Oleks Zinchenko - 2018/19 Performances

[Citizen in Pakistan]

Random, but I remember a few years back when we loaned David Pizarro for half a season and Mancini had him playing as a type of deep lying playmaker.

He didn't play much because it was the tail end of his career but I remember the odd moment of brilliance of him sweeping up the ball and pinging it all over the pitch and quickly transition defense to attack. I remember thinking how I wished we had him 10 years sooner.

Anyways I wonder if Zinchenko would be effective in a similar role. He's got the technical ability but can handle some defensive duties as well.

That was an odd signing

 

[Andrew___K]

 

[DTeacher]

Friends with benefits, the best type of Friendship!

Thanks for the input....Justin!
;)

 

[CWMCFC]

I have always craved that moment he gets the opportunity to play on the left side of midfield properly not that false full back thingy. I think he'll surprise quite a number of us and I reckon he can stake a claim to that position.

No offense to Foden but I think this guy has the tools to do better than the former. I hope he gets the opportunity someday. Call it hyperbole but in that advanced midfield role, he can surpass even Gundogan who I think does better playing deeper.

He is such a little magic man.

Zinchenko will never have the goal scoring threat that Foden has.

Foden is a natural goal scorer and has the ability to be a 15-20 goal a season midfielder, which combined with his vision/play making skills, is what makes him an elite talent.

 

[domalino]

Zinchenko will never have the goal scoring threat that Foden has.

Foden is a natural goal scorer and has the ability to be a 15-20 goal a season midfielder, which combined with his vision/play making skills, is what makes him an elite talent.

One of Zinchenko's biggest problems is he lacks any kind of acceleration. Foden isn't a roadrunner, but he has a change of pace which causes problems - creates space, lets him beat people and lets him get on the end of chances that drop to him.

If you don't have that as an attacking midfielder it's very hard to perform in a team that faces parked busses all the time. Even Merlin can still drop the shoulder and get away from a defender who switches off when he gives and goes.

Zinch doesn't have that, and IMO it's also the reason he struggled so much with 1v1 defending to begin with. He's learned to read the game better and position himself to do better defensively, but at the other end of the pitch there's no real cure. You can see in that video, the 2 times the ball comes to him on a break, he gets caught up almost immediately by the backtracking defenders. With KDB, Foden etc, they have the pace to keep away from the defenders and that equates to time pick out a pass and wait for a defender to commit. Zinch is always running out of time very quickly because he's being closed down.

If he was to go into midfield, the deeper role would be more realistic, like Gundogan who is also a bit slow to play high up in this team.

 

[Andrew___K]

 

[cleavers]

If he was to go into midfield, the deeper role would be more realistic, like Gundogan who is also a bit slow to play high up in this team.

I suspect Pep see's him as a player he can fully convert to a Fernandhino type role, and learning LB for Pep, especially the "inverted" bit, is all part of the learning curve.

On top of that he has a fabulous "never say die" attitude to playing, could have been a star at Wolves by now, but stayed and backed himself in a better team, even in a relatively alien position.

 

[OntarioBlue]

I suspect Pep see's him as a player he can fully convert to a Fernandhino type role, and learning LB for Pep, especially the "inverted" bit, is all part of the learning curve.

On top of that he has a fabulous "never say die" attitude to playing, could have been a star at Wolves by now, but stayed and backed himself in a better team, even in a relatively alien position.

I agree. I think Zinny has a real chance of being Fernandinho’s long term replacement. He has all the skill in the world, is a great passer and is not too shabby in the tackle. I think we’d be better off investing in another left back and moving zinchenko into the middle.

 

[MCFCFanTX]

Another really good performance

 

[HaalandEffect]

It's Luxembourg we are talking about. Jesus did have good stats against Burton..