Peps Targets

[Neville Kneville]

Makes the Andre Gomes links make more sense as a Pogba alternative, given his combination of height and the technical skill to play the Pep way. He'd make more sense in midfield than the usual Spanish type player

He's a big unit alright & doesn't mind sticking a foot in. I've noticed that he does share our midfield trait of being fast going forward & slow coming back, but with a better team shape (well ANY team shape tbh) that might not be such a problem for him or any of the others.

I wouldn't mind having both tbh, if Nasri is going & one or two others, but then again, Nasri is a Pep type player.

Be interesting to see how those negotiations would go, if Neville was still there.

 

[Gundogan's Moustache]

The dream right here

Where's Messi ?

 

[blueparrot]

Possibly, but one thing which slips by in consideration imo, is that this is the Premier League & we still have to defend corners & set pieces more avidly than in any other country. We tend to consider things from a Barca/Spain type perspective re Pep, but I would be surprised if Pep hasn't considered physique & numbers at set plays as being important.

I remember Mancini looking shellshocked when we first played Stoke ;) Then suddenly our team became much bigger. I might be wrong but I recon Pep will be on that & thus Pogba becomes ideal.

It is something I haven't really considered and am guilty of in my mind replicating the Barca and Bayern blueprints, on the other hand there are less teams playing with a big man up front now. Teams like Leicester, Watford and Stoke are playing more with quick counter attacking strikers. Can only think of West Brom off the top of my head relying on set pieces.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It is something I haven't really considered and am guilty of in my mind replicating the Barca and Bayern blueprints, on the other hand there are less teams playing with a big man up front now. Teams like Leicester, Watford and Stoke are playing more with quick counter attacking strikers. Can only think of West Brom off the top of my head relying on set pieces.

That's true but they all have it in their armoury, ready to unleash if the circumstances are right. Andy Carrol etc vs Klopp being a quite amusing example. Even Arsenal 'do' set pieces now, since Steve Bould's influence came to the fore. Utd beat us last season with Fellaini & then Smalling cashing in. Spurs are a big side.

If we go for a smallish midfield & small fullbacks, like Barca, I'm not sure even Pep will get away with it every week over here.

 

[blueparrot]

That's true but they all have it in their armoury, ready to unleash if the circumstances are right. Andy Carrol etc vs Klopp being a quite amusing example. Even Arsenal 'do' set pieces now, since Steve Bould's influence came to the fore. Utd beat us last season with Fellaini & then Smalling cashing in. Spurs are a big side.

If we go for a smallish midfield & small fullbacks, like Barca, I'm not sure even Pep will get away with it every week over here.

I agree, one thing I am fairly sure of is Pep will have done his homework and adjusted his tactics to take account of the premier league. I'm sure I've read somewhere that his team study the last 50 set pieces of his next opponents and drills his team to be ready for that particular opponent. Though that's harder to do when the team is playing twice a week for most of the season.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I agree, one thing I am fairly sure of is Pep will have done his homework and adjusted his tactics to take account of the premier league. I'm sure I've read somewhere that his team study the last 50 set pieces of his next opponents and drills his team to be ready for that particular opponent. Though that's harder to do when the team is playing twice a week for most of the season.

I'm not expecting him to find it dead easy. But I think it's going to be really interesting & fun watching him figure it out & I can't wait.

 

[Dax777]

I reckon peps first signing will be the anchor of the team, almost like a QB, someone who dictates the tempo and pulls the strings. He had Xavi/Busquets at Barca, Thiago/Alonso at Bayern. Yaya is past it for me and Fernandinho is more of a box to box destroyer. Gundogan/Pogba fit the mould, excellent technical ability whilst both players are extremely comfortable receiving the ball with their back to play. Pogba could be that face Balague was talking about yesterday, we have the infrastructure in place, guardiolas on his way, we now need an icon to work under peps tutelage.

Pogba?

 

[01cravend]

He's a big unit alright & doesn't mind sticking a foot in. I've noticed that he does share our midfield trait of being fast going forward & slow coming back, but with a better team shape (well ANY team shape tbh) that might not be such a problem for him or any of the others.

I wouldn't mind having both tbh, if Nasri is going & one or two others, but then again, Nasri is a Pep type player.

Be interesting to see how those negotiations would go, if Neville was still there.

Gomes has made under half the tackles Yaya has this season.. Seems he does anything but stick a foot in

 

[BigOscar]

Gomes has made under half the tackles Yaya has this season.. Seems he does anything but stick a foot in

Well that's yet more proof that people shouldn't look at defensive stats and think they mean anything.

 

[Tarzan41]

Where's Messi ?

Bench

 

[01cravend]

Well that's yet more proof that people shouldn't look at defensive stats and think they mean anything.

How is that proof?

 

[BigOscar]

How is that proof?

Because you are using stats to "prove" a point that is clearly untrue. Yaya's defensive stats suggest he does a lot of defending, anyone with eyes who has ever watched a game in which he played will clearly be able to tell you that his defending leaves a lot to be desired. Watching games is worth a hell of a lot more than looking at someones stats, especially defensive ones.

 

[01cravend]

Because you are using stats to "prove" a point that is clearly untrue. Yaya's defensive stats suggest he does a lot of defending, anyone with eyes who has ever watched a game in which he played will clearly be able to tell you that his defending leaves a lot to be desired. Watching games is worth a hell of a lot more than looking at someones stats, especially defensive ones.

Yaya has made 13 tackles
Andre Gomes has made 6 tackles

Fernandinho on the other hand has made 48 tackles


If we were to sign a midfielder from Valencia then we should look at Parejo, as he is twice the player.

 

[pudge]

Because you are using stats to "prove" a point that is clearly untrue. Yaya's defensive stats suggest he does a lot of defending, anyone with eyes who has ever watched a game in which he played will clearly be able to tell you that his defending leaves a lot to be desired. Watching games is worth a hell of a lot more than looking at someones stats, especially defensive ones.

If 13 is the true number of tackles it wouldn't make me assume that player does a lot of defending to be fair.

 

[BigOscar]

Yaya has made 13 tackles
Andre Gomes has made 6 tackles

Fernandinho on the other hand has made 48 tackles


If we were to sign a midfielder from Valencia then Parejo is twice the player.

Parejo is about as unsuitable a player for the premier league as you will ever see. He cannot move, he is weak and he gives the ball away in dangerous areas every game. Defensively he is a liability and he lacks the legs to offer anything resembling box to box. He strikes the ball cleanly, but that's about it.

 

[BigOscar]

If 13 is the true number of tackles it wouldn't make me assume that player does a lot of defending to be fair.

It's more that it's apparently (according to WhoScored) the same amount of tackles per game as people like Zabaleta or Kolarov, or twice as many tackles per game as Kompany. Does that mean he "puts his foot in" more than Kompany, or as much as Zaba? Course not

 

[pudge]

It's more that it's apparently (according to WhoScored) the same amount of tackles per game as people like Zabaleta or Kolarov, or twice as many tackles per game as Kompany. Does that mean he "puts his foot in" more than Kompany, or as much as Zaba? Course not

Seems about right

 

[Neville Kneville]

Gomes has made under half the tackles Yaya has this season.. Seems he does anything but stick a foot in

No, he does exactly that. Isn't a def mid, just one who will 'put a foot in' as I said. Big strong lad, skillful quick & also will put a foot in & can probably be quite a tough customer if asked to. More of a creative player normally.

 

[The Richard Wright Fan Club]

It is something I haven't really considered and am guilty of in my mind replicating the Barca and Bayern blueprints, on the other hand there are less teams playing with a big man up front now. Teams like Leicester, Watford and Stoke are playing more with quick counter attacking strikers. Can only think of West Brom off the top of my head relying on set pieces.

Watford are the most direct team in the league.

Edit: not going off stats or what not but from the games I've seen.

 

[blueparrot]

P

Watford are the most direct team in the league.

Edit: not going off stats or what not but from the games I've seen.

possibly but I was talking more about teams throwing set pieces in for big target men and whether a manager new to the premier league would need to adjust his targets to counter that sort of threat.