Mohammed Kudus

[Keeper!]

Not just tackles, 50/50's. The point is he is a tenacious warrior type, never chickens out of a contest for the ball. He would be good here but I feel his very physical aggressive style of play fits the dippers more. Would be great for any top 3 team. He's the type of player Arsenal desperately needs for a title push, their entire team has some weird "boy band" energy and could really do with a few warriors

"their entire team has some weird "boy band" energy"
Brilliant line...

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

"their entire team has some weird "boy band" energy"
Brilliant line...

You should see Saka at the fashion shows. Priorities are all fucked up out there. Jesus and Zinch must be wondering how they ended up as involuntary contestants at a Ru Paul show

 

[Dax777]

He can do almost 90% of what Grealish can do with better outcome

Well, I'd be more interested in moving Grealish more centrally anyway. And Kusus doesn't play on Grealish side of the field. And I don't think he is nearly as good at passing or retaining possession for his team.

They have different skill set. When I watch a player who doesn't play for City, I generally tend to project how their skills will translate to a team that faces low blocks 90% of the time?

Lots of fantastic players simply won't fit well in this team. Frankly Erling himself isn't a great fit, but his ability at doing what he does best makes it work even though it's clonky.

Jack plays a brand of football that was always a good fit for a possession team that faces low blocks often. Kudus doesn't. Is individual capacity notwithstanding.

Again, I'll repeat, watch that Conceicao kid and it's immediately obvious why he'd be great on a team like ours. Close control dribbling, quick sudden movements in tight areas. Fantastic ball control and range of passes etc.

With some players, you hope it all works and their talent overcomes the glaring stylistic difference. With others, you know they'll fit like a glove. The Conceixao kid looks like mesh between Bermado and Oscar Bobb. It's a fit. Kudus to me is a risk. It would be a Haaland and Bony type signing. One worked our great and the other was a spectacular failure. But both are bad fits you are just hoping will be overcome because of immense talent or specific skill.

However, if we wanted to go outside the box and got Kudus, redeploy him next to Rodri at the base of our midfield, you might have something special brewing...

There are whiffs of Essien in Kudus. But we are past those kinds of experimentation. So It's Bruno and Conceicao for me :)

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Well, I'd be more interested in moving Grealish more centrally anyway. And Kusus doesn't play on Grealish side of the field. And I don't think he is nearly as good at passing or retaining possession for his team.

They have different skill set. When I watch a player who doesn't play for City, I generally tend to project how their skills will translate to a team that faces low blocks 90% of the time?

Lots of fantastic players simply won't fit well in this team. Frankly Erling himself isn't a great fit, but his ability at doing what he does best makes it work even though it's clonky.

Jack plays a brand of football that was always a good fit for a possession team that faces low blocks often. Kudus doesn't. Is individual capacity notwithstanding.

Again, I'll repeat, watch that Conceicao kid and it's immediately obvious why he'd be great on a team like ours. Close control dribbling, quick sudden movements in tight areas. Fantastic ball control and range of passes etc.

With some players, you hope it all works and their talent overcomes the glaring stylistic difference. With others, you know they'll fit like a glove. The Conceixao kid looks like mesh between Bermado and Oscar Bobb. It's a fit. Kudus to me is a risk. It would be a Haaland and Bony type signing. One worked our great and the other was a spectacular failure. But both are bad fits you are just hoping will be overcome because of immense talent or specific skill.

However, if we wanted to go outside the box and got Kudus, redeploy him next to Rodri at the base of our midfield, you might have something special brewing...

There are whiffs of Essien in Kudus. But we are past those kinds of experimentation. So It's Bruno and Conceicao for me :)

I'm sorry but there are pretty much zero similarities between Essien and Kudus - except for the country they were born in.

One had limited skill but was an incredible midfield enforcer who thrived when defending. The other an out and out attacking player who can dribble, has great technique and loves scoring goals.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

I'm sorry but there are pretty much zero similarities between Essien and Kudus - except for the country they were born in.

One had limited skill but was an incredible midfield enforcer who thrived when defending. The other an out and out attacking player who can dribble, has great technique and loves scoring goals.

Essien was so good to watch though, loved him as player

 

[Dax777]

I'm sorry but there are pretty much zero similarities between Essien and Kudus - except for the country they were born in.

One had limited skill but was an incredible midfield enforcer who thrived when defending. The other an out and out attacking player who can dribble, has great technique and loves scoring goals.

If your only experience of Easien was watching him at Chelsea after Mourinho turned him into an enforcer, I can see why you think this

But Essien for Ghana was an explosive all purpose midfielder that ran through defensive with power and balance ( Kudus embodies this), was almost impossible to knock off the ball (again, same is true of Kudus), was an unbelievable athlete with fantastic leaping ability who won in the air often against bigger and taller opponents ( Kudus also has some of that jumping explosiveness). And both players are extremely hard to get by and are intense defensively and seem to have more energy than the average player. It is in the above qualities that they are quite similar.

They play different positions but with a lot of the same qualities. Kudus may be more attacking and more of a dribbler who does tricks. But they both use their body to shield the ball when they run with it, jumping into defenders to bump them off as they run through.

So I repeat, there is a Whiff of Essien in Kudus, and it's not just that they are both Ghanaians.

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

If your only experience of Easien was watching him at Chelsea after Mourinho turned him into an enforcer, I can see why you think this

But Essien for Ghana was an explosive all purpose midfielder that ran through defensive with power and balance ( Kudus embodies this), was almost impossible to knock off the ball (again, same is true of Kudus), was an unbelievable athlete with fantastic leaping ability who won in the air often against bigger and taller opponents ( Kudus also has some of that jumping explosiveness). And both players are extremely hard to get by and are intense defensively and seem to have more energy than the average player. It is in the above qualities that they are quite similar.

They play different positions but with a lot of the same qualities. Kudus may be more attacking and more of a dribbler who does tricks. But they both use their body to shield the ball when they run with it, jumping into defenders to bump them off as they run through.

So I repeat, there is a Whiff of Essien in Kudus, and it's not just that they are both Ghanaians.

Both powerful players and Ghanaian then... Playing style completely different and Kudus is not and will never be a central midfielder.

Just as Essien was never an attacking wide forward or striker.

The only similar attributes in any way shape or form are physical.

 

[Skrastins]

So




This one makes me confused, he is a winger, and they money they paid surely he is not deep squad player.

Maybe WH think they will sell Bowen/Kudus or maybe contingency if Paqueta is banned?

 

[Dax777]

Both powerful players and Ghanaian then... Playing style completely different and Kudus is not and will never be a central midfielder.

Who ever said their playing styles was the same?

Just as Essien was never an attacking wide forward or striker.

So your point is that 2 players from different positions can't have traits in common? Or that a player who plays in one position can never play in another?

What exactly is your point? What are you getting at? Go ahead spit it out :)

The only similar attributes in any way shape or form are physical.

Yes. When I say a player has a 'whiff' of another player, this is not to say they are identical or that they play the same position.

But, no the similarities are not just only physical. They share similar mentalities too. Hustle and energy, a penchant for tackling. Good balance, flimsy passing technique, they both like running with the ball while fencing t with their none dominant foot... And yes, I think because of Kudus athleticism and drive he could excel at CM based on those attributes. Some of the very same attributes that Essien excelled with.

Yes, they are both Ghanaian. Yes, they play different positions. And yes their dominant foot is even different. And one dribbles more often. Still, I see in Kudus, a lot of Essien like traits.

Unless your argument is that 2 players from the same country can't have similar traits... I'm struggling to get your point.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

"their entire team has some weird "boy band" energy"
Brilliant line...

Mykonos?