Nicolò Zaniolo SIGNED (on loan)

[Matt C]

Worked really well using him as the out ball. Hopefully he’s coming into form at the perfect time.

[Footy-Vill]

With all due respect, Zaniolo's performance against Arsenal should be like that at the very least ! And in every match! If he wants to be a part of the team or play minutes.

I can only reiterate Emery's request, which is for more and consistency.
Zaniolo and all of the players have to be performing, so I can't say I was too impressed because he is still very selfish on the ball, preferring at tines to tussle or lie down rather than actually get the ball and play at times, and also, and this is the obvious one that people seem to overlook, Zaniolo is playing for his contract, so the big money is his as anything else doesn't bother him.  He’s a loan player and clearly his efforts are for himself more than they are the team.

I’m not sure about his motives at all and he was only signed by Monchi as he knew him and he’s a loan stop gap signing.

I mean, he's unlikely to be here next season until he begins contributing and scoring in the final games, but I don't think we see him make major impact needed when he will be on the pitch despite having some use and ability.

[Drummond]

Yeah yeah, but he was POTM and presumably did what the manager wanted him to do.

[Footy-Vill]

Let’s see him do that continually and then he deserving to stay
 

[eamonn]

Fair play, I didn't think he had the physical effort in him to do the off-the-ball work necessary but he completely hassled Tango White to the extent that he had to be subbed-off after getting a yellow for fouling Zaniolo.

He's a curates egg, Nico, still not sure he's worth the £40m+ permanent gamble when we can't just spend willy-nilly.

If he can harness his physicality and technical ability, the only thing holding him back would be his dwelling on the ball but maybe that can be improved too.

[jwarry]

I thought he looked like a team player for the first time on Sunday.  Always quite liked his cameos but you always felt he wasn’t playing for the rest of the team. I saw a changed man Sunday, reflecting Unai’s comments that he is improving

[eamonn]

His cameos have generally been dreadful. Loses the ball, fouls his man, is left on a heap on the ground looking for a free-kick, gets booked.

Sunday showed that he might be finally learning. A rare start where he could be more controlled and feel his way into the game more naturally at the same pace as the other players, seemed to help a lot.

[coreyfeldman]

He probably is just playing for himself knowing that he's not hit any targets to be signed permanently by us but if he puts in a few more performances like that before he leaves then who cares.

He'd be too expensive imo anyway for what he offers but he's a young player in England for the first time and had to deal with all the gambling stuff as well so probably cut him some slack.

Have this feeling he's still going to score that worldie for us or have a moment of folkloric impact still

[danno]

His cameos have generally been dreadful. Loses the ball, fouls his man, is left on a heap on the ground looking for a free-kick, gets booked.

Sunday showed that he might be finally learning. A rare start where he could be more controlled and feel his way into the game more naturally at the same pace as the other players, seemed to help a lot.

He was very good against Wolves too. He and Digne shut down Wolves right hand side (which is where all their attacks were coming from) and he made a big contribution to our second goal.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He's a curates egg, Nico, still not sure he's worth the £40m+ permanent gamble when we can't just spend willy-nilly.

Just out of interest, I do wonder what his transfer fee will be in the summer assuming we don't take our option. It may be worth sending him back and matching the £15m some Italian club will offer. Didn't Gala pay €19m for him?