Chelsea surely.
Viktor Gyökeres - Sporting Striker
- Thread starter Paolo Di Canio
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) look forward to a new life under Ruben Amorim. What system will we be playing? What players will impress? and how will it all go? We also say goodbye to Ruud Van Nistelrooy and review United's 3-0 win at home against Leicester City.
Think this is a great point. Many point to the quality of league he's playing in and say it's a big gamble, but who are the alternatives, who wouldn't be a gamble currently? It's not like the market is awash with centre forwards, most clubs are struggling to get one.
Let us just buy Sesko....anyone with an eye for talent can see this guy is going to be a star so hopefully we get him before he takes off.
If my memory serves he wasn't quite a one goal a game striker Till his second Bayern season and wasn't he by then 25?
He didn't join Bayern until he was 26. He scored more goals at Bayern because they were a much better team than Dortmund. But he still scored over 100 goals at Borussia in 4 seasons.
If we are talking about late bloomers from other leagues, would a better comparison not be someone like Didier Drogba who was still playing in Ligue 2 aged 23 and didn't join Chelsea until he was 26?
Relatively. He wasn't considered an absolutely top-tier talent (when compared to the players he ended up competing with) during his youth days, he only left for a big league at the age of 22 and wasn't even a starter there until Barrios got injured. After that he went from strength to strength. That's not quite a usual path for a potentially world-class striker who usually gain the superstar status very early on (even if they often don't score at the rate of an actual world-class striker yet). Kane was almost the same, I'd say, before his break-through season at what, 21-22?
Real late bloomers are the guys like Vardy, of course, but he's an absolute outlier. Drogba too out of the more mainstream ones.
I stand corrected.
Yeah, him and Luca toni are better examples.
Vardy is on the extreme end as well.
That's my take also. I think a lot of people are underrating Hojlund. Or perhaps I'm the one overrating him because I see ridiculous potential in him. He's definitely worth as much faith as any flavor of the month. Spending top money on Gyokeres would be a huge gamble that I'd be really happy to avoid.
Exactly, there are probably countless examples.
Just because he developed a bit later doesn't make him a shit player. He's developed now, who cares if it took him a couple of extra years.
People are looking at him like he's Darwin Nunez but he couldn't be further from that.
I think people are also comparing him in the wrong manner. We shouldn't really be comparing him to the Lewa and Kanes of the world who are of the generation before but be stacking him up against those of his generation like Haaland et al. In his, he's one of the leading people in it. That may signal that this era suffers from a dearth of top quality strikers which many think is the case but shouldn't be lumped as a criticism of Vikky.
He actually reminds me of Kane the way he finishes with both feet so well. Like an early Kane with a bit more pace.
I just don't see us signing this guy after spending so much on strikers already, he'll cost a fortune.
Not sure, I’m struggling to find the article now.
Been said about a million players who didnt do a lot in the end
Sesko ticks most boxes for a forward, but the most important thing especially to us would be goalscoring and he still has plenty to prove with that
Gyokeres still has to prove something too, he scores for fun in Portugal but is it the same in a top league or the champions league? We'll see. But hes much more of a sure thing for now with Sesko being more in the same category as Hojlund when we signed him
When we did so ETH stressed th importance of a proven goalscorer and in the end we settled for someone we hoped would develop into that. Gyokeres would be the more proven option here and Sesko the prospect. A year and a half on and we're still making the same choice with the same problem, so lets not do it again and risk having the same problem in 2 years.
He'll cost what top strikers cost yeah, but thats probably why we will try to sign him. We've spent on players we hoped would get to his level rather than the players already there. And we have a fair few young players so having someone coming into their prime thats doing well woulkd be beneficial rather than another youngster to bed in. Doesnt really help the other youngsters that way
One of the topics where fans were exasperated with Amorim's stubbornness was precisely the striker/center forward position.
In the first years, Sporting only had Paulinho for that position, a player that would miss too many goals. Also, having only one player for that position for a whole season was too risky, the fans thought.
But Amorim was really stubborn. He would only hire a player for that position if it fit precisely his criteria and didn't think he needed more than one player for that position. If Paulinho wasn't available, he would use what he called a "mobile attack". Basically Pote, Pablo Sarabia, Trincão, Edwards, etc (mobile forwards, wingers) would be the forward 3, with no one fixed to the striker/center position.
Paulinho missed too many opportunities, but no one could deny his work rate: help a lot to defend and was reasonable going back and do linked play with the team mates. He was a team player and followed Amorim's instructions to the best of his ability.
So, that's why I think Amorim's priority won't be the striker/center forward position. I think there are other positions more vital for his system and dynamics. And his previous record on the striker/center forward matter.
That being said, Gyokeres was a game changer for Amorim and Sporting, maybe Ruben now finally recognizes the importance of a goalscoring and disruptive center forward (and Gyokeres could play in any position in the forward 3, he's not the typical striker, he's very mobile and with lots of stamina and good technique, that I think that's not praised enough because his power, strength, acceleration and goals outshine everything else).
Gyokeres won't be moving mid season, which I think is a great opportunity for Hojlund. He'll get this season to showcase what he can do. I'm confident his rate of scoring will massively improve in Amorim's system.
Gyokeres is clearly the superior talent right now, but if Hojlund can display similar attributes, it might allow us to use that €100m elsewhere. I'd still love to sign Gyokeres though, and would prevent him from going to another PL rival.
Gyokeres is clearly the superior talent right now, but if Hojlund can display similar attributes, it might allow us to use that €100m elsewhere. I'd still love to sign Gyokeres though, and would prevent him from going to another PL rival.
We don't need him. I reckon Hojlund is going to be brilliant under Amorim.
My thoughts exactly. We've got nearly 9 months to see him develop some more under Amorim. Gyokeres could be available in the summer for 60-70 million euros and honestly as you say I'd be terrified of him going to someone like Arsenal or Liverpool. He would fecking smash it there.
In the summer he will be 27 and pretty much the finished article. Fully expect him to go to an elite club and if its deemed we need a striker at that point we'd be silly not to consider him heavily.
He's 26
And?
He's not a talent. What you buy is likely what you get. That doesn't have to be bad, but it's just comparing apples to oranges
So we're not allowed to compare the current ability of players of different ages or are you just being pedantic over the use of the word 'talent'?
Signing him is basically writing off Hojlund, given his price. At least if he was 30 or something it wouldn't be as bad. Hopefully we see more goals from Hojlund in Amorim's system and don't need to do it.
A Swedish striker, a Danish striker. What's next, a Canadian LB?
Seeing lot's of mentions about Hojlund in comparing the two but aside respective ages they are two completely different types of strikers.
The best version of Hojlund would be something reminiscent of a prime Vardy and the best of Gyokeres is similar (not the same) to Benzema when he was at Lyon. A very technical player who can drop off to aid building the attack and has the physicality to be imposing while being very clinical.
So systematically if Amorim's teams play passes into the striker Hojlund will struggle but if passes are played into spaces for him to run into then he'll get plenty of service.
The best version of Hojlund would be something reminiscent of a prime Vardy and the best of Gyokeres is similar (not the same) to Benzema when he was at Lyon. A very technical player who can drop off to aid building the attack and has the physicality to be imposing while being very clinical.
So systematically if Amorim's teams play passes into the striker Hojlund will struggle but if passes are played into spaces for him to run into then he'll get plenty of service.
Its not though is it. He's still young and if you want competition for a top striker it will probably cost quite a lot. The problem is we dont have that top striker. Gyokeres with Hojlund trying to compete with him would solve that
I dont see this personally. I think technically he's similar to Ruud. However he's faster and loves to run at players which was more of an Henry thing. Loves to pull onto the left in a one on one and take players on then come inside and finish with his right. I see him as effective rather than technical. There are loads of strikers more technical but without the same drive, hunger for goals or ability to stick it in the net and his technique is good enough, especially his finishing, that he doesnt need top tier ball control and technical skills outside of that. He can turn, he can run with the ball and he has good technique in his finishing.
Is it just me or does he almost look like he's a little overweight? He is very, very quick, so I googled to see if there was a picture of his physique and he's an absolute tank. Has he had any Van De Ven type hamstring issues?
Maybe you both do, post a pic so we can vote.
It would obviously be a great situation for us, but one of them would probably be gone in a few years. Not necessarily a bad thing if it's for good money after them playing very well.
That's VERY impressive considering the frame and how often he sprints. plus, he played in the championship, probably took a lot of rough treatment at times.
No need for a pic
I've been looking more and he actually had a few months out over the summer for a operation on his knee.
Wasn't even fully fit last season
If I remember correctly he was injured for a bit last year but he came back and it was business as usual.