No idea about this lad, but you can work wonders on your speed. Ajer gave an interview saying that everything about him is a product of working hard. Even at youth levels he was the slowest player in the squad; was it last year or the year before he clocked the highest top speed of all centre backs in the PL?
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No idea about this lad, but you can work wonders on your speed. Ajer gave an interview saying that everything about him is a product of working hard. Even at youth levels he was the slowest player in the squad; was it last year or the year before he clocked the highest top speed of all centre backs in the PL?
I think as third choice LB no reason not to have Amass. I get that the two ahead of him are injury prone, but given our financial predicament I wouldn't have third choice LB as something I would be looking to recruit for.
In order to save money on a left back this summer, I'd have Amas ready for the league cup and Europa League games. At least 4 oppositions in the Europa League will be lower levels clubs, this would be great experience for him and good game time. Shaw obvs as main left back, starting every prem game and also keeping him fresh for the marathon.
Good luck with that.
One can only hope ..
The Betis game is a good sample of his strengths and weaknesses. A lot of good stuff, especially with the ball but also still a lot to improve on to be able to push for regular minutes in the first team. All in all a positive pre-season so far.
The boy is raw defensively. Moments when he’s pressing really well against the winger. Moments when he’s staying off too much.
Going forward he’s much more developed. A possession LB with fantastic press resistance.
He will learn a lot from Luke.
Going forward he’s much more developed. A possession LB with fantastic press resistance.
He will learn a lot from Luke.
Not sure about that. His strengths and weaknesses are similar to Shaw's.
Amass is going to need to up his concentration levels and if he's lucky will have someone like Martinez next to him giving him a lot of vocal help on the defensive side.
Amass looks good. Would love to see him getting some game time in cup games and such. Love his attacking contributions, defensive work understandable lacking, him being 17 and all that
I do wonder whether his future lies away from left back. He's a very good footballer.
I like a lot of what I see going forward, I think games like this are a great way of getting used to senior football. Obviously there has been a few notable small areas of concern, particularly in this game his timing on headers from high balls seems very poor and his positioning hasn't been the best but these can be fixed and improved. His close control and pass selection seems top tier. A very good talent and might possibly save us some money.
He is funnily quite similar to Shaw at a similar age, maybe doesn't have the same defensive instincts positionally but looks very similar on the ball. Good player, not ideal whether he could or should get minutes this season but he has a lot about him either way.
Shaw had a very reliable touch and was always assured defensively.
When your strengths and weaknesses are similar - that’s when you learn from a senior player.
The same logic you apply to strikers, apply it here mate.
Yeah Shaw switches off way to frequently in the same way, just to a lesser extent. Its where he picks up half his yellow cards when he is caught ball watching and commits a lazy foul to stop the man he should've tracked.
Going forwards he could learn a few things perhaps but I wouldn't trust Shaw to teach Amass defensive discipline, concentration, tracking runners, keeping players in front you, not getting square, getting tight without giving too much, not giving cheap fouls etc. Shaw is a very capable defender and has shown that enough times but his consistency in those areas and his effort (especially nowadays) in those situations are lacking.
If there's any fullback he needs to learn from it's Dalot because that's a player, who's improved his all around game massively and perhaps more importantly, has done a lot of work off the pitch i.e mental and physical.
Also the logic is that a player weak in something should learn from a player that's better in that weakness. Doesn't matter the position.
Edit: I should preface I am basing my assessment of Amass completely on pre-season games and highlights from the youth games
but the points still stand.
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Amass has the former. I think he had a bad touch against Betis, but he's usually not like that.
Totally switched off twice on the Betis goal. Also struggled to deal with the ball in the air when it was hoofed to him, oddly enough for a player with obvious skill.
Very good cross on the goal.
Probably the best fit for him this season would be if we buy an LCB/LB type - Hancko seemed like he was going to Atletico Madrid, but this type of player as an example - and then Amass is the attacking LB option and that player the defensive one, when Shaw and I guess maybe Mazraoui are inevitably injured. And we get a proper backup for Lisandro. Though we also need an RCB, so that would be 4 defenders signed this summer, which seems implausible but who knows, since Varane is gone, AWB only goes if Mazraoui comes, Lindelof should move on and we were one short and Yoro is injured for 3 months right off the bat.
Very good cross on the goal.
Probably the best fit for him this season would be if we buy an LCB/LB type - Hancko seemed like he was going to Atletico Madrid, but this type of player as an example - and then Amass is the attacking LB option and that player the defensive one, when Shaw and I guess maybe Mazraoui are inevitably injured. And we get a proper backup for Lisandro. Though we also need an RCB, so that would be 4 defenders signed this summer, which seems implausible but who knows, since Varane is gone, AWB only goes if Mazraoui comes, Lindelof should move on and we were one short and Yoro is injured for 3 months right off the bat.
Surely if he needs defensive grit then sending him to the champ is going to be better for his long term development than chilling on the bench for 5 apps next year.
He reminds me so much of Alberto Moreno from his Liverpool days. Good going forward but you can play the winger in behind him all day as he has the attention span and awareness of a goldfish.
Problem is most championship teams probably won't give him enough starting time to make it worth it. And most won't focus on getting him to be better. If he gets loaned he needs to be in a team like when Amad was in Sunderland. He needs a manager that believes in him and trusts him from day 1. In League 1 he'd get the game time, but would probably get pushed around way more than we'd hope. His physical weaknesses are just so apparent right now. Maybe he gets 1 more growth spurt this year but he needs to build a better core before he goes somewhere to start every game
Luke Shaw at that same age was way more physically developed vs Amass
Yes it would definitely need to be a targeted loan like Alvaro Fernandez at Preston where he got plenty of play time. Otherwise he might as well be here.
Do Middlesbrough have need of a left back? Having him play under Carrick could work well.
Shaw still has concentration issues.
Excellent on the ball and getting out of the press. Made a wicked cross. Touch is a bit iffy. Defensive awareness, aggression, anticipation are all very poor. Looks very lackadaisical when defending. Defensive side of his game needs massive improvement and growth. I see a future for him. Not every player has the natural ability on the ball that he possess.
His touch isn't iffy. It was a bad moment, uncharacteristic of him. We can't conclude that, just from this.
Defensive awareness is fair, because he would not be tested defensively like this at youth level. The attack organization at first team level is night and day difference. But it's something for him to work on, now that he's getting a taste of what is required defensively. If you didn't know that problem existed at youth level (because you weren't tested enough), I wouldn't expect himself to just know it was a flaw in his game that he needs to work on. Now he knows what to work on.
Defensive awareness is fair, because he would not be tested defensively like this at youth level. The attack organization at first team level is night and day difference. But it's something for him to work on, now that he's getting a taste of what is required defensively. If you didn't know that problem existed at youth level (because you weren't tested enough), I wouldn't expect himself to just know it was a flaw in his game that he needs to work on. Now he knows what to work on.
It definitely was in the game today. It happened on a couple of occasions.
I still would like to see him being part of the first team this season. We are nowhere close to winning the league and can afford to blood him in. We should send Malacia out on loan in January and have Amass as a rotation option to Shaw. Don't want him on loan in the Championship or somewhere else.
I still would like to see him being part of the first team this season. We are nowhere close to winning the league and can afford to blood him in. We should send Malacia out on loan in January and have Amass as a rotation option to Shaw. Don't want him on loan in the Championship or somewhere else.
Rather send him on a good loan
Let's just remember he's 17.
And only turned 17 a few months ago. I don’t think a loan is a good solution for him. There’s too much risk that the manager won’t trust him and he will warm the bench for a season. He needs to play u23 games and train with the first team for a season.
I think it's more likely he'll start the season at United and go out in loan in January, if necessary. That might depend on what happens with Shaw and Malacia though.
He's only 17, so probably not ready for a loan in the EFL either to be honest
He's only 17, so probably not ready for a loan in the EFL either to be honest
Yep, I think it's early for a loan.
Absolutely agree. It's easy to just say "send him on a good loan", doesn't work like that in the real world.
and he still doesn't have a Ballon d'Or. What's the point in keeping him?
I don't see him ever going on a loan. He is too talented.
Could very well be that he's one of those players. Hope he gets some good individual coaching from the new staff.
He's such a Shaw regen. Similar body shape, silly too-low socks, ridiculous first touch. Only issue could be pace - I swear Shaw was once our fastest player over 15 yards or so, but Amass doesn't appear to have that ability to both recover and get away when attacking.
I'd keep him in the first team, and be brave enough to let him mistakes. The upside of that is greater than having Dalot doing a 'fine' job on the left, particularly in games we should dominate.
I'd keep him in the first team, and be brave enough to let him mistakes. The upside of that is greater than having Dalot doing a 'fine' job on the left, particularly in games we should dominate.
What's the point sending him on loan when Luke Shaw is our only left back?
Was good with the ball going forward but was caught switched off for the first goal. Just something to improve on. Still a positive performance overall
I wouldnt loan him, I'd have him play u21s and then be on the bench in the first team. With the ball he's better than a fit Malacia anyway
I wouldnt loan him, I'd have him play u21s and then be on the bench in the first team. With the ball he's better than a fit Malacia anyway
Absolute sure thing. By the time he’s 20 he will be an England international. Fantastic business by the club. Once he gets a bit faster and stronger, and with more football both in training and in matches - he’s almost certain to be a top player unless he gets injured.
We’ve completely done Watford here.
We’ve completely done Watford here.
I agree on first point but I wouldn't say we "done" Watford. It's just part of life that talent will move up the pyramid in any field.
Footballers aren't slaves.