Michael Olise | Joins Bayern

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Don’t know why people compare him to our right wingers. He’s played mostly as an attacking midfielder on the right, with a winger next to him, no?

Every time I’ve seen him it’s basically been in Bruno’s position.

No. He is picked on the right and cuts in from there which is exactly what we play (inverted winger) just in a different formation because Palace play 4-3-3 so he's one of the forwards and has 3 midfielders behind him

Also seeing plenty of comments about rightbacks. Does anyone consider Nathaniel Clyne and Joel Ward great attacking fullbacks? Thought not.
 
Amad… how many PL games has he played?
Also I will keep repeating it. Mount is not a winger
Not as many as he should have, thanks to our manager. He played as a mix between a 10 and a winger for Chelsea under Tuchel, a floating wide forward. I'm sure he can play there as back up for us.
 
The overall stat is most likely apt for the mish-mash there, but the interactions I have seen between he and Eze and the way they build is not excessively vertical and looks really solid rather than forced or ‘quick’. if those possession stats can be broken down further, I’d like to know how much of that number those two players constitute - how much play is funnelled to and through these two compared to the rest of the side? is what I’d be interested in knowing.

Oh I dont disagree,as part of the front 3 and the main outlets the 2 of them have a lot of responsibility when they spring their counters to get on the ball and make progress up the pitch and create. But thats also the case with our players like Garnacho and Rashford, right? They get plenty of the ball and an oppertunity to counter attack from there
 
Not as many as he should have, thanks to our manager. He played as a mix between a 10 and a winger for Chelsea under Tuchel, a floating wide forward. I'm sure he can play there as back up for us.
The manager clearly picks young players if they are good enough. The previous manager also didnt pick him much. Maybe its because he isn’t ready yet

He didnt exactly look out of place in the championship last season
 
Oh I dont disagree,as part of the front 3 and the main outlets the 2 of them have a lot of responsibility when they spring their counters to get on the ball and make progress up the pitch and create. But thats also the case with our players like Garnacho and Rashford, right? They get plenty of the ball and an oppertunity to counter attack from there
You’d have him here in a ten Hag side?
 
You’d have him here in a ten Hag side?

Of course but as with any player it depends on the value of the transfer and how much that represents of our overall budget. He isn't going to do anything to help the spine of our team which is where we're conceeding 20-30 shots a game. Antony tracks back better which is one of the areas we are extremely weak defensively. So assuming we also bought a CB and a DM who arent willing to let players run past them and get shots away yeah. If it cost our entire budget just for Olise then no, just like no right winger would be worth our entire budget. Saka wouldnt change us not being in the title race. We'd be far above the 13th top scoring side in the league, but we'd still have all our problems defensively and be fighting for 3rd and 4th.
 
The manager clearly picks young players if they are good enough. The previous manager also didnt pick him much. Maybe its because he isn’t ready yet

He didnt exactly look out of place in the championship last season
Yeah he did :lol: he scored a collection of quality goals whilst producing the highest level of passing stats, ending up with PFA fan's player of the year. It took Mainoo and Garnacho over a season before they got a fair run of starts in our side, mainly due to Antony being in Brazil and Casemiro out with a long term injury, and they're incredibly talented players. We're just about getting there with Amad. He rushed Martinez and Evans back from injury, reinjuring them, and left with literally no other option before giving Kambwala a go. Then there's Kovar and Fernandez who performed well in pre-season but didn't get a chance, along with Mejbri not getting a sniff after a strong feature in the cup v Palace. It can be like getting blood from a stone with Ten Hag. If you're referring to Solskjaer then that's another can of worms. Amad scored vs Milan and then he froze him out for the rest of the season because he wanted to prove a point over needing Sancho, as Amad was chosen over him by our head scouts.
 
Of course but as with any player it depends on the value of the transfer and how much that represents of our overall budget. He isn't going to do anything to help the spine of our team which is where we're conceeding 20-30 shots a game. Antony tracks back better which is one of the areas we are extremely weak defensively. So assuming we also bought a CB and a DM who arent willing to let players run past them and get shots away yeah. If it cost our entire budget just for Olise then no, just like no right winger would be worth our entire budget. Saka wouldnt change us not being in the title race. We'd be far above the 13th top scoring side in the league, but we'd still have all our problems defensively and be fighting for 3rd and 4th.
I don’t know how he’d be able to replicate what he does in a ten Hag side, especially so with no #10 to play combination football with like he has there.

He’s a very smooth player, but that ‘one-paced’ comment made earlier was in keeping with how he is, imo. Really don’t see ten Hag or how we play football getting the best out of him.
 
Yeah he did :lol: he scored a collection of quality goals whilst producing the highest level of passing stats, ending up with PFA fan's player of the year. It took Mainoo and Garnacho over a season before they got a fair run of starts in our side, mainly due to Antony being in Brazil and Casemiro out with a long term injury, and they're incredibly talented players. We're just about getting there with Amad. He rushed Martinez and Evans back from injury, reinjuring them, and left with literally no other option before giving Kambwala a go. Then there's Kovar and Fernandez who performed well in pre-season but didn't get a chance, along with Mejbri not getting a sniff after a strong feature in the cup v Palace. It can be like getting blood from a stone with Ten Hag. If you're referring to Solskjaer then that's another can of worms. Amad scored vs Milan and then he froze him out for the rest of the season because he wanted to prove a point over needing Sancho, as Amad was chosen over him by our head scouts.
Plenty of players scored goals in the championship. He did not look out of place there
 
I don’t know how he’d be able to replicate what he does in a ten Hag side, especially so with no #10 to play combination football with like he has there.

He’s a very smooth player, but that ‘one-paced’ comment made earlier was in keeping with how he is, imo. Really don’t see ten Hag or how we play football getting the best out of him.

The best thing he does is cross a ball or switch the ball from the right to the left. Crossing the ball and trying to find the left winger in space is absolutely perfect for our team and getting the most out of Hojlund and Rashford/Garnacho on the left. Antony or whoever else is playing on the right wing gets more than enough of the ball on the side and able to come inside and play a long pass or cross, they just dont do it as well as Olise does.
 
The best thing he does is cross a ball or switch the ball from the right to the left. Crossing the ball and trying to find the left winger in space is absolutely perfect for our team and getting the most out of Hojlund and Rashford/Garnacho on the left. Antony or whoever else is playing on the right wing gets more than enough of the ball on the side and able to come inside and play a long pass or cross, they just dont do it as well as Olise does.
That’s true, but you’re reducing him some there - you can’t omit the elephant in the room in how he plays off of Eze and creates opportunities because of it. Here, he’s not getting that from Bruno, and he’d be hurriedly played along rather than deftly set up as he currently is.

Despite not having an issue with him, I don’t see how we optimise his game compared to Palace.
 
That’s true, but you’re reducing him some there - you can’t omit the elephant in the room in how he plays off of Eze and creates opportunities because of it. Here, he’s not getting that from Bruno, and he’d be hurriedly played along rather than deftly set up as he currently is.

Despite not having an issue with him, I don’t see how we optimise his game compared to Palace.

I dont know what you're worried about. He can just receive a pass from our slow buildup down the right wing, come inside and cross the ball. Someone who can do that well and has a decent target like Hojlund and Rashford should be as strikers is going to find it hard to fail to have an end product. If they arent getting on the end of good balls then we have a different problem thats on them.
 
I dont know what you're worried about. He can just receive a pass from our slow buildup down the right wing, come inside and cross the ball. Someone who can do that well and has a decent target like Hojlund and Rashford should be as strikers is going to find it hard to fail to have an end product. If they arent getting on the end of good balls then we have a different problem thats on them.
Because it’s reductive and cuts out a sizeable percentage of his current game. I do get what you’re saying, but if we are marginalising players, that begs the question of why seek that profile instead of someone who we can try and be fully expansive with?
 
Because it’s reductive and cuts out a sizeable percentage of his current game. I do get what you’re saying, but if we are marginalising players, that begs the question of why seek that profile instead of someone who we can try and be fully expansive with?

I think we can be clever when we're good at the basics. When we arent good at the basics we need to build the foundation and start from there. The current team is as dysfunctional as it comes. It doesnt work and isnt going to work by doing more of what we're doing and it certainly isnt going to start working by trying to get the players to do more complicated and specialized things when they cant do the basics like running and putting in some effort for their teammate. All we can do is get the players in who should get the most out of our best players from the past few years. If we do that and they still arent playing well its time to say they arent very good and find someone else who wants to succeed more. I cant imagine the player you're thinking of who we would sign and they would suddenly transform the team from rightwing by doing more than putting good balls in to teammates to try and finish.
 
I think we can be clever when we're good at the basics. When we arent good at the basics we need to build the foundation and start from there. The current team is as dysfunctional as it comes. It doesnt work and isnt going to work by doing more of what we're doing and it certainly isnt going to start working by trying to get the players to do more complicated and specialized things when they cant do the basics like running and putting in some effort for their teammate. All we can do is get the players in who should get the most out of our best players from the past few years. If we do that and they still arent playing well its time to say they arent very good and find someone else who wants to succeed more. I cant imagine the player you're thinking of who we would sign and they would suddenly transform the team from rightwing by doing more than putting good balls in to teammates to try and finish.
Worst thing is, your post is wholly logical. God, how far we’ve fallen. :(
 
Or you do a-lot in one window. Considering we know we are shifting out 2 attackers (Martial, Sancho) and probably 2/3 more (Greenwood, Antony, Pellistri) I think you’ll find signing 2 attacking players is a must
And I already said in the original post you quoted we should sign a winger too. Just not for £60m, or whatever Olise would cost.
 
Sancho can't even switch the play or shoot from distance well, they are not very similar
I didn’t say they were the same player, I said I get Sancho vibes from him. To specify, they are both players who play out wide, have a low motor, average pace and prefer the ball into feet as they are wide playmakers rather than forwards.
Off the ball, Olise doesn’t seem terrible but will be the first player other than Rashford you’d pick out in the forward positions for lack of work rate if he played for us.

He could be a good signing but there are clear similarities to Sancho.
In his defence, he has delivered in England and not in Germany.
And this is the reason why I’m not totally against it. Olise has shown at the very least he can keep up with PL pace and intensity which is something Sancho struggles with. Also helps his game is a bit more rounded, can take set pieces and cross.
 
Using this Eth side as a barometer to assess a potential signing isn't conclusive because the manager has proven he's not good enough for starters and even assessing the team in isolation last season the wide areas were poor with the exception of a purple patch from a hot and cold performer in Rashford.

I don't think Eth adopts an efficient system that any attacker in the market would thrive in by way of recommendation. It is the system specifically this season that has enabled the players mediocrity across the front three. So assessing the individual capabilities of the player is the better metric, you would have a winger who's one of the best young talents in the prem, can play wide on the right or transition inside. Can shoot, pass and cross very efficiently and perhaps the most pivotal element can go both in and outside the defensive fullback which makes it difficult to defend against.

Concerning the pace observations Grealish is also one-paced but like Saka (last season) they throw markers off by dropping the shoulder then running at an obtuse angle to where the defender can't recover the ball without taking out the player. So speed isn't a factor when players understand this nuance and use it intelligently. Wanting fast wingers almost feels retro being stuck in the past where the openness of the game afforded it as a necessity. Now however the games more compressed, against most league teams it's either two banks of four or everyone's pressing high so technical proficiency should be the objective of identification in the wider areas. Additionally, all the United front players have this rush of blood element and that's why none have been clinical this season. Having a player who defeats this cycle will aid the squad especially where the team are disastrous in the build-up phases of play.

Have stated it repeatedly signing Olise is a no brainer, injuries certainly are a relevant concern so the price realistically should equate for that.
 
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My concern is he’s a bit one paced. He obviously a great player but not sure he’s a who I’d want to replace Rashford in the front 3
That mahrez kid didnt have pace and he seemed to do quite well I reckon ?
 
Surely if we're to be playing as the 'dominant in possession' teams, we need to be looking away from fast wide players, as they're the type of player that counter-attacking teams use. We need players who can thread the eye-of-the-needle passes, who can make the smart runs between lines, who make defenders make mistakes in tight spaces.
I don’t think anybody wants an Adama Traore type. But if you see the top teams they all have wide players who can take their man on, use the ball well and have lots / enough physicality. Mahrez, Mane, Salah, Saka etc That's what we have to aim to get - at least in terms of skillset.
 
That mahrez kid didnt have pace and he seemed to do quite well I reckon ?
Mahrez wasn’t express fast but he had good pace. A great team also makes up for its player’s weaknesses. On first impressions, Olise looks slower / more languid / more of an AM than him. You reckon he’s as good?
 
This guy, Branthwaite, Onana, Potter, Southgate.... - I hope this is just paper/agent nonsense and not our actual player and manager targets. If they actually are, then our last XI year horror show will continue for another XI years.
 
His injury problems this season worries me, as talented as he is. Doesn't seem wise to invest a lot of money in someone like that.
 
This guy, Branthwaite, Onana, Potter, Southgate.... - I hope this is just paper/agent nonsense and not our actual player and manager targets. If they actually are, then our last XI year horror show will continue for another XI years.

Plus you'd have to question the millions outlaid for Berrada/Ashworth/Wilcox if all their expertise can come up with is Olise, Branthwaite and Onana.
 
This guy, Branthwaite, Onana, Potter, Southgate.... - I hope this is just paper/agent nonsense and not our actual player and manager targets. If they actually are, then our last XI year horror show will continue for another XI years.

Olise (and Potter) I would sort of understand in chalking it up to the gardening leave guys not being ready, maybe Onana up to just a sheer desperate need for a midfielder who can cover ground and defend a bit (would make more sense if the idea is that replacing Ten Hag isn't going to happen for another year, which I don't really favor, but if you can't get De Zerbi or Nagelsmann it would make some sense I guess as opposed to bringing in Potter or another safe hand or promising young manager like Iraola or McKenna on a 2 year deal so they can be binned if it's a disaster).

Branthwaite is the one I can't wrap my head around. Will be crazy expensive for a CB, Lisandro is here, we have other needs and he doesn't look special in terms of reading the game. Ffast, left-footed and huge are all nice enough, but he's playing fairly well for Dyche who is great with CBs and make it easy on them, it's not like I've watched him and thought he should play over Maguire for England like I have with Colwill when he was playing well. 40M, sure. 60M or 70M seems crazy.
 
Olise (and Potter) I would sort of understand in chalking it up to the gardening leave guys not being ready, maybe Onana up to just a sheer desperate need for a midfielder who can cover ground and defend a bit (would make more sense if the idea is that replacing Ten Hag isn't going to happen for another year, which I don't really favor, but if you can't get De Zerbi or Nagelsmann it would make some sense I guess as opposed to bringing in Potter or another safe hand or promising young manager like Iraola or McKenna on a 2 year deal so they can be binned if it's a disaster).

Branthwaite is the one I can't wrap my head around. Will be crazy expensive for a CB, Lisandro is here, we have other needs and he doesn't look special in terms of reading the game. Ffast, left-footed and huge are all nice enough, but he's playing fairly well for Dyche who is great with CBs and make it easy on them, it's not like I've watched him and thought he should play over Maguire for England like I have with Colwill when he was playing well. 40M, sure. 60M or 70M seems crazy.

I agree that Branthwaite doesn't seem anything special, but I think we need a CB to play on the left as Licha is not reliable. Also, I don't see many other managers using him as a CB in this league if they are planning on winning things.

If we are looking to become a technically proficient team whose goal is to keep the ball better than Onana has no place in the starting XI.
 
Why would Arsenal be interested? He plays in Sakas position

I would guess that he'd play in the role they thought Havertz would be playing before he became the centre forward. One of those 'so crazy it just might work' kinda things.
 
He is a lovely player to watch, very pleasing style but maybe there is a bit of an edge lacking to be a consistent difference maker at the top level.

He will get his chance to show he can, too talented not to.
 
Elegant player. We'd need more of his profile of player skill-wise in attacking positions if we're ever going to be a team that controls games.

However, he strikes me as possibly being a bit of a Martial/Berbatov type character where he's maybe too laid back to make the absolute most of his talents at the top level. I haven't seen enough of him to know for sure, though.
 
Potentially spending £65m on another player who has been injured for most the season terrifies me.
 
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