Why does he NEED to be replaced? His goal scoring record whilst predominantly playing out wide is very good with two exceptional seasons (a goal every other game)...two very good seasons (a goal every three games) and three normal seasons (one in four games).
During that period he often played with injury, had intense external criticism of a highly personal nature and played in a number of under-performing teams.
2015/16 - 18 games and 8 goals (0.44)
2016/17 - 53 games and 11 goals (0.21)
2017/18 - 52 games and 13 goals (0.25)
2018/19 - 47 games and 13 goals (0.28)
2019/20 - 44 games and 22 goals (0.50)
2020/21 - 57 games and 21 goals (0.37)
2021/22 - 32 games and 5 goals (0.16)
2022/23 - 56 games and 30 goals (0.54)
2023/24 - 42 games and 8 goals (0.19)
Without a doubt he has been a shadow of his former self this season with some terrible performances and question marks over his attitude. If this is a signal of things to come then I can't see him at the club for very long.
However, we don't know what is going on behind the scenes and given his unquestionable ability, his record over nine seasons, and the fact he is still only 26 years old so not yet at his peak...I'm not sure throwing away one of our best attacking performers over the years after one terrible season is a given.
Sounds very reactionary to me.
But then it's so much easier to criticise players and throw them under the bus rather than get behind them and encourage to higher success.
He absolutely needs to be replaced or become the world's highest paid bench option if we want to ever return to some semblance of glory.
His return is not good when placed in proper context to the amount of match/in-game resources we devote to him:
- He is not some traditional wide winger who defends, beats his fullback and delivers dangerous crosses all game where scoring is a bonus (think Doku). This sort of player is useful in both transition and possession oriented teams, but is somewhat out of favour in the modern game.
- Neither is he a wide playmaker who breaks set defensive lines when the opponent is set up in a low-block with either penetrative close quarters dribbling, or tight short passing interplay like Bernardo Silva or Hazard.
What he is is an out and out wide forward, in fact a wide striker with offensive responsibility to score from running in behind, cutting in, offer some degree of interplay in the buildup, and only localized defensive responsibility to press from the front.
The team invests more resources in him than the typical wide forward striker:
- Absolved of ANY defensive responsibility, allowing him to conserve energy for attack, and hang on the shoulder of the last defender in transition, often ahead of the center forward
- Chanelling a very large proportion of high-risk passes to him over the right wing, or prioritising slower, meticulous build up in the mid field (Bruno has proclivity for this)
- Allowing him to engage in selfish actions to boost his stats instead of the statistically efficient option
In return he:
- Offers nothing in the buildup except constant turnovers of possession through poor passing, dribbling and decision making.
- Offers 0 defensively
- Offers a moderate return in goals overall, but is actually a very streaky in practice
Such wide forwards/strikers are required to produce prolifically not have "good numbers for a winger".
