explode, but that's just potential

Ha, how did i forget about Rodders!