First gooooooooolllllll for Mauro Zarate in the Arabian Gulf League. Pretty good one too, knee looks properly mended. Recall in January to provide cover for Pereyra and our injured wide players? https://twitter.com/SuperVelezRadio/status/931518713517486080
Does this go here? Nordin made a fool of himself at the kick off today... http://www.givemesport.com/1197517-...f-at-start-of-leganes-v-barcelona?autoplay=on
The main headliner maker this weekend was Nordin Amrabat but not for good reasons. As posted earlier on in the thread, he forgot how to take a kick off and dribbled the ball off on his own as Leganes lost 3-0 to Barcelona. Pantilimon was dropped again for Deportivo as they lost 3-2 to Penaranda's Malaga team. Penaranda started and played 64 minutes but wasn't involved in any of the goals. Dimitri Foulquier and Obbi Oulare remain injured for Strasbourg and Antwerp respectively. As mentioned a few posts back, Mauro Zarate got off the mark with a decent goal for Al Nasr this weekend. There was another all action performance from everyone's favourite loanee, Cucho Hernandez, which he capped with another goal. He was hacked to pieces this game but kept getting back up until he was eventually substituted a few minutes from time for his own protection. He's been walking a disciplinary tightrope for the last ten games after picking up four bookings in his first six games but has managed to keep his cool and not respond to any of the provocation that is starting to come his way. Missed a few chances in this game but kept looking for more opportunities. Elsewhere in the Segunda Division, neither Sulayman Marreh nor Pervis Estupinan made the squads for Real Valladolid or Almeria. These two aren't really playing much at all, despite having played most of the games for Granada B last year in the division below, so there may be an attempt to move them on to another team in January. Dropping down to the Segunda B, only two of our loan players started Real Valladolid B's 2-1 defeat at home to UD San Sebastian - Luis Suarez and Jaime Alvarado. Williams Velasquez was on the bench but didn't get on. They're adrift at the bottom of their league, eight points from safety. It'll be interesting to see if this experiment is repeated, most of our loanees aren't mainstays of the team but will at least be halfway towards getting a Spanish passport after this season. Also in Segunda B, Kingsley Fobi, the 19 year old Ghanaian right back, played 90 minutes again for Formentera as they drew 1-1, the 15th game in a row he's played the whole game. Mathias Aias came on as a sub scored the winner and had another ruled out as Fuenlabrada won 1-0 against Racing Ferrol. Fuenlabrada are now five points clear at the top of their regional Segunda B division. The other Matheus (Santana) is still not fit enough to play for Murcia. Dennon Lewis came on as a sub in the 58th minute as Harry Kewell's Crawley got thrashed 4-0 by Wycombe, for whom ex Hornet Luke O'Nien started. Sam Howes kept another clean sheet as Hampton & Richmond won 1-0, their seventh win in a row. He also won the club's Player of the Month award for October. And finally, Stahinja Karisic is mentioned in an article as one of the players in the Fluminense u20 squad that might make the step up to the senior squad in the New Year. The Brazilian league is a bit confusing but the main gist of the article seems to be that he's impressed in their u20 squad but will to be too old to play for them when the competition resumes so he might get a chance to play with the first team squad. He's a 20 year old Serbian attacking midfielder that we loaned there about the same time as we signed Richarlison for those who haven't heard of him.
I know most don't like but you can't deny Amrobat is a trier. I hate to think how much I would take the p*ss if a colleague/mate of mine did something like that. Like the African fella against Brazil?
Will keep it short and sweet this weekend: Amrabat started as Leganes lost 1-0 to Celta Vigo. His ninth appearance for them now, still just the one assist to show (and that was a tackle on the halfway line). Penaranda played an hour as Malaga lost 3-2 to Real Madrid. Seventh appearance of the season for him, no goals no assists. Pantilimon was an unused sub, Foulquier and Oulare still injured. Zarate scored his second goal in two games with a peach of a free kick (1.15 in on video): Cucho Hernandez was injured in Huesca's loss to Granada, coming off before half time. The match report makes it sound like he was fouled quite badly, tried to continue but was then booked as he was substituted so presumably it was for dissent. It's his fifth booking of the season so he'll have a one game ban, and he's expected to be out two weeks anyway with a sprained ankle from the foul. Only Williams Velasquez and Jaime Alvarado played for Real Valladolid B this week as they drew 1-1. Matheus Aias came on as a sub for Fuenlabrada who drew 0-0. None of our other loan players played (Pervis Estupinan, Sulayman Marreh, Matheus Santana, Luis Suarez, Juan Becerra, Jorge Segura, Eduardo Montenegro, Kingsley Fobi). Makes you wonder how good the Pozzo scouting network really is - that's a lot of youngsters that can't even get games in second and third tier football in Spain - is it more a case that the success stories are achieved by signing vast numbers of young players in the hope that one or two turn out well, rather than any particular eye for talent? Dennon Lewis was an unused sub for Crawley, Sam Howes played in goal for Hampton & Richmond as they won 5-1 in the FA Trophy.
You criticise the Pozzo’s ‘eye for talent’ and in the VERY NEXT paragraph you tell us about Sam Howes continuing to pull up trees in the Vanarama National League South. Make your mind up!!
I imagine a lot of talented youngsters get unlucky with their loan destinations. A player that could flourish under one manager and system could never amount to anything under another. I expect that those young players are probably quite talented but are just in unfavourable circumstances at present.
True, but for every player that makes it there will be 1000s that don't. There will also be some who will it make it at top level but will still carve out a career in lower level football.
Predicting who will make it is akin to betting on a horse race. There are just too many variables to know for sure. Better, like in financial markets, to spread out your risk. Whilst technology is starting to predict how players will develop physically, by scanning bones, it cannot predict how a players style or pace will change. A lot of highly-rated players who are technically solid, get overtaken by their counterparts in early adulthood. Mental attributes are also vital. Training, fitness, confidence and work rate are hugely important. I imagine that the one gem pays for all of the mistakes. But I also think that the Pozzos probably often buy at a price that even the flops make money.
Player development is a strange one. Often all it takes is the right conversation at the right time. Ashley Young was in danger of fizzling out before Aidy gave him a boost. Harry Kane was going nowhere and then Spurs ran out of strikers. Doucoure was seconds away from leaving and again an injury crisis hit our midfield. I think we envisage development as gradual when, more often than not, it is instant. All footballers have ability, it's about utilising it correctly and grasping an opportunity. Step forward Will Hughes and Zeegelaar. Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk
Only thing that worries me about the system is that they are taking players from relatively poor countries at a very young age and moving them halfway across the world. It's great for those that make it but I hope there's support for those that don't.
Hot on the heels of his smart dribble and finish in one game, followed by a brilliant free kick in the next game, Zarate has now hit an outrageous volley with his weaker foot. I know it's only the Gulf League but he'd definitely offer something different to what we have and I think we have a recall clause for January...
Being reported in the Spanish press as more serious than first thought - a Grade 2 ankle sprain, likely to be out for about four weeks.
How about Gareth Bale, he was a truly awful defender having a mare at Spurs, then he got turned into a midfielder.
I don't remember Danny Rose pulling up trees at Watford. In fact he was awful. But then again he was very young.
Danny Rose, Andre Townsend, Danny Drinkwater to name just three youngsters we have had on loan, which haven't looked any good for us to go on and have made or will make multi million pound moves!
Agbonlahor looked dreadful as well. Kane was underwhelming on his loan stints away from spurs as well.
Good day for Amrabat, came on with 20 mins to go and at 1-0 down and set up two goals, Leganes won 3-1
Well they all were starting off young - have to learn the ropes and all that. Agbonlahor to be fair looked lightening-quick at the time and that was always his major strength.
