Future Strikers

[mosssideblue]

Teams are increasingly just sitting in against us with no notion of getting out of their own half, sometimes with 10 in the box. There’s no space to play, we’re just putting in cross after cross playing to defences strength. We need someone who is an aerial threat, even if only squad player.

Are you sure we just put cross after cross in as I see something quite different, we seem to pass it to death

 

[Andrew___K]

Teams are increasingly just sitting in against us with no notion of getting out of their own half, sometimes with 10 in the box. There’s no space to play, we’re just putting in cross after cross playing to defences strength. We need someone who is an aerial threat, even if only squad player.

You're missing the point mate. When we make high crosses, the main goal is creating chaotic situations around the box, to press the rebound and score after quick combinations.

Scoring by headers from those crosses is of secondary importance.

 

[Franknorgrovesnephew]

go get aubamayang

Not a bad shout to be honest he'd score shit loads in our team

 

[shevtheblue]

I can't see Pep going for an out and out striker tbh, he's often said he wants fluid players who can play across the top 3.

 

[City Raider]

You're missing the point mate. When we make high crosses, the main goal is creating chaotic situations around the box, to press the rebound and score after quick combinations.

Scoring by headers from those crosses is of secondary importance.

It’s a good point but with an aerial threat we have legitimate options in both phases of play.

 

[simon23]

I can't see Pep going for an out and out striker tbh, he's often said he wants fluid players who can play across the top 3.

while I absolutely agree with thats what Pep seems to want -if you are going to play like that then you need assured finishers. Of the 3 main forwards (without Kun)

Raz - has improved in this area dramatically but not there yet

Jesus -we know his finishing isnt the strongest part of his game and is the main reason why there is a discussion on attacking reinfocrements needed

Mahrez - scores similar types of goals - not a finisher in some circumstances but can put it in the onion bag when needed

You also then have foden - who will seemingly be played in a variety of positions BUT who has shown already to be a very good finisher.

So definitely one (Foden) and probably 2 (Raz) are decent finishers - the other two (one being our main centre forward) are not. To play as Pep wants I believe he needs something more.

 

[Ederson's smiley tattoo]

Both are two footed, quick, technical, good at linking up with teammates and most importantly, natural finishers. Isak is almost 6'4 as well

 

[ctid1894]

Both are two footed, quick, technical, good at linking up with teammates and most importantly, natural finishers. Isak is almost 6'4 as well

You keep telling us Isak is 'technical' and has an 'elite' first touch, yet every video you post shows wild inconsistency in both aspects.

Technical to me at least means you're surprised when players (e.g. Silva, Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne) have a poor touch, overrun the ball, needs 2-3 touches to bring it under control. With Isak it's so predictable, the exception seems to be when he does occasionally have a good first touch, he's clearly capable but wildly inconsistent even from the evidence you're using to promote him.

 

[shevtheblue]

while I absolutely agree with thats what Pep seems to want -if you are going to play like that then you need assured finishers. Of the 3 main forwards (without Kun)

Raz - has improved in this area dramatically but not there yet

Jesus -we know his finishing isnt the strongest part of his game and is the main reason why there is a discussion on attacking reinfocrements needed

Mahrez - scores similar types of goals - not a finisher in some circumstances but can put it in the onion bag when needed

You also then have foden - who will seemingly be played in a variety of positions BUT who has shown already to be a very good finisher.

So definitely one (Foden) and probably 2 (Raz) are decent finishers - the other two (one being our main centre forward) are not. To play as Pep wants I believe he needs something more.

Yep agreed, however someone like Aubamayang ticks a lot of boxes for us and is a great finisher. Whether we could or would go for him or not i don't know, but that's ideally the type of guy at a younger age he would be looking for in my opinion.

 

[Ederson's smiley tattoo]

You keep telling us Isak is 'technical' and has an 'elite' first touch, yet every video you post shows wild inconsistency in both aspects.

Technical to me at least means you're surprised when players (e.g. Silva, Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne) have a poor touch, overrun the ball, needs 2-3 touches to bring it under control. With Isak it's so predictable, the exception seems to be when he does occasionally have a good first touch, he's clearly capable but wildly inconsistent even from the evidence you're using to promote him.

Watch the video I linked. I don't see how you can think he has a poor first touch from watching that. If you're thinking of the Real Madrid game I linked before, he had a rocky start first half and didn't look like himself, but scored three goals (one ruled out) and provided an assist in the second half.

I think it's very very unrealistic and unfair to compare a strikers technique and first touch to that of world class midfielders and wingers. Almost everyone has a shit first touch in comparison to the names you mentioned above. Either you have technical strikers like Jesus who can't finish or Haaland who's technique and passing game would leave Pep more than unsatisfied. It's very hard to find world class talent who satisfies Pep's need for technicality while being natural finishers, talents like Isak and David are one of the very few. Isak's technique for a striker can definitely be considered elite, much better than Haaland's for example

Personally I think neither Isak or David are ready yet, but hopefully they will be when an Aguero replacement is needed (probably after next season)