I don't think so. He has great acceleration, but at top speed, he also often let players get back into the race. Not many players in Serie A are that pacy or the play requires much long run (to get to top speed) due to slow build up, compact, & deep lying defensive line. PL would require more long run = better top speed since there are lot of back & forth type of play & fast transition.
Dries Mertens
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
- Start date
Still can't get on board with this:
http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/30/manch...ract-to-napoli-forward-dries-mertens-6543368/
http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/30/manch...ract-to-napoli-forward-dries-mertens-6543368/
I think having Mertens as a false #9 ahead of Griezmann would be a really exciting prospect if we could get the two of them. They both have good link up play and I think they would work well together.
Mertens also seems like he might be cheap, both to buy and on wages relative to other players in our team. How much per week is £4m a year?
Mertens also seems like he might be cheap, both to buy and on wages relative to other players in our team. How much per week is £4m a year?
It's 4m after tax, but then again that's according to the Metro. 77k p/w after tax doesn't seem so cheap for a squad player.
Mertens will be an excellent acquisition if we manage to get him under 15 million.
Squad player 
He'd walk into our attack.
He'd walk into our attack.Squad player
Which tells you more about the lack of quality in the attack than anything else.
Nope, he is one of the best attackers in the Seria A, bar Zlatan our attackers have been mainly average. Rooney, Rashford, Martial however Miki and Mata have been good.
No, he's average and has managed a one off season, he'd not move the needle here, we'd be the same impotent unit as we are now, we need real top class added.
Not sure how that's so laughable tbh. Based on one season at 29, playing a position he would probably never play for us, after a summer where we'll presumably sign another attacker as well?Squad player
It's not just one season, he's been productive mainly from the bench since he moved to Napoli and was prolific at PSV before that. He's finally been given a run in the team and I wouldn't be surprised if he scores more next season if he stays at Napoli.
It's just a bit bizarre that some people seem to think we're at a level where one of the top goalscorers in Serie A would leave Champions League football to happily sit on our bench.
As a winger I don't think he's that good. He's been absolutely great as a falso-9, though.
Who said anything about him being happy sitting on the bench? I'm just assuming that if we were to sign him, it would be as a rotation option, not as our main attacking signing.
If we're signing 29 y/o late bloomers with one truly great season behind them to be the feature of our attack, we have a long way to go to get back to where we want to be. If on the other hand, we were to sign someone like Mertens/Perisic/Costa in addition to someone like Griezmann, I'd be all for that. We could do with a versatile, experienced attacker with a bit of pace in the squad.
Griezmann would be everyone's first choice for obvious reasons but I think Mertens would be brilliant up front with Zlatan and have a real impact on the team. The other two you mentioned, Perisic and Costa aren't nearly as important to their clubs as Mertens is and like you say should be additional attacking signings to complement a more important one.
Could be the striker that Mourinho hinted we'd be buying this summer.
I'd be happy with Griezmann and Mertens with a CM coming in also. Wouldn't be a bad summer at all!
We need Sanchez not Mertens.
He's going to Chelsea pal, move on
Mertens and Griezmann? They are pretty similar players, highly unlikely that we'll sign both.
And we would be better off with Napoli's attacking coach anyway
Liked the video, more so for the music beats when he hit a couple of cool flicks but doesn't look great, clumsy and falls over a lot.
Any Serie A fans can correct my poor assumption?
Any Serie A fans can correct my poor assumption?
I feel like Mertens is a Plan B in case we can't get Griezmann as they are very similar players.
On a genuine note, is de Brun ITK? I've been hearing totally contradictory things about him.
------Ibra--Mertens----------- (Rashford)
Mkhitaryan-----Griezmann (Martial, Mata, Lingard)
------Pogba--Herrera-------- (CM, Fellaini)
would be a lot of ammunition to throw at mediocre teams at Old Trafford. Then drop whichever of the attacking quartet is in bad form or injured or suspended or being rested when we play 4-3-3. More likely, I think Mata would get sold.
Mertens really has looked very sharp to me when I've seen Napoli this year, but my guess is that he's the backup plan if we miss out on Griezmann (likely if we miss out on the CL):
----------Ibra------------- (Rashford)
Mertens---------Mkhitaryan (Mata, Martial, Lingard)
--Pogba------Herrera------- (Pereira, Fellaini)
----------DM---------------- (Carrick)
is my guess, with a fair amount of 4-2-3-1 in easier games, with Herrera or the DM dropped and either Mata or whichever of Martial or Rashford makes the leap to being a consistent goalscorer starting. Looks quite well balanced to me, if lacking devastating pace out wide.
Mkhitaryan-----Griezmann (Martial, Mata, Lingard)
------Pogba--Herrera-------- (CM, Fellaini)
would be a lot of ammunition to throw at mediocre teams at Old Trafford. Then drop whichever of the attacking quartet is in bad form or injured or suspended or being rested when we play 4-3-3. More likely, I think Mata would get sold.
Mertens really has looked very sharp to me when I've seen Napoli this year, but my guess is that he's the backup plan if we miss out on Griezmann (likely if we miss out on the CL):
----------Ibra------------- (Rashford)
Mertens---------Mkhitaryan (Mata, Martial, Lingard)
--Pogba------Herrera------- (Pereira, Fellaini)
----------DM---------------- (Carrick)
is my guess, with a fair amount of 4-2-3-1 in easier games, with Herrera or the DM dropped and either Mata or whichever of Martial or Rashford makes the leap to being a consistent goalscorer starting. Looks quite well balanced to me, if lacking devastating pace out wide.
I don't think we are actually interested in either.
I dislike him, seems like a cnut whenever he plays for Belgium. Isn't it the first season when he's reaching some proper stats too?
Did well for PSV 11/12 27 in 49 12/13 18 in 39
It hasn't happened yet. That's like saying Griezmann is off to United.
Still, it's PSV. We've already had one of theirs not being able to replicate the form.
He's said he wants to stay in London with a team that competes. That's Chelsea. It's even more likely than Griezmann, he basically said he wants to leave, Griezmann hasn't
He has connections but can be very annoying on Twitter.
Watched him a few times this season. Cannot believe that people are saying he is too old. I watched approximately the same number of games of Griezmann and Mertens and I must say I would love it if we got Mertens. Absolute worlds class atm.
Players say a lot of things. I'll only accept it when he puts pen to paper.
He's on last year of his contract and his age being a factor. An excellent player at a decent price.
I've watched Napoli a lot this season and this fella is excellent. Even if he only does half the things that he's done this season for Napoli (given the little cost attached) he'd still be a success here.
For me easily the best option after Griezman for a mobile, agile striker. He won't tie up a place for ages either. Room for Martial and Rashford to grow
For me easily the best option after Griezman for a mobile, agile striker. He won't tie up a place for ages either. Room for Martial and Rashford to grow
Budget Griezmann.
He's a good player but I think a lot of it is down to manager and style of play.
I don't think we'd get as many goals out of him. Sarri and Napoli is the best fit.
Sarri got a record amount of goals out of Higuian last season, Brings in Milik who starts banging them in instantly then he gets injured and he sticks Mertens up top who stars banging them in.
We should just sign Sarri as Jose's asstiant.
I don't think we'd get as many goals out of him. Sarri and Napoli is the best fit.
Sarri got a record amount of goals out of Higuian last season, Brings in Milik who starts banging them in instantly then he gets injured and he sticks Mertens up top who stars banging them in.
We should just sign Sarri as Jose's asstiant.
I have only seen Napoli a handful of times but they play really differently, they make very deep runs and the midfielders are willing to actually try to find the attackers. I wonder if a ball carrier isn't a better suit for us.
Okay I see, cheers.
Higuain went to Juventus and he's still banging them in non-stop. If the player's good he'll keep banging them.
The thing about Merten's underwhelming stats prior to this season is that he used to play LW when Higuain was there. He got moved to the middle this season and he's been a revelation.
He does benefit from the way Napoli play of course, but you could argue the same about any player doing well in a set-up.
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When did he say that? Link?