When Haaland was out, we looked a more compact team because there was no Alvarez in the midfield messing passes and losing balls!Overall , Alvarez has offered us more than Haaland this season
we looked a more compact team when Haaland was out injured and Alvarez was deputising
yet he gets no criticism
its double standards
Why should we worry about him leaving but not others? I really cannot get it. Cash him in and I will see a minimum of 60M and we can buy a quality deputy striker.not a winger, not a midfielder. not his fault imho. only 56% pass accuracy today.
that theory that he has to play so he doesn’t leave, would pep really do that?
Goosebumps. He had a phenomenal first season for such a young lad, and 29 G+A this season already as well. Often overplayed and out of position, but he is a magnificent player. Anyone who doesn't think he is quality needs to follow another sport.
All one has to do is watch Alvarez in the sequence when Salah has a shot blocked and then slashes a shot wide of the goal on the ensuing rebound. He dives in sideways and makes a terrible attempt to impede Salah. Then he lets Salah step right past him to fire away at the rebound. It's nowhere near the standard one would expect from a 13 year old midfielder (key word midfielder) let alone a midfielder at this level. It's quite evident that the young fella has no idea whatsoever how to go about defending in his own third which no matter how ball dominant a squad one is playing on anyone playing as an 8 or a wing needs to be proficient at.Cost the community shield game by his poor defending.
Cost the home game vs Liverpool by his poor defending again. (Doku shared the blame he did not track TAA and Alvarez had to fill his spot)
Cost the away game vs Liverpool again.
But I don't blame this lad. The blame is on Pep. Stop putting him in a deeper position rather than the striker. I don't get why Pep keeps saying "he deserves minutes" bla bla.
Shouldn't the midfielders compete for minutes in midfields and wingers compete for minutes on the wings? Is it fair for Alvarez - whose G/A is natrually higher than wingers/midfielders because of his natual positions - to compete with midfielders like Kova and Nunes / wingers like Doku Grealish and Bobb? He should go and challenge Halaand for the spot up front and I would say I will take Halaand off and sub Alvarez on at HT today!
Overall , Alvarez has offered us more than Haaland this season
we looked a more compact team when Haaland was out injured and Alvarez was deputising
yet he gets no criticism
its double standards
With all due respect to Pep, I know better. Bet you don’t.All one has to do is watch Alvarez in the sequence when Salah has a shot blocked and then slashes a shot wide of the goal on the ensuing rebound. He dives in sideways and makes a terrible attempt to impede Salah. Then he lets Salah step right past him to fire away at the rebound. It's nowhere near the standard one would expect from a 13 year old midfielder (key word midfielder) let alone a midfielder at this level. It's quite evident that the young fella has no idea whatsoever how to go about defending in his own third which no matter how ball dominant a squad one is playing on anyone playing as an 8 or a wing needs to be proficient at.
The play you refer to in the first Liverpool game where Trent scores the late goal is not an isolated incident regarding Alvarez. It just stands out because of the result.
The bigger question is what was Alvarez doing on the pitch being asked to defend deep that late in such a big game with us trying to see out a 1 nil?
I'm sorry but with all due respect to Pep and all he has accomplished he's dead wrong on Alvarez being able to play as an 8 or a wing on this squad, simple as.
So because I think Pep is wrong about playing Alvarez out of position it's the same thing as me saying I know more than Pep as a whole. Interesting application of logic that, except for the fact that it's an invalid conclusion based solely on your own myopic view of the situation. Playing Alvarez as a midfielder NOT AS A SECOND STRIKER IN THE ROLE KDB SEEMS TO NOW OPERATE IN is a terrible decision. Playing him on the wing doesn't appear to be a proper option either. Regardless of anything you want to say if that trend continues will win jack shit this year in terms of the league or the CL. Hopefully it won't come to that.With all due respect to Pep, I know better. Bet you don’t.
The problem with this is you don’t know the reasons behind why Pep has chosen to go this way. There’s always a reason with Pep and it’s usually because he’s thought about things us mere mortals don’t.So because I think Pep is wrong about playing Alvarez out of position it's the same thing as me saying I know more than Pep as a whole. Interesting application of logic that, except for the fact that it's an invalid conclusion based solely on your own myopic view of the situation. Playing Alvarez as a midfielder NOT AS A SECOND STRIKER IN THE ROLE KDB SEEMS TO NOW OPERATE IN is a terrible decision. Playing him on the wing doesn't appear to be a proper option either. Regardless of anything you want to say if that trend continues will win jack shit this year in terms of the league or the CL. Hopefully it won't come to that.