Sekou Kone

That game seemed like his "ah ha" moment, when a young player, new to this league and level, plays a game where they realise how to properly approach it. He knows the intensity, graft, timing, strength and movement needed to be effective in the English game. Now he has a baseline to work off as his minimum performance level to make the step up. It'll take time, same as it did when Caicedo came over. I think he's got it though, just need to let him develop.

Thinking of Caicedo with this transfer. He looked well off it playing against our u21s, but moments. He was playing first team the next year. Not saying that Kone's development will be the same but people need to settle.
 
Looks really promising, seems to have all the tools to make it at a high level.
Just needs time to keep growing and learning.
Preseason tour in the summer might not be unrealistic
 
Mate, where are the over reactions? Even the most optimistic post on him says he needs 12-18 months which is a fair enough observation.

Im criticising the posts writing him off, not the optimistic ones.
 
Who said anything about tonight's game? Im criticising all the stupidly negative posts in recent weeks about him

Ah right. It's just that you've posted right after the game along with the comments about his performance in that game. So it looks like you're talking about those comments.

But having said that I'm not seeing in general where all the negative comments are either. Who is writing him off? I think I've seen one poster say "I'm not seeing it yet."

I think it's yourself being a bit dramatic maybe?
 
Seems like he's improving his fitness and physicality and his latest outing looked quite impressive. He's the type of player that I hope will develop into a first team player because he's the type of player we do lack. I think most of the midfielders in the first team midfield are expendable and any midfielder who lacks a progressive passing game shouldn't last in the midfield too long or we'll carry on struggling and being one dimensional.

I really liked what I saw from young Kone in yesterday's game and hopefully he can get to grips with the physical and athletic demands of the game in England because he sure does seem a very good young prospect.
 
Ah right. It's just that you've posted right after the game along with the comments about his performance in that game. So it looks like you're talking about those comments.

But having said that I'm not seeing in general where all the negative comments are either. Who is writing him off? I think I've seen one poster say "I'm not seeing it yet."

I think it's yourself being a bit dramatic maybe?

No the thread has plenty of he should go to first team or he doesn't have it extremes. It's all over reacting regarding a youth player.
Not seen anything so far to suggest Kone has a higher ceiling.

Calling it now. Kone will play for the first team in matter of a few weeks. Most of your current senior CMs lack of physicality (Eriksen, Casemiro) or technically (Ugarte). Seems like Kone has both, just a bit raw but I believe Aromin will try him soon.

Sounds miles off being at the levels for u21s, think he'll likely be with them until next Jan, then possibly a loan for the remainder of the season and re-evaluate.

And that. Was that.

Muppetiers have been saying for ages that Sekou Kone is a player that INEOS hope will be first team squad next season, yet the reality seems to be that he is miles away, based on what little I've seen so far and those comments from Travis Binnion don't hint at a quick promotion.

He may be PL standard eventually but I'm struggling to see why he would be PL quality as a teen or even very early 20s. He will be 19 in a few days.

Just from a few seconds. In any case you misread my post, a simple mistake, not much more for you to argue about
 
No the thread has plenty of he should go to first team or he doesn't have it extremes. It's all over reacting regarding a youth player.









Just from a few seconds. In any case you misread my post, a simple mistake, not much more for you to argue about
How was what I wrote writing him off?
 
No the thread has plenty of he should go to first team or he doesn't have it extremes. It's all over reacting regarding a youth player.









Just from a few seconds. In any case you misread my post, a simple mistake, not much more for you to argue about
I don't see how my comment was overreacting, given the manager himself said he needs to build up his fitness, match sharpness and get used to playing with his teammates?
 
Thinking of Caicedo with this transfer. He looked well off it playing against our u21s, but moments. He was playing first team the next year. Not saying that Kone's development will be the same but people need to settle.
He went to Belgium for a stint didnt he, then played about 10 games for Brighton on his return. The next season he exploded for them. I think with Caicedo, he was just ready made for the English league, just needed the initial settling in period and he took to it like a duck to water when he came back from Belgium. I don't think he played too many games for their U21's really though. Some players are just ready to step up, I don't think Kone is at that level. But he's 5 years younger than Caicedo and 12 months growth can do a lot for that type of player.
 
I don't see how my comment was overreacting, given the manager himself said he needs to build up his fitness, match sharpness and get used to playing with his teammates?

Im contrasting the range where one poster says hell be in first team soon, and another, in your case, says hes miles off the under 21s. For what it's worth I agree with you, but my overall point is that with these young players literally all we can do is wait and see. We have seen it all before and nobody is ever a sure thing or a sure fail. Patience and caution is the only way to approach young players
 
Im contrasting the range where one poster says hell be in first team soon, and another, in your case, says hes miles off the under 21s. For what it's worth I agree with you, but my overall point is that with these young players literally all we can do is wait and see. We have seen it all before and nobody is ever a sure thing or a sure fail. Patience and caution is the only way to approach young players
Kone is definitely not miles off the under 21's. That's just silly. We are short on midfielders and with Eriksen leaving in the Summer, (Casemiro too hopefully), he's well worth bringing on tour and assessing him. From there we can decide whether to keep him in the under 21's for another season, send him out on loan, or bring him into the first team squad and give him a handful of appearances.
 
Im contrasting the range where one poster says hell be in first team soon, and another, in your case, says hes miles off the under 21s. For what it's worth I agree with you, but my overall point is that with these young players literally all we can do is wait and see. We have seen it all before and nobody is ever a sure thing or a sure fail. Patience and caution is the only way to approach young players
I agree with patience and caution, it's best to not get carried away with them too early.

Kone is definitely not miles off the under 21's. That's just silly. We are short on midfielders and with Eriksen leaving in the Summer, (Casemiro too hopefully), he's well worth bringing on tour and assessing him. From there we can decide whether to keep him in the under 21's for another season, send him out on loan, or bring him into the first team squad and give him a handful of appearances.
He is from a fitness and sharpness point of view, even the manager says it. He's a kid who needs to get used to the intensity of the training and u21 matches, before being promoted to the first team.
 
He is from a fitness and sharpness point of view, even the manager says it. He's a kid who needs to get used to the intensity of the training and u21 matches, before being promoted to the first team.
It's just a case of playing regularly, that's all. It doesn't take long to get up to speed. He was one of their best performers last night.
 
It's just a case of playing regularly, that's all. It doesn't take long to get up to speed. He was one of their best performers last night.
I think his conditioning will need to improve a bit. I tend to think the United academy lads veer on the waif-side of things but he looks particularly scrawny. Nothing I don't imagine a good pre-season and a year of Carrington's nutrition won't fix.
 
as usual we think a guy is either going to be the GOAT, or a complete waste of time based on a couple of games. More examples of shortermism, which seems to be rife on this forum. The various coaches are there for a reason - they are good at their jobs, otherwise most of this forum would be football coaches, and I am sure they will be watching Kone's progress. He is certainly promising but how many times have we seen promising youngsters simply not move up that next rung? Equally we have seen kids failing to set the world alight, and yet suddenly blossom at a later date. To predict whether these kids will make it is foolish. let's just enjoy them while we can, follow their progress and quit denigrating (or over-hyping) them
 
I think his conditioning will need to improve a bit. I tend to think the United academy lads veer on the waif-side of things but he looks particularly scrawny. Nothing I don't imagine a good pre-season and a year of Carrington's nutrition won't fix.
In terms of being first team ready, sure. Not in terms of his readiness for under 21 level football. He will fill out naturally. Just depends on whether the coaches deem him to be ready for the first team next season or if he'll require an extra year.
 
In terms of being first team ready, sure. Not in terms of his readiness for under 21 level football. He will fill out naturally. Just depends on whether the coaches deem him to be ready for the first team next season or if he'll require an extra year.
Yeah, to be clear I was talking about for first team involvement. :+1:
 
An aspect of his play I liked that lead to the third goal was the energy to press high and actually win the ball. This was in the 81st minute too. I’m sure the manager will give a few youngsters a chance in pre season and his in the frame with 5 to 6 for me.
 
Injuries permitting, I think he’ll be a real player. Long term, I would back him to be a part of our regular midfield more than Mainoo. He covers the ground so much better. That said, I would love to see them together in a traditional trio with one more.
 
I feel he's starting to settle well in U21 and could be fast tracked from next season if not being loaned out.
He's potential starting XI as box-to-box midfield in the long term.
If we can pair him with Carlos Baleba or Elliot Anderson, the midfield two will look quite solid.
 
I feel he's starting to settle well in U21 and could be fast tracked from next season if not being loaned out.
He's potential starting XI as box-to-box midfield in the long term.
If we can pair him with Carlos Baleba or Elliot Anderson, the midfield two will look quite solid.

Pairing him with Manuel Ugarte will probably do tbh, in terms of profile that should be enough midfield stability.
 
Pairing him with Manuel Ugarte will probably do tbh, in terms of profile that should be enough midfield stability.

Why would we need 2 DMs though in most games? On the face of it Mainoo would be the right balance next to him, along with Bruno or somebody to take responsibility for creative passing.
 
Why would we need 2 DMs though in most games? On the face of it Mainoo would be the right balance next to him, along with Bruno or somebody to take responsibility for creative passing.
Depends on your definition of DM I guess. And for several years, we could have used more defensive solidity in the centre I would say. Starting from there would allow us to be more front-footed. Hard to dominate a game when you are constantly struggling to keep the wolves at bay! As I said, there would likely be a midfield 3, but Mainoo is not the right balance with anyone in a midfield two at the moment.
 
Looks class—versatile enough to operate as a deep-lying playmaker in the No. 6 role or as a dynamic box-to-box No. 8.

Do we think he'd be ready for the first team next season?
 
Pairing him with Manuel Ugarte will probably do tbh, in terms of profile that should be enough midfield stability.
If we go into a league campaign with that midfield, we will absolutely be in the same league position as we are this year. Think there's a misconception that Ugarte has been good for us because of his performance in the bigger games as Fred and McTominay often performed well in but in most games he's a net negative because of his inability to punch through lines on a consistent basis or do anything really in possession.

Kone, while he looks promising, is very unlikely to be above league average in his first year. We probably need two midfielders but at least one of them needs to be a real needle mover because our midfield is getting pulverised by relegation candidates at this point. We also need goals from midfield which no midfielder bar Bruno seems capable of scoring.
 
Gee, he looked good and so much in his bag of talent.
 
From what I have seen of him, he was very progressive in his play and is always looking up for a pass. He gets caught out certain times but is generally good enough to twist and turn to pay it forward. Good signs for the future. Does look very slight in build so hopefully the gym routine that we have put him on allows him to develop physically.
 
looks quick, and physically imposing at that level

very raw though, needs a good run of games in the u21s or maybe a loan

promising signing
 
Looks class—versatile enough to operate as a deep-lying playmaker in the No. 6 role or as a dynamic box-to-box No. 8.

Do we think he'd be ready for the first team next season?
Probably needs a loan out for a season first. Maybe to the championship as that’s also a physical league. Bit similar to Amad.