Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Smirker on August 05, 2025, 07:29:02 PM
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It's been here we go'd.
If it doesn't happen I'll take a permaban.
WELCOME TO THE VILLA.
8)
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Too many assists Smirker.
Very interesting, sounds promising in terms of profile.
Who have we managed to shift then? It’s a pretty substantial fee when we have the UEFA restrictions.
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Good lord, it looks like we’re signing someone…
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Too many assists Smirker.
Very interesting, sounds promising in terms of profile.
Who have we managed to shift then? It’s a pretty substantial fee when we have the UEFA restrictions.
I reckon Bailey will be the first departure for decent money that shoots off.
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Good lord, it looks like we’re signing someone…
Good Evanns, Shirley?
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Watching the clips he has quite a lot in common with Morgan in terms of running style, strength and technique.
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12 goals from 32 games last season and Nice finished 4th . Not bad .
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Watkins off?
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Watkins off?
More likely a replacement for Bailey, so Leon off?
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He looks like a centre forward to me, 6ft 2 - I wonder if his eyes are blue?
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He looks like a centre forward to me, 6ft 2 - I wonder if his eyes are blue?
Evann Guessand's after you...
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Never heard of him before, but been told he’s good on FM which will do for me :)
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He looks like a centre forward to me, 6ft 2 - I wonder if his eyes are blue?
He isn’t. He can play there, but he is more of an “inside forward”.
https://breakingthelines.com/player-analysis/evann-guessand-striker-winger-or-a-hybrid-forward/ (https://breakingthelines.com/player-analysis/evann-guessand-striker-winger-or-a-hybrid-forward/)
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I remember seeing a link to him in January so I watched his youtube vids and, for me, he's exactly what we need. Him and Rogers out wide and then Ollie and Asensio at 9 and 10 is a scary looking attack, and then you have players like Malen, Ramsey and McGinn fitting in around them, I reckon teams would be fucking terrified of us.
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Welcome to the Villa.
Help win us something and shut sundry family members up!
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Takes penalties too!
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I remember seeing a link to him in January so I watched his youtube vids and, for me, he's exactly what we need. Him and Rogers out wide and then Ollie and Asensio at 9 and 10 is a scary looking attack, and then you have players like Malen, Ramsey and McGinn fitting in around them, I reckon teams would be fucking terrified of us.
Love that Paul….bit of positivity we need
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I remember seeing a link to him in January so I watched his youtube vids and, for me, he's exactly what we need. Him and Rogers out wide and then Ollie and Asensio at 9 and 10 is a scary looking attack, and then you have players like Malen, Ramsey and McGinn fitting in around them, I reckon teams would be fucking terrified of us.
Love that Paul….bit of positivity we need
This makes me very, very excited :)
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His show reel looks fantastic but I've never heard of him
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Good feel to this signing .
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I remember seeing a link to him in January so I watched his youtube vids and, for me, he's exactly what we need. Him and Rogers out wide and then Ollie and Asensio at 9 and 10 is a scary looking attack, and then you have players like Malen, Ramsey and McGinn fitting in around them, I reckon teams would be fucking terrified of us.
Love that Paul….bit of positivity we need
Isn’t the problem with that the lack of Asensio? Great vision, though. Just hope we can make it happen.
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Some journos suggesting it's an initial payment of 22 million pounds.
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It is a very low bar to improve on what Bailey was producing last season.
Can play as CF if needed so looks a good pick up to me.
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It is a very low bar to improve on what Bailey was producing last season.
Can play as CF if needed so looks a good pick up to me.
Anything better then 5 goal contributions will be a positive over Bailey.
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Isnt he fairly similar to Malen?
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Apart from the 2 foot height difference.
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Isnt he fairly similar to Malen?
Not physically , plus he can play central and left too
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Isnt he fairly similar to Malen?
He’s much taller, more skilful and likes to take players on.
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Apart from playing left, right or central is also something Malen has done at other clubs in the past. So just the apparent physicality.
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Malen
Rogers
Guessand
Decent forward options.
Ramsey if he can get some consistency again. Reckon he might be off though.
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Definitely need to get others chipping in to help Watkins, given he scored or assisted 50% of our goals in the league last season.
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Still very unfair that the league decided not to count any of the goals we scored from his assists.
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Evann 'elp us.
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Still very unfair that the league decided not to count any of the goals we scored from his assists.
Unfortunately, as has always been the case, goals scored by a striker count as 2, assists by a striker are -1. Rules are rules.
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I remember seeing a link to him in January so I watched his youtube vids and, for me, he's exactly what we need. Him and Rogers out wide and then Ollie and Asensio at 9 and 10 is a scary looking attack, and then you have players like Malen, Ramsey and McGinn fitting in around them, I reckon teams would be fucking terrified of us.
Love that Paul….bit of positivity we need
Isn’t the problem with that the lack of Asensio? Great vision, though. Just hope we can make it happen.
Well this guy hasn't signed yet either but I think he will and I reckon Asensio will join in again in a couple of weeks, unless someone else comes in for him in the meantime. I've had a feeling all summer he'd be back for another year on loan.
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Ramsey if he can get some consistency again. Reckon he might be off though.
certainly hope not . Bailey can go
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Sounds like a good bit of business. On my birthday too. Hope he signs and is brilliant for us. Good to have another attacking option.
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^^ Happy birthday Steve.
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No idea if this is good or not.
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Sounds like a good bit of business. On my birthday too. Hope he signs and is brilliant for us. Good to have another attacking option.
through the middle or down the left .
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Wonder if we are going 3-4-3? Can’t beat them so join them
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Ramsey if he can get some consistency again. Reckon he might be off though.
certainly hope not . Bailey can go
West Ham fan at work suggested they were after Ramsey (he said a swap for Paqueta) but I’ve no idea whether their ITK is as solid as ours…
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Sounds like a good bit of business. On my birthday too. Hope he signs and is brilliant for us. Good to have another attacking option.
Wish you a very happy 58th birthday Mr.
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^^ Happy birthday Steve.
Thanks Perce!
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Sounds like a good bit of business. On my birthday too. Hope he signs and is brilliant for us. Good to have another attacking option.
Wish you a very happy 58th birthday Mr.
Thank Aftab, very kind of you.
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Just hoping Small Heath don't try to hijack the deal.
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Wonder if we are going 3-4-3? Can’t beat them so join them
Dibu
Konsa Tyrone Pau
Cash Bouba Youri Digne
Rogers Ollie Jacob
Subs
Bizot Gauci
Garcia, Bogarde, Moreno, Maatsen
Onana McGinn Buendia
Illing-Junior, Jimoh-Aloba, Malen, Guessand
Fully expect some of the subs to be loaned/sold/replaced
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As I said from the start - a totally different option from Malen.
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Wonder if we are going 3-4-3? Can’t beat them so join them
Dibu
Konsa Tyrone Pau
Cash Bouba Youri Digne
Rogers Ollie Jacob
Subs
Bizot Gauci
Garcia, Bogarde, Moreno, Maatsen
Onana McGinn Buendia
Illing-Junior, Jimoh-Aloba, Malen, Guessand
Fully expect some of the subs to be loaned/sold/replaced
That back 3 would be catastrophic I fear. Digne and Cash would be rotten in that setup too. Just no
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Wonder if we are going 3-4-3?
I was having a pleasant evening.
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Wonder if we are going 3-4-3? Can’t beat them so join them
Dibu
Konsa Tyrone Pau
Cash Bouba Youri Digne
Rogers Ollie Jacob
Subs
Bizot Gauci
Garcia, Bogarde, Moreno, Maatsen
Onana McGinn Buendia
Illing-Junior, Jimoh-Aloba, Malen, Guessand
Fully expect some of the subs to be loaned/sold/replaced
That back 3 would be catastrophic I fear. Digne and Cash would be rotten in that setup too. Just no
Agree, relegation candidates if we put that out every week.
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Wonder if we are going 3-4-3? Can’t beat them so join them
Dibu
Konsa Tyrone Pau
Cash Bouba Youri Digne
Rogers Ollie Jacob
Subs
Bizot Gauci
Garcia, Bogarde, Moreno, Maatsen
Onana McGinn Buendia
Illing-Junior, Jimoh-Aloba, Malen, Guessand
Fully expect some of the subs to be loaned/sold/replaced
That back 3 would be catastrophic I fear. Digne and Cash would be rotten in that setup too. Just no
Agree, relegation candidates if we put that out every week.
The last time Emery tried it, might have even been the first time, was away at Palace last season. Emery lost his mind that night, looked as if the players had no idea where they were meant to be playing. Including poor old Bailey on at RWB. Bogarde was torched on the left of a three including Konsa and Disasi! It was the most random team selection I recall Emery ever making, Mings left on the bench too.
Wembley and Old Trafford were awful but that display at Selhurst Park was surely our very worst under Emery. 4-1 was very flattering.
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Happy 67h Steve.
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Happy 67h Steve.
Thank you. Up the Villa!!
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she reminds me a bit of Adebayor 🤔
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she reminds me a bit of Adebayor 🤔
A milestone, our first gender-fluid player.
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she reminds me a bit of Adebayor 🤔
A milestone, our first gender-fluid player.
Whoops yes he , sorry
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Evann Almighty?
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Happy 67h Steve.
Harsh, he might look 67 but he's only 58!
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Happy Birthday Steve.
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I hope for SE and CD's sakes that he's made of steel, not glass. https://x.com/NumbToLosing/status/1928064930499932382
They've never been quite the same since Bertie left.
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A touch of the Eze about him
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He looks very quick and skilful and can finish. Some good assists as well.
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I know Im not calling it well - but I cant see any actual links to him
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A touch of the Eze about him
Is that why Palace were looking at him?
Replacement?
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I know Im not calling it well - but I cant see any actual links to him
The BBC, The Athletic, Fabrizio Romano have all said it’s done.
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I hope for SE and CD's sakes that he's made of steel, not glass. https://x.com/NumbToLosing/status/1928064930499932382
They've never been quite the same since Bertie left.
Oof!
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I'm not sure I'm ready to give my heart to another just yet.
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Let’s hope he is as great as pre injury Jimmy Danger. The only other Côte d'Ivoire player in our history*
*nerds might point out that Dane Jores Okore could count as he was born there and has dual citizenship.
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I hope he’s better than that.
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Kodjia was such a frustrating player.
Sgnificant talent, but with absolutely no conception of the fact that sometimes, it makes sense to give the ball to a team mate.
The opposite of Watkins in that sense.
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He was but he was also outrageous by way of the types of goals he scored. A poor man’s Benteke in a sense that he had it all but there were times he’d try to do too much himself. The injury ruined him.
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I remember seeing a link to him in January so I watched his youtube vids and, for me, he's exactly what we need.
[…]
From the highlights I’ve seen, he does that quick ‘receive and turn’ thing that Kamara and Tielemans do in midfield, and has a burst of acceleration to go past defenders ( like Ramsay when he’s in form).
Quite looking forward about seeing him in our team as it appears to show a coherent plan in squad building - he’s well suited to the right or left role bursting into the space between opposition CB and FB. Seems like that would match up well with Ollie in the middle and overlapping full backs giving width.
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What the Bejesus, an actual new signing!
Quite a ride this window is turning into.
Evann on paper/film looks good, better than that other Evan we were being linked with a couple of windows back.
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Looks like a Diaby replacement to me. We need the likes of this guy, Watkins and Malen to stretch teams especially when we're under the pump in away games. I'd expect him to be a high impact sub to begin with.
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I hope he’s better than that.
I was going to say - I liked Kodjia, but even pre-injury I hope this guy is a different level. Kodjia was a good player in the Championship.
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Never heard of the guy until last night - hopefully he will be brilliant for us
It will be interesting to see where Unai plays him in the team
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Never heard of him, although looks flip hot.
AFCON this season isn’t it?
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He looks a top player.
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Would this leave Malen out in the cold?
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Would this leave Malen out in the cold?
I don't think so, need all the options we can get.
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Never heard of him, although looks flip hot.
AFCON this season isn’t it?
Only downside yes. Although we aren't the worse affected for that.
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Would this leave Malen out in the cold?
I don't think so, need all the options we can get.
And as we have seen with Malen, Guessand will need to earn his spot. Based on what we have seen in pre season Malen will start on the right.
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And I like Malen on the right, has a kind of bustling-towards-goal thing going on. Plus he seems to be able to shoot a crosscourt forehand into the far corner like it's easy.
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He looks a fine player, really exciting and Im glad he looks like coming. But as it looks likely that he's be the only big money buy, I'm a little surprised we are spending our budget on a player who looks so similar to JJ and Rogers in style. I thought we might go for a more natural '10' or a rapid right winger.
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Have we loaned him out yet?
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He was but he was also outrageous by way of the types of goals he scored. A poor man’s Benteke in a sense that he had it all but there were times he’d try to do too much himself. The injury ruined him.
What the Bejesus, an actual new signing!
Quite a ride this window is turning into.
Evann on paper/film looks good, better than that other Evan we were being linked with a couple of windows back.
Johnny?
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But as it looks likely that he's be the only big money buy, I'm a little surprised we are spending our budget on a player who looks so similar to JJ and Rogers in style
This time yesterday the consensus was that we weren't making any "big money buys".
So it seems a little premature to decide that this is now it.
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He was but he was also outrageous by way of the types of goals he scored. A poor man’s Benteke in a sense that he had it all but there were times he’d try to do too much himself. The injury ruined him.
What the Bejesus, an actual new signing!
Quite a ride this window is turning into.
Evann on paper/film looks good, better than that other Evan we were being linked with a couple of windows back.
Johnny?
We're sorry, wontcha' come on home.
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He was but he was also outrageous by way of the types of goals he scored. A poor man’s Benteke in a sense that he had it all but there were times he’d try to do too much himself. The injury ruined him.
What the Bejesus, an actual new signing!
Quite a ride this window is turning into.
Evann on paper/film looks good, better than that other Evan we were being linked with a couple of windows back.
Johnny?
We're sorry, wontcha' come on home.
Remember me
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Evann Guessand turned down a 4 year contract worth €34.4m at Saudi club Neom SC in favour of his sporting career — he chose to join Unai Emery’s project at Aston Villa.
@lequipe
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Fair play to him, Neom isn't a project I'd choose to be involved with.
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Talking of Neom, The Line project being worked on is apparently the section that contains the football stadium that will be perched 100metres high and needs to be ready for the CWC/WC in '31/32
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I know Im not calling it well - but I cant see any actual links to him
The BBC, The Athletic, Fabrizio Romano have all said it’s done.
I'm surprised that had any space or time to report this with the Sesko transfer.
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I wonder if it will be a slow integration like Maatsen, Malen and Garcia. Maybe we will only see a bit of him next season. It seems to be Unai’s way
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He was but he was also outrageous by way of the types of goals he scored. A poor man’s Benteke in a sense that he had it all but there were times he’d try to do too much himself. The injury ruined him.
What the Bejesus, an actual new signing!
Quite a ride this window is turning into.
Evann on paper/film looks good, better than that other Evan we were being linked with a couple of windows back.
Johnny?
We're sorry, wontcha' come on home.
Remember me
Ferguson. Of Drogheda via the Hove. Shuffled out on loan at, er, today's opponents it seems.
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I wonder if it will be a slow integration like Maatsen, Malen and Garcia. Maybe we will only see a bit of him next season. It seems to be Unai’s way
On the other hand you have Morgan Rogers.
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I wouldn't have thought so. He won't start vs the Geordies, but will get some time off the bench, I reckon.
Particularly if Bailey is off.
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But as it looks likely that he's be the only big money buy, I'm a little surprised we are spending our budget on a player who looks so similar to JJ and Rogers in style
This time yesterday the consensus was that we weren't making any "big money buys".
So it seems a little premature to decide that this is now it.
Well possibly but there appears to be a distinct lack of noise about incomings.
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There wasn't any noise about this fella until we were about to sign him. We're not sha, we do things rather than just talk about it.
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But as it looks likely that he's be the only big money buy, I'm a little surprised we are spending our budget on a player who looks so similar to JJ and Rogers in style
This time yesterday the consensus was that we weren't making any "big money buys".
So it seems a little premature to decide that this is now it.
Well possibly but there appears to be a distinct lack of noise about incomings.
There was a distinct lack of noise about us signing Guessand, until it suddenly turned out we were.
Who's to say there isn't a centre-back and winger version happening too?
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There might be, but agents seem to leak the stories of interest to drive the price, and there haven't been any other than this one have there?
I read about our interest in this fella last week so its not completely out of the blue.
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I can’t help but think Gestede when I hear his name. Hope he’s far better than how he turned out to be.
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I keep thinking Plastic Bertrand
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Diaby turned down Saudi to join us, we all know how that turned out. Guessard will probably be loaned out for the season and sold on for a profit before 30th June next year.
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I can’t help but think Gestede when I hear his name. Hope he’s far better than how he turned out to be.
I knew nothing about him until yesterday, but that is a seriously low bar to clear. I control the ball better than Rudy could.
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Diaby turned down Saudi to join us, we all know how that turned out. Guessard will probably be loaned out for the season and sold on for a profit before 30th June next year.
I thought it turned out ok? We had a decent first (and only) season with good numbers for goals and assists and we made a profit?
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Diaby turned down Saudi to join us, we all know how that turned out. Guessard will probably be loaned out for the season and sold on for a profit before 30th June next year.
Pretty well as I remember. He was decent, not amazing, we qualified for the Champions League and then sold him on for a bit of a profit
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I’ld be happy to have Diaby back. His pace is exactly what the team needs
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Diaby turned down Saudi to join us, we all know how that turned out. Guessard will probably be loaned out for the season and sold on for a profit before 30th June next year.
Pretty well as I remember. He was decent, not amazing, we qualified for the Champions League and then sold him on for a bit of a profit
It was evident from the January onwards that Diaby didn't want to be here. We did well to make a profit.
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I’d be delighted if he spends one season with us, scores a few goals, we get into champions league, and we sell him for a decent profit. 😀
I’ll be even happier if that sale happens after several seasons if it.
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Birmingham Airport has closed until at least 6pm today after a private aircraft heading to Belfast was forced to make an emergency landing.
Hope he got here earlier.
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Each time I come to Villa Park
To watch the Villa play
I stand up on the Holte End
And cheer and sing and say
Thank Evann for scoring goals
He scores them in the most exciting way
Thank Evann for scoring goals
More and more and more and more each day
With apologies to Maurice Chevalier.
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No need to apologise, the bastard didn't want to come.
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Guessand Guessand Gander
Where shall you wander
Left Wing or Right Wing
Or with Ollie in his chamber
There I met a Blues fan
Who wouldn’t say his prayers
So Mazrim took him by his left leg
And threw him down the stairs.
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Birmingham Airport has closed until at least 6pm today after a private aircraft heading to Belfast was forced to make an emergency landing.
Hope he got here earlier.
🤞💯
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On his way
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gxrsjk0WYAA9Fvb?format=jpg&name=large)
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Nice bracelet.
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Nice bracelet.
One of those copper bracelets for his Arthritis, no doubt.
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Another looker. Well done to all concerned.
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Nice bracelet.
I imagine that's where he got it, yes.
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Nice bracelet.
I imagine that's where he got it, yes.
:)
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I am sure he will find it very easy to fit in with this group. Not only his countrymen in Digne and Kamara but Onana and McGinn look very easy to get on with
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Has he actually signed yet
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Has he actually signed yet
Guessand no.
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They’ll announce it Evanntually
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They’ll announce it Evanntually
that'd be Nice.
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Guess and ho!
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Does he wear a hat?
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I am sure he will find it very easy to fit in with this group. Not only his countrymen in Digne and Kamara but Onana and McGinn look very easy to get on with
French speakers at the club:
Digne
Boubacar
Tielemans
Onana
Bizot - spent 4 seasons in Ligue 1 - must have picked up a smattering
Unai - spoke it when at PSG.
Though he might struggle to understand Meatball, Glasgae isna English
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I though only Spainish speakers were being signed from now on.
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I though only Spainish speakers were being signed from now on.
That’s until we take delivery of the robots #insight
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This one is going on for evann and evann.
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This is becoming the nEVANN-ending story
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So where exactly is this guy? No flight, no - seen at airport or Bodymoor it’s very quiet!
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It’s been a couple of days. Just let it play out.
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Pretty much every transfer goes like this, the story breaks, everything is quiet for a few days then we get a welcome video, shirt pulling pic and monchi gets a pic with them.
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Still stuck circling and waiting for a landing spot at Birmingham Airport.
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He definitely landed, he was seen at WH Smith buying some Evann Water.
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Not sure it's already been mentioned but Guessand turned down an €8.6m a year four year contract from Neon in Saudi to join us. The lad's ambitious. His contract with us is for five years according to the craziest vlog I've just watched from the Ivory Coast.
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Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Evann Guessand.
The forward joins from OGC Nice for an undisclosed fee.
Guessand came through the ranks at the French club and enjoyed a 2024/25 campaign where he scored 12 goals, helping Nice finish fourth in Ligue 1.
The Ivory Coast international, who is a versatile operator capable of playing across the front line, was also named Nice Player of the Season last term.
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We is delighted!
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Woooo
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Good signing.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gx0hqfgWsAAXdqj?format=jpg&name=large)
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Great signing, now get another defender and I reckon we're ready to go.
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Where is the congrats from BCV?
(https://media.tenor.com/ZMzKkrUnAn4AAAAM/discord-who-asked.gif)
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Lovely stuff, be good please.
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What's going on with SUE's barnet.
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I love when clubs use the word 'undisclosed' in their official announcements. You're the ones not doing the disclosing! I assume it's been disclosed to you, you're just not disclosing it to us! Evanns above.
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Great news, a new centre half and I think that's us done.
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I love when clubs use the word 'undisclosed' in their official announcements. You're the ones not doing the disclosing! I assume it's been disclosed to you, you're just not disclosing it to us! Evanns above.
My biggest issue with the whole undisclosed thing is that the finances are a huge thing for fans now because of PSR so all this does is create guesswork. If FFP and all it's derivatives, are really about financial transparency and fairness then I think the costs of transfers should be public knowledge. Most of the time the fee can be roughly worked out anyway so there's no benefit to hiding it.
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Welcome to the Villa, I hope you’ll be Evann Almighty!
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great signing - brilliant value for money , a player who can play differnt positions , excited about this one .
guessand floats on water .
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Excellent signing.
Really like the way we do our business quietly.
Welcome Evann.
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Guessand £26m plus £4.3m add-ons
Sesko £66.3m plus £7m add-ons
Who's got the better player?
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What's going on with SUE's barnet.
Maybe he’s done one of those bet things where he don’t cut it until we win something
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I love when clubs use the word 'undisclosed' in their official announcements. You're the ones not doing the disclosing! I assume it's been disclosed to you, you're just not disclosing it to us! Evanns above.
My biggest issue with the whole undisclosed thing is that the finances are a huge thing for fans now because of PSR so all this does is create guesswork. If FFP and all it's derivatives, are really about financial transparency and fairness then I think the costs of transfers should be public knowledge. Most of the time the fee can be roughly worked out anyway so there's no benefit to hiding it.
It's like when on news programmes they say 'the news was dominated today by...' - YOU'RE. THE NEWS.
And yeah, the only people it could possibly be worth hiding the money from are other clubs who might be curious about our financials, and I find it deliriously unlikely that they don't know anyway.
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Guessand £26m plus £4.3m add-ons
Sesko £66.3m plus £7m add-ons
Who's got the better player?
No idea, on paper Sesko is amazing but against us, in the euros and in the handful of other games I've watched I haven't seen anything to suggest he's going to be the man to drag Man Utd back up the table. Guessand looks like a Drogba-style late bloomer who could become an absolute menace in the next few years.
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Evann help us! Welcome mate please be good.
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"When I heard the club wanted me I didn't think twice," Guessand said.
"I'm ready to give my all. Every game, every kick, every minute."
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evann help them , I like the look of this guy .I know utube and all that but I dont care I am excited
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Add this guy into our front line and the options are really amazing. A front four of Watkins, JJ, Rogers and Guessand has me so so excited. And loads of quality options/different profiles to come in behind that like McGinn, Malen, Buendia...
I really like windows where it's 1/2 high quality, specific additions. One elite right-sided defender and we're in Top 5 shape again, IMO. We're already in good shape, especially if Bogarde continues his development trajectory.
Roll on the weekend games, I hope Evann gets a run-out.
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To update a banner from any years ago.
'With Evann's help we'lre Shaw to score'
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Guessand £26m plus £4.3m add-ons
Sesko £66.3m plus £7m add-ons
Who's got the better player?
No idea, on paper Sesko is amazing but against us, in the euros and in the handful of other games I've watched I haven't seen anything to suggest he's going to be the man to drag Man Utd back up the table. Guessand looks like a Drogba-style late bloomer who could become an absolute menace in the next few years.
On his track record, you'd have to back Emery improving Guessand more than Amorim and Sesko.
On the evidence of last season, Amorim only seems to make players worse.
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Evann help us! Welcome mate please be good.
Let’s hope it doesn’t turn to Evann knows I’m miserable now!
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Has there been a post lugubriously asking whether we're going to be losing him to AFCON this season? And did anyone answer it?
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Has there been a post lugubriously asking whether we're going to be losing him to AFCON this season? And did anyone answer it?
Never heard of him, although looks flip hot.
AFCON this season isn’t it?
Only downside yes. Although we aren't the worse affected for that.
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His stats from last season compare very favourably with Watkins, yet he dribbles and runs with the ball more too. He wins duels, he defends, his assists and expected assists were great too. He's a Rashford type player, who's younger, cheaper and more keen to impress.
This could be a cracking signing.
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Has there been a post lugubriously asking whether we're going to be losing him to AFCON this season? And did anyone answer it?
Never heard of him, although looks flip hot.
AFCON this season isn’t it?
Only downside yes. Although we aren't the worse affected for that.
Thanks.
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He should be made to wear wrist bands like Alan Evans, one of my favourite players as a kid. Why don’t players wear them anymore. I would, they should make a comeback. Just not head bands life Foster. That’s just weird.
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He’s a unit, and he looks rapid. With Malen, Rogers and Watkins we could really stretch some defences. I’m looking forward to seeing this lad on the pitch
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Will we be able to register him (and Malen) for Europa at the moment?
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Not at the moment I don’t think.
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He’s a unit, and he looks rapid. With Malen, Rogers and Watkins we could really stretch some defences. I’m looking forward to seeing this lad on the pitch
And Ramsey and Bailey (big IF), McGinn, Buendia buzzing around, Tielemans pinging the ball around, Onana carrying from deep and our full backs pushing up....
Life could be interesting this season.
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Why can't we register them?
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Why can't we register them?
Yea Im confused by this.
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I maybe wrong, but I think we have to be neutral or better on “A” squad player costs to register any new players for Europe (vs the last registered squad).
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Malen might be ok, but can’t see how Evann will be.
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If that is the right interpretation of the requirements - I may be wrong.
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Why can't we register them?
The UEFA controls which states changes to A-List have to be a positive transfer value.
The Club agrees to be subject to a sporting restriction and, as a consequence, may not
register any new player on its List A to UEFA club competitions unless the List A Transfer
Balance is positive.
The List A Transfer Balance is defined as the difference between the cost savings from
outgoing players (“Cost savings”) and the new costs from incoming players (“New costs”) at
any applicable deadline for the Club’s submission of its List A
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I maybe wrong, but I think we have to be neutral or better on “A” squad player costs to register any new players for Europe (vs the last registered squad).
Do we get any credit because we're not paying for Rashers, Marco and Axel D any more? I don't really understand what the unit of measurement is, amortised value? / Wage bill / number of followers on insta? Any ideas?
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I suppose the question is do “costs” include the transfer fee or just wages?
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Wouldn't the costs of Rashford, Ascencio and Disasi be coming off the last list we subitted?
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Wouldn't the costs of Rashford, Ascencio and Disasi be coming off the last list we subitted?
Yes and Olsen as well though that may be covered straight away by Bizot.
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Wouldn't the costs of Rashford, Ascencio and Disasi be coming off the last list we subitted?
Their wage costs and potentially loan fee costs. Do transfer fees mean costs?
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8)
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Wouldn't the costs of Rashford, Ascencio and Disasi be coming off the last list we subitted?
Their wage costs and potentially loan fee costs. Do transfer fees mean costs?
Yes, but probably amortised, although that isn't clear and I wouldn't be surprised if it's the full cost given this requirement seems to have been plucked from nowhere.
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Wouldn't the costs of Rashford, Ascencio and Disasi be coming off the last list we subitted?
Their wage costs and potentially loan fee costs. Do transfer fees mean costs?
You’ve got to assume transfer + wages + agent fees are all included. However, I suspect adding Malen and Garcia (as they both have transfer fees to amortise) eats into a lot of the saving from Rash, Asensio and Disasi.
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Looks a cracking signing, really happy with this one.
Welcome to the best in the land, Evann and UTV!!
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Can’t claim any knowledge of him but based on the profile and reports on him, seems like a very smart signing - hope he can hit the ground running.
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Looking forward to seeing Evann, can't wait.
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Welcome Evann, to the best football club ever.
Be brilliant.
Please.
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He’s a unit, and he looks rapid. With Malen, Rogers and Watkins we could really stretch some defences. I’m looking forward to seeing this lad on the pitch
And Ramsey and Bailey (big IF), McGinn, Buendia buzzing around, Tielemans pinging the ball around, Onana carrying from deep and our full backs pushing up....
Life could be interesting this season.
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So, for instance, if we were to sell a player for the same or more than we paid for Evann we could then register him on our A list European squad?
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Welcome aboard Evann and be good.
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Be epic
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He's far from the finished article but what he has already will see him get plenty of minutes. Once he gets some one on one coaching from the same fella Watkins has mentioned a few times, (Pablo?) he can only improve. He's only just turned 24 and is a later bloomer so a bit of patience will be needed but he looks ideal for the PL and his attitude by all accounts is top rate.
Welcome, Boyo!
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"When I heard the club wanted me I didn't think twice," Guessand said.
"I'm ready to give my all. Every game, every kick, every minute."
Full quote ends with him stating Up The Villa. Shows the differences between us and them that to get the fans on board, new signnings are told UTV, whilst over there they are told to say SOTV.
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"When I heard the club wanted me I didn't think twice," Guessand said.
"I'm ready to give my all. Every game, every kick, every minute."
Full quote ends with him stating Up The Villa. Shows the differences between us and them that to get the fans on board, new signnings are told UTV, whilst over there they are told to say SOTV.
Because they are propper fans, not like our mob who shout Viela like a bunch of seals
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There’s a bloke who goes on the All Villa No Filler podcast every summer recommending players we should be after. The last three years his tips have been NDiaye (sp?) who went to Everton, Cherki last summer and… Guessand this year. Adam Tynan I think his name is, knows his stuff.
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There’s a bloke who goes on the All Villa No Filler podcast every summer recommending players we should be after. The last three years his tips have been NDiaye (sp?) who went to Everton, Cherki last summer and… Guessand this year. Adam Tynan I think his name is, knows his stuff.
Assume he focuses on the French league then? Always encouraging to hear recommendations, though!
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Assume he focuses on the French league then? Always encouraging to hear recommendations, though!
N'Diaye was pretty mediocre for Marseille. It was his Sheffield Utd form that would have made anyone interested in him.
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Not quite JPA to Duran, but some encouraging words from his compatriot. https://x.com/krmfoot2/status/1953803740193927417
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Not quite JPA to Duran, but some encouraging words from his compatriot. https://x.com/krmfoot2/status/1953803740193927417
hopefully with more longevity
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Assume he focuses on the French league then? Always encouraging to hear recommendations, though!
N'Diaye was pretty mediocre for Marseille. It was his Sheffield Utd form that would have made anyone interested in him.
Bizarrely, he played against N’Diaye for a Sunday league team in That London when N’Diaye didn’t have a club. I don’t think that was the basis of his recommendation though.
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Didn’t take the no.9 shirt - can we expect another striker this window?
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Didn’t take the no.9 shirt - can we expect another striker this window?
Perhaps he just had a preference for the number he did take.
Or, perhaps he's leaving it for Dominic Calvert-Lewin
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Fuck. As YouTube show reels go, his is very good. Could just be we’ve signed a superstar.
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Welcome Evan - 25-30m is a big price mind.
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Welcome Evan - 25-30m is a big price mind.
It’s not really, at the level we’re trying to compete it’s basically a squad player, certainly for an attacker. That’s not to say he might not go on to be amazing, and worth a lot more, but in terms of price tag it’s that kind of ballpark.
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A bargain really when you consider Manure are expecting to recoup £40m for Rasmus Hojlund - who must be one of the worst striker signings ever.....
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We've had our pants pulled down on this.
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Future Ballon d'Or contender.
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Welcome Evan - 25-30m is a big price mind.
Isn’t it the opposite to “a big price” by today’s standards?
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We've had our pants pulled down on this.
Absolute nonsense. I’ve monitored his career for years; he’s a future Ballon d’Or contender.
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Future Ballon d'Or contender.
Absolute nonsense. I’ve monitored his career for years; we’ve had our pants pulled down on this.
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All bases covered from PWS except one in the middle:
He'll be fine, nowt special and we'll settle into being a top eight team for the time he's here.
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Welcome Evan - 25-30m is a big price mind.
Isn’t it the opposite to “a big price” by today’s standards?
More importantly, can we get this straight right from the start - it’s Evann not Evan!!!
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More importantly, can we get this straight right from the start - it’s Evann not Evan!!!
I'll be particularly disappointed if Eamonn gets it wrong.
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Future Ballon d'Or contender.
Absolute nonsense. I’ve monitored his career for years; we’ve had our pants pulled down on this.
Absolute nonsense. I've monitored your posts for years; our pants are still waist high.
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Future Ballon d'Or contender.
Absolute nonsense. I’ve monitored his career for years; we’ve had our pants pulled down on this.
Absolute nonsense. I've monitored your posts for years; our pants are still waist high.
Speak for yourself.
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More importantly, can we get this straight right from the start - it’s Evann not Evan!!!
I'll be particularly disappointed if Eamonn gets it wrong.
Quite right! I've long-since disowned my E-fada though so maybe I'm not the best moral authority on name bastardisation.
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Was he any good in his brief appearance?
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He was better than Malen. He’s strong too but given he’s had no time in training with the rest of the squad it was difficult to judge him. He got booked quickly not that it matters much.
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Looked handy last night I thought, big unit, but really good touch
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AFCON
Some observations/complaints that Guessand will miss games in Dec/Jan.
Here's the number of AFCON eligible players by club. Might change
0 Arsenal, Leeds, Toon
1 Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool
2 Bournemouth, Brentford, Everton, Fulham, Man City, Spurs
3 Brighton Palace
4 Burnley, ManU, West Ham, Wolves
6 Forest
7 Sunderland
Ghana, Guinness, Guinea-Bissau haven't qualified.
AFCON is 21 Dec - 18 Jan. Fixtures during that periid:
20 Dec ManU H
27 Dec Chelsea A
30 Dec Arsenal H
3 Jan Forest H
7 Jan Palace A
10 Jan FAC 3
12 Jan EFL s/f 1st Leg
17 Jan Everton H
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It’s small beer for those non qualifiers
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Sunderland and Forest 13 between them. Wow! We are playing Forest too.
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No wonder Sunderland have bought 11 new players.
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It’s small beer for those non qualifiers
They didn't provide very stout opposition that's for sure.
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It’s small beer for those non qualifiers
They didn't provide very stout opposition that's for sure.
They should look to draught in some youngsters and rebuild.
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My Goodness My AFCON
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Sunderland and Forest 13 between them. Wow! We are playing Forest too.
AFCON is 21 Dec - 18 Jan, these are our fixtures over thst period
20 Dec ManU H 4 players at AFCON
27 Dec Chelsea A 1
30 Dec Arsenal H nobody
3 Jan Forest H 6
7 Jan Palace A 3
10 Jan FAC 3rd rnd
12 Jan EFL s/f 1st Leg
17 Jan Everton H 2
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There’s only really Aina in their 1st 11 that’s going though. Sangare to a lesser extent I suppose. Does mean they won’t be able to rotate for EL though so will be a tough month for them.
Palace losing Sarr is good though.
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Do we play Palace while it's on? Sarr has haunted us more than anyone since... Robbie Keane?
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We would only avoid playing Sarr if Senegal make at least the last sixteen and possibly the quarter-final. Seem to remember the useless twats getting knocked out in the groups a few years ago so that Ba and Cissé could play, and inevitably score, against us for Newcastle.
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Assuming SaddVillan fixture list is accurate we do…
My thoughts exactly. United lose a few decent players too actually, Mbeumo, Amad, Mazraoui, Onana
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Group Stage: 21st-31 December
Round of 16: 3rd-6th January
Quarter-Finals: 9th-10th January
Semi-Finals: 14th January
Pointless 3rd Place Game: 17th January
Final: 18th January
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The Ivory Coast won it in 2015 and then didn't get passed the group stage in the following tournament. Hopefully the pattern repeats itself and we get him back early.
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What happened to ‘Signed’?
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Been here a while now so no need. Does his name rhyme? Is it Ay-von Gay-son?
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Been here a while now so no need. Does his name rhyme? Is it Ay-von Gay-son?
Not sure how to spell it phonetically but from what I’ve heard on podcasts featuring some France-based football writers, it’s like Devon (but without the D) followed by Gesson, all said in your sexiest French accent. So it does kind of rhyme, but not quite in the way you suggested.
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With the double 'n', I'd expect the second vowel of Evann to be a proper 'a' (as in 'van') rather than a schwa.
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I thought the second "n" was just telling you to pronounce the penultimate one? Didn't know it affected the vowel sound. Where's Bad English when you need him?
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It's a bit out of standard French spelling - there'd normally be an 'e' at the end. But I'd expect it to be pronounced as you would the town 'Vanne', with an 'e' at the front.
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Not sure if correct or whether the additional E in this one makes a difference but.
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Been here a while now so no need. Does his name rhyme? Is it Ay-von Gay-son?
He's not selling cosmetics. I'd expect it to be pronounced like 'Evan' but just has a superfluous, silent 'n', and his surname to sound like 'garçon' but with 'gess' as the first syllable.
SQ's audio suggests his first name is more like 'EEvan'. OTOH we don't hear people asking for 'EEvian' water. Basically, we're none the wiser.
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Évian has an acute. It may as well be a completely different language family. Tsk, honestly.
Thought thinking about it, that makes my initial pronunciation suggestion less likely. Drat.
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We still have the excitement of the “How do you pronounce your name “ video from the EPL to come!
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It's a bit out of standard French spelling - there'd normally be an 'e' at the end. But I'd expect it to be pronounced as you would the town 'Vanne', with an 'e' at the front.
Pleasant town, was there yesterday.
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I'm going to just call him Bob as his name is too difficult. Bob Hfuhruhurr is much easier.
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Reminds me of that joke. Statistics state that one in five siblings is Chinese. Some say it’s Waylin in my family but I’m fairly sure it’s Colin.
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Or the other joke about acute angina
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It's a bit out of standard French spelling - there'd normally be an 'e' at the end. But I'd expect it to be pronounced as you would the town 'Vanne', with an 'e' at the front.
Pleasant town, was there yesterday.
It is indeed. Missed the ‘s’ off Vannes - my bad!
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/19/he-can-pull-something-out-of-the-bag-aston-villa-look-to-guessand-for-cutting-edge
The overwhelming takeaway from Aston Villa’s opening game of the season, a goalless draw at home to Newcastle, was that Unai Emery’s side were strangely stale, lacking in sharp edges and devoid of a spark. Villa’s xG – for what it’s worth – was only 0.13. Enter Evann Guessand? Guessand had a watching brief at Villa Park as his new teammates struggled to penetrate the opposition but presumably Emery is tempted to introduce his £30m signing from Nice, a powerful forward with a penchant for eliminating defenders and tearing down the flanks, in search of victory at Brentford this weekend.
For Guessand there are new surrounds, and these remain early days, but the 24-year-old is coming in hot, fresh from a breakout season at Nice where he scored 13 goals in 40 matches (33 of which were starts) and was voted their joint-player of the season after helping the team to fourth in Ligue 1, their highest finish since 2016-17. Guessand’s final goal for Nice came in a 6-0 home win against Brest. The visitors’ goalkeeper that day? Marco Bizot, the 34-year-old Dutchman who is Villa’s only other arrival this summer.
Guessand predominantly featured on the right wing for Nice but also operated off the left, as a No 9 and behind the striker. “He is capable of pulling something out of the bag to make the difference,” says Lilian Nalis, the Nice assistant manager. “If he gets in front of you, it’s difficult for defenders to get him back.”
Last season was his first as a regular starter for Nice, for whom he starred domestically and in the Europa League after loans to Lausanne and Nantes. For Nalis, Guessand’s equaliser at Nantes, where he seized the ball in the box, took the briefest of glances at goal and sent a fizzing left-foot shot into the top corner, stands out. “He’s at his best on the wings because there he can take on people, dribble and accelerate beyond defenders with his speed,” says Nalis, the former Leicester and Plymouth defender who spent six years in England. “Evann, with his goals and assists, had a big part in taking us towards the top.”
Guessand was born in Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, where his father, Herve, also a striker, played, and joined Nice aged 12 after being spotted at ASPTT Marseille, a multi-sport youth club. From that point Guessand always felt a fondness for Nice, where he was a boarder at the College du Parc Imperial secondary school, mixing with youngsters aged between 11 and 20, 200km from his family home in Marseille. Nice’s then academy director, Alain Wathelet, wanted to gauge Guessand’s talent so asked him to join an Under-14s session, in which he impressed with his dribbling skills and eye for goal. “Within five minutes, we approved him,” says Nice’s pre-academy coach, Pascal Bistarelli, for whom an Under-15s title-deciding match sticks in the memory. “It was 2-2 at half-time and I asked him to increase his level. It finished 6-2, Evann scored a hat-trick.”
Guessand’s education in Nice fuelled his drive to succeed. He was a ballboy and flag bearer at Nice matches and soon grasped the lyrics of Nissa la Bella, Menica Rondelly’s hymn synonymous with the city. “Evann always showed great attachment to Nice, even when he went on loan to Lausanne and Nantes,” says Bistarelli. “He was always determined to play in the Nice first team.” Guessand, who was given his debut against Frejus Saint-Raphael in the Coupe de France by Patrick Vieira in 2020, playing as a left winger, has stayed in touch with Bistarelli; the pair exchanged messages when he signed for Villa and Guessand gave him his shirt for Bistarelli’s birthday.
Guessand represented France at youth level but made his Ivory Coast debut last year. He grew up idolising Didier Drogba and the pair had dinner in Abidjan a few years ago and have remained in contact. But while Guessand has drawn comparisons to Drogba, unlike the former Chelsea player he is not a conventional No 9. “I think if you talk about the power he’s got, I would say yes, they are similar, but they’re not the same kind of player,” says Nalis. “Drogba enjoyed the battle of playing when he had his back to goal, a defender on his back. Evann doesn’t like that so much – he prefers almost hugging the touchline so he can see all the information he needs before making his move.”
Villa tracked Guessand, who rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League side Neom earlier this summer, for 12 months before his arrival. They moved to sign him, amid strong interest from Crystal Palace, before the £39m sale of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle and Leon Bailey’s expected exit to Roma to prevent the possibility of being quoted an inflated price for a player who had three years remaining on his Nice contract.
illa acknowledge Guessand’s game requires some refinement but they see shades of Morgan Rogers in a player who is also adept at retaining the ball under pressure. Emery admires his versatility, citing his ability to play across the frontline, including as a No 10. “We are watching him, giving him a lot of information about how we want to build the team,” says Villa’s manager. “He is watching our analysis, our matches. I am using him as a striker and winger [in training]. Finding how to best put him into our structure is my job. He is going to help us a lot, hopefully.”
Now Guessand, voted the second-best African player in Ligue 1 last season, behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi, plans to build on his promise in the Premier League. “I think England is a step up,” says Nalis. “You get no time to rest; English football will kick your ass if you think you’re going to take your time or if you think you’re going to wait until you’re capable of playing at your high level. You need to perform.
“English football is probably more physical than French but I’ve seen him have some good games against tough guys. I’m looking forward to him showing his skills in England.”
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Didn’t pull up any trees but at least he tried to beat his man which he did a couple of times.
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We have absolutely no way of judging him yet
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Probably our best player out there alongside Mings today.
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Ive no idea if hes any good or not as by the time we'd worked the ball sideways a few times and allowed them to get safely back into shape, he'd end up receiving the ball with two or three players around him.
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Looked a decent player on today's evidence. Got to the byline a few times. We need a midfielder that actually attacks free space in the box on a cut back!
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Looked a decent player on today's evidence. Got to the byline a few times. We need a midfielder that actually attacks free space in the box on a cut back!
Exactly.
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So what did we make of his home debut then?
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So what did we make of his home debut then?
He tried in flashes.
The game passed him by and he occupied space that prevented Maatsen from attacking and putting in crosses.
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I thought hd was trying more than malen who i thought was quite poor as well as rogers. I think he is going to be good ince we soet the issues out in the team
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He was abysmal.
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Yup - I assume/hope he can do better than that. Like I said on another thread, it feels systematic rather than individual. But hopefully much, much, much better to come.
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They put 2 on him and never did he get the chance to go one on one with the right back.
Partly down to good tactics by them and partly down to us not moving the ball quickly enough.
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Going forward he showed flashes of promise but looked easily shoved off the ball, when we didn't have the ball he looked like a schoolboy, didn't know where his runner was, didn't get anywhere near the right defensive shape and his tackling was weak.
Overall, he could have done better. Decent shot mind.
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He did ok for me. Can get better I hope.
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If the team was purring like most of the last 2 seasons he would shine. Every player was dump this evening.
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Looked shite, another one who won't hit the ground running. £30m and £90k a week.
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Come on, you can't already say that. I thought he was poor, but it was 45 fucking minutes. Everyone was shit.
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Looked shite, another one who won't hit the ground running. £30m and £90k a week.
Yeah, I'm going to write him off after his first start. He didn't score or assist, it's just never going to work. Get rid in Jan.
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I honestly didn’t think he was that bad, and was very surprised when he was the one that went off. He stays wide well, clearly has good foot work and beat his man a couple of times. He was way stronger on the ball than anyone else across the front. He had a decent shot as well.
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It was no surprise to anyone on our row that he came off at half time, not because of what he did with the ball, but what he didn't do without it. A team selection Im glad we tried, but it didn't work, that not to say it wont when he's a bit more up to speed.
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I was surprised he didn't get sixty minutes. Just because we are so lacking in numbers.
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Didn't look great . Hopefully there is a player there.
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Going forward he showed flashes of promise but looked easily shoved off the ball, when we didn't have the ball he looked like a schoolboy, didn't know where his runner was, didn't get anywhere near the right defensive shape and his tackling was weak.
Overall, he could have done better. Decent shot mind.
Yup it was the physicality and off the ball work (or lack of) that was the biggest problem. Hopefully that’ll be addressed as he adapts.
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If you aren't physical and don't work off the ball the Premier League isn't for you. Another one who hits the ground crawling.
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It doesn’t help when he’s coming into a team with no attacking intent and a group of players that aren’t really arsed. Bet he’s wondering what the fuck he’s signed up for.
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If you aren't physical and don't work off the ball the Premier League isn't for you. Another one who hits the ground crawling.
Mo Salah hasn’t done too bad.
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Yeah we cant write him off just yet. I mean rogers looked shit yesterday and i would argue looked worse than guessand. Definitely needs a bit of time for sure
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Compare to Pino who Palace bought for less!!
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Malen was worse in the first half.
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Compare to Pino who Palace bought for less!!
both are a gamble in terms of Premier League quality.
But attacking players generally look better in teams who know how to attack.
We could put Yamal in our team last night and he wouldn’t have a clue.
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I hope Malen, Guessand and Watkins don't turn in to Ayew, Traore and Gestede.
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I think he was sacrificed for the formation rather than because he was any more shit than the rest if them.
Needed Emi2’s buzzing around in front of their defence. For a while it looked like the change might actually work.
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Thought he worked really hard yesterday. Did alot of defensive work which was good to see. But on the downside he didnt look good when he had the ball.
Its still early days so we cabt right him off but he is struggling with the attacking side of his game thus far. Hopefully once he gets more game time we will see how good he was for nice
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Massively helped Cash out with Grealish when he came on - Surprised how well he did defensively tbh.
Big fella who I think can put himself around..... Just needs 'Bailey level' support from Unai to allow him to have a run in the team and find some form.
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He got a massive bollocking for not getting back into shape after a rare attack though.
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What are his qualities?
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Potential. He's work in progress, it will take a bit of time, certainly not one right now to be starting games.
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He offers a bit more strength in the middle, I like him. Wound up Grealish too it seemed but that isn’t difficult.
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What are his qualities?
A glorious slide tackle for one.
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Seems massively over priced and over paid then.
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Workmanlike
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He's played what, two and a bit games? What is wrong with some people?
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Potential? He’s 24.
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i would like to have a look at him centrally
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He's played what, two and a bit games? What is wrong with some people?
The good thing about Fabrizio Romano's tweets is that you get to write off new Villa players before they arrive at BMH.
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123 minutes isn't enough to judge a player on. If it was, you'd really help the recruitment team with such expertise.
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Biggest flop since Onana.
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He looks as much of a threat going forward as samba was.
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Well done Monchi.
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Absolutely looked like a competition winner tonight.
Great use of limited funds.
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The sort of player we used to buy when we were crap.
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Another window where we sign no one who can improve the first team. We've gone backwards massively, Monchi and his dog shit scouting.
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Hes Bailey replacement - which based on last seasons version he probably on par ;-)
Im sure he has plenty to offer - too early to judge
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Yep, he looked utterly and completely out of his depth. Ace.
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Joelinton used to be shit up front.Maybe we......nah fuck it
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Wow…just wow! This guy is breathtakingly bad.
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Mad how quickly he's being written off.
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Mad how poor he looks.
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It is.
For a signing that was regarded as a bit of a coup, he’s not shown anything to make you think he’s going to improve.
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i didn’t think he looked that bad. 😳😃
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I’m not holding out hope for this guy.
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Wait until he wins the Ballon D'or!
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Think we need to see him in his right position before we come out with silly hyperbole. He wasn't great apart from the chance he set up for Sancho.
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Somewhat Bertrand Traoresque albeit without the tricks, which isn’t a great barometer.
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Think we need to see him in his right position before we come out with silly hyperbole. He wasn't great apart from the chance he set up for Sancho.
People say that about Malen too….
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Malen didn't look too bad last season. He has regressed massively this season.
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Joelinton used to be shit up front.Maybe we......nah fuck it
Made me chortle.
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Somewhat Bertrand Traoresque albeit without the tricks, which isn’t a great barometer.
He makes Berti look like prime Lionel Messi.
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Somewhat Bertrand Traoresque albeit without the tricks, which isn’t a great barometer.
He makes Berti look like prime Lionel Messi.
Yep. It’s only 3 games and he’s trying to adapt to a totally new system. Twice tonight he was looking for a ball over the top to run at. That ball was never played.
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Rogers struggled in his early games too. Might just be nerves, let's hope so.
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Rogers struggled in his early games too. Might just be nerves, let's hope so.
Nerves, clutching at straws a bit.
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I think unai should have switched him with malen. Guessand looks more of a striker and malen is crap up top.
But he has looked average so far. He cabt beat a man whoch is worrying. He looks worse than bailey did when he 1st game which is aworry. Man what i would give for diaby back
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1st touch like a Blackpool beach donkey. He would sink as a Striker leading the line.
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His first touch is certainly poor but a bit early to write him off yet.
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Yeah, some hysterical overreactions on here.
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Wait until he wins the Ballon D'or!
;D
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Poor bloke surrounded every time he gets the ball. Not sure what people expect of him just yet.
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Poor bloke surrounded every time he gets the ball. Not sure what people expect of him just yet.
Indeed, but when he wasn't he'd just run into the nearest defender and lose it.
The contrast with the lad that replaced him couldn't have been more stark.
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I think the problem is that him and the players around him aren't quite on the same wavelength yet. Last night he clearly wanted the ball in behind to run onto and the one time he got a really good pass to set him away it led to Sancho hitting the post.
Most of the time he was getting the ball into feet to either play a pass back or turn and run and he struggled with the latter a little because he wanted more time than he was getting. The premier league is, by a fair distance, the strongest league in the world and one thing defenders have to learn to survive is to not let attackers get turned without a challenge. This means forwards and wingers coming in then have to learn how to ride that early challenge. He's big enough and strong enough to get there, he just needs to work on it. A run of games will help him so I hope he gets given that chance before we dump him as not good enough.
Aside from that I thought Henry played excellently and was their best player by a long way, which made it tougher for Guessand to get into the game as well, and with them playing a back 5 there was less space to begin with.
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Early days. Seems to have the physical presence for the league as he is bogged down in a scrap most of the time. Got free in the second half when we should have scored, poked Cash through only for the bugger the check back.
He needs time, he'll get it from me.
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I don’t think it’s his fault. Our players rarely find themselves in any space. At times he was tripled up on and I still couldn’t see another player in space.
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Early days. Seems to have the physical presence for the league as he is bogged down in a scrap most of the time. Got free in the second half when we should have scored, poked Cash through only for the bugger the check back.
He needs time, he'll get it from me.
It'll never catch on.
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I don’t think it’s his fault. Our players rarely find themselves in any space. At times he was tripled up on and I still couldn’t see another player in space.
Sancho has the technical ability to get out of those tight spots quickly.
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I don’t think it’s his fault. Our players rarely find themselves in any space. At times he was tripled up on and I still couldn’t see another player in space.
Sancho has the technical ability to get out of those tight spots quickly.
And from what I recall, created less than Guessand.
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I don’t think it’s his fault. Our players rarely find themselves in any space. At times he was tripled up on and I still couldn’t see another player in space.
Sancho has the technical ability to get out of those tight spots quickly.
And from what I recall, created less than Guessand.
I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. If we keep losing the ball like Guessand did it's impossible to get any kind of forward momentum. He didn't exactly lay that one on for Sancho either. Kind of bunged it behind Malen, one of their defenders didn't clear it properly and Sancho ran onto it.
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I don’t think it’s his fault. Our players rarely find themselves in any space. At times he was tripled up on and I still couldn’t see another player in space.
Absolutely this. Our attacking players never get the ball in space, we're so slow moving it around that by the time they get it the opposition are always firmly back in shape. Its doing none of them any favours and needs changing asap.
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I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.
Well, it means that for all your praise of “Sancho getting out of tight spots”, nothing came from it. You brought up the comparison, not me.
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It’s hardly been the most conducive environment to settle in and play well. He needs way more time.
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He has an excellent attitude, decent pace and good strength. He definitely can make a success of his time in the PL. At times he does seem a bit flailing arms and legs, trying to bring the ball under control but in the short time I've been watching he's hardly ever afforded much time on the ball. Hopefully, he'll adapt.
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He's interested, searching for the ball, he's trying stuff and opponents are worried as they double mark him, as we had with Bailey we need to expose the gaps that are left.
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Don't think this fella has it.
Would rather have Bert out wide and who may, let's be honest, get 7 out of 10 things wrong (some of them comically). But would then cut in from an impossible angle and smash one in the top corner.
In fact I think I'd rather have Tres (2025 version) over this bloke.
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No pace, shit first touch, can’t shoot, other than that he looks decent.
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He looks like the shit American forward Saints bought from Bundesliga 2 in the summer
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Bert didn't get things wrong; he occasionally struggled to adjust to a lesser reality.
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How much have we wasted on him?
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This all seems pretty harsh to me and I'm not exactly the most optimistic bloke in the world.
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Looked rubbish. No better than a shit Bailey. Hopefully gets better but can't see it tbh.
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We have to play him into form, there's definitely enough to work on.
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Thing is Bailey, Bert, Tres and even Nigel Callaghan all showed glimpses at least in their first few games.
This guy has shown nowt.
Happy just to be there. Running around. Nuisance value.
Not the same as workrate.
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I’d rather have Berti back. Who in their wisdom thought this player was going to improve us? He’s not even Championship standard.
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He did ok and at least had a go. He’s been here 5 minutes and already he’s a target.
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I'm not writing him off yet.
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I can only go on the highlights but most of our best chances seemed to stem from him.
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This all seems pretty harsh to me and I'm not exactly the most optimistic bloke in the world.
It's way, way, OTT. I think some watched a different game. People on his back from day one
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Looks like a competition winner to me.
We’re having to watch every penny yet still opt to drop 20m on this dude.
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Fucking hell, we won folks.
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Have you noticed how many markers he has when he gets the ball? 2 or 3 most times. He's been here 5 minutes, not match fit by any means, you can see he's blowing out his arse around 60 minutes, I actually think he's doing ok considering. A lot better than Rogers.
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I didn't think that much of Rogers in his first few starts but he grew into it. Give the lad time, he's adjusting to everything right now.
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Fucking hell, we won folks.
This thread is about a particular player.
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A player who played in our greatest victory for four months and has been a vital part of our two match unbeaten "invincibles" run.
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Don't really understand the comments. He played well first half. He seems very physical, which should bode well. Second half we didn't progress the ball down the right very much and he drifted out of it.
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impressed with his work-rate and his willingness to take a player on - we need a player or two like that
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His performance last night was inconsistent, to say the least.
I was trying to think of who he reminds me of and then realised early this morning that it is Zaniolo - big, strong and enthusiastic but lacking pace and vision to see a pass. He may get better - he maybe should have been in the 9 role at the start of last night's game - but currently does not look like a top-flight game-changer. I'm happy to be proved wrong.
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Not a good use of resources. Wage or fee.
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Whilst I get he is isn't fit enough yet and is struggling with the pace and physicality, I have some doubts about his basic technique. Summed up by a moment in the 2nd where the ball was bouncing in front of him in space, he completely misjudged the bounce and then stood directly underneath the flight of the ball rather than shielding the area where it was then going to bounce, the defender then won the ball easily.
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I think he'll come good, but it'll take a bit of time. And he hasn't actually played badly in any of his appearances so far.
There's just something a bit ungainly about his running style that makes him look a tad clumsy.
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I'm just not sure where this guy fits in. What's his actual position?
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I like him, he’s a worker and that helps. I’m hoping as his confidence grows so does his technique.
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I can understand some of the reservations some have but others have written him off already. Baffling but not surprising.
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I can understand some of the reservations some have but others have written him off already. Baffling but not surprising.
Usually you'll get some inconsistencies with new signings but you see something that will excite you, but I'm having difficulty seeing it with this lad and I'm not alone.
Having said that, if you're not playing well you put yourself about a bit and he's at least doing that.
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He is, and he had a good attempt at goal that was well saved. He also beat his man and put a lovely ball across goal that was defended really well and that Watkins, on form would have got on the end of.
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Not seen anywhere near enough to convince me. Not an upgrade on Bailey so far, but let’s see, early days.
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What does £20m-£30m get you these days though? I think he is okay but as far as it goes. I think he has had his best two games on Sunday and last night.
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What does £20m-£30m get you these days though?
1/4 Antony.
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What does £20m-£30m get you these days though?
1/4 Antony.
A Chukwuemeka and his brother.
One and a half Kellymans.
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Yes I think we can discount the Manchester United Transfer School for the Permanently Insane.
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I think he looks promising, and will start showing his quality a bit more soon hopefully. There's definitely some good attributes for Unai to work on, and I'd say he agrees considering he's starting him every week.
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All the comments from those that had seen a lot of him in France were very excited about the signing but were very realistic in that he's still work in progress. He's going to need time to both adapt and improve. Looking at him you immediately think he's ready or at least should be. Sadly that's not the case but if we're patient and supportive his ceiling is very high and could be a great investment.
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All the comments from those that had seen a lot of him in France were very excited about the signing but were very realistic in that he's still work in progress. He's going to need time to both adapt and improve. Looking at him you immediately think he's ready or at least should be. Sadly that's not the case but if we're patient and supportive his ceiling is very high and could be a great investment.
Yep, I put him forward as a player I'd like us to go for before we were even linked but my thinking was for him to be a squad option covering for Watkins and the new winger I expected to see (so Sancho as it turns out). I think we're seeing him start more than expected because he's shown he'll put the work in and be part of the press (which was very good in the first half last night) and Emery clearly doesn't think Sancho is ready to start yet.
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Have you noticed how many markers he has when he gets the ball? 2 or 3 most times.
Every fucking time, Ive said it after every game so far. We never get the ball to any of our attacking players quickly enough when the opposition are out of shape. The one chap that tried to get the ball behind quickly then gets bollocked and dropped.
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Don't really understand the comments. He played well first half. He seems very physical, which should bode well. Second half we didn't progress the ball down the right very much and he drifted out of it.
I agree. I thought he was fine yesterday, especially given the levels the entire team has been playing at this season.
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I think he did ok.
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I think he is doing ok, especially bearing in mind we are misfiring. One big improvement over Leon is his tracking back.
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I think he is doing ok, especially bearing in mind we are misfiring. One big improvement over Leon is his tracking back.
Yes, and another improvement over Leon is his physical strength.
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His best game so far without being anything special. He’s clearly not up to speed in terms of fitness or strength yet, you’d think a 6ft 2” 24 year old with his physique should be blowing away inferior defenders, he seems weak so far. In fairness to him, he kept at it.
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Very erratic at the mo but you can see there's a player in there. I reckon he'll be a Juan Pablo, take a bit of time to settle and once he's up and running, he'll be shit hot. Needs a bit of patience, especially as we move through this dodgy period.
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His best game so far without being anything special. He’s clearly not up to speed in terms of fitness or strength yet, you’d think a 6ft 2” 24 year old with his physique should be blowing away inferior defenders, he seems weak so far. In fairness to him, he kept at it.
Spot on Bren!
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I think he looks promising, and will start showing his quality a bit more soon hopefully. There's definitely some good attributes for Unai to work on, and I'd say he agrees considering he's starting him every week.
Think he'd probably be better coming on for short bursts at this stage while he finds his feet.
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I can understand some of the reservations some have but others have written him off already. Baffling but not surprising.
Usually you'll get some inconsistencies with new signings but you see something that will excite you, but I'm having difficulty seeing it with this lad and I'm not alone.
Having said that, if you're not playing well you put yourself about a bit and he's at least doing that.
This is pretty much where I am with Guessand. He reminds me a little of Zaniolo - big, strong, reasonably skilful but not making an impact. However I recall being unimpressed with Rogers at first and he came on massively so am hopng Guessand can do the same.
An obvious point but it hsows the value of getting transfer business done early to allow players to settle in, find a home, get up to speed, learn systems and formations and improve their language skills. And get used to English food.
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I can understand some of the reservations some have but others have written him off already. Baffling but not surprising.
Usually you'll get some inconsistencies with new signings but you see something that will excite you, but I'm having difficulty seeing it with this lad and I'm not alone.
Having said that, if you're not playing well you put yourself about a bit and he's at least doing that.
This is pretty much where I am with Guessand. He reminds me a little of Zaniolo - big, strong, reasonably skilful but not making an impact. However I recall being unimpressed with Rogers at first and he came on massively so am hopng Guessand can do the same.
An obvious point but it hsows the value of getting transfer business done early to allow players to settle in, find a home, get up to speed, learn systems and formations and improve their language skills. And get used to English food.
Exactly this. A lot has been made about us having a poor summer transfer window and it leading directly into our poor start but I reckon all the same in and out but all done by early July we'd have seen things play out very differently.
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I think he did ok the other night. Strikes me a player who once he gets a goal, will kick on. The one thing I think he’d benefit from is working on his upper body strength a bit.
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what I'm struggling to see at the moment - is the clear advantage of moving Bailey on and bringing Guessand in - hoping that will become obvious in the coming weeks.
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All the comments from those that had seen a lot of him in France were very excited about the signing but were very realistic in that he's still work in progress. He's going to need time to both adapt and improve. Looking at him you immediately think he's ready or at least should be. Sadly that's not the case but if we're patient and supportive his ceiling is very high and could be a great investment.
Yep, I put him forward as a player I'd like us to go for before we were even linked but my thinking was for him to be a squad option covering for Watkins and the new winger I expected to see (so Sancho as it turns out). I think we're seeing him start more than expected because he's shown he'll put the work in and be part of the press (which was very good in the first half last night) and Emery clearly doesn't think Sancho is ready to start yet.
I think both these comments are blob-on. I made some remark about him reminding me of Zaniolo (because he does!) but I also think he needs time; pity we got 3 midfield injuries soon after he got here, putting more pressure on UE to play Guessand.
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I do think diaby was a level above baileyand guessand tbh. But one thing i think guessand has over them os his work rate. Especially his defensive side. Been quite impressed with that.
He certainly doesnt look like a lazy player which is very welcome
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Improving with every game.
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He is not ultra precise like Diaby but works hard and has a very good game today.
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worked his arse off today - which upped Cash's performance.
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I agree. I felt he did the donkey work really well and looked to have the beating of his man a few times but didn’t always back himself. He and Cash were very good down the right and were much more solid than or left side.
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Did well today.
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Think he's playing himself into the team well. Would like to see more of a goal threat but I'm hoping that will come.
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I liked him today. He needs to get a bit stronger.
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His work rate is really impressing me. No one can criticise is energy he works bloody hard.
If he can be a bit more of a attacking force we will have a player here. At the moment he doesn't look much of a goal scorer
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I thought he was poor. He did his defensive duties though.
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Aston Villa Statto
@AVFCStatto
·
33m
Evann Guessand completed the most dribbles (4), won the most tackles (2) and won the most duels (8) during Aston Villa's win over Fulham today
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Aston Villa Statto
@AVFCStatto
·
33m
Evann Guessand completed the most dribbles (4), won the most tackles (2) and won the most duels (8) during Aston Villa's win over Fulham today
Not that poor then?
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A few glimpses today that there might be something there.
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A few glimpses today that there might be something there.
And the willingness to work suggests we'll eventually see it.
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I thought he was poor. He did his defensive duties though.
He is adapting and needs a finished product but he definitely was not poor today.
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He was definitely good today.
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I’d like to see his delivery improve, I’m sure it will, but he works very hard and did some nice bits and pieces.
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The workrate is the foundation, you can see his skills coming out a bit. He’s starting to look promising.
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I’d like to see his delivery improve, I’m sure it will, but he works very hard and did some nice bits and pieces.
A couple of times in the last he's wriggled free and got the ball into a really good area but the rest of team either didn't think he'd be able to get a cross in or made the wrong run. I think part of why Emery is sticking with a mostly unchanged group in attack is the build that familiarity.
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First time I saw Oadis was on Top of the PoPs and thought they were shite….:same seeing Guessand v Palace….things can change….looking better by the game……some nice interactions with Cash….
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Aston Villa Statto
@AVFCStatto
·
33m
Evann Guessand completed the most dribbles (4), won the most tackles (2) and won the most duels (8) during Aston Villa's win over Fulham today
Not that poor then?
I assume sunshades bracket still means 8.
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Grafter, getting there
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I thought he was poor. He did his defensive duties though.
I didn’t think he was poor but maybe like you I’m not convinced he will be a more than just alright
same for Malen, same for Bogarde
Sorry I wish I could be more positive but I’m just not seeing it right now
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I think he's starting to adapt to the Premier League which is very unforgiving. Plus having to get used to Emery's style and tactics - Harvey Elliot is still adapting and not a regular starter yet.
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Honestly think he has done fine so far other than the Palace game.
He is getting better but hasn't got stamina but a player in the making I think.
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I thought he was poor. He did his defensive duties though.
I didn’t think he was poor but maybe like you I’m not convinced he will be a more than just alright
same for Malen, same for Bogarde
Sorry I wish I could be more positive but I’m just not seeing it right now
I appreciated his work rate, but he’s a step down from Bailey (based on what I’ve seen so far). TBF we’ve had a fair few players playing below their standard this season, so there’s hope.
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I still think he will be more useful centrally but whether we will see that ?
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The problem is, when Bailey was playing at his highest level, I don’t think there was a better winger in the world at that time. He was incredible for just over half the season. To find a player as good as he was at that point in time would be extremely hard.
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He cost half a Diaby, and at first glance, has impressed me half as much as Diaby did. Hoping he goes on to be a full Diaby at half price.
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Early days yet. I think you can see that his main problem at the moment is getting used to the speed of thought needed, and the physicality.
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He starting to look better with each game he plays.
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I have no idea if he is striker, a winger, a double -up up RB or what, but we got a our pants proper pulled down for £30m
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I thought second half he played much better and was a good outlet, he worked hard and done a decent job for us.
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I have no idea if he is striker, a winger, a double -up up RB or what, but we got a our pants proper pulled down for £30m
I agree, he looked completely out of his depth.
At least on Sunday he got stuck in and helped out Cash. He looks a very poor buy.
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I think right now he's trying to do exactly what he's being asked by Emery. A few times you could see he looked up almost as if counting players and then realised we were a bit light to counter so turned back and recycled the ball.
He's clearly drifting inside to give us a 2nd target and, when he gets it out wide there seems to be a clear instruction to only put it into the box if we have options or he has no other choice.
For me it looks like he's playing on strings, and I don't mean that in a bad way, I reckon Emery probably fucking loves the guy right now, even though he clearly needs to add more end product to his game.
I think it'll come and he'll end up being a good buy.
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I'm trying to look for positives and the best I can come up with is...Park Ji-Sung.
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I thought he was decent. Would a fair few flick ons, played some decent one-twos, lots of defensive work. I still have faith he’ll be very useful.
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Unai likes a project player like a lot of lasses taken on a project boyfriend.
He'll shake-up and shake it off with that mane of hair.
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That goal goes in and confidence would be transformed. Technical skills do seem limited though.
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Built like a brick shit house but for me, nowhere near good enough in the position he's playing in.
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Unai certainly stuck with him.
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I like what I've seen so far, lots of potential.
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Fucking rubbish. Looks a £5m gamble from league one.
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Fucking rubbish. Looks a £5m gamble from league one.
Yep.
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I like what I've seen so far, lots of potential.
I’m clinging to the hope that he must have something our scouts spotted. At the moment whatever ever it was, they must’ve used a microscope to see it.
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I wasn't impressed again, although my stream was shite and kept stopping every 10 seconds so he might have had a blinder.
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at the weekend v Fulham - he was useful and worked hard - last night, he just wasn't involved at all.
However, we don't attack as much down that right hand side.
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He needs more time obviously to see if he's any good or not. Definitely helps out Cash more than someone like Bailey did but I'd expect to see greater spark in attacking positions.
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I think he’s doing the job Emery wants from him and you can see he’s improving bit by bit. I like him, and to be fair we don’t really have many standout options in that part of the pitch. He’s just not the type of player I’d personally want in that role. Bit unlucky not to get on the scoresheet last night too when he hit the post.
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He was decent second half, linked well and worked hard after a very anonymous first half. I like his work rate and he seems to have the right attitude. Cash has improved the last few weeks which tells me that although the right side isn’t very exciting, it’s become far more solid and they are working well as a pair.
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Think I’d rather have Philogene back, tbh.
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He's a step or two ahead of Elliott and Sancho just being picked in the team.
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He was decent second half, linked well and worked hard after a very anonymous first half. I like his work rate and he seems to have the right attitude. Cash has improved the last few weeks which tells me that although the right side isn’t very exciting, it’s become far more solid and they are working well as a pair.
Agreed, he seemed to play slightly more narrow in the second half and was able to get a bit more involved and looked better for it. He’s another Unai project that I’m sure will come good.
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I'm with those still waiting to see the elusive "thing" that he has, sadly.
Went to have a look what French tactical types were saying about him last year. They highlight his strength back to goal, close control, ability to drive on to backpedalling defences and passing – a Drogba who can do a passable No. 10, if you will. And that's what last year's Ligue 1 footage seems to show.
From what I have seen of him at Villa so far, he doesn't seem to want to go down the outside of his man when given the chance (not up to speed, not confident in his pace?), but nor does he want to come inside (not confident in his strength?), and he doesn't seem to totally understand our passing patterns yet (lots of quizzical looks between him and teammates, stepping on each other, etc.).
All that would be fine if you felt it was just a matter of physical conditioning. But at no point have I been struck by the potential of his pace or strength (Jesus, that lad's quick/strong).
I do hope he gets it together though. Maybe he just needs a goal? Come on Evann, UTV!
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Think I’d rather have Philogene back, tbh.
I didn't want to say it in my message above, but I was thinking something similar! He does look like he could go the way of Philogene, that lost look. But there's still time to turn it around.
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He was decent second half, linked well and worked hard after a very anonymous first half. I like his work rate and he seems to have the right attitude. Cash has improved the last few weeks which tells me that although the right side isn’t very exciting, it’s become far more solid and they are working well as a pair.
Agreed, he seemed to play slightly more narrow in the second half and was able to get a bit more involved and looked better for it. He’s another Unai project that I’m sure will come good.
Agreed. He's less than dazzling at teh moment, but they wouldn't have dropped so much money on a player who Unai didn't think could be moulded.
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All that would be fine if you felt it was just a matter of physical conditioning. But at no point have I been struck by the potential of his pace or strength (Jesus, that lad's quick/strong).
I do hope he gets it together though. Maybe he just needs a goal? Come on Evann, UTV!
It's a strange one, maybe it's due to the slow build up but one of his main traits is knocking the ball behind the defender into space and racing past him.
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All that would be fine if you felt it was just a matter of physical conditioning. But at no point have I been struck by the potential of his pace or strength (Jesus, that lad's quick/strong).
I do hope he gets it together though. Maybe he just needs a goal? Come on Evann, UTV!
It's a strange one, maybe it's due to the slow build up but one of his main traits is knocking the ball behind the defender into space and racing past him.
Absolutely, and that's all over his highlights reel.
Not sure the problem lies with the slow build up. He just doesn't look like he really believes he is quicker than his opponent.
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His defensive work is very good - there have been glimpses of his ability to find the space in the box - like last night.
I think he just needs one to go in - and maybe when we play against some better teams hell get a little more space. I think it is a confidence thing mostly and it is a big jump up but Uani is obviously seeing something he likes.
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I like the fact he sticks at it and doesn’t drop his head. If only that effort had gone in instead of hitting the post, it would have done him the world of good. It’s worrying that his team mates are choosing not to use him when he’s free and in a decent position. I get the feeling that some of them are less than convinced.
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Defensively & effort wise, I can't fault him. But going forward he looks a little lost & very apprehensive. I suppose the fact that he's doing the defensive side allows him the time to hopefully develop in the next few months.
It's a big step up from the level he was playing at, if he was the finished article he wouldn't be with us. I'd give him more than a handful of games before writing him off.
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Comes across in interview as a very humble lad, by the way; honest, hard worker, raised in the Marseille 'burbs. That will at least stand him in good stead.
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All that would be fine if you felt it was just a matter of physical conditioning. But at no point have I been struck by the potential of his pace or strength (Jesus, that lad's quick/strong).
I do hope he gets it together though. Maybe he just needs a goal? Come on Evann, UTV!
It's a strange one, maybe it's due to the slow build up but one of his main traits is knocking the ball behind the defender into space and racing past him.
Absolutely, and that's all over his highlights reel.
Not sure the problem lies with the slow build up. He just doesn't look like he really believes he is quicker than his opponent.
Let's see how he improves after he scores on Sunday.
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Let's see how he improves after he scores on Sunday.
;D
Indeed, UTV!
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Defensively & effort wise, I can't fault him. But going forward he looks a little lost & very apprehensive. I suppose the fact that he's doing the defensive side allows him the time to hopefully develop in the next few months.
It's a big step up from the level he was playing at, if he was the finished article he wouldn't be with us. I'd give him more than a handful of games before writing him off.
If you've got a player who needs time to get up to speed with a new league, and is struggling to replicate his form from his previous team, I think the best you can hope for is that they do a job for the team first and foremost. And I think that's what he's doing so far. If he was doing okay attacking wise, but regularly leaving Cash exposed, I suspect Sancho/Elliott would be ahead of him in the pecking order. But he's doing a perfectly okay job in that position. Not brilliant, but certainly not terrible.
If we were judging players based purely on this season so far, as if they'd arrived this summer, we'd all be insisting Boro pulled our pants down with Morgan Rogers. However, if the team's form continues to improve over the next dozen or so games, and the results stay mostly positive, and he STILL isn't looking like he's at home in the premier league, then I'll start to worry. But we do know Unai loves a project, and we've seen more than once how a player can thrive once they've had a few months to get used to his methods.
I'm still very hopeful!
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I reckon at some point he's going to twat one in from 25 yards Drogba-style and it'll be lift-off.
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Defensively & effort wise, I can't fault him. But going forward he looks a little lost & very apprehensive. I suppose the fact that he's doing the defensive side allows him the time to hopefully develop in the next few months.
It's a big step up from the level he was playing at, if he was the finished article he wouldn't be with us. I'd give him more than a handful of games before writing him off.
Good summation for me. To be honest, he's offered very little in attack so far and gas given the ball away too many times. Like you say though, he has contributed in the defensive side and I suppose that is an improvement on some of his predecessors.
Far from convinced so far, but let's give him time.
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He had a good bit of play in the second half where he went on a run and got us up the pitch, laid it off to McGinn. Was really tidy.
He needs a goal now. The longer it goes on the more he's gonna feel it. Just really needs to get off the mark.
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He's still adapting to the Premier League and Emery's style. One good attribute is his pace which we need. Malen looks really strong and pacy too.
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At least through that really strong run, he showed some of the x-factor that had been hard to identify before.
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Goal from our boy today
https://x.com/avfcstatto/status/1976644968799494381?s=46
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We should see if their set piece coach is available.
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That pitch is greener than the icing on your 10th birthday football-themed birthday cake.
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It's basically against a non league standard team.
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Cack player. Runs around a lot but no quality or composure.
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We have such a negative fan base.
So many players get written off. I mean It took Luiz a season and a half pretty much to find his mojo.
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Cack player. Runs around a lot but no quality or composure.
Bit of a weird obsession you've picked up here.
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Embarrassing performance tonight.
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With some players that took a while to settle you could see there was something there, but not with Guessand for me. He looks like someone a newly promoted side would take a punt on.
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This guy is dreadful, absolutely fucking dreadful.
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Looks like it'll probably be one of those seasons.
Win a few, lose a few more.
Not sure how it'll pan out exactly, but to do anything, this guy will need to play less.
Whether that means Watkins and Malen hitting red hot form or a new arrival in Jan offering more than this fella remains to be seen.
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He looks like a big, gangly league one player who would score 20 in that division for Peterboro and get promoted and look out of his depth the next season.
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He looks nowhere near a 30m player even with the goal. Hopefully there's something we aren't seeing yet.
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He looks nowhere near a 30m player even with the goal. Hopefully there's something we aren't seeing yet.
Weren't Palace after him as well?
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Oh well, hopefully he may come good, that's pretty much the most positive thing you can say. He can't say he's not getting enough chances but at the moment he's well and truly out of his depth.
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He looks nowhere near a 30m player even with the goal. Hopefully there's something we aren't seeing yet.
Weren't Palace after him as well?
Not for the price they were quoted and the wages. Deemed him poor value for money.
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You’d think the goal would have gave him some confidence, although it was hardly clinical or convincing. He was shite tonight.
I was doing something else wgen the sunscreen made so I was surprised to still see him on. Puzzling by UE.
Didn’t notice this babbling before I posted. Was meant to say I didn’t see all the subs come on!
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On the pitch for 90+ minutes. Words fail me.
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He looks nowhere near a 30m player even with the goal. Hopefully there's something we aren't seeing yet.
Weren't Palace after him as well?
Apparently we beat Palace to sign Guessand - they went and signed Spanish international Yeremy Pino instead, for less money.
The only thing we’ve beaten Palace at in ages ,and it’s that.
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Not seeing it at all with this bloke.
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I got to the pub after about 10 mins. My mates were saying ibe missed goal of the season.
With poor signal , I’m searching X ( formally known as Twitter ) to find it. No Luck.
Half time I almost sprint from the bar as the highlights cone up.
30 seconds later about 20 people burst out laughing at my disappointment.
But as I said then. A goal is a goal.
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We have such a negative fan base.
So many players get written off. I mean It took Luiz a season and a half pretty much to find his mojo.
Luiz technical ability stood out from his first five minutes. This guy is a defensive forward. Touch, weight of pass, decision making....
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Yeah, Luiz clearly had ability. He was up and down as you'd expect from a young player. I think I posted about it, but I was seriously concerned on day one. It's the lack of technique. He is a winger. You don't need 20 games to see that.
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Thought he was really involved first half although lacked quality when it mattered. Tough night for him second half, ust doesn't look confident. Hopefully he comes good. So odd that Elliott didn't come on for him....
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Apart from bungling the ball over line, contributed absolutely nothing tonight. How the hell he remained on the pitch when we swapped out the full compliment of subs is beyond me.
He's fucking useless.
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Weird that he doesn’t even look like a winger (or even a forward of any kind).
Maybe he’ll end up like Joelinton, we’ll move him into midfield and he’ll be an absolute beast.
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More likely he'll end up like Ivor Linton.
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I'm not writing him off until next season.
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He's deceptively paced, he's slower than he looks.
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Have not yet been impressed by Guessand, but I don’t think an off game like tonight (among off games from other players) means it’s fatal.
He had been improving and does have a bit of pedigree from Ligue 1 last season, among the league’s top forwards and player of the season at Nice.
Interestingly, he was considered a revelation last season after a long period where nobody really rated him, so I’m clinging on to the hope that it will come good!
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Or reverting to type?
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Oh man, don’t hex me!
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I've seen absolutely nothing in him to date that says he's a player at this level & I think he knows it.
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
So, the complete opposite of Diaby then?
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I'm more worried he's a Temu Heskey.
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I think his team mates think he’s shite too. We have more deserving players in the squad who should be getting a go. It happens with most clubs, purchase a player for a decent fee and they perform worse than what you already have.
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
So, the complete opposite of Diaby then?
Well not complete opposite as diaby did some good defensive work for us. He use to stay back sometimes and run back when we had the high line use his pace to help us defend when we went up for corners late in the game.
.attacking wise yeah they are opposite as diaby was actually good
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
Diaby? Poundland Rudy Gestede more like.
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He needs to be much better.
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He needs to be much better.
You expect too much for £30m!
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
Diaby? Poundland Rudy Gestede more like.
Haha. I forgot about good old rudy. What the hell ever happened to him?
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He needs to be much better.
You expect too much for £30m!
Can't believe we sold Ramsay and bought this guy. His wages must be a pittance compared to Ramsay.
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He was awful tonight - really has a long way to go. His work rate is great - but he is a massive step down from Bailey and Ramsey
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I hoped his goal might give him confidence but he got worse as the game went on!
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I hate the way we write players off. Everyone was saying the same thing when Sticks Ormondroyd arrived. Look how that turned out.
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Wank
£30m worth of wank.
Why do so many of our expensive signings need 12 months to bed in ?
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I hate the way we write players off. Everyone was saying the same thing when Sticks Ormondroyd arrived. Look how that turned out.
Yeh and Tonev.
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I hate the way we write players off. Everyone was saying the same thing when Sticks Ormondroyd arrived. Look how that turned out.
I know. Simon Dawkins was never given a chance either.
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We've had absolutely loads of players who have had inconsistent starts and gone on to be excellent for us, mind.
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We've had absolutely loads of players who have had inconsistent starts and gone on to be excellent for us, mind.
This bloke won’t be one of them.
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Wank
£30m worth of wank.
Why do so many of our expensive signings need 12 months to bed in ?
Always puzzled me as well. Other teams sign players and they go straight into the team and start performing to a decent standard.
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Give him a break, he’s been decent in the league and him and Cash have played well together.
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
Diaby? Poundland Rudy Gestede more like.
Haha. I forgot about good old rudy. What the hell ever happened to him?
Rudy cant fail. Head of Football Ops at Blackburn Rovers FC.
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Give him a break, he’s been decent in the league and him and Cash have played well together.
I like to give all players a fair crack of the whip, so it’s probably a bit early to judge him but the signs aren’t very encouraging. If we bought him to be a defensive forward then fine but we could have found better value. All players need to put a shift in but the things which must have attracted us to him, speed, crossing, finishing etc look way off.
UE certainly sees something and I hope we get to see a lot more in the future. I think it makes it more frustrating for us when we have a good player in Elliot on the bench who’s hardly had a sniff.
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We’ve overpaid massively for this fellah. Whoever scouted him and thought he was any good, needs shooting.
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Give him a break, he’s been decent in the league and him and Cash have played well together.
I like to give all players a fair crack of the whip, so it’s probably a bit early to judge him but the signs aren’t very encouraging. If we bought him to be a defensive forward then fine but we could have found better value. All players need to put a shift in but the things which must have attracted us to him, speed, crossing, finishing etc look way off.
UE certainly sees something and I hope we get to see a lot more in the future. I think it makes it more frustrating for us when we have a good player in Elliot on the bench who’s hardly had a sniff.
Elliot must be sitting on the bench thinking wtf.
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Or maybe Emery doesn’t trust him yet. We know what’s he’s like with some new signings.
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I remember thinking how shit Juan Pablo was back in the day when he'd hasd a few games and he became an absolute star so hoping this is his difficult bedding in period. Time will tell.
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I think Guessand has been getting progressively better game by game and, after he scored last night, I said to my Dad this could be the kick start he needs to get even better. Only for him to morph into prime Tonev for the next 85 mins!
He's young, he has raw attributes and will only get better. But in the here and now, it is baffling how he is getting so many minutes when Elliott hasn't played for weeks.
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Absolutely nothing he does has any real conviction to it, that's what's stood out for me.
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He's a Temu Trez.
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Absolutely nothing he does has any real conviction to it, that's what's stood out for me.
Yup, he looks like he thinks he shouldn't be out there playing. To be fair, on this showing, he's right.
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I think Guessand has been getting progressively better game by game and, after he scored last night, I said to my Dad this could be the kick start he needs to get even better. Only for him to morph into prime Tonev for the next 85 mins!
He's young, he has raw attributes and will only get better. But in the here and now, it is baffling how he is getting so many minutes when Elliott hasn't played for weeks.
Hes not 16.
He’s 24 and an international footballer for gods sake.
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Perhaps I'm being harsh but I think he's been utterly woeful 90% of the time he's been on the pitch for us and I don't understand in what world he's going to be a better option for us than Bailey was at any point soon. Having said that, Unai obviously thinks he is and he knows a tiny bit more about football than I do.
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Absolutely nothing he does has any real conviction to it, that's what's stood out for me.
Yep. It's like he doesn't think he's up to it and as such appears out of his depth. Every transfer is a gamble of sorts, but when you're confined as we are, £30m is a lot to waste. Perhaps he'll come good once he settles down a bit, and maybe that's why Emery left him on for the whole game (because I can't see why he'd have done so on the performance). Perhaps, maybe.
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It's confidence. New country x system, manager etc. as others have said, it sometimes takes a while to fully get Emery's system. There are signs.
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When the only attribute you have appears to be work rate then it's a little more than confidence.
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When the only attribute you have appears to be work rate then it's a little more than confidence.
Maybe it's the assessor.
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Has he ever been a touchline winger? Everything we've seen of him in France or everything we've seen him do well is when he has freedom to explore the space on the righthand side of the pitch, not stuck out on the wing with a defender tight on him. His strength appeared to be receiving the ball and knocking it past the defender before waltzing past them. By tactically restricting his space we don't appear to be doing him any favours.
His only real impact so far this season has been his defensive work supporting Cash. As a forward he may as well not be there.
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I can see him having more success as a right wing back.
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Been reading a bit around French forums from last season. What I can glean is that over several years, he was perceived as having a lot of unfulfilled potential and needed to work on his touch, finishing and chance-creating. This time last year, he went on a bit of a run, starting with en eyecatching performance against PSG. Found a funny quote from a French pundit (https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/ligue-1/nice-il-est-dans-le-top-3-des-attaquants-de-ligue-1-riolo-conquis-par-evann-guessand_AV-202501270403.html): "Have you ever heard anyone talk about Guessand and instinctively say, ‘I think this bloke's good, I really believe he's on the verge of something’? But since last year, last winter, he's gone up a level."
We can only hope...
Somebody mentioned Palace wanting him earlier in the thread. Canvot (who we were trying to sign at CB) started for them, and gifted the winner to Larnaca.
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
Diaby? Poundland Rudy Gestede more like.
Haha. I forgot about good old rudy. What the hell ever happened to him?
Boiled down to make Bostik, most likely.
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Looks like a temu version of diaby. Would be sUprised if he gets more than 5 league goals this year.
His work rates good, and defensively good. But going forward is god awful
Diaby? Poundland Rudy Gestede more like.
Haha. I forgot about good old rudy. What the hell ever happened to him?
Boiled down to make Bostik, most likely.
Gestede is head of football at Blackburn, so not doing so well.
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After some of the stick he got the other night, it's only fair to mention how well he did when he came on. Really helped us see the game out.
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Didn't score though.
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Didn't score though.
Neither did Konsa.
The thing they both have in common is that neither of them are strikers.
Also you are every bit as bad as I get accused of being with pushing an agenda because I've seen numerous of these sly comments outside of the Watkins thread from you now. Stop dragging it onto other threads.
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Guessand is a forward.
And they aren't sly, they are blatantly taking the piss.
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Guessand is a forward.
And they aren't sly, they are blatantly taking the piss.
You're referencing my posts on the Watkins thread again, if you're upset that I criticise Watkins and want to keep having digs at me for it at least keep it to one thread.
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He did the job we needed him to do really well today.
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He did the job we needed him to do really well today.
He has done that in most of his appearances to be fair, which is why he's playing more than Malen, Sancho and Elliott. It's not spectacular and we all want more creativity from him but if that's not coming then the next best thing to do is follow instructions and make life difficult for the opposition. He failed to do that on Thursday and got 3-4 pages of shit on this thread but it's only the 2nd time where I think it's been fair to say he wasn't doing what he was there to do.
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Yep, good cameo.
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He did the job we needed him to do really well today.
Battled well when he came on. Just needs to add that final product to his game.
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Yep, good cameo.
Word up.
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Did nicely today.
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Got a good feel for Guessand.
He's fast and skillful, did alright today.
I'm wondering if he'll have a big impact in his second season like Leon Bailey did, and in the same way Moussa Diaby might've done had we not sold him after a season.
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Great cameo, yesterday.
He’s strange, and I like it.
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Great cameo, yesterday.
He’s strange, and I like it.
I like him to he goes back and forth down the wing.
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He was very strong on the ball, almost Rogers-esque at times with players climbing all over him and winning us the foul.
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Shite on thursday, excellent cameo yesterday.
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Though he did really well when he came on. Held the ball really well, and seemed much stronger than previously
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He did the job we needed him to do really well today.
PeterWithesShin or Guessand?
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Given the referee was waving Guardiol on to pull, push and foul at will, I thought Guessand picked up rather well from where McGinn left off. He battles and tries hard and has shown glimpses of skill too, I think he's already an asset, and given time, he'll be lauded on here.
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Philogene was very good in the lunchtime KO on Saturday. Some great crosses.
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His best showing in our colours so far. Offered strength and pace and got himself involved. I’m more encouraged than after Thursday’s showing.
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Well I was certainly shaking my pants at the end with this cameo.
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When he came on, he was fast, fierce and, funny right at the end, with Foden hanging on his shirt tails.
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Great cameo, yesterday.
He’s strange, and I like it.
He turned and faced the strange.
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Got a good feel for Guessand.
He's fast and skillful, did alright today.
I'm wondering if he'll have a big impact in his second season like Leon Bailey did, and in the same way Moussa Diaby might've done had we not sold him after a season.
Bailey’s purple patch was his third season. First two, not so much.
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Didier Dome said Guessand was quick and strong before the game tonight on Bien Sports.
He looks neither to me.
I dont know what his strenghtns are. He seems to just run with it until he loses it.
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He may come good but presently looks completely out of his depth. Looks far better when he comes on as sub than when he starts.
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Guessand starting tonight wasn't a surprise. With Buendia injured and after Sancho flopping the last day, McGinn was always likely to switch over. But after conceding the goal at half time then we don't need a defensive forward. We also needed to get McGinn into the game, swapping over to the right up against Robertson surely would have done that. Emery was too slow there.
Not really seeing what our scouts did. Guessand just doesn't have the technical ability to play for us.
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Maybe he’ll come good, but it looks a long way off as he’s been diabolical so far.
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I think he looks like a squad player, which probably reflects the fee. But even accounting for that he needs to be better.
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Seemed to have a decent chance going through on goal first half. Couldn't see from the away end if it was good defending or another wasted opportunity on his part. He does help Cash a lot though. Hopefully he comes good...
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He's Blues. Has no real attributes.
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Far too slow.
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Shouldn't be starting games. Not sure why he still is.
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Literally don't understand the hate this guy gets, like at all. He's had better games and worse games but it's incredibly obvious what he's good at, i.e. what Emery hoped Philogene would do - tactically sound and able to turn defensive situations into counters. He didn't do it tonight but he's definitely down he's capable at performing in his role.
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I’m with you Monty. He’s sound, maybe not electrifying like a in form Bailey, but we’re far more compact, organised and a better shape with him in front of Cash.
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I’m with you Monty. He’s sound, maybe not electrifying like a in form Bailey, but we’re far more compact, organised and a better shape with him in front of Cash.
He was not offering Cash much protection last night and his contribution in an attacking sense was woefull, he looked completely out of his depth.
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Do we want to be a top 6 team? He isn't a top 6 player, nowhere near. It's not hard to see why we are struggling to score goals or create chances when we have a wide attacker who isn't capable of offering any threat.
You're just making excuses up for him. He's pants, and we've had ours pulled down. There's no masterstroke or tactical genius going on, he's just very very limited and we need an attacking player in an attacking position who can threaten the opposition.
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He has his ups and downs but when he’s poor, he really stinks. That said, he contributed well against C115ty. He is always marked by a couple of players and needs time and support to bed in.
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He was a 15 minute sub against Man City in a winning position.
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He was a 15 minute sub against Man City in a winning position.
And made a solid contribution. I think he’s been largely useless so far, but he clearly is not the finished article in the Premier division. He’s been here a few months.
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Do we want to be a top 6 team? He isn't a top 6 player, nowhere near. It's not hard to see why we are struggling to score goals or create chances when we have a wide attacker who isn't capable of offering any threat.
You're just making excuses up for him. He's pants, and we've had ours pulled down. There's no masterstroke or tactical genius going on, he's just very very limited and we need an attacking player in an attacking position who can threaten the opposition.
You're right, he's my son, and this is clouding my judgement. The fact that he stole your wife is, you have to admit, clouding yours too though.
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We're starting to become what we slate Arsenal and Tottenham fans for being.
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We're starting to become what we slate Arsenal and Tottenham fans for being.
Cockney scum?
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Well some of you might think I'm telling a Cherry, but I don't think he's Dot Cotton.
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He’s awful, him and Sancho have actually made us worse out wide. Terrible summer transfer window IMO
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Do we want to be a top 6 team? He isn't a top 6 player, nowhere near. It's not hard to see why we are struggling to score goals or create chances when we have a wide attacker who isn't capable of offering any threat.
You're just making excuses up for him. He's pants, and we've had ours pulled down. There's no masterstroke or tactical genius going on, he's just very very limited and we need an attacking player in an attacking position who can threaten the opposition.
You're right, he's my son, and this is clouding my judgement. The fact that he stole your wife is, you have to admit, clouding yours too though.
Your Son is shit at football but works hard. He'd make a good hod carrier. You guided him down the wrong path in life.
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Far too slow.
In the head rather than running, and seems to play with blinkers on and can't see people in his peripheral vision.
He's shite, we'll be no doubt sending him on a series of loans going forward.
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if he'd come in for £5mil then I could understand it - not seen muuc, if anything so far to suggest he's worth £30mil - still time to adapt and get more from him obviously.
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I dunno, people slate Emery for not putting players in the moment we’ve signed them, but the one time he does the player gets slated for not being good enough - when in reality he’s just moved to a new country and playing in a more physically demanding league so it’s not overly surprising that he might not be in the form of his life.
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I dunno, people slate Emery for not putting players in the moment we’ve signed them, but the one time he does the player gets slated for not being good enough - when in reality he’s just moved to a new country and playing in a more physically demanding league so it’s not overly surprising that he might not be in the form of his life.
so far - the evidence is that he doesn't appear good enough - like I said above, still plenty of time. But, fair play to Emery for chucking him in.
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It's not just the newness, some players struggle but you can see signs of life, this lad just looks like he's out of his depth entirely.
Even the goal he scored might be the least convincing I've ever seen.
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Sancho and Elliot must train appallingly if he's getting the nod. He looks thick.
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You see snippets that make you think there’s something there. The rest of it, what is he doing there. We should have saved our money and kept Philogene.
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Sancho and Elliot must train appallingly if he's getting the nod. He looks thick.
I think it's the physicality alone, maybe they should take turned standing on each others shoulders whilst wearing a mac, they might get picked then.
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Against Burnley, our attack looked far more potent with twin strikers Watkins and Malen starting and Donyell bagging two superb goals. I fully expected Emery to give this partnership more mileage, but, Malen in particular has had very limited minutes since....why??
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I think they see similarities to Roger’s - a lot of the right attributes but raw. There are flashes but he doesn’t seem to have much vision.
He’s been largely awful and the biggest issue we have is we can’t afford for transfers to not come off. Unfortunately we seem to be up with a weaker squad after each transfer window. I know a lot is FFP type stuff but sangho, Elliot and guessard just looking like sizeable backwards steps from Ramsey and Bailey
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He might have been useful in the league he came from but, the Prem is beyond him. A complete waste of money.
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Lots of positive comments after our win last week, lots of comments saying he's shit and will never make it after defeat this week.
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Lots of positive comments after our win last week, lots of comments saying he's shit and will never make it after defeat this week.
Maybe David O Leary was right.
(Runs and hides)
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For £30m I was expecting a bit more than nuisance value as an attribute and I'm not sure he's that convincing even in the nuisance department. Agree he needs time to settle but so far he's reminding me of Martin Carruthers.
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Lots of positive comments after our win last week, lots of comments saying he's shit and will never make it after defeat this week.
Maybe David O Leary was right.
(Runs and hides)
Your going on an adventure
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I really want him to succeed.
I refuse to believe he's as bad as people think he is considering Unai persists with him, we have options to replace him so why keep playing him? Unai must have seen something.
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You see snippets that make you think there’s something there. The rest of it, what is he doing there. We should have saved our money and kept Philogene.
Philogene was miles off it in the PL. Combine Guessand's physicality with Philogene's skills and you would have a PL standard player.
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The positive is that he does the defensive side well
But other than that I see nothing. He looks like he's never played in the position we're asking him to play. It's noticeable that the other players seem a bit reluctant to give him the ball.
Anyway, let's give him 12 months before we write him off completely.
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£30m doesn’t get you much these days.
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I think Guessand is struggling partly because he was the only money signing, had he been one of 3 £30m players in the window he would have had time to settle.
Think he definitely has ability & will be coached to use his strength more, but he certainly doesn’t appear to have much pace which particularly in games like last night when the recent recipe to beat them has been long ball, channels and pace was an issue.
Sancho and Elliott have also been a huge disappointment thus far to be fair to Guessand.
Rashford, Asensio and Bailey vs Elliott, Sancho & Guessand is so far a big big downgrade without even considering Ramsey! but all 3 have time to come good.
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Elliott being a disappointment what for not being given a chance?
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Elliott being a disappointment what for not being given a chance?
No, his dodgy hair.
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I'm prepared to stick with Guessand because he's handsome enough to play for us. I will not entertain people called Harvey who look like squashed mobile phone salesmen.
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Elliott being a disappointment what for not being given a chance?
Perhaps he hasn’t earnt it? Or perhaps Unai hasn’t picked him because he doesn’t want him? who knows but the short times he has been on the field he has been no better than Guessand
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I'm prepared to stick with Guessand because he's handsome enough to play for us. I will not entertain people called Harvey who look like squashed mobile phone salesmen.
I wouldn't buy a squashed mobile phone from any one.....
well, maybe Sydney Sweeney....
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Elliott being a disappointment what for not being given a chance?
Perhaps he hasn’t earnt it? Or perhaps Unai hasn’t picked him because he doesn’t want him? who knows but the short times he has been on the field he has been no better than Guessand
What games in particular are you talking about?
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For £30m I was expecting a bit more than nuisance value as an attribute and I'm not sure he's that convincing even in the nuisance department. Agree he needs time to settle but so far he's reminding me of Martin Carruthers.
Oh, God...really? That's bad :(
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I'm prepared to stick with Guessand because he's handsome enough to play for us. I will not entertain people called Harvey who look like squashed mobile phone salesmen.
You have a thing for black, erratic wingers with good hair.
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If you know any, pass on my number.
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Now you can tell some lies about the good times that you've had
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I know a lot is FFP type stuff but sangho, Elliot and guessard just looking like sizeable backwards steps from Ramsey and Bailey
And yet, last season’s versions of Ramsey (form and fitness) and Bailey (form) were not up to much at all.
Didn’t see the game last night, but recognise the description of his performance from other games.
All looks a bit Philogene-esque to me - expect him to be given opportunities through to Christmas, and if he fails to turn the tide, out on loan.
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I know a lot is FFP type stuff but sangho, Elliot and guessard just looking like sizeable backwards steps from Ramsey and Bailey
And yet, last season’s versions of Ramsey (form and fitness) and Bailey (form) were not up to much at all.
Didn’t see the game last night, but recognise the description of his performance from other games.
All looks a bit Philogene-esque to me - expect him to be given opportunities through to Christmas, and if he fails to turn the tide, out on loan.
I doubt he will be sent out on loan as we can't really bring anyone else in yet without selling a player or two to keep plus transfer balance.
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Against Liverpool, he apparently attempted five passes, one of which was successful.
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It's correct, he helped defensively though with his 0 tackles.
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I know a lot is FFP type stuff but sangho, Elliot and guessard just looking like sizeable backwards steps from Ramsey and Bailey
And yet, last season’s versions of Ramsey (form and fitness) and Bailey (form) were not up to much at all.
Didn’t see the game last night, but recognise the description of his performance from other games.
All looks a bit Philogene-esque to me - expect him to be given opportunities through to Christmas, and if he fails to turn the tide, out on loan.
I doubt he will be sent out on loan as we can't really bring anyone else in yet without selling a player or two to keep plus transfer balance.
I think he's a bit of a project. He's physically imposing and has lots of raw ability; you could see that in the City game, where he took the ball on and held it up really well a couple of times towards the end, against a more-than-decent City side. But then so did Keinan Davis, from time to time.
Given Unai's track record in spotting something the rest of us might have missed, I wouldn't write him off until he's had at least a full season here. In Youri's first season under Unai, many of us worried we'd signed a turkey until his performances started improving in November, and he had plenty of Premier League experience already. It just took a few months to acclimatise, then he thrived.
I'm hoping Evann is similar.
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It's correct, he helped defensively though with his 0 tackles.
"If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake." - Paolo Maldini.
As long as he's getting back to do his defensive work, covering the space, tracking runnuers and forcing the opposition backwards or sideways, I'm not too worried about him not diving into tackles. If he's AWOL entirely, that's an entirely different matter!
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I am yet to see anything to suggest he's not crap.
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Maldini must have been shit with how many tackles he did.
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He was probably better going forward then Evann too.
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He is so so out of his depth. I wish he wasn’t, I wish he was the £30 odd million pound winger or whatever he should be, but he isn’t. No idea what we might get for him but I cannot imagine it’s anywhere near that sum.
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The £30m figure has been thrown around a lot. I've seen the actual price quoted as low as £23.5m rising to £28m with add-ons. The BBC reported it as £26m plus £4.3m in extras. Which may not be met, judging by the, er, judgement of him, thus far...
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I want it all and I want it right now.
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It's correct, he helped defensively though with his 0 tackles.
"If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake." - Paolo Maldini.
As long as he's getting back to do his defensive work, covering the space, tracking runnuers and forcing the opposition backwards or sideways, I'm not too worried about him not diving into tackles. If he's AWOL entirely, that's an entirely different matter!
Smithy you are one of the most considered posters on here, but in whatever context having Maldini and Big Evan in the same paragraph is a bit wrong…i am laughing btw
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Smithy you are one of the most considered posters on here, but in whatever context having Maldini and Big Evan in the same paragraph is a bit wrong…i am laughing btw
Good point, Evann's not as handsome as Paolo was (SE may disagree).
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There are handsome men on both sides.
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I really hope he kicks on, because he tries hard, but at the moment the best you can say is he’s a useful defensive player.
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Could we turn him into a right back? He does seem to track back and tackle quite well.
He sure as hell ain’t never making a top level winger.
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Cuellar was a bigger attacking threat out wide.
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to be honest I find him and sancho equally frustrating.
Evan has the physical attributes - but it whether he can be coached to not be shit.
Sancho - just looks a little lost - think its confidence
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It isn't looking good now unfortunately. If we are going two play with two relatively defensive midfielders then we can't afford for one of our front four to be completely void of goals and assists. He does try but he looks utterly blunt as an attacking force.
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A complete dud. Sometimes it happens. Loan back to France in Jan if we can rustle up something else.
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He's way too big and ungainly to be an effective wide man. I'd still like to see him up front for a bit.
But I'm definitely getting Rudy Gestede vibes.
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I’d say more Jordan Bowery. And that’s being generous.
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Perhaps he’ll come good, it’s still relatively early days but it’s hard to judge our summer business as anything but woeful based on what we’ve seen so far (Bizot the exception).
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From the clips I saw when we signed him, he played more central in France, drifting wide when needed.
It’s baffling that Unai keeps starting him wide right, other than tracking back, which he does okay to be fair, he offers next to fuck all as an attacking threat for the team.
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A complete dud. Sometimes it happens. Loan back to France in Jan if we can rustle up something else.
Sounds good in theory, but under this government he'd probably be back in the UK within a month.
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Ba-dum, and furthermore, tish.
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Total Blues. Not a Premier League footballer.
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Let's face it, he's crap and it's another crap buy. Emery could start him for the next 10 seasons and he'll still be crap. The bloke looks completely lost and miles out of his depth, I was hoping it was a case of a period of adjustment but you can't see any improvement, most of the time the ball bounces off him.
Hopefully has a good African nations and we can move him on soon after.
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I do think the comparisons with Elliott in terms of game time do look weird. It’s not all about stats and there is some value in how his efforts have helped Cash in being really good this year.
But, he’s played 14 games for us and has 1 goal and no assists, and being honest if you’ve watched most of his games those stats look fairly reasonable. He hasn’t created a load of chances that have been missed. That is obviously nowhere near good enough and I’m pretty sure had Elliott been given an opportunity his output would have been better - even in the right forward role. It might have had an impact defensively, but there are some games, like last night, where it could have been tried.
Now, hopefully it’s all about settling in and there’s much more to come. But at the moment his output is way short of what is needed.
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No attacking output at all from him. A downgrade on last season's Bailey.
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Guessand was Nice player of the year for 2024/25. 12 goals and 7 assists as Nice finished 4th in Ligue 1. He looks so good on his highlights reel. I don't understand how he's looked so poor aside from the occasional defensive contribution. I know the PL is a big step up in intensity, but why??
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Guessand was Nice player of the year for 2024/25. 12 goals and 7 assists as Nice finished 4th in Ligue 1. He looks so good on his highlights reel. I don't understand how he's looked so poor aside from the occasional defensive contribution. I know the PL is a big step up in intensity, but why??
Because that's what happens when you move to a level beyond your capabilities.
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Well its early days and he could come good but, one of the positives reported, that he works hard to get the ball back, is only true because he's given it away in the first place.
I remain to be convinced.
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We should have brought Bert back and saved £27.5 million. At least he looks like he can play football.
The Ali Dia of 2025.
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^^Yes.
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Every attempt to go past his man last night was a half hearted one, and failed. What was even more noticeable was the total lack of understanding between him and Rogers, as to where to go, when to go, and when and where to pass. That he's getting so many minutes right now is utterly baffling, especially given the situation with Elliot.
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He also looks totally uninterested and disconnected.
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He also looks totally uninterested and disconnected.
I'm not so sure about that, rather he looks like he's playing with a lack of confidence borne of thinking he's out of his depth, and being right.
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I think its pointless bringing Elliot into it. We clearly dont want to buy Elliot. We've bought Guessand - so I can see why Emery is sticking with him, 1 shit player for 30m is better than 2 shit players for 70m.
Hopefully we still a step change in the recruitment - as too often it has left us short. To think 2 years ago we had Diaby and Bailey as options on the right - this is a serious downgrade.
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Bailey was pretty ineffectual in that position last season and he’s not even reached those levels yet. However, he’s very tactically disciplined, he’s just shown nothing to suggest he can layer on the next bit to contribute to our attacking play. He certainly wasn’t helped having bloody Lindelof behind him who isn’t a right back and is too slow to play RB in an Emery team.
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Guessand looks like a competition winner - I just don't see the potential for improvement; he seems to be running through treacle and when the ball is at his feet he treats it like a bag of cement.
Sancho seems like an utter waste of space too; no value whatsoever in that deal.
And I pride myself on giving everyone a chance to demonstrate their capability!
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Guessand was Nice player of the year for 2024/25. 12 goals and 7 assists as Nice finished 4th in Ligue 1. He looks so good on his highlights reel. I don't understand how he's looked so poor aside from the occasional defensive contribution. I know the PL is a big step up in intensity, but why??
This is the same Nice who are bottom of the Europa League, on a par with Rangers and behind Celtic.
That sort of comparison makes Nice a Championship level outfit and we know it’s a massive step up from there to the PL.
Although Guessand works hard and is good defensively, I don’t see what he has that can be built on to develop as an attacking option. No pace, no McGinnesque trick of turning a player, iffy touch, no apparent instinct for timing a run into the box. Even the one goal hes scored was a fluke.
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Temu Trezeguet so far.
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He tries, but even against limited sides like the one last night, he looks like he doesn't quite know what he's doing. Work rate aside, he's been a bit of a liability.
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He tries, but even against limited sides like the one last night, he looks like he doesn't quite know what he's doing. Work rate aside, he's been a bit of a liability.
He's not been great but in what way exactly has he been a liability?
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He tries, but even against limited sides like the one last night, he looks like he doesn't quite know what he's doing. Work rate aside, he's been a bit of a liability.
He's not been great but in what way exactly has he been a liability?
I mean from an attacking perspective. He offers next to nothing, hence liability.
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Last night was an opportunity for him to show what he can do. He did nothing of note.
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Might as well swap Cash and him round as the former is in good form and more likely to score.
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In the footage I saw of him when he was at his previous club he looked like he had a bit of trickery about him and more than a little pace….Was this CGI because he’s shown neither with us.
In fact with regard pace he looks quite slow and ponderous, there’s no way he’s beating any player on the wing to whip a cross in.
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Guessand was Nice player of the year for 2024/25. 12 goals and 7 assists as Nice finished 4th in Ligue 1. He looks so good on his highlights reel. I don't understand how he's looked so poor aside from the occasional defensive contribution. I know the PL is a big step up in intensity, but why??
The sporting wing of the IDF are in football terms a pub team. Far away eagles the same. Guessand was hopeless against both. Playing on the sides of our midfield is a tough gig tactically and technically you have to be able to manage the ball in tight situations. It's not a good fit for EG.
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Seems we bought him on the basis of a breakthrough season. Maybe there wasn't enough of a body of work to realise how good or bad he was.
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I do wonder if we need to see him more central with either Watkins or Malen. He certainly looks a lost soul as an attacker wide right, although he is doing a great job protecting Cash.
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I still don’t think he’s as bad as everyone makes out. He’s pretty solid and unspectacular and offers a sound resistance on the right. He’s just not playing with any flair or having an impact going forward. Obviously we’re lacking somewhat in making chances, but with Tielemans fit that may change.
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Well it depends what you mean by bad. I think most people acknowledge the defensive work, but being honest I think it’s hard to remember a less effective attacking player at actual attacking. Hopefully that’ll change but his attacking output to date is about as bad as it could have been.
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Seems we bought him on the basis of a breakthrough season. Maybe there wasn't enough of a body of work to realise how good or bad he was.
That's what the raw data suggests anyway. Nice obviously weren't convinced by him for a long time with two season long loans elsewhere. Evidence increasingly suggests we were had. In fairness to the guy you can't fault his application.
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Temu Trezeguet so far.
He's miles off Trez. Left for 4m didn't he? How much was Guessand?
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He also looks totally uninterested and disconnected.
I'm not so sure about that, rather he looks like he's playing with a lack of confidence borne of thinking he's out of his depth, and being right.
A bit concerning that he's still looked out of his depth against opponents of the calibre of Go Ahead Eagles and that lot last night. Aside from a plum draw in the FA Cup 3rd round, he won't be facing too many easier sides than that.
Being the best player on the pitch wouldn't have told a whole lot when the opposition are Championship/League One level.
But when he's having 'mares against those sort of sides as well it's not great at all.
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The defensive stuff is great but we could have bought Matt Doherty to perform a similar task and saved ourselves the best part of £30m.
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You saying that led me to thinking about Mings being out there and if he'd have done any worse. I'm genuinely not sure. Mings' defensive work would be better and I'm not sure he's much worse technically.
The fact I spent more than one second considering it is damning as fuck. He needs carting off in January. What are Ipswich up to?
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Mings as a marauding right winger, I like it!!
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I don't think Guessand is as terrible as many here seem to. He works hard, and he is young enough to improve the parts of his game that need work. Hopefully he will just click at some point.
Having him in the team has improved the form of Cash too.
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It does seem very strange, in a summer when we were counting every penny in and out, that we ended up paying so much for apparently so little. Having quickly offloaded Philogene (in the previous summer), sold Bailey, ignored Barrie and loaned out Redmond and Rowe we bring in this unproven guy for c.£25m. We as might as well have given one of our young guys a run-out for the first half of this season to see how it went.
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It does seem very strange, in a summer when we were counting every penny in and out, that we ended up paying so much for apparently so little. Having quickly offloaded Philogene (in the previous summer), sold Bailey, ignored Barrie and loaned out Redmond and Rowe we bring in this unproven guy for c.£25m. We as might as well have given one of our young guys a run-out for the first half of this season to see how it went.
I thought that when we signed Duran too though, and he ended up being a good player (if a tad nutty). Emery obviously sees something in him.
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Everyone makes mistakes and in this case, Emery has dropped a right clanger.
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It does seem very strange, in a summer when we were counting every penny in and out, that we ended up paying so much for apparently so little. Having quickly offloaded Philogene (in the previous summer), sold Bailey, ignored Barrie and loaned out Redmond and Rowe we bring in this unproven guy for c.£25m. We as might as well have given one of our young guys a run-out for the first half of this season to see how it went.
I thought that when we signed Duran too though, and he ended up being a good player (if a tad nutty). Emery obviously sees something in him.
Big difference here, though, is that Guessand is showing none of the innate attributes that Duran had - the combination of physique, pace and instincts: I can't really see what there is to work with in Guessand's case, unless behind the scenes they are trying to turn him into a target man, utilising his physique, as a long-term replacement for Watkins; but that seems like a big stretch to me (and when Cotcher and Wilson are coming through anyway).
Above people have referred to Bowery, Gestede and Harewood; all journeymen who wouldn't attract the equivalent in price of what we paid for Guessand.
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Duran showed there was something there pretty early on even if it was raw, plus he was 5 or 6 years younger.
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Duran showed there was something there pretty early on even if it was raw, plus he was 5 or 6 years younger.
That shot against the bar at Man City a few minutes into his debut made me sit up.
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Duran is an incredibly brave talent. A maverick and completely bonkers. I do miss him.
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I like crazy. Even in a team as well drilled as ours there should always be space for a Duran or Bert-style maverick.
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Duran is an incredibly brave talent. A maverick and completely bonkers. I do miss him.
I know what you mean although being at his 5th club at the age of 21 says a lot as well.
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Emery obviously sees something, perhaps he's doing the business in training but we haven't seen anything in matches.
There was a chance for him to break behind Liverpool last week, but he took that long to get going that the defender got back & simply took the ball off him. Hopefully it will click soon & he won't look back. But the initial signs aren't great.
Duran could be brilliant as a sub but was mostly ineffective when he started. We did well to get the money we did.
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Duran only started 17 games, he scored in a bunch of them.
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Just had another look at this https://youtu.be/GXYM6Ud4tSg?si=Mr3hmvV6sNJUxz5N I we sure we didn’t buy his brother instead?
What is noticeable though is that he is mostly central not stuck out wide, and there is a bit of Eze about him
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Duran is an incredibly brave talent. A maverick and completely bonkers. I do miss him.
I know what you mean although being at his 5th club at the age of 21 says a lot as well.
I’m sure we’ve made the right choice in selling him. We need to find the next young talent. Hopefully a more grounded one though.
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Hoping for some Saudi interest I’m afraid.
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Hoping for some Saudi interest I’m afraid.
Yeah I’m hoping for something along those lines too…..He isn’t going to come good.
He’s way, way out of his depth at this level. He’s doesn’t seem to have a single attribute that would contribute to any form of attacking play.
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Hoping for some Saudi interest I’m afraid.
A forlorn hope, riba is haram.
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Hoping for some Saudi interest I’m afraid.
A forlorn hope, riba is haram.
But riba can be halal if we don’t zina them many times over.
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Ribena is kosher.
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Ribery is a mosher.
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Duran only started 17 games, he scored in a bunch of them.
it was right to sell him - but strangly we miss him (or another good striker)
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Hoping for some Saudi interest I’m afraid.
Thought about that the other day and someone mentioned Toney in either this thread last night or Watkins thread. Swap deal could be decent although Toney not a long term replacement for Watkins and we’d still need a right side replacement.
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Just had another look at this https://youtu.be/GXYM6Ud4tSg?si=Mr3hmvV6sNJUxz5N I we sure we didn’t buy his brother instead?
What is noticeable though is that he is mostly central not stuck out wide, and there is a bit of Eze about him
I keep saying play him centrally, he will come good
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I don’t see the Eze comparison at all.
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Saudis tend to spend the petrodollars on 'name' players.
Unless you're intertwined with the deplorable Wahhabi head choppers to the extent Newcastle are, why would they want to take damaged goods off us just to do us a favour.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
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Saudis tend to spend the petrodollars on 'name' players.
Unless you're intertwined with the deplorable Wahhabi head choppers to the extent Newcastle are, why would they want to take damaged goods off us just to do us a favour.
Wasn't he heading there before we stepping in?
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He'll come good. Currently playing out of position to fill a gap.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
Your logic does seem to fluctuate a bit.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
Your logic does seem to fluctuate a bit.
It doesn't, you just didn't bother to read my post.
Unai has almost no choice but to play Watkins so there is no other striker to drop him for.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
Who would play out there in place of him?
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Me neither. They're both black with good hair, one is a baller, the other's a bad cover version.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
Your logic does seem to fluctuate a bit.
It doesn't, you just didn't bother to read my post.
Unai has almost no choice but to play Watkins so there is no other striker to drop him for.
Yes, and I’m sure Unai has had zero input to the building of the squad in the last 3 years.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
We didn’t have several players who could replace him though.
He was dropped when Onana came back and allowed McGinn to play in his position. He would have remained out of the team if Buendia didn’t get injured.
He might come good, although I don’t think he’s got the attributes needed to play in his current position. Perhaps it might be an option to try him in the centre for one of the Euro games and swap him and Malen around?
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He isn't quick enough to play the position. Hope he comes good but i'm not hopeful.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
Your logic does seem to fluctuate a bit.
It doesn't, you just didn't bother to read my post.
Unai has almost no choice but to play Watkins so there is no other striker to drop him for.
Yes, and I’m sure Unai has had zero input to the building of the squad in the last 3 years.
Good point! We have also been totally unrestricted in who we can buy and how much we can spend and Unai has never mentioned this before.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
We didn’t have several players who could replace him though.
He was dropped when Onana came back and allowed McGinn to play in his position. He would have remained out of the team if Buendia didn’t get injured.
He might come good, although I don’t think he’s got the attributes needed to play in his current position. Perhaps it might be an option to try him in the centre for one of the Euro games and swap him and Malen around?
Sancho, Buendia and Malen can all play on the wing.
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For those who think he won't come good and have already given up on him, why do you think Unai keeps starting him?
Surely there has to be a reason, and I don't think it's because he cost a decent amount of money.
Do you really think Unai would persist with him if he was really as shit as you lot believe he is? We've got several players who could replace him so I don't see why he wouldn't just drop him.
Your logic does seem to fluctuate a bit.
It doesn't, you just didn't bother to read my post.
Unai has almost no choice but to play Watkins so there is no other striker to drop him for.
Yes, and I’m sure Unai has had zero input to the building of the squad in the last 3 years.
Good point! We have also been totally unrestricted in who we can buy and how much we can spend and Unai has never mentioned this before.
We’ve had other forwards, and currently do. Like I say, your argument on Guessand might have merit, but it does rather expose your stance on Watkins.
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We don't have anyone who can play CF. We have one striker. Anyone else would be playing out of position. That's not the case with the wing.
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He'll come good. Currently playing out of position to fill a gap.
seems that way .
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A very good last 10 mins or so today. Maybe its the best way to get him in order to integrated to the style of play. Looked composed.
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Came on as sub for Ivory Coast.
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He'll come good. Currently playing out of position to fill a gap.
Yes, quite. There are many examples of players moving from abroad to PL and struggling in the first season. Looking at just one club Liverpool, exhibit A is Wirtz and remember Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Darwin and Diaz didn't exactly rip up any trees in their first seasons.
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Also, I wonder if the goal reels from Nice aren’t a bit misleading for us? In that we’re expecting something like a combination of Drogba and Bailey up the right. And since we’re not seeing the pace and power, he looks like a disappointment.
Maybe Emery’s projection for him is different.
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He'll come good. Currently playing out of position to fill a gap.
Yes, quite. There are many examples of players moving from abroad to PL and struggling in the first season. Looking at just one club Liverpool, exhibit A is Wirtz and remember Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Darwin and Diaz didn't exactly rip up any trees in their first seasons.
Agreed, patience is a virtue, albeit one that isn't particularly prevalent amongst football fans.
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He would be better in the middle.
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Didn't get on at all yesterday.
I am starting to worry about this player.
It's all very confusing.
Another one Unai has tried to play into form but looks like even he has given up now.
£30m is a lot of money to spend.
Surely Unai saw something and he will come good.
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first 20 mins of the game tonight - just not sure at all what is his best position or role. Nothing seems to come off for him.
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He tries hard, but at the moment there is absolutely no quality there. I really hope it’s confidence.
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I'm not sure the bloke could even cross a road
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Fingers crossed he has a great African Nations and comes back transformed.
I can 100% understand why Monchi was moved on, an absolute shit show of a summer transfer window
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If he doesn't have a higher level than what he's showing now we will have to look for a better player, I do hope that he can step up but it's looking doubtful.
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I can 100% understand why Monchi was moved on, an absolute shit show of a summer transfer window
Sancho, Eliott and Guessand is a shambles really.
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Not good enough unfortunately.
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I can 100% understand why Monchi was moved on, an absolute shit show of a summer transfer window
Sancho, Eliott and Guessand is a shambles really.
There were some shocking windows when we were rubbish
But more recently, I think this is as bad as we’ve had
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I can 100% understand why Monchi was moved on, an absolute shit show of a summer transfer window
Sancho, Eliott and Guessand is a shambles really.
Send them all back
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I still like Guessand, due to his attitude but I do understand the worry concerning his attacking abilities but I’m still hopeful that will come good.
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He’s awful, I’m still praying though
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Surely Unai gave the transfer his approval?
Watching him I can't really see any positives in his play. He does put the effort in, but he hasn't shown promise in any aspect of attacking play at all.
I find it hard to believe this is the real Guessand. There must be a reason he was signed.
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I can 100% understand why Monchi was moved on, an absolute shit show of a summer transfer window
Sancho, Eliott and Guessand is a shambles really.
Send them all back
I bumped into the one and only Denis Mortimer a while back in Lichfield and got chatting. He reckoned we didn’t need these three, should have just given younger players a go. I couldn’t see it at the time but at the moment it’s hard to disagree.
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Personally I think you're all being very harsh.
As a rookie coming in on a freebie from Solihull Moors he's doing as well as he can. He's trying his best.
Oh we paid £30 mill for this bloke? From a professional league as well? Yowsers.
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Can’t doubt his effort. His decision making looks way off the pace. Hopefully he’ll come good.
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Works hard but looks like a competition winner.
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It sometimes takes players a while to settle into the rigors of the premier league
add to that a new country and different surroundings
so we should never be to quick to write players off
Having said all that sad to say I have written him off, sorry but he’s never going to be a prem quality starter imo
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Every single cross he hit was over hit. It’s a shame as he’s trying hard but, e just bay no God good!
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He’s nowhere near what we expected/needed. He’s playing out wide and can’t beat a man, and as Big Ron would say, he’s lightning slow too.
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Watching the game tonight he seemed more suited to playing for Young Boys than us. Sounds harsh but the Swiss league seems more his level.
There’s still time to improve but he really needs to kick on in the second half of the season.
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Not good enough. Hoping he will get to the level we need but can’t see it.
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Yup, sure he's a nice guy, tries hard and buys flowers for his Gran and all that but, can we start looking for the receipt.
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It must be said - our summer business was same of the worst we’ve done
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Mixed feelings, UE is clearly as good a coach as there is to be able to get the players to raise themselves again to where they are, but some concern that the players we need to refresh and improve don't seem to be in the group of ones we bought in the summer.
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He can’t dominate or impose himself even against shit opposition.
A real disappointment.
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You know wingers are supposed to be fast? This bloke runs like he’s in concrete. I still maintain he would be a good target man.
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His best work is done out of possession, which isn't great for a forward.
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He isn’t going to come good.There’s rawness and there is a lack of ability (at this level).
Love his attitude and it’s not his fault he’s cost us in the region of 30 million, but he isn’t a Premiership footballer. He’s clumsy in possession, has next to no touch, slow and doesn’t really possess any guile. He runs around a bit and chases down. That ain’t enough.
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And worryingly, his team mates know it more than us fans know it. Yes, we need to protect our investment but he’s holding us back. All clubs make duff signings., we’ve had our share as we all know. This is the first in UE’s reign, it’s a bad one.
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He's Blues. He looks a donkey who's mentally slow too. Sack him off as soon as possible.
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He isn’t going to come good.There’s rawness and there is a lack of ability (at this level).
Love his attitude and it’s not his fault he’s cost us in the region of 30 million, but he isn’t a Premiership footballer. He’s clumsy in possession, has next to no touch, slow and doesn’t really possess any guile. He runs around a bit and chases down. That ain’t enough.
Apart from that, he's world class ! Worryingly, he appears to be getting worse each time I've seen him.
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Shame he isn’t a loan. Hopefully we can sell him back to France for not too much less than we paid.
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You know wingers are supposed to be fast? This bloke runs like he’s in concrete. I still maintain he would be a good target man.
I was wondering if he could play full back as he looks alright defensively. We'd still be fucked by his complete lack of ability going forward of course.
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He is looking more and more like he won Prize where it Lies and gets to play with the first team for the season.
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A downgrade on Zaniolo.
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You know wingers are supposed to be fast? This bloke runs like he’s in concrete. I still maintain he would be a good target man.
I was wondering if he could play full back as he looks alright defensively. We'd still be fucked by his complete lack of ability going forward of course.
I was wondering if he could drive the team coach, as that's the only way I can see him being involved on match day. Whoever scouted him needs taking outside and given a good hiding with the rough end of a ragmans trumpet.
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A downgrade on Zaniolo ...
... which says it all!
At 26, he's at his peak; supposedly.
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I'm just hoping it's a lack of confidence. Despite being good defensively, he looks clueless going forward....
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I've mentioned too I think he's Cash's eventual replacement. There's absolutely no attacking output. Konsa or Bogarde out of position have better instincts. Pau on a forray forward does. Never seem somebody so hunkered down with their own shell, absolutely terrified to even try anything.
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I have to believe he's under certain instructions. I mean, it's one thing doing the Zaniolo/Philogene role, but another thing to play the whole game like you're in a box.
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This is the first in UE’s reign
Philogene?
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I've mentioned too I think he's Cash's eventual replacement. There's absolutely no attacking output. Konsa or Bogarde out of position have better instincts. Pau on a forray forward does. Never seem somebody so hunkered down with their own shell, absolutely terrified to even try anything.
If we have a Europa League 'free hit' or a home FA Cup tie,I would give him an outing as a full back.
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I’ll be honest, being decent defensively as a forward is quite different from being a good defensive full back in a back 4. I know Cash’s history, but it’s reasonably uncommon to make than transition and operate at a high level.
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He's a solid choice, and helps to balance the side without leaving Cash (or whoever is at Right Back) with all the work to do. I think he's doing what he's told, and we've currently got Rogers as the plyer who's allowed to lose the ball, and sometimes Sancho/Buendia. But Emery is playing very safety first football. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Emery has said he's allowed to beat his man, but should only attempt it if it will have a 99% chance of coming off.
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What a depressing waste of £30 million.
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I enjoyed Brewster's Millions!
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It must be said - our summer business was same of the worst we’ve done
And yet, we sit in fourth spot, are the PL form team, alongside Arsenal and Chelsea, and the manager has given him a fair proportion of minutes along the way.
Not that I disagree with the thrust of the comments, just playing devil’s advocate.
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It must be said - our summer business was same of the worst we’ve done
And yet, we sit in fourth spot, are the PL form team, alongside Arsenal and Chelsea, and the manager has given him a fair proportion of minutes along the way.
Not that I disagree with the thrust of the comments, just playing devil’s advocate.
We do sit in 4th which is great
But none of the last window guys have had much or any input really, I don’t think any of them have improved us in any area
which is why the window was a very poor one
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I don’t disagree, really.
Equally, I find it hard to fathom that you can achieve a high level of team performance in the PL playing with ten and a half players on the pitch. Or ten, if you include Ollie!
So just maybe, we’re being ever so slightly harsh.
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I’ll be honest, being decent defensively as a forward is quite different from being a good defensive full back in a back 4. I know Cash’s history, but it’s reasonably uncommon to make than transition and operate at a high level.
Kenny Swain is the one who comes most readily to mind.
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I’ll be honest, being decent defensively as a forward is quite different from being a good defensive full back in a back 4. I know Cash’s history, but it’s reasonably uncommon to make than transition and operate at a high level.
Kenny Swain is the one who comes most readily to mind.
There are loads of examples though most moved position earlier in their careers. I can see why Ads thinks it's a move for Evann, he has the right characteristics. That said we never bought him as a winger, he needs space not hugging the touchline. I'd love to hear from those Villa supporting French Ligue 1 Villa supporting experts/journalists who were so excited with us signing him, even if he wasn't the finished article.
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I’ll be honest, being decent defensively as a forward is quite different from being a good defensive full back in a back 4. I know Cash’s history, but it’s reasonably uncommon to make than transition and operate at a high level.
Kenny Swain is the one who comes most readily to mind.
There are loads of examples though most moved position earlier in their careers. I can see why Ads thinks it's a move for Evann, he has the right characteristics. That said we never bought him as a winger, he needs space not hugging the touchline. I'd love to hear from those Villa supporting French Ligue 1 Villa supporting experts/journalists who were so excited with us signing him, even if he wasn't the finished article.
Your comment about him needing space not hugging the touchline is echoed in breakingthelines.com which raves about him as a hybrid striker/winger ie an inside forward operating on the right.
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I liked the look of him and I think it's far too early to write him off even though he's clearly not where we need him to be yet.
What I like is that he's clearly putting the work in on the pitch which suggests he's listening to what he's being asked to do and the coaches see enough to keep working with.
I liked what I'd seen of him in France because of how direct and aggressive he was, I think it'll come but I totally get why so many are underwhelmed with him so far.
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I’ll be honest, being decent defensively as a forward is quite different from being a good defensive full back in a back 4. I know Cash’s history, but it’s reasonably uncommon to make than transition and operate at a high level.
Kenny Swain is the one who comes most readily to mind.
There are loads of examples though most moved position earlier in their careers. I can see why Ads thinks it's a move for Evann, he has the right characteristics. That said we never bought him as a winger, he needs space not hugging the touchline. I'd love to hear from those Villa supporting French Ligue 1 Villa supporting experts/journalists who were so excited with us signing him, even if he wasn't the finished article.
From what I've read (and there's not much reporting on him), he mostly flattered to deceive in his early career - some relatively inconclusive loans here and there. Until he suddenly burst into life this time last year.
He hasn't had it easy. Marseille born and bred, brought up by his mother, rejected by the Marseille academy, salvation (ultimately) at Nice.
So if there's a silver lining, it's that he's accustomed to adversity and to being written off, and has great determination to succeed against those odds.
Ok, clutching at straws there, perhaps.
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I liked the look of him and I think it's far too early to write him off even though he's clearly not where we need him to be yet.
What I like is that he's clearly putting the work in on the pitch which suggests he's listening to what he's being asked to do and the coaches see enough to keep working with.
I liked what I'd seen of him in France because of how direct and aggressive he was, I think it'll come but I totally get why so many are underwhelmed with him so far.
So you think there is definitely a player there from seeing him in the French league?
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He looks more like a Roger’s understudy in those clips. Direct running at players in the centre of the pitch. Strong, but no pace or skills to beat a player.
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He looks more like a Roger’s understudy in those clips. Direct running at players in the centre of the pitch. Strong, but no pace or skills to beat a player.
Same. A right-sided Rogers.
Like Rogers, he seems to have pace once he builds up a head of steam. If you think about it, can you imagine Rogers hugging the touchline, skinning his man and whipping in a cross?
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I can imagine Rogers beating his man. He’s absolutely capable of that.
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For the second goal against Bournemouth he could just as easily have crossed it having skinned their full-back, as cut it back for Onana.
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Sure, he is of course capable of beating his man. He just tends to do it away from the touchline, driving toward goal. He’s not really the type to hug the touchline and drive to the byline, is he?
Maybe this is just more straw clutching!
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I liked the look of him and I think it's far too early to write him off even though he's clearly not where we need him to be yet.
What I like is that he's clearly putting the work in on the pitch which suggests he's listening to what he's being asked to do and the coaches see enough to keep working with.
I liked what I'd seen of him in France because of how direct and aggressive he was, I think it'll come but I totally get why so many are underwhelmed with him so far.
So you think there is definitely a player there from seeing him in the French league?
To be clear, what I've seen of him is only a little more than the video PWS has shared but as I said direct and aggressive, similar to Rogers as people have noted. He's not really doing that for us and I don't know why but I want to see him try and then judge whether he's good enough.
All I can think is that Emery has something very specific in mind for him and what we've seen so far is setting him up to be that player. It's got to be something like that because Emery seems pretty happy to play him and generally happy with his performances so he's doing the job he's been set, I think.
I do think he's been underwhelming so far though, I just think the player from last season has to be in there and if we can coax him out but with the rough edges smoothed over he can offer us something.
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23 goal involvements last year in Ligue 1 - a weaker league than the PL, but still. Cherki had 35 goal involvements last season - the difference reflecting a greater number of assists.
Goal reels are a bit misleading, of course, but to my mind, there are too many nice touches, crosses and finishes in his clips to think he doesn’t have something in his locker. (Although his core skill seems to be a pretty basic knock-and-run.)
Problem is, he has only very, very fleetingly shown us any of that.
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23 goal involvements last year in Ligue 1 - a weaker league than the PL, but still. Cherki had 35 goal involvements last season - the difference reflecting a greater number of assists.
Goal reels are a bit misleading, of course, but to my mind, there are too many nice touches, crosses and finishes in his clips to think he doesn’t have something in his locker. (Although his core skill seems to be a pretty basic knock-and-run.)
Problem is, he has only very, very fleetingly shown us any of that.
I agree but it's the fact that the basis of his game is something as simple as knock and run that makes me think it will come. If it was about beating players with pure skill I'd be more cautious because of thge step up in quality but he's shown he's quick enough and strong enough for the league (mostly with defensive duties but it's still been there) so I see no reason why he can't offer some of what he was doing in France.
I think I was the first person on here to mention Guessand as an option, and I was really happy when he signed so maybe there's an element of not wanting to have been wrong but I honestly don't think we've seen him 'do his thing' yet and I can only assume the coaches have a reason for that and it will come later.
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I've mentioned too I think he's Cash's eventual replacement. There's absolutely no attacking output. Konsa or Bogarde out of position have better instincts. Pau on a forray forward does. Never seem somebody so hunkered down with their own shell, absolutely terrified to even try anything.
If we have a Europa League 'free hit' or a home FA Cup tie,I would give him an outing as a full back.
You don’t get much more of a free hit than You g Boys at home or Go Ahead Eagles away.
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Even his goal to go ahead at Eagles' was tentative AF!
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I think he might be better than Tonev.
A few were saying give him time aswell.
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I buried him after 20 mins. Soz, Evann.
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Better today 8)
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He looks like he could do with strengthening up his upper body, for a big lad he’s quite weak. Torres struggled in this respect for ages. I wonder if a season under his belt and some conditioning we’ll see the attacking intent far more than we do.
I still hold out hope for him, he has a great attitude and he’s a worker.
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Second half he was doing stuff we'd only see in his showreel. Hope he's not too disappointed Watkins been given the goal, the fact he was there with his long legs and we won should be enough combined with his performance.
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Second half he was doing stuff we'd only see in his showreel.
Exactly. Touches in the opponent’s box, turning and running a few players, dangerous cross, nice header, unlucky not to score, really. Hope it does him some good.
Good job he improved, however, as the first half was very, very poor.
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Nobody played well for the first 40 minutes, so he wasn’t the only one.
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A touch of the Zaniolo. Clearly got something, not quite sure what, part of a team that keeps winning.
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Best 45 mins so far. Being able to attack on both flanks makes a huge difference...
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Best 45 mins so far. Being able to attack on both flanks makes a huge difference...
Yep, I half expected him to get subbed at half time but he really stepped up.
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Yes, first half was about as bad as it’s been.
He was still a bit timorous, I thought - he really should have scored himself - but it was so refreshing to see him in those places we are expecting him to perform, especially in the final third.
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A touch of the Zaniolo. Clearly got something, not quite sure what, part of a team that keeps winning.
Yeah. Lucky for him that Malen followed up for the goal, he'd be getting absolute pelters for that header just before.
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It wasn’t a bad header, just lacked conviction, a bit of ooomph.
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It wasn’t a bad header, just lacked conviction, a bit of ooomph.
Keeper made a bit of a meal of it I thought. He saved it but nicely for us put it back into the danger zone. Malen and Onana nearly getting in one another's way to score. Same for first, Watkins and Guessand are there first to get to a cracking Maatsen cross. Good for us, we have been struggling to get players into the box but no such issues last night.
Guessand also made a nice run just after half time with Cash playing him through. They did well to clear that one.
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Yes a couple of nice runs .just needs a bit more belief , that should come with confidence
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Emery was going absolutely nuts at one point in the 1st half and it appeared to be in Guessand's direction! He did improve 2nd half.
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It wasn’t a bad header, just lacked conviction, a bit of ooomph.
He was unmarked, five yards from goal, with the ball plopping perfectly on the middle of his forehead and the keeper didn't really have to excel himself to keep it out.
Any header that doesn't land in the net in those circumstances can't really be considered anything but a bad header in my opinion.
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Emery was going absolutely nuts at one point in the 1st half and it appeared to be in Guessand's direction! He did improve 2nd half.
Guessand was fortunate he was on the other side of the pitch to Emery! Watkins doesn't score before half time and I think it's a sure thing Guessand gets hooked. We pressed them a lot harder from the front after half time and he certainly helped there.
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It wasn’t a bad header, just lacked conviction, a bit of ooomph.
He was unmarked, five yards from goal, with the ball plopping perfectly on the middle of his forehead and the keeper didn't really have to excel himself to keep it out.
Any header that doesn't land in the net in those circumstances can't really be considered anything but a bad header in my opinion.
Yep, fair enough.
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He improved 2nd half which wasn’t difficult. His team “mates” clearly don’t rate him as passing to him isn’t part of their thinking. It’s something of a dilemma for Emery, he must have sanctioned his signing and has to play him to justify his decision which is becoming more difficult by each game.
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Do we know how many times he actually did touch the ball in that first half? I noticed just the one.
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Do we know how many times he actually did touch the ball in that first half? I noticed just the one.
I only remember one as well. A five yard pass inside.
Nearly all our play in the first half was down the left side. Have a feeling that the strategical maestro that is Unai, uses the Guessand role as more of a 'getting the opponents out of position for others to exploit' and also defensive back up to Cash.
In his last season Bailey went into his shell, never took opponents on, was more possession based and defensively minded. Bit like Guessand has been. Can't help thinking they were both following Unai's instructions rather than their own natural instinct.
Unai's a tactical wizard, opposing managers can't work him out so I'm darned if I can. Guessand does put a shift in and maybe we are harsh in criticising his forward play. Unai might have let him off the leash for the second half and Guessand then produced the goods.
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He ran about a bit more because he had a rocket up his arse for the 1st half performance. Still crap.
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It wasn’t a bad header, just lacked conviction, a bit of ooomph.
He was unmarked, five yards from goal, with the ball plopping perfectly on the middle of his forehead and the keeper didn't really have to excel himself to keep it out.
Any header that doesn't land in the net in those circumstances can't really be considered anything but a bad header in my opinion.
In his defence it was a floaty cross so he had to generate the power, he did the right thing in heading it down but a bit too close to the keeper.
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Evann also put the cross in that Dunk almost put into his own net.
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He probably scores our first goal if Ollie hadn't got there first.
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He probably scores our first goal if Ollie hadn't got there first.
Probably? I'm still not convinced he didn't score it such was the pile up of limbs and boots. I'm glad Watkins claimed it, it was exactly what he desperately needed as was proven with his clinical finish for second goal.
What I would like to see more, now he's done it once or twice the other night, next time he beats his man, don't hang around to do it again, instead get charging down the wing, heading in the direction of goal or play an advanced pass. punish the opposition, don't play with them.
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Sancho and Elliot are much better players, but Guessand has played more than both of them, despite really poor showings. I forgot he was playing against Brighton until he got in Ollies way when he scored. I am beginning to find him getting starts really bizarre?
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Emery was going absolutely nuts at one point in the 1st half and it appeared to be in Guessand's direction! He did improve 2nd half.
Guessand knew it was aimed at him - he looked like he was shitting it - probably wouldn't have gone to the dressing room if we hadn't scored to make it 2-2
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In the second half he did go past players but he didn't have the pace to go on with it. Just isn't quick enough for what we need.
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In the second half he did go past players but he didn't have the pace to go on with it. Just isn't quick enough for what we need.
It seems more a strength thing, and not that he doesn't have it just when to apply it correctly.
Genuinely thought he was much improved 2nd half, best half he's had for us.
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Possibly Ian Ormondroydesque….needs to find his niche in the system, perhaps
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Possibly Ian Ormondroydesque….needs to find his niche in the system, perhaps
Good shout that.
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Possibly Ian Ormondroydesque….needs to find his niche in the system, perhaps
He'll have a blinder at home against Everton, then. 6-2 I reckon.
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In the second half he did go past players but he didn't have the pace to go on with it. Just isn't quick enough for what we need.
It seems more a strength thing, and not that he doesn't have it just when to apply it correctly.
Genuinely thought he was much improved 2nd half, best half he's had for us.
Definitely, he has no upper body strength. He needs to work on this. Torres didn’t when he arrived here. For a big lad he’s not physical enough.
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Or as LeeB says, he's not using it right.
Seems pretty strong to me.
Not quite as engrossing as the Watkins subplot, but the Guessand storyline is intriguing.
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Awful first half and much better in the second. He’s showing signs of “adaptation”.
He wasn’t helped in the first half where the bigger kids (Pau, Maatsen, Rogers and Watkins) were hogging the ball on the left side of the pitch.
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Possibly Ian Ormondroydesque….needs to find his niche in the system, perhaps
That's who he reminds me of too in a gangly, awkward, doesn't look like a winger type of way.
I reckon he'll start tomorrow. Guessand, not Ormo.
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In reserve for the AFCON.
Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.
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I've changed my mind. I think he's absolutely shite, Been really poor tonight. Crossing is awful, he adds nothing to this side.
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Hasn't really impressed me overall
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I reckon if you morphed Guessand and Sancho together it would help. As we'd only be paying the wages of one cack player instead of two.
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One step forward two steps back for this guy.
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I haven't I thought he was terrble the first time I watched him and have seen nothing to make me chnge my mind. I can't think of a poorer signing given how much we spent.
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Hopeless. Fucking Hopeless.
The worst player since Djemba Djemba.
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Nowhere near good enough.
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I’m sure there were early glimpses of quality but it seems like he’s going backwards. A bit like his running style.
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PWS had it right that he seems to be the only player who gets shit after scoring rather then getting confident.
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He’s terrible.
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Added to everything else, he has this really awkward looking running style, less like an athlete, more like a lady laden down with bags of shopping, running after a bus that's about to leave the stop.
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That moment in the second half where Ollie did well to win a header to Guessand and he casually passed it five yards to a Basel player under no pressure really summed him up. Must be the worst player we’ve ever had that’s managed two goals.
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He's a bit of a plodder by the looks of it. And looked half decent in what is a pretty average French league. He's scored a couple of goals so he's help a little but I cannot see how he is with us long term.
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i want to see him central. , but he isn’t inspiring at the moment
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AFCON has come at a good time
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He’s on the reserve list so presumably that means he doesn’t go unless there’s an injury or such?
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I think we’ve decided to convert him into wing back, and this his transition period.
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I think we should be transitioning him into someone else's wing back.
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Unai is such a genius that he can see something in Guessand that the rest of us can't.
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Finally, no more I think there is a player in there. There isn’t , he is shit.
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Unai is such a genius that he can see something in Guessand that the rest of us can't.
More likely a Monchi leaving present.
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I worked somewhere where a bloke was quitting and he dropped a log in a tupperware box and left it in the fridge. It was a better leaving present than Guessand.
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Safe to say if there are any add ons to the transfer fee, we won't be paying them.
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I worked somewhere where a bloke was quitting and he dropped a log in a tupperware box and left it in the fridge. It was a better leaving present than Guessand.
;D ;D ;D
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He was fucking awful tonight; seriously comedic.
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Not that I disagree with anyone, but let's say he is truly as shit as he is showing, why is Unai still playing him so much?
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Not that I disagree with anyone, but let's say he is truly as shit as he is showing, why is Unai still playing him so much?
Lack of alternatives. McGinn can’t play every game, he’s keeping Malan fresh as an impact sub/ alternative to Watkins and he doesn’t fancy/ want to spend the money on Elliot. He’s tried Cash further forward with limited success and he’s been one of our better players this season but no natural cover, until recently, at right back.
It’s been said before but it’s a puzzle that we spent so much on him.
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Exactly as above. He does do the defensive dirty work well, but everything else is not good - despite the goal tonight.
On a related right-side note, was surprised Garcia didn’t get a start or some minute tonight.
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Basel were at best championship level.
Guessand scored yes and thank you but he is no bottle
Get rid
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I don't want to have to watch him play again, to be honest. In January if some French provincial backwater comes in with 5m and asks us to pay 50% of his salary we should bloody take it.
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It's a real shame we spunked our summer budget on him rather than Harv. We wouldn't be pissing him around with the 10 game clause.
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He is absolutely terrible with the ball at his feet, but he does cover Cash very well in transition and in our defensive shape. That must be the only reason that he keeps getting picked. It's a shame as I wanted him to be a roaring success.
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The manager picked him. He scored. We won.
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The manager picked him. He scored. We won.
Yes Drum’ thems the facts. As a player he is at this level, we’re talking lower championship level he was dreadful. Thank the lord the Afcon is starting soon.
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He’s on the reserve list so presumably that means he doesn’t go unless there’s an injury or such?
? ? ?
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I’m struggling to remember a player at this level who is quite so chaotic on the ball.
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He’s on the reserve list so presumably that means he doesn’t go unless there’s an injury or such?
? ? ?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cyvg6lnn8g6o (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cyvg6lnn8g6o)
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I’m struggling to remember a player at this level who is quite so chaotic on the ball.
he's like a cross between Charles N'Zogbia and Adama Traore - head down, and go - not quick, not good - scruffy
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The ball is like a bar of soap to him.
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On a positive note he appears disciplined, has defensive awareness and works hard, all attributes Unai will find attractive. Unfortunately, so far he adds little offensively - his crossing is poor, he has no real pace or tricks that enables him to beat defenders, and his decision making in and around the box isn't good. Fingers crossed he'll develop over time, or perhaps that's all that £30m gets you nowadays.
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"...or perhaps that's all that £30m gets you nowadays." Think that sums it up.
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I am sure he’s Emile’s son🤔
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There are quite a lot of players under £30 million that are a lot better than this bloke. It’s a dud.
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On a positive note he appears disciplined, has defensive awareness and works hard, all attributes Unai will find attractive. Unfortunately, so far he adds little offensively - his crossing is poor, he has no real pace or tricks that enables him to beat defenders, and his decision making in and around the box isn't good. Fingers crossed he'll develop over time, or perhaps that's all that £30m gets you nowadays.
£30m also gets you McGinn, Kamara, Tielemans, Martinez and Konsa.
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The manager picked him. He scored. We won.
Yes Drum’ thems the facts. As a player he is at this level, we’re talking lower championship level he was dreadful. Thank the lord the Afcon is starting soon.
The Afcon comment is a bit mean. It's not as if we're losing games with him playing.
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Emery likes that he is tactically disciplined. He actually tucks in well in the opposition box, big chance missed last night and same v Brighton he was close on a couple of occasions. So he does get into good positions. Tries hard too in contrast to Sancho. But all that aside, Guessand just doesn't have the technical ability to play for us. You can see Cash doesn't have much faith in him as he hesitates playing simple passes up the line. Put McGinn in the same position and there's no hesitation.
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seems a nice guy with a good work ethic and team spirit
But sadly that’s not enough, he’s one of those players where your heart sinks when you see his name in the starting lineup,
you can see he’s never going to be good enough no matter how long you give him, I sort of feel sorry for him as he is miles out of his league, but on the other hand I really want him to go to AFCON so I don’t have to watch him play for a bit
And that’s not a very nice thing to say, but it is true
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From The Athletic (not sure I agree with the headline, but in Unai we trust).
UNAI EMERY’S FAITH IN EVANN GUESSAND IS BEGINNING TO PAY OFF
If ever a goal crystallised a player’s start to life at their new club, it was Evann Guessand’s effort on Thursday evening.
Basel captain Xherdan Shaqiri made a hash of his clearance following Matty Cash’s inswinging corner, with the ball bouncing to Guessand.
Facing away from goal, Guessand’s first touch was heavy but inadvertently towards his right foot. A swivel of the hips managed to change the ball’s direction, with a lunging right-footed hook, almost slide-tackle-like, finding the near corner.
Guessand ended up on the turf, with the entire episode rather ungainly — similar to his only other goal in an Aston Villa shirt against Go Ahead Eagles, where a block-cum-interception trickled into the net.
Unai Emery knows the importance of a top-eight finish in the Europa League, ensuring as few games as possible in the new year. The relative lack of jeopardy — an inherent construct within an eight fixture format that allows stronger teams a large margin for error — means Villa are often conservative in their energy output and play to the level of their opponents. Though they continued their recent exceptional form by winning 2-1, matches like Basel can prove grinding affairs.
Guessand’s goal and performance were emblematic of this. His strike was an act of endeavour and instinct, fighting for a loose ball in the box and impressively getting a shot away. It was scruffy, like the game itself, and, like his own game, lacking finesse, but ultimately proved effective.
The 24-year-old is a complex profile of player. Scouting figures at other English clubs tracked Guessand last season — most notably Crystal Palace.
While Palace expressed interest, fellow Premier League teams, including rivals of Villa, had question marks as to what type of attacker he was and, quite frankly, how good he was.
Villa had scouted Guessand closely at Nice, remarking on his uptick in form and change in positioning at the turn of the year. Although other clubs did not know what his best position was, Emery’s fondness for attacking versatility meant this was not as big an issue at Villa.
“In the attacking third, he can play right,” explained Emery to reporters. “He can play as a striker or on the left side. We have decided to play him as a right winger.”
Villa felt the financial package — worth up to £30million — would prove good value. However, no one knew for certain, or wished to predict, what Guessand’s ceiling might be. Staff scout players with Emery’s outstanding coaching abilities in mind, knowing he can cause a transformative change in a player’s development.
Guessand is 24, which is not old, but not exactly young either. He plays with a rawness of someone perhaps younger, keen to do well yet requiring refinement. And because of this, his unpredictability in possession and performing specific duties can cause exasperation.
A case in point came away to Brighton & Hove Albion last week. Villa were 2-0 down and Emery had noted Guessand was not following instructions without the ball.
Emery shuffled around his technical area, quietly simmering. He then watched on as Guessand was out of position again. The anger which had been bubbling inside came surging out.
In his rage, the Spaniard grabbed his coat tightly, removing it fleetingly from one shoulder before putting it back on. He screamed at his right-winger, making it clear — through imitation — that he was strolling around the pitch. The spleen could not have been more evident.
Truthfully, though, this seemed an isolated incident and not in keeping with the faith Emery has in Guessand. Despite no Premier League goals and a general untidiness to his work, his manager sees his potential.
Guessand has dovetailed between starts and coming off the bench in the league, but in Europe, he is the only Villa player to have started every match.
“He needs time, and he’s competing very well,” said Emery following the 4-3 victory at Brighton.“I’m so happy with him, and especially because we are trying to get in our structure his best position to help us with his qualities.”
Emery is a taskmaster yet demonstrates loyalty to those who are endeavouring to carry out his instructions. So even if Guessand has wayward decision-making and execution at times, Emery remains inclined to expose him to more minutes or, as he puts it, “more experiences.”
Guessand and Emery have held talks, with Villa’s manager explaining the necessity of adapting to his highly specific remit of a right-winger. Sporting director Roberto Olabe has also outlined this to those close to Guessand, acknowledging that his role was different at Nice and therefore has needed time to adjust.
With Villa experiencing an imbalance in the squad, with few wide players to call upon, Guessand has been utilised as a remedy.
Emery encourages his winger to take risks in possession and be direct. This was perhaps a by-product of Guessand losing more duels than any player on the pitch in the first half. It was telling that after Guessand unsuccessfully attempted to knock the ball around his opponent at one stage, Emery’s response was to applaud.
When Emery made a triple change just after the hour mark, Guessand stayed on, even though he had picked up a small niggle less than a week before. Jadon Sancho, more technically accomplished but not quite as energetic, instead made way, slapping a seat on the bench in frustration.
Guessand can frustrate, with a heavy first touch and, as shown soon after his goal, can be prone to overhitting crosses under little pressure. He also had the fewest touches of any outfielder to have completed the match. He will leave for AFCON after Sunday’s trip to West Ham, meaning Emery will need to develop additional solutions to his team’s right-sided problem.
Maybe for £30m, you would expect an attacker slightly closer to the finished product, but there can be no greater endorsement of a player’s potential than Emery and his coaching staff continuing to play him, having publicly and privately offered reassurance that he is on the right track.
They have a knack for refining attacking players and Guessand’s raw components — however raw they seem to be — do chime with what is needed to flourish in England.
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I think hes done ok, nothing more. My heart doesn't sink when I see his name in the side, mainly because we've been on a good run amd he's been part of it. I can't remember what game it was (maybe Man City) but he came on for the last 10-15 minutes and really helped see the game out. I understand some of the criticisms and why but I think he's worth persevering with personally.
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Compared to what we have previously had out wide, Diaby and Bailey, this lad is awful. Goodness knows how he gets starts, Elliot is 10 times the player and is in the wilderness. This Alysson fella can't arrive soon enough, unfortunately Sancho and Guessand will be moved on.
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Diaby who all too often was as effective in the final third as a tepid blancmange, and Bailey who was the definition of the girl with the curl i.e. good when good but when bad totally shit? We do have selective memories sometimes.
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If he's got a preferred position it certainly isn't wide right.
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Compared to what we have previously had out wide, Diaby and Bailey, this lad is awful. Goodness knows how he gets starts, Elliot is 10 times the player and is in the wilderness. This Alysson fella can't arrive soon enough, unfortunately Sancho and Guessand will be moved on.
Unfortunately?
Sancho is more of a mystery considering his supposed pedigree. We’re paying him a hefty wage but his contribution thus far isn’t justifying it. He’s at least now making the easy pass instead of thinking he has to attempt to dribble through all ahead of him. To be fair to him he has had some good contributions in important goals recently.
Guessand is just completely out of his depth but somehow has a knack of scoring the odd goal more by luck than design.
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For different reasons, neither Guessand nor Sancho look like tenable long-term options to me. I honestly would have preferred to see a couple of our academy wingers developed in the role currently occupied by them.
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Compared to what we have previously had out wide, Diaby and Bailey, this lad is awful. Goodness knows how he gets starts, Elliot is 10 times the player and is in the wilderness. This Alysson fella can't arrive soon enough, unfortunately Sancho and Guessand will be moved on.
Unfortunately?
Sancho is more of a mystery considering his supposed pedigree. We’re paying him a hefty wage but his contribution thus far isn’t justifying it. He’s at least now making the easy pass instead of thinking he has to attempt to dribble through all ahead of him. To be fair to him he has had some good contributions in important goals recently.
Guessand is just completely out of his depth but somehow has a knack of scoring the odd goal more by luck than design.
Two of the most unconvincing finishes I've seen for a long time, bless him. He grafts, that's all you can ask, it's not his fault he's shite, but it's helping us win a shit tonne of matches in its own small way, even if only by giving better players a break.
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Diaby who all too often was as effective in the final third as a tepid blancmange, and Bailey who was the definition of the girl with the curl i.e. good when good but when bad totally shit? We do have selective memories sometimes.
Diaby and Bailey weren't world beaters, but both put in a few very decent performances and had genuine pace.Both had a great first touch, and could take on full backs and beat them...which Guessand seems incapable of...If Guessand ever scores a goal at the Holte End to match Baileys v Everton I'll eat my hat. Sancho has ability but his head just isn't in it, hence his continuous loan after loan.
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I am not righting him off yet !!
but I might not comeback :(
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I think his biggest problem is that he's been used a centre forward most of his career and only started playing out wide last season. I think he needs the season to adjust to how we play and then next season we'll have a better idea of whether it's going to work.
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Diaby had much more pace and Bailey much more talent (he's more talented than most!), but a) you got to look at the wins, and b) you got to look at the whole package, yes Diaby and Bailey were capable of great things but they were also capable of periods when passing the ball to them was like passing it to a hole.
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Opponents were scared of Diaby's pace though and Bailey's skill. Evann wouldn't frighten a goose.
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But he does work - maybe infinitely - harder than them.
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True. Diaby off the ball, helping out defenisvely was hopeless. And almost as afraid of physical contact as Sancho.
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But he does work - maybe infinitely - harder than them.
And thus the team is better balanced, and more effective.
Bailey at his fleeting best was a joy to behold, but that drop off last season absolutely killed us until we got the January help in.
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He looks like a centre half playing on the wing.
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I said this during the match, but I have genuinely never seen a worse crosser of the ball.
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I’m not worried about him, he’s doing a job, he’s very workmanlike and the polar opposite to Bailey, who on fire was my favourite winger we’ve ever had, albeit very short lived. I’ve got used to the fact he will not burst free, mesmerise we with his quick feet or nip inside and rifle shot away or an accurate cross, but he’s solid and helping Cash massively.
After so many players now taking a season to adjust, he’s doing ok for me for now and he’s part of a winning formula a cog in our works.
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Opponents were scared of Diaby's pace though and Bailey's skill. Evann wouldn't frighten a goose.
..true, and the goose would take the ball off him and nonchalantly pass it back to the goalkeeper.
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Decoy - 'lure or entice (a person) away from their intended course, typically into a trap'.
Guessand does bring energy to the team and puts in a shift. But his footballing skills need a lot of work.
Can only guess that Unai considers Guessand as playing a pivotal role in his strategy. All players have to be marked and Guessand does hug the line, cut inside, get in the box and also carry out his defensive duties. Perhaps Unai is treating him as a disruption to the opposition, a decoy. Who is going to mark him, the full back, midfielder, a center half? This can cause confusion and create spaces for others to exploit.
We have tonnes of quality and creativity throughout the team and maybe Unai puts more emphasis on Guessands 'nuisance' value than he does his current footballing skills.
Unai is a tactical wizard and the results speak for themselves.
Perhaps I am being to polite.
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He works really hard, follows instruction and Emery is happy with him.
He often has a couple of players on him, which creates space elsewhere. I'm interested to know just what Emery demands of his forward line; often they don't take risks, even Cash doesn't push as far forward as he could and I think it's all about the shackles placed on them by Emery.
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Defensively his numbers are really good , tackles , blocks and interceptions but his passing , oh my McGrath , my goldfish could pass better .
Maybe RB is his only chance , lets hope it all clicks .
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Decoy - 'lure or entice (a person) away from their intended course, typically into a trap'.
Guessand does bring energy to the team and puts in a shift. But his footballing skills need a lot of work.
Can only guess that Unai considers Guessand as playing a pivotal role in his strategy. All players have to be marked and Guessand does hug the line, cut inside, get in the box and also carry out his defensive duties. Perhaps Unai is treating him as a disruption to the opposition, a decoy. Who is going to mark him, the full back, midfielder, a center half? This can cause confusion and create spaces for others to exploit.
We have tonnes of quality and creativity throughout the team and maybe Unai puts more emphasis on Guessands 'nuisance' value than he does his current footballing skills.
Unai is a tactical wizard and the results speak for themselves.
Perhaps I am being to polite.
It’s a good point, but if I was the opposition coach, I’d leave him alone until he either tackled himself over the touchline or crossed it for a throw-in on the other side of the pitch.*
*half joking.
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What I thought was really clear last night is that he plays a lot deeper than whoever is on the left so we end up in a really odd shape a lot of the time.
It's something like this:
(https://i.ibb.co/TxF8d9Lt/lineup.png) (https://ibb.co/TxF8d9Lt)
With Guessand very much a wide midfielder and Sancho the only real winger. we do the same with McGinn but he also tucks in a little more to make it even more a 4321.
As this is clearly a shape that is both intentional and trained for (and thge only point we lost it was for 5mins after McGinn came on), then I can see why a defensively sound player on that side is an advantage.
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There are quite a lot of players under £30 million that are a lot better than this bloke. It’s a dud.
I think it’s the fee that’s bothering me, especially considering the financial constraints we were under during the summer. I reckon, on what we’ve seen so far, at least half the players playing in the final third in the championship could do an equally good job at half the cost.
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Decoy - 'lure or entice (a person) away from their intended course, typically into a trap'.
Guessand does bring energy to the team and puts in a shift. But his footballing skills need a lot of work.
Can only guess that Unai considers Guessand as playing a pivotal role in his strategy. All players have to be marked and Guessand does hug the line, cut inside, get in the box and also carry out his defensive duties. Perhaps Unai is treating him as a disruption to the opposition, a decoy. Who is going to mark him, the full back, midfielder, a center half? This can cause confusion and create spaces for others to exploit.
We have tonnes of quality and creativity throughout the team and maybe Unai puts more emphasis on Guessands 'nuisance' value than he does his current footballing skills.
Unai is a tactical wizard and the results speak for themselves.
Perhaps I am being to polite.
You are being very kind. A footballer in that position should be able to do all that and have a decent touch, through ball, cross, able to drop into the middle, a shot from outside the box....Guessand has none of that. Not even sure he has much nuisance value as he's easy to dispossess. That's for 30m at a time we can't afford to making big transfer mistakes.
Yet he still offers more than Sancho and Elliot combined.
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With Guessand, I find myself trying to see the upside between games (he's contributing to a winning team, right?). Sadly, the optimism evaporates on contact with reality. He looked very poor, yesterday.
That said, my cab driver this evening lived in Nice until recently, and, as a very well informed footy fan (huge fan of Bouba), went to watch the club several times last year. At the mention of Evann, his eyes lit up: "great player" was his verdict, emphasising in particular that he was "as fast as a rocket" and "amazingly strong, an animal" - basically, all the things you would conclude on watching his YouTube reel.
Would have liked to have gone into more depth with him, but sadly spent the last 20 mins of the journey explaining what "competition winner" means.
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Off to Afcon after all.
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Good for him. Let's hope he knocks in half a dozen and comes back buzzing with confidence.
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Yes, that please.
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Good for him. Let's hope he knocks in half a dozen and comes back buzzing with confidence.
Or he does this and someone buys him. 😂
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Off to Afcon after all.
Good
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Off to Afcon after all.
Good
Yeah, good for him and very good for us. I wish him well. He’s not short on confidence so I hope he comes back to us with improved, talent, skill and most importantly….the other half of his brain.
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We have a busy schedule so I can't see how him not being part of the squad is good for Villa. We are already short on wide players.
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We have a busy schedule so I can't see how him not being part of the squad is good for Villa. We are already short on wide players.
Garcia could do the job and would do it far better I think.
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That didn't age well.
On a lighter note (but somehow symptomatic of Guessand's Villa career to date), on the Villa Xmas video message, various players wished Villans "happy Christmas" in their mother tongue.
Hilariously, Evann managed to wish Villans a "happy birthday".
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On as a sub for CIV after 68 mins.
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Playing as CF after replacing Zaha and looks a bit lost.
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Just scored the equaliser. He leapt like a salmon.
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And he equalises for CIV bullet header (well almost)
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CIV have won it in injury time. Evann was instrumental in that goal. Gabbon defenders were so worried about him that they forgot about the ball.
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He's now known as 'Le Davide Fairclough' in CIV.
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Thought he didn't look too bad in the central striker role.
Who knows - with a bit of coaching from Unai ... ...?
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Well done Evan! Happy F’ing Birth…… New Year !
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Just scored the equaliser. He leapt like a salmon.
Nice goal, similar to Ollie’s the other day, but from the other side.
He’s a funny one, Guessand. He’s getting selected (and not just by Unai) to make contributions at important times. Even getting his name on the scoresheet from time to time.
They see something in him.
And yet…
Well done Evann and UTV!
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Just scored the equaliser. He leapt like a salmon.
Nice goal, similar to Ollie’s the other day, but from the other side.
He’s a funny one, Guessand. He’s getting selected (and not just by Unai) to make contributions at important times. Even getting his name on the scoresheet from time to time.
They see something in him.
And yet…
Well done Evann and UTV!
it's difficult to see why we paid what we paid for him, but he's ours right now so I wish him well.
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He's spent most of his career playing as a striker. It was only last season when he started to be played as more of a wide forward and had really good defensive stats.
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They say things we'll never see, Evann Guessand gonna live forever.
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https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/s/58xxG5dcwU
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Started for Cote d'Ivoire v Burkina Faso.
60 mins gone CIV 2-0 BF
Involved in creating the opener.
So far he's been more of a nuisance than a threat.
The CIV forward line aren't really playing as a unit, not moving around to create space for one another or linking up either.
A common problem with tournament football when the team's spread across multiple leagues, and doesn't get together very often?
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I'd posted elsewhere: selected again for an important fixture, commentators raving about his defensive performance.
But there's still something missing.
He burst through at one point, chopped back onto his left to take the defender out the game, then… instead of blattering it, sort of lost interest when in front of the keeper. Defender got back, took the ball back off him.
Been subbed off now.
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I'd posted elsewhere: selected again for an important fixture, commentators raving about his defensive performance.
But there's still something missing.
He burst through at one point, chopped back onto his left to take the defender out the game, then… instead of blattering it, sort of lost interest when in front of the keeper. Defender got back, took the ball back off him.
Been subbed off now.
Saw that too.
Confidence/killer instinct missing
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It's because he's shite.
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I'd posted elsewhere: selected again for an important fixture, commentators raving about his defensive performance.
But there's still something missing.
He burst through at one point, chopped back onto his left to take the defender out the game, then… instead of blattering it, sort of lost interest when in front of the keeper. Defender got back, took the ball back off him.
Been subbed off now.
Saw that too.
Confidence/killer instinct missing
Even the goal he scored for us in the Europa - was like he tried his best not to get on the end of it!
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It's because he's shite.
Are you ok?
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It's because he's shite.
Are you ok?
Fine, yourself?
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Ivory Coast were knocked out so Guessand will be back for next weekends squad.
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Bit of an epic game.
CI’s second was an almighty goalmouth scramble that Evann, in true Guessand fashion, watched develop around him, as though he was in his armchair.
Still, he did score during the tournament and impressed sufficiently so that he got increasing game time.
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Hopefully Wolfsburg or Rennes were watching and agree to ammortize him.
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Hopefully Wolfsburg or Rennes were watching and agree to ammortize him.
Jesus. That sounds bad. Is it bad?
(https://i.ibb.co/Q3064Vgj/dredd.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Q3064Vgj)
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Fucking cart horse. Wandered around in the 2nd half, looking completely lost.
Complete waste of a shirt.
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Fucking cart horse. Wandered around in the 2nd half, looking completely lost.
Complete waste of a shirt.
Yep. Might as well have played with ten men.
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There were players just as bad if not worse today but I don't think I have seen a signing with as little talent for us for a long time. I'll be amazed if this lad makes it in the prem.
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Find a buyer, whatever the price. If no buyer, fire him out a canon into the sea. Absolutely dreadful.
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Jimoh would have been a better sub, and put more effort in.
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Find a buyer, whatever the price. If no buyer, fire him out a canon into the sea. Absolutely dreadful.
Malen was let go but we keep him.
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
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Surely there’s a club in Turkey or somewhere for him?
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Dreadful performance by him today. I'd like to see the reasons for signing him because I'm buggered if I can see a Premier League player there.
Get rid now.
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
Watkins will probably get 100 Premier League goals, whatever his flaws. Guessand is going into the sea via canon, because there ain't no fucking buyer.
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It is almost like we have to play him now in the hope that he scores a worldy, so we can get some mug to buy him!
He is not good enough for League Two! He is that bad!
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
Whataboutery doesn't help here. Ollie was anonymous today but we know he can, and will, do better. With Guessand, I just don't see that.
On the ball he's ok. Off it, he just doesn't work hard enough. Chris Sutton called him out as lazy a couple of times
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I mean, I have criticised Watkins as well so Smirker can put his hard on away for everyone to jump on his thread, but I have at least seen talent at some point in Watkins. I see absolutely no attacking talent in this bloke whatsoever.
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
Whataboutery doesn't help here. Ollie was anonymous today but we know he can, and will, do better. With Guessand, I just don't see that.
On the ball he's ok. Off it, he just doesn't work hard enough. Chris Sutton called him out as lazy a couple of times
But Guessand was the better of the two today so it doesn't make sense to go for him before Watkins.
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Whoever scouted him needs firing. Shit.
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There were players just as bad if not worse today but I don't think I have seen a signing with as little talent for us for a long time. I'll be amazed if this lad makes it in the prem.
To think what we paid for him as well!!
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At the end of the day you can’t compare him with quality we secured last January so to expect us to continue to compete is illogical. But I can’t and will not blame the club or Unai
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I may have seen worse players in a Villa shirt, but I can't recall one that was so lacking conviction in absolutely everything he does.
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Whoever scouted him needs firing. Shit.
yep
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Unfortunately completely out of his depth. Given the financial rules, the fact we chose to spend what little money on him is criminal
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He has to be one of our worst signings ever. A terrible player with no attributes. He wanders round in an absolute daze.
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
Fair comment and yes Watkins was shite too.
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
Fair comment and yes Watkins was shite too.
Apart from the fact that this is the Evann Guessand thread so maybe that's why he's being discussed and not Watkins ..who actually has his own thread believe or not
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The game seems to pass him by.
He is going to get plenty of game time as there are so many injuries but I am not convinced he will be what we need.
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The game seems to pass him by.
He is going to get plenty of game time as there are so many injuries but I am not convinced he will be what we need.
I respect your restraint.
Anyway, prepare the canon.
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Who the fuck signed off on £30mil for this guy - I mean, that's the last £30mil we had. Imagine wasting it like that. Criminal.
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Who the fuck signed off on £30mil for this guy - I mean, that's the last £30mil we had. Imagine wasting it like that. Criminal.
I agree, absolutely insane, he looks utterly out of his depth.
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I just don’t get what we saw in him. Often players coming from France Germany Spain look technically good but either can’t get up to speed physically or don’t make the step up tactically. Guessand seems to be ok tactically / defensively but absolutely useless technically, which he’s never going to develop. Whatever made them think let’s spend basically our only £30m on him is mental.
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if we had loads of money then we could be a bit more meh about it - but as our only £30mil we had, it really is pathetic.
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I just don't like him. Physically weak, his shots have no power, positionally inept, no pace and hides too much. £30m is absolute robbery.
I will put my house on him being loaned out to some shit club in some shit league next season where he'll probably do well.
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I just don't like him. Physically weak, his shots have no power, positionally inept, no pace and hides too much. £30m is absolute robbery.
I will put my house on him being loaned out to some shit club in some shit league next season where he'll probably do well.
He's dog shit. Whoever scouted him needs shooting.
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He's just shit. There is nothing there to work with. Dumb as a post too.
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He's showing some promise so let's give him a chance.
Only joking, he's absolute shit,
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He just very evidently is not good enough.
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I bet Nantes can't believe their luck
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He’s so poor it’s frightening.
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Cancel his contract. Probably the worst player I have ever seen play for us in 30 odd years. Even that tennis player had more to offer. Fucking horrendous excuse for a footballer.
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Absolutely shite. What a piss poor waste of our limited resources. Contributes and creates nothing…what is the actual point of him?! Genuinely looks like a competition winner. Fuck him off and recoup whatever we can for this fraud.
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Utterly shite. Don’t play him again please. That time Joe went past him as if there was no one there… he is beyond shit.
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It wasn’t one of his worst performances
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We have to move him out this month.
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To date, pound for pound, he’s one of the worst value signings we’ve made ever.
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I’d pay Beşiktaş extra to take Guessand. You could tell all belief disappeared when we were forced to bring him on. Give those new kids a go, they can’t possibly be worse.
I know all teams sign duds but where would we be if we hadn’t wasted our summer signings on this guy and Elliot.
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Desperate for him to do well but I see little promise so far other than some solid defensive work in from of Cash when seeing a few games out.
A mate of mine e was telling me he knows a bloke who works in the Spurs coaching set up. Apparently they were looking at him for a while but on closer inspection decided he was very poor and “ couldn’t trap a bag of cement.” Not sure if that was the Spurs assessment or my mate’s.
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Cancel his contract. Probably the worst player I have ever seen play for us in 30 odd years. Even that tennis player had more to offer. Fucking horrendous excuse for a footballer.
I've been saying this for weeks, the guy is an absolute turkey and will probably end up there. The sooner the better tbh. Doesn't look like a sportsman of any kind, let alone a professional footballer. We have been had over for £30M more worryingly.
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Biggest waste of £30m in history
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It wasn’t one of his worst performances
The understatement made me laugh.
Two odd things about him (and on the surface, I agree with the overall lost puppy vibe): (i) that coaches seem to see more in/rely more on him than fans (thinking Unai, CI coach, etc.), and (ii) notwithstanding the lost puppy vibe, he still managed to be involved in at least 3 high quality moments tonight (run and weak shot, header off the bar, very smart reverse pass to create a good shooting chance for Rogers).
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Can't they redo the AFCON so he can fuck off for another month.
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I bet Nantes can't believe their luck
They would have been very lucky to get £30m as he was playing for Nice at the time!! 😉
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Absolutely shite. What a piss poor waste of our limited resources. Contributes and creates nothing…what is the actual point of him?! Genuinely looks like a competition winner. Fuck him off and recoup whatever we can for this fraud.
Think that applies to all of our summer deals. WTF was going on?
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Just got back, so haven’t seen anyone else mention it, but I think/thought it was a terrible decision to bring him on. Digne on, Maatsen wide left, Rogers or Buendia to McGinn’s position, seemed the obvious choice to me.
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I bet Nantes can't believe their luck
They would have been very lucky to get £30m as he was playing for Nice at the time!! 😉
Oh yeah. Close!
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Don't want to pile in on the guy, but I'm just not seeing at all with him. Defensively OK, but just doesn't seem to have an idea what to do when he has the ball in attacking areas (though he was a bit unlucky with the header in the first half today).
Might sound harsh, but I would be looking to use him as part-exchange to bring someone in this month. I just don't think we can afford to carry players in the squad given the position we're in
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Donkey
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Unlucky with the header, good run but pathetic effort for the chance he had just before with the ball at his feet, pound for pound one of our worst signings.
I don't think I've ever seen him strike the ball cleanly, unless he's trying to cross it, then it goes out for a throw on the other side.
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It’s not just Guessand.
It’s Elliott
It’s Guessand
It’s Sancho
It’s Malen
We’ve royally fucked up.
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He seemed to manage to mark himself out of the game. I’m still saying he’s a prize where it lies winner.
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It’s not just Guessand.
It’s Elliott
It’s Guessand
It’s Sancho
It’s Malen
We’ve royally fucked up.
Oh absolutely - we’re under strain from the rules, but our decision making on transfers of late (Lindelof excepted) is shocking. Letting Malen go before this game was ridiculous.
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Crystal Palace really wanted him. I thought at last we are getting one of those gems the likes of bournemth , Brighton and Palace seem to get . Crikes .
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I can not believe there are not better players in our squad, Hemmings showed he was a better player than this guy will ever be, he is awful, as bad as Tonev.
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Crystal Palace really wanted him. I thought at last we are getting one of those gems the likes of bournemth , Brighton and Palace seem to get . Crikes .
Palace didn't really want him. They baulked at the price and wage.
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Crystal Palace really wanted him. I thought at last we are getting one of those gems the likes of bournemth , Brighton and Palace seem to get . Crikes .
Palace didn't really want him. They baulked at the price and wage.
What a surprise.
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So you're saying Palace have fucked us over again?
Of course if they had signed him, he would score against us every game like that twat Sarr.
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So you're saying Palace have fucked us over again?
Of course if they had signed him, he would score against us every game like that twat Sarr.
Sarr does appear to have some ability with a football.
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Sadly he just doesn't look like a 30m PL player. Apart from his effort there's not even much in the way of glimpses of something to give hope to. He looks more like he should a Tonev type signing, a cheap fee and wages punt that's great if it works and is no big deal if it doesn't.
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I thought he was lazy and uncommitted at times today. Good header but everything else he did was poor. Yes, he helps out a bit defensively but was easily beaten several times by defenders who wanted it more. Hope he comes good but not seen anything from him yet to convince me he will.
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Someone I know works for Wolves & he asked me about him. Wolves looked at him but decided he wasn't worth the asking price.
Possibly the least suited player I've seen at this level since Helenius. If Besiktas want him, they can have him.
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It must have been a very good night out for whoever agreed to pay the fee.
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Unlucky with the header, good run but pathetic effort for the chance he had just before with the ball at his feet, pound for pound one of our worst signings.
I don't think I've ever seen him strike the ball cleanly, unless he's trying to cross it, then it goes out for a throw on the other side.
That's the thing, his technique is really incredibly poor. I also don't recall him hitting a shot and thinking 'well hit, unlucky son'.
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He’s the cherry on the Monchi summer transfer window cake. At a time when we are counting every single transfer penny, his purchase is staggering in it’s absurdity. A disaster.
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He’s the cherry on the Monchi summer transfer window cake. At a time when we are counting every single transfer penny, his purchase is staggering in it’s absurdity. A disaster.
Yep.
Are we to believe that he was signed without Emery knowing about it though?
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If Besiktas really want him just swap him for Tammy. At least we get something useful out of the whole thing, and his wages gone. Go and get an actual winger that can beat a man and fucking run. We must have set out to sign the slowest set of players in history last summer. Sancho can’t sprint and Guessand couldn’t beat Gareth Barry at 35 in a foot race. Then we sell Malen. This week has been bloody weird. Get rid, ASAP.
(Or retrain him as a reserve right back, he looks capable of that)
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He looks awful, but he never played on the right in a France. Always a forward or inside forward. I thought Unai might try him down the middle today on the second half and move Ollie wider on the left, just to change the shape. Particularly with no options on the bench.
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He looks awful, but he never played on the right in a France. Always a forward or inside forward. I thought Unai might try him down the middle today on the second half and move Ollie wider on the left, just to change the shape. Particularly with no options on the bench.
He tends to drift into central positions anyway. It was noticeable, when we did manage to get in their box, that he was in there.
Probably because he is able to amble and lumber into the box without having to actually run or beat a player.
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He is definitely not a wide right attacker/right winger.
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He looks awful, but he never played on the right in a France. Always a forward or inside forward. I thought Unai might try him down the middle today on the second half and move Ollie wider on the left, just to change the shape. Particularly with no options on the bench.
That's the same position that Malen plays but he fell through the cracks position too so why did we repeat the same mistake?
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Replacing Mcginn with him was a very poor decision.
League 1 level at best.
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Replacing Mcginn with him was a very poor decision.
League 1 level at best.
You could feel the collective groans when he started getting prepared. I’ve heard that we’ve refused to include him in the Tammy negotiations.
This window does feel like a pivotal moment for us.
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If Besiktas really want him just swap him for Tammy. At least we get something useful out of the whole thing, and his wages gone. Go and get an actual winger that can beat a man and fucking run. We must have set out to sign the slowest set of players in history last summer. Sancho can’t sprint and Guessand couldn’t beat Gareth Barry at 35 in a foot race. Then we sell Malen. This week has been bloody weird. Get rid, ASAP.
(Or retrain him as a reserve right back, he looks capable of that)
Yep, think I would take that deal to be honest. That would sort the striker situation and we could then look at bringing a wide player in.
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Replacing Mcginn with him was a very poor decision.
League 1 level at best.
You could feel the collective groans when he started getting prepared. I’ve heard that we’ve refused to include him in the Tammy negotiations.
This window does feel like a pivotal moment for us.
Why would we refuse to include him, I can an imagine them refusing to have him as a makeweight.
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He basically let Grealish run past him at one point in the first half. It looks to me like he knows he's not good enough for this league. If we can sell him, we really do need to because he is absolutely shite.
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We will have to give him away, can't see anyone actually paying money !! Surely whoever scouted him was watching another player, and we thought we were getting someone else...
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I'm not quite where some are yet, but I'm getting there.
He showed signs of life yesterday with a few turns out wide and his efforts on goal, but he is utterly useless out of possession and the rest of the team looked completely unwilling to see him as a passing option.
Start him up front against Fener and give Ollie a rest. If he shows nothing then fuck it, I'll join the pile on.
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Can't we sell him to a sportswashing league?!
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Watching Guessand lumbering about the pitch for 80 odd minutes, scarcely contributing to our link up play, scarcely contributing to our general play, was thoroughly depressing.
Knowing that he cost us £30 million quid in the summer when we are all bemoaning the evils of PSR is mind-numbing.
He is Division 1 level at best.
An absolute shocker.
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Its so depressing that we'll make next to nothing off this buy, I'm starting to think that could have contributed to us freezing out Elliott as the realization that we'd just spunked £30 million up the curtains and therefore there was no way we could take the chance with him. I cannot see any way that this lad will come good - he looks lost and seems to Riverdance his way up and down the right side with no end product.
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I'm not quite where some are yet, but I'm getting there.
He showed signs of life yesterday with a few turns out wide and his efforts on goal, but he is utterly useless out of possession and the rest of the team looked completely unwilling to see him as a passing option.
Start him up front against Fener and give Ollie a rest. If he shows nothing then fuck it, I'll join the pile on.
Know what you mean.
There's the eye test: looks like shit, plays like shit, is shit.
Then there's the weird stuff: Unai persists with him - maybe to make him marketable? Except his national boss does too, and he has no such need - in fact for him, it's all about the here and now. Both coaches are serious pros.
Plus as you say, there were signs of life - albeit faint. It was a really good run that provoked Tielemans' pass first half (not the other way around). The headed chance was a pretty good effort. I haven't seen it back this morning, but wasn't that a no-look reverse pass to Rogers in the box? Saucy.
But yeah, looks like shit, lost, crisp packet, etc.
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Ridiculous to criticise Guessand but stay silent on Watkins. He did more today than Ollie did.
Whataboutery doesn't help here. Ollie was anonymous today but we know he can, and will, do better. With Guessand, I just don't see that.
On the ball he's ok. Off it, he just doesn't work hard enough. Chris Sutton called him out as lazy a couple of times
But Guessand was the better of the two today so it doesn't make sense to go for him before Watkins.
Despite Watkins being our all-time Premier LEague scorer and having done the business so many times before. He'll get some slack as a result. Even you must be able to see that.
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Who the fuck signed off on £30mil for this guy - I mean, that's the last £30mil we had. Imagine wasting it like that. Criminal.
Unai Emery did.
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To date, pound for pound, he’s one of the worst value signings we’ve made ever.
That is harder to argue with. A lot was spent on him, though Balaban, taking into consideration inflation etc......
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I think any winger that is slow is going to struggle in this league, he evidently has talent but just can’t see it happening at this point. He did one or two good things yesterday the header, a few tackle backs but he was shrugged off the ball too easily and there was the one chase with mikolenko I think it was where he lost 5/6 yards over 25.
Feel sorry for him that he was the only money signing, had he been 30m in a 175m spend he could have bedded in but he sticks out.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see him shipped out this month if we have some loan / £’s wiggle room
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He's not a winger. I think that's the issue.
It's interesting that Wolves, Palace and Spurs all had a look and decided he was too expensive. I suspect the people we really wanted weren't gettable and we reacted desperately by taking a punt on Guessand, Sancho and Elliott. All of whom haven't shown anything of note other than in short bursts (Guessand has scored a couple, Sancho had a half of good football to prove Chelsea wrong, and Elliott in the Christmas Jumper video).
It feels like we took a very big punt on him, and hoped with the other two we'd have more surety, that they've all been of no use to us just puts more pressure on each of them. It can take a while for a player to start showing their worth under Emery (see Bailey, Maatsen, Tielemans) but Guessand has been thrown in and lacks confidence to even do the basics well.
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Who was that Brazilian or Portuguese player that Fergie got conned into buying? Bebe? Something like that. This transfer reminds me of that. Feel very bad for Elliott, he should really be playing there instead.
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In our defence it was £23.5M with add ons to £28M so not quite the £30M everyone seems to brandish about. In spite of this, it is about £22.5M too much clearly, as he is bloody awful. His speed of though, speed of foot and general lethargic nature don’t help him at all, and there is no way at all he is a winger. I would play him down the middle on Thursday night just to see what happens, rest Watkins as he has yet again ensured he is our only centre forward, and see if Guessand is any use there.
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In our defence it was £23.5M with add ons to £28M so not quite the £30M everyone seems to brandish about. In spite of this, it is about £22.5M too much clearly, as he is bloody awful. His speed of though, speed of foot and general lethargic nature don’t help him at all, and there is no way at all he is a winger. I would play him down the middle on Thursday night just to see what happens, rest Watkins as he has yet again ensured he is our only centre forward, and see if Guessand is any use there.
I was going to make the same point, except for (as per BBC) £26m plus add-ons to about £30m, which is where I think everyone gets that figure from. I think it is worth stating that only the guaranteed fee goes towards working out PSR/SCR etc. And it looks unlikely that he will hit many of his personal performance triggers.
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Great, the new iPhone update has cost me my ability to copy and paste links.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3361y65x16o
Oh. Maybe not.
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One for the historians: have we ever had a striker that looks absolutely shit suddenly come good?
Actually, just thought of a few, so maybe we should do a top 5.
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One for the historians: have we ever had a striker that looks absolutely shit suddenly come good?
Actually, just thought of a few, so maybe we should do a top 5.
Didn't Angel start pretty slowly?
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One for the historians: have we ever had a striker that looks absolutely shit suddenly come good?
Actually, just thought of a few, so maybe we should do a top 5.
From the top of my head I can go with
Benteke - looked like a donkey for the first two months
JPA - He took 6 months to get his first goal.
Duran - it took him until the start of 2023-2024 to settle.
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One for the historians: have we ever had a striker that looks absolutely shit suddenly come good?
Actually, just thought of a few, so maybe we should do a top 5.
Ian Ormondroyd
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We have had plenty who started shit and stayed that way. He will have to start up front during the week so another trial.
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One for the historians: have we ever had a striker that looks absolutely shit suddenly come good?
Actually, just thought of a few, so maybe we should do a top 5.
From the top of my head I can go with
Benteke - looked like a donkey for the first two months
JPA - He took 6 months to get his first goal.
Duran - it took him until the start of 2023-2024 to settle.
Savo
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Definitely play him up top on his own on Thursday and pray that he finds some form.
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I think any winger that is slow is going to struggle in this league, he evidently has talent but just can’t see it happening at this point.
To be honest I’ve seen very little evidence of having the required talent to be a success. I hate to dig our own players out but he’s showing very little to think he’s up to it, then you look at the fee paid, which isn’t his fault, what the hell were we thinking.
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Did he play as a central striker for Nice?
There's no way we scouted him as a wide player and thought he could do a job for us, my 12 year old daughter has more technical ability and pace than him.
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Did he play as a central striker for Nice?
There's no way we scouted him as a wide player and thought he could do a job for us, my 12 year old daughter has more technical ability and pace than him.
Sign her up!!
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In our defence it was £23.5M with add ons to £28M so not quite the £30M everyone seems to brandish about. In spite of this, it is about £22.5M too much clearly, as he is bloody awful. His speed of though, speed of foot and general lethargic nature don’t help him at all, and there is no way at all he is a winger. I would play him down the middle on Thursday night just to see what happens, rest Watkins as he has yet again ensured he is our only centre forward, and see if Guessand is any use there.
I was going to make the same point, except for (as per BBC) £26m plus add-ons to about £30m, which is where I think everyone gets that figure from. I think it is worth stating that only the guaranteed fee goes towards working out PSR/SCR etc. And it looks unlikely that he will hit many of his personal performance triggers.
Was the initial 25m in EUR and not GBP ?
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In our defence it was £23.5M with add ons to £28M so not quite the £30M everyone seems to brandish about. In spite of this, it is about £22.5M too much clearly, as he is bloody awful. His speed of though, speed of foot and general lethargic nature don’t help him at all, and there is no way at all he is a winger. I would play him down the middle on Thursday night just to see what happens, rest Watkins as he has yet again ensured he is our only centre forward, and see if Guessand is any use there.
I was going to make the same point, except for (as per BBC) £26m plus add-ons to about £30m, which is where I think everyone gets that figure from. I think it is worth stating that only the guaranteed fee goes towards working out PSR/SCR etc. And it looks unlikely that he will hit many of his personal performance triggers.
Was the initial 25m in EUR and not GBP ?
£26m plus £4.3m in add-ons according to BBC. That’s GBP, as confirmed by the £ signs.
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Sure, just thought it a possibility as Ozz's £23.5m figure could have conceivably translated to €26m.
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One for the historians: have we ever had a striker that looks absolutely shit suddenly come good?
Actually, just thought of a few, so maybe we should do a top 5.
I do not think I have seen many look so completely out of his depth, Balaban Tonev?
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In our defence it was £23.5M with add ons to £28M so not quite the £30M everyone seems to brandish about. In spite of this, it is about £22.5M too much clearly, as he is bloody awful. His speed of though, speed of foot and general lethargic nature don’t help him at all, and there is no way at all he is a winger. I would play him down the middle on Thursday night just to see what happens, rest Watkins as he has yet again ensured he is our only centre forward, and see if Guessand is any use there.
I was going to make the same point, except for (as per BBC) £26m plus add-ons to about £30m, which is where I think everyone gets that figure from. I think it is worth stating that only the guaranteed fee goes towards working out PSR/SCR etc. And it looks unlikely that he will hit many of his personal performance triggers.
Was the initial 25m in EUR and not GBP ?
£26m plus £4.3m in add-ons according to BBC. That’s GBP, as confirmed by the £ signs.
Wow just Wow.
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In our defence it was £23.5M with add ons to £28M so not quite the £30M everyone seems to brandish about. In spite of this, it is about £22.5M too much clearly, as he is bloody awful. His speed of though, speed of foot and general lethargic nature don’t help him at all, and there is no way at all he is a winger. I would play him down the middle on Thursday night just to see what happens, rest Watkins as he has yet again ensured he is our only centre forward, and see if Guessand is any use there.
I was going to make the same point, except for (as per BBC) £26m plus add-ons to about £30m, which is where I think everyone gets that figure from. I think it is worth stating that only the guaranteed fee goes towards working out PSR/SCR etc. And it looks unlikely that he will hit many of his personal performance triggers.
Was the initial 25m in EUR and not GBP ?
£26m plus £4.3m in add-ons according to BBC. That’s GBP, as confirmed by the £ signs.
Different places say different things though.
Sky say:
Aston Villa have signed Nice striker Evann Guessand.
The transfer will cost an initial £23.5m, potentially rising to almost £28m if bonuses are met.
Not that it matters that much, but unless it's announced by one of the clubs or you can see it in the accounts, it's all a certain amount of guess(and?) work.
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Tielemans was just as bad for the first 3 months, then he sorted himself out.
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We knew Tielemans was a good player.
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Tielemans was just as bad for the first 3 months, then he sorted himself out.
The difference is that Tielemens had a proven track record and you could see ability but a lack of effectiveness early on, but I don’t remember thinking that Tielemens is a bit shit.
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Tielemans was good in the preseason and was stodgy (but not shit) in those opening few months, when the team was also purring.
Distinctly remember wondering if Angel was playing the same sport however, it was like he was running in treacle.
And Ormondroyd, of course.
Can't remember how bad Balaban was.
Did Savo look shit right up to the LC final worldie?
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The thing that marks out Guessand is the complete lack of belief that he seems to have in every single aspect of his own game, and which is far more than just a temporary shortage of confidence on his part.
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Tielemans was good in the preseason and was stodgy (but not shit) in those opening few months, when the team was also purring.
Distinctly remember wondering if Angel was playing the same sport however, it was like he was running in treacle.
And Ormondroyd, of course.
Can't remember how bad Balaban was.
Did Savo look shit right up to the LC final worldie?
I don't think many would really have been able to assess Balaban - just eight sub appearances in the league. So it may not be fair to say he was terrible, although it obviously ended up as terrible business. I guess he must never have impressed in training, but he scored a hatful of goals after he left to play at Club Brugge.
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Savo scored at least 10 goals in his first season - would snap your hand off if Evan had given us that.
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Withe scored in 1 of his first 9 league games, which tends to be forgotten as things ended up going ok that season.
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I commented yesterday that he appears to have a single speed gear - runs at exactly the same pace regardless of the situation
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Tielemans was just as bad for the first 3 months, then he sorted himself out.
The difference is that Tielemens had a proven track record and you could see ability but a lack of effectiveness early on, but I don’t remember thinking that Tielemens is a bit shit.
He was terrible when played in a 2 early on. But his technical ability was never in question. More his application and stamina. Sancho might be a better comparison though I don't recall YT actively avoiding physical contact.
Scott Hogan looked absolutely shite early on and never improved. Just never looked like it was going to work. Guessand is like him.
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He just doesn't do footballer type stuff....almost all players touch the ball and move to create space....he almost always moves into positions/areas where he makes it more difficult for himself to do anything...and loses the ball almost every time!
When he joined us he was asked what he would bring to the team....he said "I am strong and fast".
Who The F**k told him that?
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I can't believe anyone who ever saw them would say Savo or Angel started off looking like Guessand. Just on touch alone they were leagues above him and that was before they hit any kind of form. There was something to develop in them as there knowledge of the English game grew. Guessand is just fucking crap. Prank level crap.
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Anyone remember Libor Kozák . was he a slow one or good at all. Just cant remember
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I commented yesterday that he appears to have a single speed gear - runs at exactly the same pace regardless of the situation
Yup.
Even Sutton in commentary remarked how EG was standing watching as Everton built an attack. He (the Lump) just doesn't seem dynamic, alive and proactive; although I accept that his move into the box for the crossbar challenge was good.
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Nigel Callaghan didn’t get off to the best of starts. Now look at him. DJ Nige.
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Everyone remember when Joelinton was laughed at when they paid £40M+ for the Brazillian striker?
He then came back reinvented as a CM and was a revelation - Maybe it is unfair on Guessand that he is expected to be on the wing if the history shows he was more a central striker
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To be fair to him, he's not a wide man and never will be as long as he's got a hole in his arse.
Yet we clearly signed him to play there. Absolutely terrible signing.
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Anyone remember Libor Kozák . was he a slow one or good at all. Just cant remember
On current showing I’d say Kozac was a level above Guessand.
Edit. He cost us about a quarter of what Evann did as well.
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If centre forward is his actual position, we should probably try him there vs Fenerbahce, to see if he has any potential to be useful at all.
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he needs to go up front and let's see what he's got because evidently, up to now, it's not a lot - and the two goals he has scored so far he didn't mean at all.
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If centre forward is his actual position, we should probably try him there vs Fenerbahce, to see if he has any potential to be useful at all.
Agree with this. May surprise us. He got into better goalscoring positions than Watkins yesterday and does look decent in the air.
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it doesn't do him any favours that he is a casual looking type player - it's easy to call him lazy, when during his spell in the team earlier in the season playing right wing, he did work hard, and it bought better performances out of Cash.
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He needs to be played in his default position then we can judge, for all we know he could be an absolute goal machine, half way through a season and we simply just don't know, stick him up front give Ollie a rest from all these goals he's scoring.
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Too be fair his movement coming into the box were the only times on Sunday that he looks remotely like a professional footballer
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Style of player in the modern game, can you imagine Guessand holding his own against the speed of the game back in the eighties, a goal from anywhere was possible, Tony Morley, for goal of the season.
By the way Tony Hateley passed away at the weekend 72, RIP.
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He needs to be played in his default position then we can judge, for all we know he could be an absolute goal machine, half way through a season and we simply just don't know, stick him up front give Ollie a rest from all these goals he's scoring.
Yes, he will tear his kit off and reveal himself as Roy of the Rovers.
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Style of player in the modern game, can you imagine Guessand holding his own against the speed of the game back in the eighties, a goal from anywhere was possible, Tony Morley, for goal of the season.
By the way Tony Hateley passed away at the weekend 72, RIP.
Tony Hately died in 2014. Tony Morley (still with us, thankfully) is 71.
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I can't believe anyone who ever saw them would say Savo or Angel started off looking like Guessand. Just on touch alone they were leagues above him and that was before they hit any kind of form. There was something to develop in them as there knowledge of the English game grew. Guessand is just fucking crap. Prank level crap.
Spot on.
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I still it is very harsh on here and I will remain positive on him , mainly because we have no choice . We will laugh about this one day :-\
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Style of player in the modern game, can you imagine Guessand holding his own against the speed of the game back in the eighties, a goal from anywhere was possible, Tony Morley, for goal of the season.
By the way Tony Hateley passed away at the weekend 72, RIP.
Tony Hately died in 2014. Tony Morley (still with us, thankfully) is 71.
This is what I thought, remember ages ago reading about it then I got this news on line last night, wierd, fake news, didn't know about him myself bit before my time, but dad used to rate him and yes about TM.
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Prank level crap made me laugh a lot.
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Train him up as a groundsman at Bodymoor Heath or something. He isn’t a top tier footballer.
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That through-ball that hit him on the heel sums up where he is at the moment.
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He would of lost the battle of the towels with the ball boys.
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That through-ball that hit him on the heel sums up where he is at the moment.
A difficult skill to master, being able to run and be aware that a football may at some point arrive in your vicinity.
On a football pitch of all places.
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Such a “Guessand” incident, as though the game were happening to him.
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I feel for him. Not sure what’s happened to the player we scouted and the clips we’ve seen from France to the one who plays for us. I still can’t fault his effort.
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I feel for him. Not sure what’s happened to the player we scouted and the clips we’ve seen from France to the one who plays for us. I still can’t fault his effort.
Effort, he wanders around looking totally bewildered.
I am not sure you call that effort.
I do feel a little bit sorry for him until I think about how much he is getting paid.
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I agree CL. There are times when he looks like he wants to hide or seems to show a lack of interest. Could be confidence I guess.
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When he plays right midfield he puts a shift in and always has done for us. For an apparent centre forwards, he looks more suited to a right back.
He kept the ball well and moved it around which is what we needed last night, but there was two incidents which was typical Guessand which make you wonder what’s happened to him.
I think you’re mistaking his running style (which reminds me of running while in a nightmare) to lack of effort.
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I think you’re mistaking his running style (which reminds me of running while in a nightmare) to lack of effort.
Brilliantly put!
Who knows with Evann, whether he can't be arsed or is just having a nightmare!
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The ball from Onana was really poor. It was behind him. I don’t think he’s very good, but it looks a bit like people are dying to slag him off at times.
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A player that only comes to life, when defending a corner.
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I swear to god some people just can't wait to find new ways of trying to insult some of our players.
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I feel for the lad Drummond. I do wonder if he’s struggling with confidence, or something else. He’s trying his hardest and like I’ve said countless times on here, I think he puts a good shift in, but lacks that burst you see with most attacking players.
Mind you, I hadn’t seen it with Sancho until last night. I’ve always thought his efforts for Villa have been tidy but nothing else. Then last night, suddenly he moved the ball past players and tried different things which made you stand up and notice him.
Confidence has such a huge effect on players.
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I thought he did ok when he came on last night.
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I didn't, he seemed to do everything at half pace. My only reservation is that Emery has a cunning plan to use him in a totally different position.
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I thought he did ok when he came on last night.
He did. Kept the ball well for us a couple of times. He had a pass belted being him so that it hit his heel, which is all it needs.
He’s definitely trying and I have my doubts he’ll do much for us, but the eagerness to slag him him is clear. All is going too well on the pitch, we need something to get really upset about.
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I didn't, he seemed to do everything at half pace. My only reservation is that Emery has a cunning plan to use him in a totally different position.
He's no Nicò Zaniolo.
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Part of the problem here is that we are working under such financial constraints that our one big money signing needs to have an immediate impact. Levels of expectations are obviously high after £39m being spent. At other clubs he could be rested or they could buy others to shard the burden. He’s in our headlight as we all look at him and think how we could have spent the money elsewhere.
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The ball from Onana was really poor. It was behind him. I don’t think he’s very good, but it looks a bit like people are dying to slag him off at times.
Because he is terrible.
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Part of the problem here is that we are working under such financial constraints that our one big money signing needs to have an immediate impact. Levels of expectations are obviously high after £39m being spent. At other clubs he could be rested or they could buy others to shard the burden. He’s in our headlight as we all look at him and think how we could have spent the money elsewhere.
£39m? Blimey, he gets more expensive by the week.
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Part of the problem here is that we are working under such financial constraints that our one big money signing needs to have an immediate impact. Levels of expectations are obviously high after £39m being spent. At other clubs he could be rested or they could buy others to shard the burden. He’s in our headlight as we all look at him and think how we could have spent the money elsewhere.
£39m? Blimey, he gets more expensive by the week.
At that price even Billy Smart might be put off.
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He looks that bad because so many of our other players look so comfortable on the ball. We're talking about top 6 standard players, he's not. Maybe he wouldn't look so shite if he was in West Ham's team. I think they should buy him.
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We have a group of players that are giving everything at the moment. Some might not be good enough now, or ever, but the level of abuse some of them are getting is way out of line.
Compare this bunch to the attitude of the 2016 mob… we are lucky to have them.
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Well said, London Villan.
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The ball from Onana was really poor. It was behind him. I don’t think he’s very good, but it looks a bit like people are dying to slag him off at times.
Because he is terrible.
Yeah, you’ve said.
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The ball from Onana was really poor. It was behind him. I don’t think he’s very good, but it looks a bit like people are dying to slag him off at times.
Because he is terrible.
Yeah, you’ve said.
I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
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I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
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I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
Putting a shift in is what is normally expected at work.
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I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
Putting a shift in is what is normally expected at work.
Is it? Fuuuuuuucck.
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I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
Putting a shift in is what is normally expected at work.
Says everyone who’s on here and not working! 😉
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;)
I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
Putting a shift in is what is normally expected at work.
Says everyone who’s on here and not working! 😉
i am multi tasking
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It gets used all the time but I really hate the "putting in 100% is the minimum I'd expect" because virtually everyone who uses that argument has a very limited version of what 100% looks like and completely ignores the impact of confidence on performance.
Doing a job for the team despite knowing you're not playing how you'd like is a lot harder than fans seem to think and it is something that players deserve credit for.
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The ball from Onana was really poor. It was behind him. I don’t think he’s very good, but it looks a bit like people are dying to slag him off at times.
Yeah, I'm not fan, but using that incident as an example is ridiculous. It was a shite ball.
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The ball from Onana was really poor. It was behind him. I don’t think he’s very good, but it looks a bit like people are dying to slag him off at times.
Yeah, I'm not fan, but using that incident as an example is ridiculous. It was a shite ball.
I agree, it would've taken an exceptional bit of skill to bring that under control in a way that kept the move going. I saw an argument that it wasn't a good run but I don't think that's fair either, the only alternative would've been for him to pull wide and try to whip it in but a ball back to Onana would've been the only real option in that case. We did have someone else up there (can't remember who) but they were in an even worse position to try to get onto anything.
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I don't think it was a poor ball, but he was in full sprint mode when he didn't really need to be in that situation.
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But Onana can see the man in full sprint mode, so there's not much point in passing it where he did?
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I feel for him. Not sure what’s happened to the player we scouted and the clips we’ve seen from France to the one who plays for us. I still can’t fault his effort.
Effort, he wanders around looking totally bewildered.
I am not sure you call that effort.
I do feel a little bit sorry for him until I think about how much he is getting paid.
I love that...bewildered. That is eaxctly right. I said a few weeks ago he runs around like he is in a daze.
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He’s been poor but I do have a degree of sympathy - it must be awful going from a club where you’re hero worshipped to having to adapt to a new country, league, team mates etc and where you rightly suspect that the fans think you’re shit.
I hope he doesn’t go on football forums in his spare time.
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Well he's going to have to compete with Leon now to get that automatic substitute's role. It's an underwhelming RW 3 of Sancho, Bailey and Guessand, isn't it? That is my order of preference, too.
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I'd play Garcia there next Thursday to give him a go and see how he does. He's already shown he can beat a man and pop a ball in...
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Santi Aouna
@Santi_J_FM
·
28m
🚨EXCL:🔴🔵🇨🇮 #PL |
🔐 Agreement in principle reached between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa for Evann Guessand
💰 Loan + option
Would be absolutely great if he could go there and smash it.
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Happy enough with this if it means someone else coming in.
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Makes me wonder if Elliot will be given the chance now.
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Shout out to the Palace scouting team
(https://i.ibb.co/prG8jDyv/images.webp) (https://ibb.co/prG8jDyv)
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I'd play Garcia there next Thursday to give him a go and see how he does. He's already shown he can beat a man and pop a ball in...
The injured out for a few weeks Garcia?
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Makes me wonder if Elliot will be given the chance now.
That’s an interesting take, hadn’t thought of that. That said, if that were the case I’d assume it would be obligation rather than option.
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I'd play Garcia there next Thursday to give him a go and see how he does. He's already shown he can beat a man and pop a ball in...
The injured out for a few weeks Garcia?
He wasn't six days ago when he made the post though Jon.
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I'd play Garcia there next Thursday to give him a go and see how he does. He's already shown he can beat a man and pop a ball in...
The injured out for a few weeks Garcia?
TBF he wasn't classed as "injured and out for a few weeks" when Phil posted that.
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I'd play Garcia there next Thursday to give him a go and see how he does. He's already shown he can beat a man and pop a ball in...
The injured out for a few weeks Garcia?
I don't think we knew this on Jan 23rd.
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Makes me wonder if Elliot will be given the chance now.
That’s an interesting take, hadn’t thought of that. That said, if that were the case I’d assume it would be obligation rather than option.
Emery also said yesterday that nothing has changed re: Elliott.
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YOU GET THE MESSAGE JC!
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Pffft details.
Serves me right for posting from a phone.
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I wonder whether we could play Garcia there tonight.
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The only way the Elliot situation might have changed is if Palace were obliged to buy post loan, and from what I read it's an option so he'll be coming back.
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I wonder whether we could play Garcia there tonight.
He’s injured
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Santi Aouna
@Santi_J_FM
·
28m
🚨EXCL:🔴🔵🇨🇮 #PL |
🔐 Agreement in principle reached between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa for Evann Guessand
💰 Loan + option
Would be absolutely great if he could go there and smash it.
Does adding an emergency beacon to a tweet about a transfer make it more kosher?
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Emery makes his mind quickly on a player doesn't he.
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There is a reason we signed him and other clubs wanted him. It’s not because he’s completely shit. It’s just that he’s been shit playing in Unai’s system. He might work out at Palace. The curious thing is Glasner won’t be there next season so he will have to fit in to the system of whoever takes his place.
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Emery makes his mind quickly on a player doesn't he.
Not as quickly as some on here.
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I disagree, he just doesn't look talented enough for this level and I don't think that is just down to how we play. Good luck to him, though.
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Emery makes his mind quickly on a player doesn't he.
Took me one game 😂
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The deal will all be in this financial year too, which surely gives us some more psr room!
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You'd have to think that Palace have done away with scouting and written it off as old fashioned and not worthwhile.
Good on them.
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"Great signing for Palace! Guessand's pace will light up Selhurst. 🔥 #CPFC", according to people on the internet. I didn't try to change their mind.
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We've also got a bridge for sale...
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Athletic reporting it. Loan with option to buy. He'll be back in the summer.
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"Great signing for Palace! Guessand's pace will light up Selhurst. 🔥 #CPFC", according to people on the internet. I didn't try to change their mind.
Are they allowing him to play on a scooter?
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I wonder whether we could play Garcia there tonight.
I don’t see why not.
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Palace fans think he's going to be supplying crosses for the Wolves donkey they're trying to sign.
I've never seen him beat a man and deliver a single cross.
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I wonder whether we could play Garcia there tonight.
I don’t see why not.
Isn't he injured?
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Whatever the terms of this deal are, we've had Palace's pants down.
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Palace fans think he's going to be supplying crosses for the Wolves donkey they're trying to sign.
I've never seen him beat a man and deliver a single cross.
Harsh. He’s kicked a few out for throw-ins on the other side of the pitch. It’s all good anyway. Even if, against the odds, he comes good, somebody else will be paying him and then we can have him back.
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I'd love to know the value in the option to buy. If it's within 25% of what we paid I'll be delighted (and very surprised!)
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Emery makes his mind quickly on a player doesn't he.
Took me one game 😂
Yep, and me
But then we have a good eye for a player which doesn’t get recognised enough on here
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Athletic reporting it. Loan with option to buy. He'll be back in the summer.
I'm baffled by all these loans, with option to buy signings, it's hard to imagine many will actually happen. Plus it's a big risk if the player gets injured whilst on loan.
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Good move for everyone involved. He just doesn’t seem to fit here. Wish him well.
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Does this create room for another centre mid loanee?
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The buy option would need to at a sensible level for us to avoid crystallising a loss. €30m over 5 years means hes on our books at €24m in the summer - say £20m. I guess thats our starting point.
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We could try Garcia further advanced tonight I suppose.
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I'd love to know the value in the option to buy. If it's within 25% of what we paid I'll be delighted (and very surprised!)
Reported as being the same as we paid for him.
So let's hope he finds a bit of form.
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We could try Garcia further advanced tonight I suppose.
Unwise given he’s injured.
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He's done OK which is no longer anywhere near good enough to where we are now.
Wish him well - Palace seem to be in panic mode mind.
Assume Mateta is off if they are signing Guessand and LArsen
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Athletic reporting it. Loan with option to buy. He'll be back in the summer.
I'm baffled by all these loans, with option to buy signings, it's hard to imagine many will actually happen. Plus it's a big risk if the player gets injured whilst on loan.
It doesn't really help the "selling" club at all, but I can see why buying clubs want them. If he goes there, and does well, they know we're not going to try and pull their pants down on the price in the summer. Similarly, they can just hand him back in the summer.
Options to buy actually mean very little, beyond setting a ceiling on any potential selling price.
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Palace are pretty dumb if they're taking Guessand - but hey ho, I'll start the car.
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Good news short term...however, barring a miracle he will be back.
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Palace are pretty dumb if they're taking Guessand - but hey ho, I'll start the car.
Either that or they see something that can work for them; called "the Joelinton effect'. Unlikely but maybe.
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Does this create room for another centre mid loanee?
The consensus among journalistic types seems to be that we're done.
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Palace fans think he's going to be supplying crosses for the Wolves donkey they're trying to sign.
I've never seen him beat a man and deliver a single cross.
He’s delivered quite a few crosses - it’s just that they’ve been delivered at the speed of sound.
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He is still our player so let's not disrespect him. I wish him well and let's hope he does really well, score a few and comeback to us a much much better player.
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I hope he does ok, seems a decent sort that isn't good enough for us. Not being good enough for a title chasing PL side isn't a disaster.
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For all the stick he is getting, he'd have been useful to have around to play tonight.
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He would undoubtably get more game time at Palace. Maybe the kick start he needs. Hope it works out for him, he seems a decent chap and certainly isn't coasting in games, he always puts a shift in.
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Let's hope he goes and does well there so they take up the option.
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For all the stick he is getting, he'd have been useful to have around to play tonight.
Agreed, I thought he would play up front tonight and rest Ollie.
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For all the stick he is getting, he'd have been useful to have around to play tonight.
and risk him getting injured and scupper the deal? I think Elliott may play
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Genuinely wish him all the best as we may get a few bob back if he has a good run. Whatever happens then I think that's his Villa race run, he never adapted to the system.
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Evann Guessand will obviously turn into prime Morley when he signs for Glasner. I am only glad we don't have to play them again this season as the FA would also have found a way for him to be able to play against us and go said Morley.
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Palace's manager won't be there next season - which makes this deal even more stranger.
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Does this release up headroom for another signing in the transfer window or is it backfilling Luiz's costs? If backfill it is a risk relying on this chronology.
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I don't think anyone has mentioned this....but will Alysson be getting some minutes?
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Hope he does well.
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I wonder if we expected to somehow cancel the Elliot deal? now we can't (or haven't) resulting in this having to be done as a result?
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I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
Putting a shift in is what is normally expected at work.
It's the bare minimum. Can't believe people act as though players are going above and beyond by doing it. They are paid an obscene amount and are living the dream. Of course they should put a shift in.
You've got to be desperate for positives when talking about a player if you've reached the point where "putting a shift in" is is meant to be some great achievement.
We've got another player who gets credit for this as well.
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🤯
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Nearly all players work incredibly hard. They wouldn’t be premier league players if they didn’t. Some go through poor spells/low confidence where they don’t seem as sharp or “at it”. If someone is deemed to work hard it’s normally because they go above and beyond the mean, not because they’re doing the bare minimum. Not saying I think Guessand is in that camp mind you. Good work rate is fine but no more than the average.
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Hang on. Is this actually happening? Like, actually?
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He is playing tonight and is planning to due a lap of appreciation at the end.
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He is playing tonight and is planning to due a lap of appreciation at the end.
It will be emotional for sure.
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We always knew (if we'd paid attention) he wasn't the finished article and would need to be developed but I doubt anybody realised just how much work was required. Let's see how he does at Palace, maybe they won't have him stuck on the wing and use him more as a right sided 10 which was the position he was playing in France to stoke our initial interest.
Good luck to him. Come back world class.
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Palace are pretty dumb if they're taking Guessand - but hey ho, I'll start the car.
😂😂😂
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He is playing tonight and is planning to due a lap of appreciation at the end.
It will be emotional for sure.
These posts are making me laugh.
Thanks for everything Evann! 8)
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It's a bit of a hit to our Handsome Lads' Club to lose him (and a mortal insult to the founding tenets of that august society that it happens when 'hard-working' Harvey is still here picking up wages).
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It's a bit of a hit to our Handsome Lads' Club to lose him (and a mortal insult to the founding tenets of that august society that it happens when 'hard-working' Harvey is still here picking up wages).
Normally I trust you completely on matters such as this, but I don't really see it here.
Particularly with the return of Doug, the Club has clearly improved over the last couple of days, whatever happens with Guessand?
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It's a bit of a hit to our Handsome Lads' Club to lose him (and a mortal insult to the founding tenets of that august society that it happens when 'hard-working' Harvey is still here picking up wages).
Normally I trust you completely on matters such as this, but I don't really see it here.
Particularly with the return of Doug, the Club has clearly improved over the last couple of days, whatever happens with Guessand?
We're only as strong as our weakest member.
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It's a bit of a hit to our Handsome Lads' Club to lose him (and a mortal insult to the founding tenets of that august society that it happens when 'hard-working' Harvey is still here picking up wages).
Normally I trust you completely on matters such as this, but I don't really see it here.
Particularly with the return of Doug, the Club has clearly improved over the last couple of days, whatever happens with Guessand?
We're only as strong as our weakest member.
Can't see anyone wanting to get rid of McGinn anytime soon.
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Personality. GSOH. (He's also not in the club, but has its respect.)
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I really dont think he is that bad and we come across as a bit spoilt here. The other thing is he puts a shift in
I think it's a bit of both. He does put a shift in, but so far his attacking contributions have been woeful.
Putting a shift in is what is normally expected at work.
It's the bare minimum. Can't believe people act as though players are going above and beyond by doing it. They are paid an obscene amount and are living the dream. Of course they should put a shift in.
You've got to be desperate for positives when talking about a player if you've reached the point where "putting a shift in" is is meant to be some great achievement.
We've got another player who gets credit for this as well.
At least nobody has said he's an honest lad.
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Palace fans think he's going to be supplying crosses for the Wolves donkey they're trying to sign.
I've never seen him beat a man and deliver a single cross.
He’s delivered quite a few crosses - it’s just that they’ve been delivered at the speed of sound.
And into the laps of fans in the Trinity Rd and Witton Lane stands.
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He will play as a 10 alongside 2 wingbacks
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2m loan fee according to The Athletic
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Absolutely crazy sending him out on loan before a big European match when we're short of players etc.
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Good Same we paid for Doug.
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Sounds a lot more like a permanent move according to Sky
Option to buy based on appearances sounds familiar!
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Pleased he won't be stinking out our side again this season. Atrocious excuse for a footballer.
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Good luck and good riddance. A rubbish footballer.
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Seemed a nice lad. Still time for him to find a different career
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Never say never and all that, but I don’t think a player who is sent out on loan half a season after being signed for £30m by a club in our financial position will be coming back, if we can do anything about it. It reeks of realising we have made a terrible mistake.
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Can't say it's been real interesting.
But it's been real.
Good luck to him.
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Man if we get 28m for him olafe is a genius
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Never say never and all that, but I don’t think a player who is sent out on loan half a season after being signed for £30m by a club in our financial position will be coming back, if we can do anything about it. It reeks of realising we have made a terrible mistake.
Again.
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If it's any sort of option rather than an obligation I'd expect him to be back at Bodymoor Heath in the summer.
Partic as the new Palace manager will want his own players.
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The manager might not have a say anyway.
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Jeez, we really do burn through players up that right hand side.
Good luck Evann, felt a bit sorry for you at the Villa. Do come back a more accomplished player.
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No, just do enough to convince to sign you and we'll all just move on.
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Monchi really didn’t give a fuck last summer did he.
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Does this mean Footy Villain can come back ?
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Before Guessand, only Unsworth springs to mind as a player who signed and was shipped out within the same season.
I can’t see him ever playing for us again, even if Palace don’t activate their option — and we all know they won’t.
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Does this mean Footy Villain can come back ?
If Tammy and Dougie can come back, I don't see why not.
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I think Emery is less of a task-master and slight more forgiving then DW and the mods on here.
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No, just do enough to convince to sign you and we'll all just move on.
Nailed it.
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Does this mean Footy Villain can come back ?
If Tammy and Dougie can come back, I don't see why not.
He found me on Instagram and criticised my posts on here but I still respect him.
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Before Guessand, only Unsworth springs to mind as a player who signed and was shipped out within the same season.
I can’t see him ever playing for us again, even if Palace don’t activate their option — and we all know they won’t.
Technically, same happened to Philogene, in the same position.
Edit: and Diaby in the same position missed out on a "within the year" departure by just 2 days, having signed on 22 July 2023 and left on 24 July 2024.
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Before Guessand, only Unsworth springs to mind as a player who signed and was shipped out within the same season.
I can’t see him ever playing for us again, even if Palace don’t activate their option — and we all know they won’t.
It’s an obligation based on milestones. I suspect he won’t hit them but we don’t know. Fingers crossed eh?
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Does this mean Footy Villain can come back ?
If Tammy and Dougie can come back, I don't see why not.
He found me on Instagram and criticised my posts on here but I still respect him.
Danzala is he stalking you too?
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Before Guessand, only Unsworth springs to mind as a player who signed and was shipped out within the same season.
I can’t see him ever playing for us again, even if Palace don’t activate their option — and we all know they won’t.
It’s an obligation based on milestones. I suspect he won’t him them we don’t know. Fingers crossed eh?
Any idea what those milestones are? I've not seen this mentioned anywhere else, so interested to understand what you know! Thanks!
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I still can’t get my head around this one. Why on earth would Palace want Guessand? It’s properly weird. I could understand why European clubs would be interested, but he’s shown very clearly he is very underwhelming in the PL.
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Good luck Evan. Thanks for the goals and work ethic and hope you settle in and succeed.
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Before Guessand, only Unsworth springs to mind as a player who signed and was shipped out within the same season.
I can’t see him ever playing for us again, even if Palace don’t activate their option — and we all know they won’t.
It’s an obligation based on milestones. I suspect he won’t hit them but we don’t know. Fingers crossed eh?
Any idea what those milestones are? I've not seen this mentioned anywhere else, so interested to understand what you know! Thanks!
No, heard nothing beyond that yet.
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With Palace seemingly pulling out for Strand Larsen Guessand could find himself playing down the middle a lot there which may suit him a lot better than wide right.
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Both the kids showed more intent and ability in 20 minutes last night than he had in his 6 months with us.
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With Palace seemingly pulling out for Strand Larsen Guessand could find himself playing down the middle a lot there which may suit him a lot better than wide right.
Maybe it’s WHY the they are pulling out the SLG deal.
You get the feeling the owners are giving up there, along with the manager.
They will probably continue with the fire sale, no big incoming signings and an upcoming relegation battle, either this season or next.
Well, we can hope.
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With Palace seemingly pulling out for Strand Larsen Guessand could find himself playing down the middle a lot there which may suit him a lot better than wide right.
Maybe it’s WHY the they are pulling out the SLG deal.
You get the feeling the owners are giving up there, along with the manager.
They will probably continue with the fire sale, no big incoming signings and an upcoming relegation battle, either this season or next.
Well, we can hope.
Shame... for the Championship's fans having to hear those fucking drums.
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With Palace seemingly pulling out for Strand Larsen Guessand could find himself playing down the middle a lot there which may suit him a lot better than wide right.
Maybe it’s WHY the they are pulling out the SLG deal.
You get the feeling the owners are giving up there, along with the manager.
They will probably continue with the fire sale, no big incoming signings and an upcoming relegation battle, either this season or next.
Well, we can hope.
Shame... for the Championship's fans having to hear those fucking drums.
I'd love it if CP got the drop ...
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Before Guessand, only Unsworth springs to mind as a player who signed and was shipped out within the same season.
I can’t see him ever playing for us again, even if Palace don’t activate their option — and we all know they won’t.
It’s an obligation based on milestones. I suspect he won’t hit them but we don’t know. Fingers crossed eh?
Any idea what those milestones are? I've not seen this mentioned anywhere else, so interested to understand what you know! Thanks!
No, heard nothing beyond that yet.
Further to this, SSN vaguely saying it’s “appearance based”. I suggest its ’staying up’ based as well.
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You do ask why would you spend £50 million on a player when you are about to change manager in the summer ?
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If the guaranteed fee is £28m, we've turned a PSR/SCR profit havent we? 30m/5 yr contract then (1yr amort) = £24m so a £4m profit?
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They’re talking on SSN about how ruthless Emery is when he gets a player in who doesn’t quite fit, citing Malen, Guessand and Elliott. It reminded me of something Pako said at Balague’s book launch at the Witton Arms. To paraphrase:
“Sometimes we watch a player and think ‘what a player, let’s sign him’. Then we get them into training and we say, ‘fucking hell, what did we sign him for?’
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They’re talking on SSN about how ruthless Emery is when he gets a player in who doesn’t quite fit, citing Malen, Guessand and Elliott. It reminded me of something Pako said at Balague’s book launch at the Witton Arms. To paraphrase:
“Sometimes we watch a player and think ‘what a player, let’s sign him’. Then we get them into training and we say, ‘fucking hell, what did we sign him for?’
Haha! Reminds me of the story about O'Neill and NRC and realising he couldnt pass when we got him down to Bodymoor.
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If the guaranteed fee is £28m, we've turned a PSR/SCR profit havent we? 30m/5 yr contract then (1yr amort) = £24m so a £4m profit?
Indeed. It was reported on the BBC as £26m with £4.3m in add-ons, and only the guaranteed amount counts towards PSR. Not sure on SCR.
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Good luck to the lad, hope he does well enough at Palace for them to sign him. It just hasn't worked out for him with us.
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Juve sniffing round now apparently
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A bidding war for our worst player!
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Both the kids showed more intent and ability in 20 minutes last night than he had in his 6 months with us.
Exactly what I said at the game.
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Juve sniffing round now apparently
If he goes there, does it mean we buy him back in 18 months' time for 50% of what we sold him for?
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Juve sniffing round now apparently
If he goes there, does it mean we buy him back in 18 months' time for 50% of what we sold him for?
I hope not.
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Juve sniffing round now apparently
If he goes there, does it mean we buy him back in 18 months' time for 50% of what we sold him for?
We should insert a “Philogene clause” where Palace can have him but are obliged to sell him back to us for less than they paid for him, so that we can flog him to Juventus and make a double profit on him.
It’s our way - if we REALLY don’t rate a player, we sell them twice just to make sure they don’t play for us.
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Juve sniffing round now apparently
Really? If that's true, the guy must have the best agent in the world.
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Juve sniffing round now apparently
Really? If that's true, the guy must have the best agent in the world.
He has, same agent as Roberto Martinez and Rio Ferdinand.
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Only quotes I've seen coming out of Glasner's presser were about Mateta. Anyone know if the bloke from the Croydon Chronicle did his job and asked about our Evann ?
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On loan at Palace, confirmed.
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Guessand confirmed as moving on loan with option to buy to Palace according to John Townley .
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Officially gone to Palace on loan.
Villa article (https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/january/30/signing-guessand-seals-eagles-loan/)
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Let's see how he gets on hopefully played in his preferred position.
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Guessand confirmed as moving on loan with option to buy to Palace according to John Townley .
On loan, then, basically, once they see what they've got.
Another massive waste of time and money in the transfer market. Imagine if we got that bit of it all right, as well.
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There has to be a reason other clubs, even Juventus rumoured recently wanted him. There had to be enough for us to have lashed out what we did. He has looked completely out of place with us but maybe in a different system, different position he can find the form that gets him a permanent move. He just doesn’t fit with us.
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Amazing really, as you say there must be something in him. But from what I’ve seen he’s up there amongst the worst players I’ve watched play for us. I hope he finds his form and comes back and shoves my words where the sun don’t shine.
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Best of luck to him. Was never going to play wide as our youngsters are better than him, as displayed last night. With Ollie and Tammy he wasn't going to play as a CF either.
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Guessand confirmed as moving on loan with option to buy to Palace according to John Townley .
On loan, then, basically, once they see what they've got.
Another massive waste of time and money in the transfer market. Imagine if we got that bit of it all right, as well.
The right wing is our achilles heel. The money we've spent and wasted trying to find a decent player there is hilarious. Thankfully we got a 'get out of jail' card from the Saudis with Diaby as his price never looked recoverable. As great as Malen was he wasn't a winger. Sancho? Haha! £10m on Alysonn, Bailey back, in fact I'm struggling to recall the best right sided attacker we've had this century. Anybody who says Stewart Downing needs help. His best season was 5 assists when everything was going through him.
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Said a lot about our summer transfer business that he looked completely ill suited to our system and Emery’s demands from the outset.
When Emery mentioned us making “some mistakes” in the summer the writing was on the wall.
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Best of luck to him and, given we've played them twice already, I hope he scores loads for Palace.
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Guessand confirmed as moving on loan with option to buy to Palace according to John Townley .
On loan, then, basically, once they see what they've got.
Another massive waste of time and money in the transfer market. Imagine if we got that bit of it all right, as well.
The right wing is our achilles heel. The money we've spent and wasted trying to find a decent player there is hilarious.
It really is. It isn't even clear what kind of player we want there. An odd situation.
As for Evann, as much as he's looked like a bit of a donkey (and he has), he does seem to have a bit of a fan club in the game.
Will we ever find out why?
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Flipping heck. Thats a very terse confirmation on the official site.
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If the guaranteed fee is £28m, we've turned a PSR/SCR profit havent we? 30m/5 yr contract then (1yr amort) = £24m so a £4m profit?
Only if they end up,paying it. If we have set it too high then we have lost out because we get a non sale and the return of a substandard player.
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Palace must be mad.
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Guessand confirmed as moving on loan with option to buy to Palace according to John Townley .
On loan, then, basically, once they see what they've got.
Another massive waste of time and money in the transfer market. Imagine if we got that bit of it all right, as well.
The right wing is our achilles heel. The money we've spent and wasted trying to find a decent player there is hilarious. Thankfully we got a 'get out of jail' card from the Saudis with Diaby as his price never looked recoverable. As great as Malen was he wasn't a winger. Sancho? Haha! £10m on Alysonn, Bailey back, in fact I'm struggling to recall the best right sided attacker we've had this century. Anybody who says Stewart Downing needs help. His best season was 5 assists when everything was going through him.
Best I can think of in the last 20 odd years is Nobby Solano. For a bit.
James Milner to some extent too. But he was far more effective for us centrally.
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From Crystal Pravdace:
Evann Guessand cannot wait to get started in a Crystal Palace shirt, as the forward told Palace TV in his first interview as an Eagle.
The 24-year-old has joined Palace on a loan deal until the end of the season from Aston Villa, and brings an exciting mix of flair, athleticism – and a desire to achieve big things in South London.
Guessand told Palace TV: “I’m really excited, really excited to be here. I was waiting for this moment for a very long time.
“I’m excited to play with my new teammates and fight with them, because we have some objectives, some targets, and I think with the quality we have, we can achieve something.
“I've seen a lot of qualities in this team. I've seen them playing. I think my first game in the [Premier] League was against Crystal Palace, and I've seen the quality of this team.
“Every player has this mentality to win, and the Manager as well. I spoke with him and the way he plays, the way he gets the best from his players, this is what I really like.
“I want to improve – I want to get better and better every day – so there are lots of reasons to come here.
Delving into the mix of attributes which saw him named Nice’s Player of the Season in 2024/25, attracting widespread attention from across Europe, Guessand noted: “I want to bring my qualities, everything I can do on the pitch.
“I think the way I play and the way the team plays fits really well with the quality we've already got.
"My motivation, everything I've learned before, my experience… I think everything can be good for the team. I just need to be focused and everything's going to be okay.
“I can play in every position. I'm still a forward, but I can play left winger, right winger, No. 10, No. 9…. I'm a versatile player. I would say I have speed, I'm strong and technical as well, so this is why I can play a bit everywhere.”
Guessand’s participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations – where he scored in the group-stages and helped Ivory Coast reach the quarter-finals – meant he did not visit Selhurst Park with Aston Villa earlier this month.
But the forward is raring to get going in SE25, noting the upcoming visit of Burnley to Selhurst Park on Wednesday, 11th February (19:30 GMT) – for which limited tickets remain available – as his first opportunity to experience the ground’s famous atmosphere.
“I missed it because I was at AFCON when my last club [Aston Villa] played against Crystal Palace, so I haven't had the opportunity to come to Selhurst Park!” he recalled.
“But I think the first game for me at home is 11th February – and I’m really excited to see the fans, and to see the atmosphere in the stadium. I’m ready.
“Keep being behind the team, keep supporting us, because we need the fans to be at the highest level to reach our goals, our targets.”
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"Flair" ?????
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Guessand confirmed as moving on loan with option to buy to Palace according to John Townley .
On loan, then, basically, once they see what they've got.
Another massive waste of time and money in the transfer market. Imagine if we got that bit of it all right, as well.
The right wing is our achilles heel. The money we've spent and wasted trying to find a decent player there is hilarious. Thankfully we got a 'get out of jail' card from the Saudis with Diaby as his price never looked recoverable. As great as Malen was he wasn't a winger. Sancho? Haha! £10m on Alysonn, Bailey back, in fact I'm struggling to recall the best right sided attacker we've had this century. Anybody who says Stewart Downing needs help. His best season was 5 assists when everything was going through him.
Along with the 'number 10' position, I think it's been the one position that the financial situation has really held us back in. Two really top class players in those positions with Rogers on the left (which I still think is his best position) and we move that next level up.
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As for Evann, as much as he's looked like a bit of a donkey (and he has), he does seem to have a bit of a fan club in the game.
Will we ever find out why?
Playing devil's advocate:
It's fairly obvious he doesn't fit at Villa (how/where we've been playing him, anyway), but that doesn't necessarily mean he won't fit at a different club and playing in a different role.
eg. Perhaps it would work if he was up front and asked to run onto through balls, with no other expectation than to take a first time shot at goal.
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That's more or less how/where he was playing for Cote d'Ivoire at Afcon - and he wasn't really any more convincing.
Was still getting picked ahead of other options, mind.
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He thinks he has got “speed”
He is the slowest footballer I have ever seen. Barry, Dendonker and Kinsella would out sprint the guy. Worked hard, clearly a decent guy, but he is a 9 and a target man in the prem if he is anything. He is the most uncomfortable right winger I have witnessed at VP. Didier Agathe was more effective.
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He thinks he has got “speed”
He is the slowest footballer I have ever seen. Barry, Dendonker and Kinsella would out sprint the guy. Worked hard, clearly a decent guy, but he is a 9 and a target man in the prem if he is anything. He is the most uncomfortable right winger I have witnessed at VP. Didier Agathe was more effective.
I dunno, Ads can often be found moaning about the crushes in the concourse.
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Ha ha ha ha ha!
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Best I can think of in the last 20 odd years is Nobby Solano. For a bit.
James Milner to some extent too. But he was far more effective for us centrally.
Albrighton? In his debut season definitely.
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Diaby was mostly good, but Villa fans are suspicious of skilful players. Ashley Young was more loved as a so-so full back than in his first spell as one of the most exciting wingers in the world.
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Diaby was mostly good, but Villa fans are suspicious of skilful players. Ashley Young was more loved as a so-so full back than in his first spell as one of the most exciting wingers in the world.
While this is broadly true, I seem to remember Diaby as where attacks went to die all too often.
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Diaby was mostly good, but Villa fans are suspicious of skilful players. Ashley Young was more loved as a so-so full back than in his first spell as one of the most exciting wingers in the world.
Diaby was mostly inconsistent for us and I don’t think that’s true about Ashley Young, he was a popular player in both spells.
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Nah, Nigel Reo-Coker received ten times the adulation he did. Villa supporters would choose Tony Hart over Leonardo.
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As for Evann, as much as he's looked like a bit of a donkey (and he has), he does seem to have a bit of a fan club in the game.
Will we ever find out why?
Playing devil's advocate:
It's fairly obvious he doesn't fit at Villa (how/where we've been playing him, anyway), but that doesn't necessarily mean he won't fit at a different club and playing in a different role.
eg. Perhaps it would work if he was up front and asked to run onto through balls, with no other expectation than to take a first time shot at goal.
Has he looked like a different player when in the box trying to get on the end of things?
He looks as awkward there as he does in every other part of the pitch.
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Best I can think of in the last 20 odd years is Nobby Solano. For a bit.
James Milner to some extent too. But he was far more effective for us centrally.
Albrighton? In his debut season definitely.
Fair.
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Diaby was mostly good, but Villa fans are suspicious of skilful players. Ashley Young was more loved as a so-so full back than in his first spell as one of the most exciting wingers in the world.
Diaby was mostly inconsistent for us and I don’t think that’s true about Ashley Young, he was a popular player in both spells.
Agree with that Chris. Ashley Young was great for us in both stints. I was underwhelmed by Diaby’s contribution. I expected much much more from him and was just glad we got the fee what we got for him.
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Diaby shared Guessand's lack of conviction on the ball in the final third, but had more to his game and made a strong contribution, I felt.
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As for Evann, as much as he's looked like a bit of a donkey (and he has), he does seem to have a bit of a fan club in the game.
Will we ever find out why?
Playing devil's advocate:
It's fairly obvious he doesn't fit at Villa (how/where we've been playing him, anyway), but that doesn't necessarily mean he won't fit at a different club and playing in a different role.
eg. Perhaps it would work if he was up front and asked to run onto through balls, with no other expectation than to take a first time shot at goal.
Has he looked like a different player when in the box trying to get on the end of things?
He looks as awkward there as he does in every other part of the pitch.
Absolutely this. I may have seen some poor players turning out for us over the years, but I can't recall one who has been so lacking conviction in every single aspect of his game.
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We all thought the sun shone out of Ashley's orifices in his first spell. Second time round he was a jobbing and ageing full-back.
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I thought there was conviction in Diaby those few times he absolutely blasted the ball, accurately, into the net. I never understood the criticism he got. I have to check, but that season he was here must rank as one of our highest scoring of the modern era so not sure how you remember attacks breaking down with him?
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He had a great shot on him, pace and a bit of trickery. Physically bullied too much, lost out on a lot of 50/50s and off the ball not much use.
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(https://i.ibb.co/3yh0P3wn/Screenshot-20260131-155223.png) (https://ibb.co/3yh0P3wn)
Err yeah, good luck with that.
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Comparing Guessand to Zaha and Eze was not on today's bingo card
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Not even a YouTube player. I struggle to remember anything he did to excite me. I dread to think how much he's cost us in total for a little bit of fuck all.
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I thought there was conviction in Diaby those few times he absolutely blasted the ball, accurately, into the net. I never understood the criticism he got. I have to check, but that season he was here must rank as one of our highest scoring of the modern era so not sure how you remember attacks breaking down with him?
Particularly given how many Emery signings improve massively in their second season.
For a first season (in light of the first seasons of Youri, Onana, Maatsen etc) I thought it very decent.
Not "irreplaceable" decent, but no reason to sell unless we were making a good profit on him.
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Diaby felt like a player ready to kick on after a promising but at times very frustrating first season. Mainly his ability to get the ball in incredible positions then give it away. His goals were good and when he was on it, he was very very good.
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Diaby had 20 goals/assists in his first season I think, pretty impressive.
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Praying he has a fantastic four months and we get rid for good money.
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Diaby was a key part of our good start (Newcastle excepted) in 2023/24 and was particularly sharp during our purple patch in the autumn, when we seemed to be smashing teams by 4s and 5s every other week.
There was a regular spell there where almost any time the ball went down the right flank at VP, with any two of Bailey, Diaby and Watkins combining (and sometimes all three) that a goal felt almost inevitable. I've rarely felt that way watching the Villa.
He dropped of a bit when Bailey really came to the fore, and was prob miffed at having to come of the bench when (a) we'd spent so much money on him and (b) part of the reason he came to the club was to become a regular in the French national side.
Though the latter always seemed doomed to failure with Deschamps picking the squad.
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Evann trending on Irish X. https://x.com/PalaceReport/status/2020529608139964582
I'll keep the prayer mat out.
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Ivory Coast and Ireland, separated at birth.
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Not even a YouTube player. I struggle to remember anything he did to excite me. I dread to think how much he's cost us in total for a little bit of fuck all.
Well, if he plays enough games for Palace until the end of the season, fuck all. Maybe even a profit.
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He was doing a bit of an Onana celebration with the away end yesterday, looking overjoyed to be out of VP so I reckon he never wanted to be with us in the first place. Hopefully he'll have a good few months down there and they'll buy, meaning we're all happy!
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Deft piece of work for his assist, tbf.
https://www.skysports.com/football/brighton-and-hove-albion-vs-crystal-palace/report/531371 (https://www.skysports.com/football/brighton-and-hove-albion-vs-crystal-palace/report/531371)
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It didnt work out - sometimes it happens. If we get 30m or whatever the figure is we have got off lightly as he massively disappointed here
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It didnt work out - sometimes it happens. If we get 30m or whatever the figure is we have got off lightly as he massively disappointed here
I think the expectations are less at Palace, so he was probably relieved not to have the pressure.
I still think he could be good for us. Just takes a bit longer to adjust to Unai’s way
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It didnt work out - sometimes it happens. If we get 30m or whatever the figure is we have got off lightly as he massively disappointed here
I think the expectations are less at Palace, so he was probably relieved not to have the pressure.
I still think he could be good for us. Just takes a bit longer to adjust to Unai’s way
The one thing i did find odd is that unai never tried him up top - he opted for malen instead when ollie wasnt available
Might have been worth trying it but guess we will never know now
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It didnt work out - sometimes it happens. If we get 30m or whatever the figure is we have got off lightly as he massively disappointed here
I think the expectations are less at Palace, so he was probably relieved not to have the pressure.
I still think he could be good for us. Just takes a bit longer to adjust to Unai’s way
The one thing i did find odd is that unai never tried him up top - he opted for malen instead when ollie wasnt available
Might have been worth trying it but guess we will never know now
He would have watched him every day on the training ground so I’m sure he would have had a feeling he wasn’t better than Malen who wasn’t that good on his own either.
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Deft piece of work for his assist, tbf.
https://www.skysports.com/football/brighton-and-hove-albion-vs-crystal-palace/report/531371 (https://www.skysports.com/football/brighton-and-hove-albion-vs-crystal-palace/report/531371)
It was, yes.
Quite a few people on here observed that he didn't seem to really have the confidence of his fellow players at VP. You'd have thought francophone solidarity might have helped, but he didn't seem any closer to Youri, Onana, Kamara or Digne than any of the other players - i.e., not very close!
Anyway, he looked assured in that clip. Good for him. Let's hope that he prospers and either makes us a profit or comes back better.
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The players definitely didn't rate him.
To be fair, he's shown more strengths composure and ability that we ever saw from in claret and blue there. Maybe it was the environment. Hope he does well. Glad he's not here.
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To be fair, he's shown more strengths composure and ability that we ever saw from in claret and blue there. Maybe it was the environment. Hope he does well. Glad he's not here.
He's just an ordinary lad. Perhaps BMH was too posh for him and he'll feel more at home at Palace.
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Keep it up Evann.
Palace, please buy him!
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Having watched his goal have to admit I’m happy for him. Seems to doing ok there and the winner will help his confidence. It won’t work with us but he might be well suited at Palace. Of course it all gets thrown up in the air with a manager change on the horizon. But hopefully he proves himself to the end of the season and secures a permanent move.
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Good for him might get into a good run of form