Look at the cross for King at Everton. He can definitely put in a good ball but looks like he's the scapegoat for Saturday at the moment
I basically agreed with your last post, but come on, justified criticism is not automatically the same thing as 'scapegoating', and it's a lazy and dismissive accusation to waft about. The other poor performers in this team and squad (most of them) have had countless thousands of words also expended before, during and after the game here on their flaws, inadequacies and shirking of responsibilities - it's disingenuous in the extreme to suggest that Sarr is being made a scapegoat or 'blamed' for the result (personally I even included a disclaimer in my post on his performance in the hope of avoiding just this scenario, but hey ho). Noticing, mentioning, and discussing that our most expensive and talented player has been playing poorly for the majority of the season, and is not functioning as the USP that he should/we would hope he would be (something that is heightened by the fact that the Pozzo and their acolytes decided we could do without any other USPs in the squad at all) is part of the point of this forum and you can't pretend that Saturday is the sole driver for the criticism - there's something wrong with him this season, which you yourself basically have admitted already. On top of that, certain markers that compound a bad performance have been clearly exhibited by him, on Saturday in particular - playing within himself, sulking, complaining at teammates, failing to track back and do his share of the defensive work, and that's what is the most disappointing thing and what people are reacting to here.
We won’t be signing any great CBs in Jan as we will be expected to be relegated. Maybe a couple of short term loans ?
Some strange comments on here, the lad is our best player by a country mile and it seems that plenty of people can't wait to get rid of him. Let's not forget that he has still scored a quarter of our goals this season. Do people actually believe that if we sell Ismaila Sarr for 50-60 million Gino would invest in half decent defenders, and that our team would be better without Sarr? I don't.
Sarr is overrated. He's not some 18 year old kid who is going to blossom in to a superstar, he's nearly 24 and isn't progressing as a player. Has 1 good game in about 6. Looks scared to take his man on, goes missing in games and his final ball/end product is incredibly inconsistent. I think it's now just dawning on people that he's not actually all that. IF he's being linked with a move away in January and we get a decent fee for him I think the sensible thing to do would be to cash in and re-build the team, starting with the defence! Whether that's enough to save us or not is debatable, but let's face it, Sarr won't be here this time next year whether we stay up or go down. Only has about 2 years left on his deal this summer and his price will diminish anyway. Snap off Newcastle's hands I say.
I disagree, yes he is inconsistent but on his day he is on a completely different level to anyone else we have in the squad. I wouldn't be against selling Sarr and rebuilding the team and especially buying some competent defensive players but that won't happen. We will end up selling our best player and Gino won't invest. If people think we are going to sell him for 60 million and the re-invest that money to strengthen the squad then I am afraid they are living in a dream World.
I wouldn't expect Gino to re-invest £60m into the squad (and know that he would never do that), but I would be very annoyed if he didn't spend half of it on 2-3 decent defenders.
There is no way we are getting £60m for Sarr. It’s an inflated value based off the idiotic amount Pozzo paid for him in the first place. He’s definitely our best player but talk of £60m/£70m is fantasy.
A. He wouldn't. B. £30m wouldn't get your much quality in January anyway if you're spreading it between multiple signings. Selling Sarr in the January market would be madness.
Hypothetically you wouldn’t sell him for £50m+ knowing he’ll be gone for much much less 6 months later, and he doesn’t influence nearly enough games to keep us up anyway?
Well obviously. But I’d caveat that with 3 points - firstly, the word ‘hypothetically’ doesn’t really cover enough of the actual possibility of that happening. I’m extremely confident that no one will offer us £50m+ in January. Secondly, I think it’s a bit to quick to come to the conclusion you have in your last sentence - he’s had 3 games under Ranieri. Let’s see what the next couple of months bring eh? And lastly, everyone talking like it’s an absolute certainty he’ll be gone next summer - if his inconsistent form carries on across the whole season but yet we stay up, I don’t think there will be a queue of clubs beating out door down and it’s possible he stays. I suspect the club would maybe get reduced offers and might take the stance that if they get a season of form from him, then they can still get good money with just a year left on his deal. But all that aside, my main point stands - January is a bad month to operate in at the best of times when you’re searching for value AND quality. I don’t think selling Sarr will bring the squad upgrades many think it would. I think it would ultimately make the squad weaker. I think this talk of Newcastle in January is pie-in-the-Sky stuff.
Absolutely. Just read how Adama Traore could be off for £25m. He's better than Sarr. Everton want £50m for Richarlison. He's 3 times the player Sarr is. We will be lucky to get £20m for him.
Diego Jota cost Liverpool £41m and he’s one year older than Sarr. No doubt Rousy boy will be along to quote us all how munch Buendia/Benhrama/Watkins all sold from for the championship though.
First, my opinion on Dennis isn't necessarily my opinion on Sarr. Second, on the subject of the supposed prices relative to Traore and Richarlison etc.: This season: Dennis - non-penalty goal every 251 minutes. Assist every 420 minutes. Richarlison - non-penalty goal every 361 minutes. Assist every 542 minutes. Sarr - non-penalty goal every 355 minutes. Assist every 888 minutes. Traore (not played, so 20/21): goal every 1322 minutes. Assist every 1322 minutes. Dennis, Richarlison and Sarr are all 24. Traore is 26. Dennis has overall been better than Sarr this season, and arguably Richarlison, and definitely Traore of late. I continue to stand by my expected valuation of Dennis. Sarr has been poor in the second half of the season for sure, but I think it's just a slump rather than an absolute decline. Plus even with his poor 2nd half he's still scored more frequently than Richarlison this season. Based on what he's shown previously in the PL and the Champ. I'd expect us to get a similar fee for him than to Dennis. For sure this will not be as much as the c. £33-35mil we paid for him, we def overpaid. It won't be below £20mil though for him either.
Much like Igahlo Dennis has only done it for part of one season though, which will affect his value in comparisons to players like Richarlison who have performed over several seasons. Sarr also hasn’t had a complete PL season where he’s performed for the whole time.
There's more to it than just who is a better player though - Traore has a year left on his contract and Wolves were obviously happy to let him go as Barca had an option to buy for either £25m or £29m (depending on the source) which significantly impacts their negotiating power. Both Richarlison and Sarr have 2 years left and whilst I think both clubs would like to sell they're in a better position (relegation aside!) to negotiate than Wolves are.
Even if the idiot had 4 years left on his deal we would struggle to get £20m for him!! Not good enough to command a fee of anywhere near £40m.
I imagine a buying club will not just watch him play for us, a side struggling badly, but also for Senegal where he looks a much better player. Sarr's form since he came back from AFCON has been poor but partly to do with the what he's playing with and low morale of players around him. He's still a very good player in my opinion but would be surprised if we got £40m. I actually thin Newcastle might be a good move for him and us