cordonbleu
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 19 Aug 2012
- Messages
- 451
I'm not sure how much he can improve his weaknesses to the level we need. He lacks stamina and running power to ever be useful defensively even leaving aside his lack of appetite for it. Always referred to as pacy but he's really not. Great acceleration but his actual sprint is more of a fast waddle and he starts flagging after 3 or 4 strides, Aina showed him what pace really looks like. He could probably get more reliable on the ball but he'll never be a Grealish or Bernardo type who make a good decision and keep the ball 9 times out of ten.
With all that he needs to be producing in the final third but only looked the ticket against a hapless Bornemouth and Villa's reserves at home. Could say his season is promising if he was 18 and not almost 22 just a few months younger than Saka. Just seems a fish out of water in this side similar to F Torres and Mendy after his two year injury layoff.
I've read somewhere that Pep is rumoured to be going for a 3-5-2 formation next season. If true, obviously we would need specialized, pacy, fit, accurate dribbling/passing and defensively solid wingbacks or wingers. It would be very difficult for Doku to fit in with that. Hope this is just a groundless rumour, or Pep is considering the formation just as an option.