Spotted it during the game - that interception at 0:41 is top notch. Reads the pass two seconds ahead and teleports in from nowhere.
25
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 19
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 3
Spotted it during the game - that interception at 0:41 is top notch. Reads the pass two seconds ahead and teleports in from nowhere.
He was very good and has been getting better every game. Made some brilliant tackles and interceptions today.
He does all the running for the midfield. He's like a better version of Ander Herrera. We just need the right partner next to him and I'm not convinced it's Bruno or Mainoo.
Excellent performance.
Amidst the excitement of it all I didn't even realize that lovely touch out of the air and backheel was in the leadup to the winner. An away supporter posted a lovely video of the whole move on Reddit.
Wish we could play him every game, but with the tight schedule it's probably not possible. Still, he is match fit, and he is in a good age, so don't see why he can't start two out of three games for us over this next period.
Passes pretty well for someone who "can't pass".
Been a really astute signing adding some much needed tenaciousness in midfield.
Been a really astute signing adding some much needed tenaciousness in midfield.
What a signing this guy is turning out to be. Instrumental to everything we hope to achieve
I did. Didn't just love the beauty of it but the confidence bordering on arrogance.
I instantly felt "feck yeah, we are going for this"...
then Licha lofts that ball, nice sombrero, but can Amad score from that angle?
brghsjsugvekdufcAs an emotional bloke once said…”He wins that ball so much”
I feckin saw that and I knew he would deal with it easily don't know why but I just knew.
Everyone wants a Kroos.
He is very good in his passing, keeps it simple but also tries to play it forward.
For me he was a giant today. Did one and a half men’s job in defensive midfield to frustrate City no end, and tidy and smart on the ball all game.I did. Didn't just love the beauty of it but the confidence bordering on arrogance.
I instantly felt "feck yeah, we are going for this"...
then Licha lofts that ball, nice sombrero, but can Amad score from that angle?
Was class last night. I don’t think we have a ‘midfield’ just yet, but we have good midfielders. I still think the best I saw was under Ruud when he was paired with Casemiro. I’d like to see that partnership more, but Amorim seems to prefer Mainoo or Bruno.
Early days I know, but I am very interested to see how Sekou Koné comes along over the next 18 months or so, as from my early glimpses - he’s the sort of profile who would be a class performer here and could partner him.
Early days I know, but I am very interested to see how Sekou Koné comes along over the next 18 months or so, as from my early glimpses - he’s the sort of profile who would be a class performer here and could partner him.
His form since Ruud's interim period has been great. Would've liked to have seen a few pundits and commentators atleast recognise it.
Said it before I like watching the way he receives the ball. It's not the most elegant looking but it's extremely technically sound and very tidy. He does a lot of half steps/turns, hop steps, hesitations and over the shoulder look feints, which gives him the half yard/second to play accurate and progressive passes or dribbles whilst in the middle of the pitch.
Looks like a terrific signing. I have been pleasantly surprised by all aspects of his game.
I give a tick mark to him, Maz and MDL of our summer signings so far. Jury is out on other other.
I give a tick mark to him, Maz and MDL of our summer signings so far. Jury is out on other other.
He wasn't playing it like that at PSG tbh, I am pleasantly surprised.
Absolutely and Enrique is a lazy coach, he doesn't care for improving players or letting them adapt, he'll just sell you, Skriniar and Kolo Muani for example, not given them a chance due to this. Their midfield is lightweight and heavily dependent on possession and against good teams it's been found out. Ugarte in theire would have helped them immensely but Enrique just didn't know how to use him.
They definitely will eventually, they like to look smart and pick out the DM that's gluing things together.
Really has come on good since the managerial change.
He'd be one of the first names on the team sheet for me and I'd love to see more of him and Mainoo together
Excellent signing, we really needed a player like him. Other than Casemiro in his 1st year for years.
Woah. Only just seen the tweet above and realised it was a pass or two before Licha’s assist for the winner!
Yeah.
I think the whole game Ugarte was just so assured in his passing and really helped the team control the game
Such a flawless performance. He was everywhere in midfield breaking up play and composed passing.
Let's be honest about the touch - he didn't kill the ball. It went backwards, hit his left shin, bounced a bit too far ahead of him and he was forced to do something, so he did the backheel.
Nice recovery, but it wasn't a Ruud-escque touch.
his history suggests he's one of those Bruno types who can play a lot, runs the whole game and never gets you-know-what (no jinx).
Of course he killed the ball! It came down from miles up in the air and he got the ball under control the instant it hit the ground. What else did you want him to do. Catch it on the back of his neck?
Also. “Ruud-esque”? Berbatov-esque would make sense. But since when was RVN the gold standard for a good first touch?!
I was about to post this, even before he kicked a ball for the club he was already being written off!
Beast of a player and can only get better!
Has been fantastic for us – exactly the player we have been needing for years!
Really love his game – aggressive and on the front foot. He obviously reads the game very well, but he is able to get so many interceptions because he absolutely flies to the ball!
We have been lacking speed and directness in our team so it's really good to see players who are able to provide this – not only Ugarte, Amad and Nous also. It's not about being fast, but about being both able to play at speed and also having the desire to put in the effort.
Really love his game – aggressive and on the front foot. He obviously reads the game very well, but he is able to get so many interceptions because he absolutely flies to the ball!
We have been lacking speed and directness in our team so it's really good to see players who are able to provide this – not only Ugarte, Amad and Nous also. It's not about being fast, but about being both able to play at speed and also having the desire to put in the effort.
What? He killed the ball dead and rolled it to Martinez seamlessly. Great piece of skill. Some just don't want to accept that he's better than they thought he'd be. (Not you necessarily) but many on here sold him as a brute with no ball playing ability and he's shown to be very good on the ball.
Absolute beast. Great great midfielder.
Finally someone who dominates midfield and is everywhere. Does all the simple things right.
And we badly needed a physical player in the middle of the pitch
And we badly needed a physical player in the middle of the pitch
Going in a good direction, like what he is giving especially in crowded areas.
Oh, yeah, no doubt. Even at the start of the season where everyone was writing him off I could see promising signs in terms of his technique.
The surprising thing since moving to Europe was seeing how big of a warrior he is. Nonstop battling. I didn't know he had that in him from the youth games I saw.
Of course! I think it was after a game against Brazil. He was the best player on the pitch and I had to tell you about him/see if you knew of him.
Our Antony and Arsenal's Martinelli also played in that match so I knew of them before they moved to Europe, too.
Was there a story going that ETH didn't want him?
If that's true, can we get a full list? Seems there might be a pattern looking at the likes of Ugarte, Amad...
If that's true, can we get a full list? Seems there might be a pattern looking at the likes of Ugarte, Amad...
Biggest thing he has going for him is that he's quality on the ball and isn't an oaf in tight spaces.
There's a million dogged OOP warriors out there, but what seperates a midtable DM from a top quality one is how well they can keep it ticking in possession and not be a liability on the ball. He's done well in that aspect. He's not going to run games or anything but just being able to carry pass an oncoming defender and escaping a press is so important in this team/system.
There's a million dogged OOP warriors out there, but what seperates a midtable DM from a top quality one is how well they can keep it ticking in possession and not be a liability on the ball. He's done well in that aspect. He's not going to run games or anything but just being able to carry pass an oncoming defender and escaping a press is so important in this team/system.
I'm going to miss people moaning about getting a defensive midfielder.
That touch and backheel before the goal
Phenomenal game from him yesterday. He’s the reason we had similar possession to city. In the past, our team may not have gotten close to city midfielders and our possession would be 70:30 with City growing into the game after the equaliser.
His ball winning has definitely had a massive impact on the team, and it’s backed by our retention also going up (although right now mostly in our own third). The latter part hopefully gets better.
His ball winning has definitely had a massive impact on the team, and it’s backed by our retention also going up (although right now mostly in our own third). The latter part hopefully gets better.