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It amazes me the effect Football Manager has had on general football conversation.
Tifo, mate. Love me some tifo.
It amazes me the effect Football Manager has had on general football conversation.
We can do better and need better. Next.
And where do you think their muse came from for the video? Football Manager.
Tifo, mate. Love me some tifo.
Doucoure wont win us the league... I doubt he'll even get us qualified for Champions League. And yet, I still believe in Zakaria doing that for us. The kid is the real deal. He may not be the finished article, but he can definitely contribute now.From what I see you want either Fabinho or Zakaria. I like both of them a lot. Fabinho is definitely better and he's obviously the dream candidate, but being realistic we may not get him. As for Zakaria he's still developing, he's nowhere near the finished article yet. Doucoure is someone who could come in and perform straight away.
Zakaria may end up being better than Doucoure, there are a few players who could be better, Sander Berge has huge potential too. If the club decides to go for a prospect then so be it, but Doucoure would be a very good and sensible addition.
Doucoure wont win us the league... I doubt he'll even get us qualified for Champions League. And yet, I still believe in Zakaria doing that for us. The kid is the real deal. He may not be the finished article, but he can definitely contribute now.
I don't think it's absurd at all. Think he'd kick straight off in our system.I'm a big fan of Zakaria, but the idea that he'd contribute to us winning the league next year or even the year after is absurd. He's only just moved to Gladbach from Switzerland, in an ideal world he'd continue to develop there for a while longer.
Don't get me wrong I'd be very happy if we signed Zakaria, I think he has lots of potential and could be better than Doucoure. But I wouldn't expect him to start pulling up trees any time soon, he'd be one for the future. Most of us would agree we need quality right now. Doesn't necessarily have to be Doucoure, there are a few players out there. But he's an option.
Physically stronger and slightly better on the ball. Both of them have got great engines and like to work at both ends of the pitch. Don't know where this leaves Ramsey though cause I see Doucoure more as a Ramsey replacement than a Xhaka replacement. Maybe we're preparing for life without Ramsey.I think so, like a physically stronger version of Matuidi.
I don't think it's absurd at all. Think he'd kick straight off in our system.
Zakaria is still developing but his level of talent allows him to contribute now. And his passing range is more than capable, he’s also much better on the ball than Doucoure. Just my opinion.Not sure how much you have seen of Doucoure but I have watched him a lot this season and he isn't a defensive midfielder. He is a very good box to box midfielder. He is basically your complete midfielder and I don't see Zakaria as that as his passing is so inferior in comparison. That is what sets Doucoure apart from Zakaria and Fabinho. Doucoure betters both their stats in the Premier League. He only is inferior to Fabinho in the air, but overall statistically he is the better player. He also breaks lines with passing and has a really good range.
However he is so good because he has Capoue alongside him. A pure defensive midfielder. In an ideal world you would buy both Zakaria and Doucoure, sell Ramsey, and keep Wilshere. You would then have 3 robust partnerships and only one injury prone player.
Preferable:
Doucoure-Zakaria
Zakaria-Xhaka
Wilshere-Zakaria
Attack minded:
Doucoure-Wilshere
Doucoure- Xhaka
You could also form a 3 and dominate the midfield further.
Imagine:
---------------------Auba-Özil
Lemar----Zakaria---Doucoure--Mhiki
Monreal-Koulibaly-Koscielny-Bellerin
------------------------keeper
You could even have Lacazette with auba and play Özil wide.
Samaria is still developing but his level of talent allows him to contribute now. And his passing range is more than capable, he’s also much better on the ball than Doucoure. Just my opinion.
We can do better and need better. Next.
It amazes me the effect Football Manager has had on general football conversation.
Not sure how much you have seen of Doucoure but I have watched him a lot this season and he isn't a defensive midfielder.
However he is so good because he has Capoue alongside him. A pure defensive midfielder.
You say this
Then follow it up with this.
For someone that has watched 'a lot' of Doucoure this season, I'd have assumed you'd know:
- Capoue has barely started for the side this season, and was nowhere near the side when Doucoure was in his best form over the first half of the season. Cleverly and Chalobah were the preferred options and Hughes was just starting to find his feet before he was injured. Doucoure's form has zero to do with Capoue because in reality, his best games and his best form have come alongside other.
- Capoue is not a 'pure' defensive midfielder. He's lazy and the start of last season, which is where he showed his best form, he was playing box to box in the same role Doucoure is playing now.
From what I see you want either Fabinho or Zakaria. I like both of them a lot. Fabinho is definitely better and he's obviously the dream candidate, but being realistic we may not get him. As for Zakaria he's still developing, he's nowhere near the finished article yet. Doucoure is someone who could come in and perform straight away.
Zakaria may end up being better than Doucoure, there are a few players who could be better, Sander Berge has huge potential too. If the club decides to go for a prospect then so be it, but Doucoure would be a very good and sensible addition.
How often did he play with Cleverley alongside him as that would probably be the equivalent of playing alongside a Wilshere or Ramsey?
You tell me, you are the one that apparently has watched Doucoure heaps so you should know.
Watford haven't really played with a holding midfielder for most of this season, which is why I jumped on your for your Capoue comments. They've played with 3 in the middle who at times, have all been fairly dynamic and cover for one another. Doucoure worked best with Chalobah alongside of him and Cleverly in front, because when one got forward, the other would cover.
There seems to be this huge buzz around finding a holding player in the mould of Kante, like it's going to solve all of our problems. I can tell you now that if we signed Kante tomorrow, within 6 months we'd be treating him the same way we treated Coquelin, criticising him for not contributing to our attack, etc.
The reality is that a progressive, disciplined manager can easily get a midfield functioning superbly without needing a set defensive midfielder. You can sign any midfielder in the world while Wenger is around and they are going to get exposed because the midfield will never function as a unit. When one goes forward, one must stay back, but under Wenger that isn't a requirement as it's all about 'freedom'.
Doucoure is a quality player and having an absolutely superb season, following in from his storming end to last season. He's done superbly wherever he has gone, including while on loan in Spain. Unfortunately though if he came to us, within 6 months he'd be treated in the same way we treat all our midfielders because they are set up to fail.