[REPORTED] Yakou Meite

Discussion in 'The Transfer List' started by LeedsOrn, May 11, 2021.

  1. NathWFC

    NathWFC First Team

    Major meh at this one.
     
    Chumlax likes this.
  2. LouOrns

    LouOrns First Year Pro

    No. Transfermarkt. I’m not on about just Reading. Career wise
     
  3. LeedsOrn

    LeedsOrn Reservist

    He’s been at Reading for the majority of his senior career. Not sure how relevant his season in Ligue 2 four years ago or his appearances/positioning in the UEFA Youth League for PSG’s youth teams are at this point. He definitely could play on the left, but I do think that would undermine the goal threat he offers by coming in off the right.
     
  4. lowerrous

    lowerrous First Team

    Nonsense - the post from @LeedsOrn earlier nails it - he's basically only played on the right this season (and for Reading in general, except for the occasional CF appearance). His primary strength seems to be his goalscoring ability which he gets from cutting inside on to his left foot. In addition, Reading fans don't seem to think his passing and crossing are that good, so again he'd be wasted on the left.

    We really need a right-footer to take the place of Sema - most top teams that play 433 do so with two inside-forwards (both playing on the opposite flank to their preferred foot so they can cut inside to shoot, e.g. Mane and Salah, or Sterling and Mahrez). We're very unusual in having used a left-footer on the left and right-footer on the right, though I think it's mostly due to a lack of different options. It's also one of the key reasons why we've not scored enough goals this season. We were a much better team when we had someone like Deulofeu on the left to provide a different kind of threat to Sarr, who prefers to go round the outside of defenders.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2021
  5. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    At the present it's quite unusual, certainly never used to be.
    The only thing that does concern me is the amount of assists, but he more than makes up for it with a decent goal return.
    It could even turn out that he produces better results from the left his goals scored my decline but the assists should increase. He is very interchangeable amongst the three up top I feel, so could be a very decent addition especially at the fee quoted. Adding to that he seems a bit of a fans favourite which always interest me.
     
  6. lowerrous

    lowerrous First Team

    It's more that it used to be teams more typically played a 4-4-2, in which case the wingers therefore had more the responsibility of hugging the touchline and crossing the ball to the two strikers.

    With 433 inverted wide players up top is typically the norm (providing a left-footed right-winger of a suitable calibre can be found and obtained) - it's the most popular approach in top level football at the moment, reason being that it's effective.

    As opposed to a 442, you get an extra body in midfield, and you have 3 goalscorers regularly getting in to the box instead of 2. The wide-forwards still provide assists sometimes as well, but it tends to be short passes from nearer to the goal, which they are able to do as a result of their ability to easily dribble in off the flank.

    Enough width is now provided by the full-backs, which is partly while they still play on the same side as their preferred foot. With their generally being fewer target-man type CFs in the game, there is also less of a need to "stick it in the mixer" by crossing high balls in to the box from wide to 1 or 2 strikers; top teams prefer to keep controlled possession on the deck where possible. It is also generally more difficult to be a touch-line hugging winger in a 442 now as modern full-backs are so quick it's rare to find a winger regularly capable of beating them by running round the outside (Sarr is an uncommon example, but Sema often struggles with this). It is generally easier for players to dribble in-field than beat a full-back one-v-one.

    Shifting him to the left will blunt his biggest attribute, which is his goalscoring. You say "the assists should increase" but a big issue with having 2 wide players playing on the same side as their favoured foot in a 433 is because it generally means they are both more looking to provide assists than score - but then because you've blunted their scoring ability you're only left with one forward player on the pitch to actually be assisted to and do enough of the scoring.

    We've been fortunate that Sarr has managed to score some spectacular goals from the right, but generally it's much more difficult for forwards to get in to good scoring positions starting from the same flank. Having Sema and Sarr as the two wide players in our 433 was one of the main reasons why we didn't score enough overall this season.

    As I mentioned before, Reading fans don't seem to think Meite's crossing is very good. It just makes no sense why you'd buy a player then shift him to a position which stifles his biggest skill. Plus, it makes even less sense to move a left-footed right-winger, when you consider that in football there is a relative scarcity of left-footed right-wingers, but already a relative abundance of right-footed left-wingers as options.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2021
  7. Chiswell

    Chiswell Academy Graduate

    I learned a bit here, good read, thanks lowerrous!
     
    The undeniable truth likes this.
  8. dynamo380

    dynamo380 Reservist

    The reading supporting wife and in laws seem to really rate him and if we aare sticking with 4-3-3 he would be a different option upfront. His history of injuries would be a concern espcially with our medical team
     
  9. Optimistichornet

    Optimistichornet Penguin Assassin

    Would like to see us bring him in. Gives us extra wide options. We need to build this team around counter attacking with pace. He should fit in quite well.
     

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