Luckily I don't think verbals will wind JP up as I doubt the neanderthals up the road speak much Portuguese!
Are people honestly bothered if he left one on a defender? It's not like he doesn't have to deal with some meaty challenges and swinging arms. To me it shows some passion and that he's not scared of mixing it with the opposition.
He's already got sent off once against Bournemouth for an unnecessary challenge when riled up, last thing we need is for him to risk getting sent off again, especially as it would be a 4 match ban and his season would be over
I suspect Luton's manager will encourage his players to wind up certain players in our team in order to get them booked of sent off and footballing-wise they are streets behind us in ability. Pedro and Chalobah would be the obvious targets, I'd like to think that Gray should start against them for that reason.
I suspect the plan will be to take it in turns to kick chunks out of Sarr and wind up Pedro. Not sure whether it would be great to get Gray on the pitch at some point, or a terrible idea. Imagine the mental anguish, a one-on-one with the Luton keeper, for the club hoping to push him out of the door, against the club who kick started his career and who he may yet return to over the summer if his contract is paid off.
S Sema scores because he’s a wide player who appears in more central potential scoring positions by making runs that aren’t easily picked up. Play him centrally that element of surprise will disappear, and not to be replaced by any attributes required by someone playing centrally all the time.
Maybe, but if Sema takes the pressure off Pedro by playing down the middle then Pedro will probably score more than Sema from playing out wide .
If we are really desperate to field a player who has no idea how to play as a lone striker in a 4-3-3 in that role, we have two centre forwards on the books who fit the bill already; no need to start trying to grab players from the wing to further make up the numbers.
Had a dream that he went on a run scoring in 3/4 consecutive games with every goal coming from a cross. Heard it here first.
He's not a striker, is he? I mean, he's better than anyone else we've got in that position but his instincts are always to drop deep into the middle of the park, sometimes even into our own half. I think it's telling that during this barren run he's been on, he's looked brightest when asked to play out wide or deeper, Nottingham Forest he looked good, would have scored a cracking goal coming in from out wide against Wednesday, and for all his faults yesterday, did look brighter in the second half
Some nice touches, but just doesn’t look like a striker to me. We need a new forward line if we have any chance of staying in the Prem. Pedro looks like he needs another season in the Championship, but no issue if he is a bench option
I don't think we can be playing him as a striker in the Prem, even as a back-up. I think he's good enough to be in the mix for a wide spot. He's done his best up top and has some great moments, but if we're to compete at all we'll need a proper striker (or three). Love JP though, and he still has so much improvement left in him. Hope he stays with us for a while.
I'd definitely keep him in and around the squad and wouldn't loan him out. I know it's a bit of a cliché and not always true, but I think he'll get a bit more time on the ball in decent positions in the PL than he does in the Championship. Good service is key to that though. If he's left isolated and feeding off of scraps (ie. aimless Deeney back headers) he'll look awful.
Not quite the Ian Rush statistic of the 1980s, but we are still to fail to win a match in which Pedro has scored. I’d definitely keep him next season, and agree with UAE that he could do well. The best players perform best at the biggest stage. He’s learning all the time and could have a very decent time in the PL.
Could see him in a number ten role or drifting in from the left. He is good at finding space, puts a shift in for the team and is quite creative. Asking him to play right up top against the monster centre backs of the Championship was always going to be a tall order.
To be fair to him, he did a decent job early in the season, he's not exactly a powerhouse, but he can look after himself. I don't know why he's faded, is it fatigue? Tactical? But yes, he looks to be more suited to a #10 role or out wide in the mid tern
Youngster in his first season in English football he was always going to fade. A summer's rest will do him the power of good.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CN8U5icFiZv/?igshid=o55slwrw76 Launching his own YouTube channel by the looks of it.
About time we buy a proper number 9 and put Pedro behind him. Is Cucho the answer? Haven't seen much of him, can he play the lone striker role well? Striker LW - Pedro - Sarr Hughes - Chalobah That would be nice to watch.
Have you really never seen one of my posts on him before?! The answer is a resounding "no". Cucho is principally a wide forward, or perhaps a second striker. He has also only scored 2 goals in 1433 minutes in La Liga this season (that's pretty much the same goals per minute as Doucoure managed for us in the PL last season).
This season he has been largely gash indeed. But I think next season he's going to be ace. This season will have done him the world of good. He's got all the attributes to be great. Strong, skilful, fearless, good in the air and a snide too. That elbow was lovely. It takes a truly great player to spot a great player, and I fit the bill with aplomb. I think he'll be a contender for young player of the season next year in the Premier league. BOOKMARK THIS ***** POST.
We have to remember this kid is still very young, but he is still a no brainer we should probably offer him a better contract though.
I thought he played very well this season but definitely tailed off from mid-March. He's 19 and for the bulk of the season playing midweek and weekends in a physical league probably took its toll mentally. I have no doubt we have a gem on our hands.
We were all moaning at the time, but maybe it turns out that rotating him and Gray in Xisco's early days was the best option for him
