He is so overrated. 45 games this season, in best team in England, he has 7 goals and 10 assists. Garnacho, for example, scored 10 this year.
Amadou Onana | Ornstein: Villa agree ~50m deal
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Yea his end product has been lacking, he'll do cool dribbles and get into dangerous areas often but often amounting to little
The problem is that Everton got him for the right price, they’ll want double what they paid and he just isn’t worth that much. He’s the sort of player you need to buy direct from Ligue 1.
He’s an absolute freak defensively. He is capable of making that crucial edge of the box tackle to perfection. When he picks the ball up in his half (usually after he’s intercepted it or tackled himself), he covers so much ground going forward…
…until he has to make the pass and it all falls apart. His touch, shooting and passing range from inconsistent to disgraceful.
He seems like a passionate, brave and likeable young man, but the fact that our fanbase have little issue in selling him as opposed to Branthwaite show how both performed last season.
All that being said though, there is potential there that he could be an elite DM. He is absolutely a number 6 and not a number 8. He needs a lot more experience before that’s realised. That’s what any buyer is getting - a coin flip on him being above average or world class.
…until he has to make the pass and it all falls apart. His touch, shooting and passing range from inconsistent to disgraceful.
He seems like a passionate, brave and likeable young man, but the fact that our fanbase have little issue in selling him as opposed to Branthwaite show how both performed last season.
All that being said though, there is potential there that he could be an elite DM. He is absolutely a number 6 and not a number 8. He needs a lot more experience before that’s realised. That’s what any buyer is getting - a coin flip on him being above average or world class.
Not a fan, really poor technically.
I'm a fan. Would do better than the likes of Casemiro, Amrabat and Mount I'm sure.
I am a fan too. The ground he covers is impressive and it would enable us to be more aggressive and have a more robust and athletic midfield.
He is capable of picking out a pass too, so the potential is there if the correct coaching can breed consistency.
If he puts it all together, he will be some player.
He is capable of picking out a pass too, so the potential is there if the correct coaching can breed consistency.
If he puts it all together, he will be some player.
I think he's worth a punt price depending, I've certainly warmed to him. Think he's clearly got bags of potential, and he's still very young, especially for the position he plays in.
What would you consider a fair price?
Everytime I watched Everton while he plays, he impressed me. He has great recovery ability due to his long leg to make tackles and his incredible speed. His short passing can sometime be erratic but he is someone who is capable to make long passes, switch of play, and diagonal passes (basically he has different kind of range with his passing). He always give an option for a pass (he doesn’t hide when on possession). He also has some flair in him to dribble or retain possession when under pressure (he’s not like McTominay where McTominay only use his body to shield the ball to not lose the ball with no flair).
What I concerned when I watched him was his positioning. May be this down to the role he was given was little bit confusing. Everytime he plays for Everton, he often drop very deep to collect the ball or give his defenders and keeper for an option for pass, it was almost like he plays as no 6. But when Everton was attacking in the opposition box but lose the ball and got countered, he was often nowhere to be seen in front of the defenders, which was almost like he plays as no 8. May be because he plays in 442 or 4411 formation. If he plays in 433 formation, the role might be more clear for him and he would improve in his positioning.
Another thing to add is that everytime I don’t watch Everton, I often see lot of negative comments about his performance. I don’t know whether they don’t see what I see or he is just purely inconsistent.
If he’s really inconsistent then spending £50m or more on him is not worth a punt. £35m-£45m max imo for a 22 years old midfielder who has PL experienced but still very inconsistent.
What I concerned when I watched him was his positioning. May be this down to the role he was given was little bit confusing. Everytime he plays for Everton, he often drop very deep to collect the ball or give his defenders and keeper for an option for pass, it was almost like he plays as no 6. But when Everton was attacking in the opposition box but lose the ball and got countered, he was often nowhere to be seen in front of the defenders, which was almost like he plays as no 8. May be because he plays in 442 or 4411 formation. If he plays in 433 formation, the role might be more clear for him and he would improve in his positioning.
Another thing to add is that everytime I don’t watch Everton, I often see lot of negative comments about his performance. I don’t know whether they don’t see what I see or he is just purely inconsistent.
If he’s really inconsistent then spending £50m or more on him is not worth a punt. £35m-£45m max imo for a 22 years old midfielder who has PL experienced but still very inconsistent.
You say fans have no vision beyond the immediate yet claim he will never be world class. That's contradictory
Arteta will bid for this guy. Arteta loves his ball winners and dual winners. Another giant to add to the collection and set piece targets.
I feel like either keeping Amrabat or signing him is the way to go. There is no way we have the budget to fund deal for Neves this summer.
Onana, Neves, Mainoo is the type of hyper-balanced, technical, athletic, silk and steel midfield we've dreamed of for literally a decade plus - and Onana's the oldest of them at 22.
Neves as the metronome 80+ passes a game conductor. Mainoo as the ball carrier. Onana mopping up in behind capable of eating up ground and dominating aerially. And that's pigeonholing them into specific roles...all three have wide (and complimentary) skillsets beyond that.
Sadly it's impossible with the budget we have - unless maybe Neves stays at Benfica for another year and we can take a serious run at him then. Or we get serious and actively try to move Rashford.
Whisper it but I might even sell Bruno if we could make it happen and he's definitely not a player I'd be wanting to lose.
Neves as the metronome 80+ passes a game conductor. Mainoo as the ball carrier. Onana mopping up in behind capable of eating up ground and dominating aerially. And that's pigeonholing them into specific roles...all three have wide (and complimentary) skillsets beyond that.
Sadly it's impossible with the budget we have - unless maybe Neves stays at Benfica for another year and we can take a serious run at him then. Or we get serious and actively try to move Rashford.
Whisper it but I might even sell Bruno if we could make it happen and he's definitely not a player I'd be wanting to lose.
Technically it's paradoxical.
You're right!
So let's just say we could get him but have to wait another year for Neves,how should we set up the midfield next season
Looks decent but I am not a fan of players in the midfield who are not good on the ball. It inevitably leads to poor ball retention and control of the football game. We should look for more technical midfielders, I am tired of us playing as underdogs and always chasing the ball.
Having watched a few clips on YouTube of Fofana he would be cheaper and do a similar job. If we looking for a physical presence in the middle of the pitch.
I agree but I think you might be a little bit harsh on the guy. Looking at his FBref report he’s very rarely dispossessed, now maybe that’s due to him punting it at the first sign of trouble but I don’t see that when I watch him.
If we could surround him with players like Mainoo and Neves that would go a long way to mitigate any such issues.
Unless we can unearth some gem like Gourna-Douath, which we never really do, I don’t see alot of good alternatives out there.
That being said, I’d be very happy to have the player I’ve seen for Belgium the last two games.
He's defo not an oaf with the ball and has a lot of improving to do, but he's not a liability at all. His strengths are really what our midfield is lacking. That athleticism and drive through the middle will help a lot and compliment Mainoo well. He can play the single pivot and also in a double pivot, and can also cover at CB if we get our seasonal CB crisis. He'd be a solid solid signing.
I’d rather us sign Alvarez from West Ham. Apparently he only as a 40m price tag on him.
Onana would be a decent addition for the right price (around the £40m range) but like many other players, I don't think the value the selling club put on him will be worth it relative to the budgets we're working with this summer. Everton themselves bought him for £33m so it seems a bit of a non-starter really. Good athlete but there's not enough there on the technical side to justify any kind of monster fee.
"Only". Injured and not good enough.
Injured. Ok. He’s more what we need than Onana is.
Disagree. In his prime and average.
I think he's really good and would be a perfect complement to Mainoo.
But, and it's a big but, there must be a handful of similar players in the French league or from other smaller leagues with many African players or players of African descent with the same type of qualities.
We can't make the same mistake every time and buy players from other clubs in the league for enormous sums. We need to be able to find these players ourselves. The amount we pay to other clubs for having "scouted" the player for us is far too high!
But, and it's a big but, there must be a handful of similar players in the French league or from other smaller leagues with many African players or players of African descent with the same type of qualities.
We can't make the same mistake every time and buy players from other clubs in the league for enormous sums. We need to be able to find these players ourselves. The amount we pay to other clubs for having "scouted" the player for us is far too high!
He's actually surprisingly good technically on the ball and can receive the ball on the half turn surprisingly well in the build up. He's not a expansive passer or a volume passer but paired with someone like Kobbie Mainoo in a double pivot, it becomes a strong midfield pairing imo. For me Onana is the one from Everton that I would like to see us target because I believe his physical, athletic and technical attributes would raise the level of our team and also compliment a number of our players.
I did rate him highly. And i might recommend him too. BUT....that was before i saw and discover Adam Wharton from Palace later.
I use to recommend some, but really often. New kids knock on the door.
So i am Wharton train now.
Adam Wharton is a more all round CM than Onana. And i think Wharton scan the field and his teammates on the pitch better.
Onana is a high energy player. Energtic. Wharton take it a bit slower. But when Wharton first speed it up and go for it. It will be more precise and effective.
Adam Wharton & Amrabat is the way to go United.
United future CM options :
+ Adam Wharton = All round CM playmaker. nr.6 in both 433 and 4231 formation
+ Kobbie Mainoo = Offensieve creative nr.8 in both 433 and 4231 formation
+ Amrabat = DM nr.6 in both 433 and 4231 formation
+ Finley McAllister = All round CM playmaker. Can play both nr.6 and nr.8 in 433 formation.
+ Mason Mount = nr.8 in a 433 formation
Then you have Dan Gore. A CM between Amrabat and Wharton. He is more of a Roy Keane CM, but just not that level. He might go on loan.
Potential price :
+ Adam Wharton = around 40-50 mill £. Good and fair price for Palace. Who just paid around 20 mill £ for him back Feb.2024
+ Amrabat = 15-20 mill £
+ Level up for Finley McAllister from the Academy
= Around 60 + mill £ for 3 CM players. Everton might demand over 60 mill for Onana. I would definitely safe that money to buy Wharton and Amrabat.
I use to recommend some, but really often. New kids knock on the door.
So i am Wharton train now.
Adam Wharton is a more all round CM than Onana. And i think Wharton scan the field and his teammates on the pitch better.
Onana is a high energy player. Energtic. Wharton take it a bit slower. But when Wharton first speed it up and go for it. It will be more precise and effective.
Adam Wharton & Amrabat is the way to go United.
United future CM options :
+ Adam Wharton = All round CM playmaker. nr.6 in both 433 and 4231 formation
+ Kobbie Mainoo = Offensieve creative nr.8 in both 433 and 4231 formation
+ Amrabat = DM nr.6 in both 433 and 4231 formation
+ Finley McAllister = All round CM playmaker. Can play both nr.6 and nr.8 in 433 formation.
+ Mason Mount = nr.8 in a 433 formation
Then you have Dan Gore. A CM between Amrabat and Wharton. He is more of a Roy Keane CM, but just not that level. He might go on loan.
Potential price :
+ Adam Wharton = around 40-50 mill £. Good and fair price for Palace. Who just paid around 20 mill £ for him back Feb.2024
+ Amrabat = 15-20 mill £
+ Level up for Finley McAllister from the Academy
= Around 60 + mill £ for 3 CM players. Everton might demand over 60 mill for Onana. I would definitely safe that money to buy Wharton and Amrabat.
Can't see him leaving Palace this summer
What’s his ethnic background got to do with anything here?
Adam Wharton
English, and is already an English international - check
Young 20 year old with high potential - check
Long contract expired in 2029 - check
Registration owned by an EPL club - check
I wonder if value Manioo at 40 - 50m fair for Utd.
I don't think he'd take our midfield to the top level. It never works out if there is a weakling (passing in his case) in the set-up by surrounding him with superior players. He is not very good on the ball, Mainoo is still developing and we have Bruno, who already uses the ball as a hot potato. We'd find it mighty tough to keep hold of the ball with those three as our midfielders. We need to pair Mainoo with a Rodri/Carrick like midfielder if we want to better our midfield.
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Onana is a superb athlete, and great defensively. However, he is absolutely bobbins when it comes to actually doing something with the football.
Not one Everton fan I know is bothered about him leaving and actually a lot welcome it.
Not one Everton fan I know is bothered about him leaving and actually a lot welcome it.
Simply not true. He very rarely gives the ball away. Even in a team like Everton. That is more important than creating for someone like him.
definitely better options than this lad for our midfield
He's a pretty good dribbler. His passing range leaves a lot to be desired though.
I'm not sold on this one yet.
Seems like the Wilfred Ndidi type of CDM that pops up every season.
Seems like the Wilfred Ndidi type of CDM that pops up every season.
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If he is so unrated in Everton, we can try to get him for 30mils, or lower. A good business for both clubs.
Regardless of whatever other skill a player possesses, the first thing we should be looking for is technique and guile. That’s how you build a competent midfield like City, Madrid and co. Any thing other than that and you’re risking staying average and having issues like Mctominay. Onana isn’t the type of player we should sign, he’s an average player who’s able to have great games every now and then due to his physicality.
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