Riccardo Calafiori: Aurafiore

[Red London]

This guy has to start starting man

City might be too early knowing Arteta’s cautiousness. And timber has been good.

The ballsy play would be Cala LB Timber RB considering white has been poor for a couple games.

Just like I doubted him resting Saka or Timber today, I doubt Arteta will do it.

 

[db10_therza]

City might be too early knowing Arteta’s cautiousness. And timber has been good.

The ballsy play would be Cala LB Timber RB considering white has been poor for a couple games.

Just like I doubted him resting Saka or Timber today, I doubt Arteta will do it.

Yeah I don't see it happening but I really think Cala can help us with our progression whilst Ødegaard is out. Timber has been great defensively but he looks kinda useless whenever he goes past the halfway line.

 

[Red London]

Yeah I don't see it happening but I really think Cala can help us with our progression whilst Ødegaard is out. Timber has been great defensively but he looks kinda useless whenever he goes past the halfway line.

Yeh I am trying to explain this to my friends on the group chat. They seem to think Timber can play LW or AM if he wanted, but I disagree. He’s reminding me of Zinchenko (when he was good for us) in his first 6 months.

Incredible on the ball in the first and second third, where his low centre of gravity and close ball control shines through. Also a tidy passer of the ball, composed.

However, in the final third different skills come to the surface. Close control and composure is helpful but you need end product, cutting edge, and that final ball/cross.

Zinchenko even at his best usually didn’t have many solutions in the final third, and I was obsessed with him at the time. I see the same with Timber at the moment.

Calafiori looks like he has more cutting edge and more likely to provide a key pass or cross, from the small stuff I’ve seen from him and even in the Euros (that run he made for the final min winner was incredible).

Ultimately I think Timber is class, but Calafiori is a potential unicorn that I wanna see out there. I’m confused that some people I know are writing him off as starting anytime soon just because of a couple good games from Timber.

 

[db10_therza]

Yeh I am trying to explain this to my friends on the group chat. They seem to think Timber can play LW or AM if he wanted, but I disagree. He’s reminding me of Zinchenko (when he was good for us) in his first 6 months.

Incredible on the ball in the first and second third, where his low centre of gravity and close ball control shines through. Also a tidy passer of the ball, composed.

However, in the final third different skills come to the surface. Close control and composure is helpful but you need end product, cutting edge, and that final ball/cross.

Zinchenko even at his best usually didn’t have many solutions in the final third, and I was obsessed with him at the time. I see the same with Timber at the moment.

Calafiori looks like he has more cutting edge and more likely to provide a key pass or cross, from the small stuff I’ve seen from him and even in the Euros (that run he made for the final min winner was incredible).

Ultimately I think Timber is class, but Calafiori is a potential unicorn that I wanna see out there. I’m confused that some people I know are writing him off as starting anytime soon just because of a couple good games from Timber.

It’s interesting because when Timber was linked I remember watching a scouting vid on him by Pythagoras in boots and he basically said this exact thing. That Timber was technically assured but for whatever reason was basically useless in the final 3rd despite possessing enough skill to be more than useful there.

And now I see it icl. Don’t get me wrong I still really like him as a player but right now with where we are I take Calafiori.

 

[Red London]

It’s interesting because when Timber was linked I remember watching a scouting vid on him by Pythagoras in boots and he basically said this exact thing. That Timber was technically assured but for whatever reason was basically useless in the final 3rd despite possessing enough skill to be more than useful there.

And now I see it icl. Don’t get me wrong I still really like him as a player but right now with where we are I take Calafiori.

Oh **** I remember that video and segment as well actually

Yeah I think he gives enough as it is, too early to judge but can be an elite 1on1 defender, very explosive, great press resistance, and composed passer.

This is the makings of a class player and someone that I could see being a key player in the first XI or 16 for a top side.

But all players have their limitations unless they are elite. Again it’s early to judge as we don’t know his pit falls, but Calafiori could end up becoming an elite player. Let’s see.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

It’s interesting because when Timber was linked I remember watching a scouting vid on him by Pythagoras in boots and he basically said this exact thing. That Timber was technically assured but for whatever reason was basically useless in the final 3rd despite possessing enough skill to be more than useful there.

And now I see it icl. Don’t get me wrong I still really like him as a player but right now with where we are I take Calafiori.

The field looks different when you get farther up there. If you're used to playing deeper/wider you may not see what you need to see in time, or know where to go yourself. Timber's best moments in the final third have been when he's stayed wide and that could be because he's more used to seeing things from there than being central that far up.

This just might be projection on my part though, my rec team has decided to use me as a CAM at times despite playing LB for 25 years and I'm ****ing useless because even though I can pass well I don't know where to move to.

 

[PrinzPoldi]

I think Arteta will still start Timber against City.
After this game, he will start Calafiori.
You don't start experiment right before big game.

 

[balthazar]

Timber looked solid on the ball today, but it is such a shame that both are fantastic players but only one can play

Timber can also play on the right, giving White a rest. As far as I know.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

City might be too early knowing Arteta’s cautiousness. And timber has been good.

The ballsy play would be Cala LB Timber RB considering white has been poor for a couple games.

Just like I doubted him resting Saka or Timber today, I doubt Arteta will do it.

Has he? News to me. Son didn't get a sniff in the NLD but I didn't catch much of the game last night.

Timber will get plenty of games in various positions, looks to be improving every game but I'd love to see Calafiori integrated also. We've got crazy depth in defence now.

 

[db10_therza]

Has he? News to me. Son didn't get a sniff in the NLD but I didn't catch much of the game last night.

Timber will get plenty of games in various positions, looks to be improving every game but I'd love to see Calafiori integrated also. We've got crazy depth in defence now.

He’s been fine. He’s probably operating around his floor at the moment as both him and Saka really rely heavily on Ødegaard but what people forget is that White’s floor is actually very very high.

He’s also clearly been instructed (along with the rest of the team) to rein it in a bit by Arteta. I said this on the match thread but he literally didn’t overlap a single time against Atalanta and that’s obviously by instruction for me.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

He’s been fine. He’s probably operating around his floor at the moment as both him and Saka really rely heavily on Ødegaard but what people forget is that White’s floor is actually very very high.

He’s also clearly been instructed (along with the rest of the team) to rein it in a bit by Arteta. I said this on the match thread but he literally didn’t overlap a single time against Atalanta and that’s obviously by instruction for me.

Probably one of the biggest strengths of Arteta ironically is the buy-in he has from the players. If he wants something to happen its almost like a video game, the players just do it, no questions.

There was a game this season, I think the NLD, I noticed he told the players to squeeze and within 3 seconds the entire team had compacted around a mid block having been a bit more spread out - was kinda surreal to see.

 

[Red London]

Has he? News to me. Son didn't get a sniff in the NLD but I didn't catch much of the game last night.

Timber will get plenty of games in various positions, looks to be improving every game but I'd love to see Calafiori integrated also. We've got crazy depth in defence now.

I hold White in high regard. Against Sp**s he was really poor on the ball. Not saying he’s been a calamity defensively but when White is on form he’s great on the ball and a threat down the right side. He couldn’t string a pass together.

He is showing similar confidence on the ball to when he was in poor form for a period last season in the first half. The second half of last season he was absolutely phenomenal, best RB in the league. So I am using that as a measuring stick here.

On current form, Timber will add more at RB than white, although it’s probably a risk defensively vs City. Also arguably quite harsh to drop him so soon after his body of work here.

 

[TinFish]

Watching him on the pitch is the equivalent of me watching babestation on channel 902 many years ago. It's no longer is about football.

 

[Paperino]

I think Arteta will still start Timber against City.
After this game, he will start Calafiori.
You don't start experiment right before big game.

Its an experiment to start a guy we signed for £42m?

 

[PrinzPoldi]

Its an experiment to start a guy we signed for £42m?

our defense is sorted and performing well, and Calafiori hasn't started a game for us yet.
Why would we make the change (means benching Timber) against City?

 

[Gooner Zig]

This guy has to start starting man

He's got to start vs City imo, I love Timber but Cala brings more balance on that LHS with him being a left footer. I also love how he can carry the ball deep into our attacking areas, something which Timber hasn't quite got the hang of (yet).

 

[Gooner Zig]

our defense is sorted and performing well, and Calafiori hasn't started a game for us yet.
Why would we make the change (means benching Timber) against City?

Because our LHS needs more balance - Cala brings that with his left footedness and his ability to carry the ball.

 

[Paperino]

our defense is sorted and performing well, and Calafiori hasn't started a game for us yet.
Why would we make the change (means benching Timber) against City?

Because he is better than Timber? Or are you saying he isnt?

 

[db10_therza]

He's got to start vs City imo, I love Timber but Cala brings more balance on that LHS with him being a left footer. I also love how he can carry the ball deep into our attacking areas, something which Timber hasn't quite got the hang of (yet).

Timber can progress the ball into the final 3rd but then just stops. Calafiori doesn’t, every time he goes forward he wants to be decisive, he will play a 1-2 or try a through ball or get to the by line and get a cross in. It’s more high risk which is why we need him right now in the absence of the one player (Ødegaard) who seemingly makes things happen in attack for us, but also frustratingly I suspect it’s why Arteta won’t want to start him at this stage.

 

[Red London]

He's got to start vs City imo, I love Timber but Cala brings more balance on that LHS with him being a left footer. I also love how he can carry the ball deep into our attacking areas, something which Timber hasn't quite got the hang of (yet).

Yeh I don’t think enough people put importance and see the value of having a left footer on the left or at least 1 of the 3 people in that area in the starting XI FFS

Our average lineup is a right footer at LB, Rice at LCM, and an inverted forward eg Trossard or Martinelli.

That’s too samey, narrow and predictable. Everyone is flowing into the middle area of the pitch, which gives us less threat. And we wonder why we are over reliant on our RHS.

Imo it’s got to be at least 1 left footer from LB or LCM, ideally both. Which is why I thought merino would be important to us too in terms of creating chances on the left.

I’ve seen timber have to do conservative stuff in decent positions because the pitch simply isn’t opened up for him on his strong foot.