justsomebloke
Full Member
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2020
- Messages
- 6,435
Because Antony is much more of a wide midfielder than an attacker. This is how I see him and I think he's having a decent season actually. If I considered him as an attacker, this wouldn't be a good season at all.
The question is if we really need a player like that in the team long term. I can understand that we needed a stop gap on RW and he solves some problems (also in midfield), but I have huge doubts about this transfer overall.
That's an interesting take. I can see what you mean about being more a wide midfielder than an attacker - to a large extent, he doesn't operate in the spaces or do the sort of things wide forwards normally do. However, there is something to contradict it, namely his propensity to finish. He's got a very high number of shots, and also actually a top level xG. There's no question a big part part of his game is getting into shooting positions and finishing. Also, the defining trait of a wide winger, ie the willingness and ability to beat a defender to the outside, is something that is almost absent from his game. So, maybe more.....like a shadow striker operating off the right flank? Or a sideways-tilted #10 who doesn't much like to pass? He really defies categorisation, doesn't he. Very unusual profile.
I also share your doubts over the transfer. At least, he has to develop significantly from where he is now in order to be a permanent solution in his position. Intuitively, it seems plausible that he might - he seems in many ways like a raw player, who also lacks a clear focus and definition to his game. For starters, he probably either needs to shoot better or pass more. Given how direct Rashford and Garnacho are on the opposite side, the latter of those options seem perhaps like a more useful path to take. With Sancho playing off the left it's different.
Last edited: