Moussa Diaby - Confirmed

[Footy-Vill]

Diaby is at a record signing. I want to see more from him. Despite being featured in every game, he has only played 90 minutes four times in 33 Premier League appearances.
Can we anticipate more from him next season? So far, he has 5 goals and 7 assists, but with Cole Palmer scoring 20 goals, I expected Diaby to provide more. Yes, Palmer is on penalties at Chelsea, but he scored 4 last night against Everton, with only one of his goals coming from penalties. He scored a hat trick last weekend too

I just want Diaby to be an actual goal scorer and contribute even more because he's clearly a talented  player. Having looked fantastic throughout the preseason tour in the United States and scored on his debut in the league vs Newcastle I expected bigger and better things.
This season, he has appeared absolutely lost at times, therefore I would attribute his poor performances to learning the language, settling in and understanding the  tactics.
I know Emery will be demanding of him and to me it’s not unreasonable to expect him to be as effective as Bailey in attack, it would be just great, but I am continuously disappointed with his lack of consistency on the pitch and that if it was between the two players am far more in favour of Bailey who excites but also delivers - consistently!

I get why people say things like "he's our record signing, I expect more!", but honestly, that's a pretty misleading thing to throw around.  Sure, he's our record signing, but he's not even among the top FIFTY most expensive signings in the league.  To expect him to be a standout player on a regular basis is a bit much.  His form has been a bit up and down, but it's first season and he's scored some important goals and contributed to the team performance on many occasions.  £50m buys you a player who can regularly contribute in the first-team for a side with Champions League ambitions, and that's what we got.  It certainly doesn't buy you the "best player in the team", which might have been the case a decade ago.

I genuinely expect him to be better next season, maybe not to the level Bailey has been at this year (he has been a revelation), but certainly closing that performance gap considerably.

Cole Palmer 50m look at what he's gone and he hadn't even score a Prem goal till this season.

[coreyfeldman]

Comparing players in this way is a bit of a hiding to nothing. Why can't diaby do what palmer has done is probably because they're different players.

Diaby has never been especially prolific in front of goal anyway, this is his first season in the league and in the country and it has been a bit disrupted by injury and by the form of bailey. I'd back him to find his form again and we see the diaby from the first 10 games or so.

His numbers this season aren't far off what they were last season so maybe some of this is about expectations of a player with a decent price tag

[Dave]

His numbers this season aren't far off what they were last season so maybe some of this is about expectations of a player with a decent price tag

Also, what he's provided in goals / assists isn't far removed from the sorts of numbers that Ashley Young was giving us in the O'Neill years.

While I imagine everyone would like more from him next season, I think he suffers partly due to the comparison of how good Watkins and Bailey have been.

[Footy-Vill]

Disappointing again whereas when Bailey is on he makes the magic happen

[Dante Lavelli]

His potential cannot be questioned.  arguably Bailey was sold by Beyer because Diaby overtook him as their best winger.  Bailey took an ages to get up to speed in this league.  So arguably Diaby’s ceiling is higher than Bailey’s.

Between the two we can rotate as necessary to get them near their optimum levels.

[villa for life]

His potential cannot be questioned.  arguably Bailey was sold by Beyer because Diaby overtook him as their best winger.  Bailey took an ages to get up to speed in this league.  So arguably Diaby’s ceiling is higher than Bailey’s.

Between the two we can rotate as necessary to get them near their optimum levels.
[/quot

I think it can be questioned even if misplaced.

Bailey took one season to get used to prem football


There nothing in your post that supports the fact that diaby’s ceiling is higher.

I also hold the hope that he may come good. I think he will..but I can’t agree with your post

[Somniloquism]

His potential cannot be questioned.  arguably Bailey was sold by Beyer because Diaby overtook him as their best winger.  Bailey took an ages to get up to speed in this league.  So arguably Diaby’s ceiling is higher than Bailey’s.

Between the two we can rotate as necessary to get them near their optimum levels.

I think it can be questioned even if misplaced.

Bailey took one season to get used to prem football

There nothing in your post that supports the fact that diaby’s ceiling is higher.

I also hold the hope that he may come good. I think he will..but I can’t agree with your post

Do you really think he took one season? There were people thinking he wasn't going to be good enough at the start of this season. Look at the first half of the Newcastle thread for example. And as he went backwards under Unai's first half season, there was a wonder if he would actually come good. He has shown us this season, after almost two whole season (but with Injuries in the first), that he is now our biggest attacking threat after Watkins.

[Ian.]

It was around mid October last year when he started to look good and improved dramatically each week after.

[AV84]

His form got better when Emery finally dropped him. He was a sub for ages and it seemed to do him the world of good, and fair play to him he didn't throw a strop about being on the bench and took each opportunity he was given to play, whether for 10 minutes or 45.

[Dave]

Approaching double figures for both goals and assists with six / seven matches left in the season isn't really that bad for a new signing is it?

For context, Son got about the same in his first season at Spurs, coming in from the same club at a similar age.

[Toronto Villa]

Diaby gets way too much criticism. He’s had off games and teams have adjusted to him. Something he will learn from and improve upon. He’s not shit at all. He’s a young player in a new league coming to terms with the pace and level.

[Somniloquism]

The clocks have gone forward again. Time for Diaby.......

[Somniloquism]

Seems if you rake your studs down the back of the thigh of the player in front, it isn't a foul. But he more then made up for not being given that foul by running back from the edge of the Bournemouth box to make the challenge and help the makeshift back three of Digne, Tielemans and Konsa.

[Garyth]

Seems if you rake your studs down the back of the thigh of the player in front, it isn't a foul. But he more then made up for not being given that foul by running back from the edge of the Bournemouth box to make the challenge and help the makeshift back three of Digne, Tielemans and Konsa.

Yeah I looked for this on the highlights - it was some hustle he put in during that phase. Full credit to him.

I think this was also a game much more suited to him, compared to the ones we’ve had of late against teams sitting deep in order to avoid giving us room on transition

[Rory]

Approaching double figures for both goals and assists with six / seven matches left in the season isn't really that bad for a new signing is it?

For context, Son got about the same in his first season at Spurs, coming in from the same club at a similar age.

Don't be fucking stupid, Dave. Citing figures at similar ages purchased from the same club, as if those comparisons mean anything.

We're fucked. This season will end in disaster.

It's just obvious.