159 replies to this topic

[cfckeane]

Pato is probably one of the most experienced youngsters around if we're talking about first team appearances. He's played 79 games and scored 38 goals for Milan. That's impressive for a 21 year old.

People always talk about how the best strikers have had goal ratios of 2 games per goal. Pato's only 21 and already achieving this at a high level, in Serie A, a league which is notorious for good defence.

[Barry Bridges]

Meh Ive stated many times that I'd rather Pato than Augero or Neymar or really any other striker.....maybe Higuain I'd take over Pato. I really rate Pato and think he will be amongst the worlds best in the future.

EDIT: Also really rate Kakuta too! Sorry, feel like we are hijakcing his thread.

Edited by Barry Bridges, 01 October 2010 - 08:09 PM.

[Eggy McMuffin]

Barry Bridges, on 01 October 2010 - 08:05 PM, said:

Meh Ive stated many times that I'd rather Pato than Augero or Neymar or really any other striker.....maybe Higuain I'd take over Pato. I really rate Pato and think he will be amongst the worlds best in the future.

EDIT: Also really rate Kakuta too! Sorry, feel like we are hijakcing his thread.

I'm sure Kakuta doesn't take it personally.

The thing about Pato, is that I have never felt that he's who we need, although that may change when Drogba retires (unfortunately he'll have to one day). I see Pato as a player in the style of Torres. Works on the last man, and uses his pace and skill to get in behind and finish, and has other qualities too, such as being decent with his head, and being able to create when he drops deep, but preferring to play further up the pitch. Aguero on the other hand is someone who prefers to play deeper and run at the defenders, which is far more suited to the Anelka role in the side, although we have got into this debate before as to whether he can play there, but I'm still adamant he can and would be excellent.

What he can also do though, is if he's playing as one of two strikers, is drop off and play in the area where Lampard now plays, but of course Lampard won't be here forever. Aguero playing there gives us a slightly different option, with his differing abilities. He can take players on far better than Lampard can, and create opportunities in a different way to Lampard's passing and long shooting, not to say Aguero can't shoot from range, but his passing although inventive, isn't as accurate as Lampard.

I see the issue being as to who retires first as to which I'd prefer. Whether Anelka and Lampard go first, or Drogba does. Pato is better as a main striker, a poacher if you will, but Aguero is more of a creative, deep lying forward, or even advanced midfielder depending on how you look at football. It also depends on who comes through the youth too... because if both Kakuta and Tore make it, all of a sudden we don't need someone to play in the hole or on the right, just as if Borini makes it we won't necessarily need Pato.

On Higuain... yes please, but I doubt it'd happen. I see it as even less likely than Pato, and he'll take something special to get him in. Higuain is a little special, he's practically Aguero and Pato rolled into one. He can do either job (although probably isn't as strong as Pato, or as good with his head). I would see him as being one of the greatest around, but I doubt it would happen.

[Barry Bridges]

I think after this season no players sould be bought with the plan to build around Anelka/Drogba/Lampard. We have a team packed of players who were built around them, theres no need to add more as I feel there is just not enough time left in their careers to justify it while trying to maintain the feasibility of our current economic plan.

When aquiring new players I think we need to start building around Essien mainly and hopefully in the near future Josh and Kakuta. We may have to import a striker to build around unless Kalou(unlikely) or Sturridge(glimpses, but not consitent glimpses) can show they are capable of leading the front line successfully.

[Eggy McMuffin]

Barry Bridges, on 02 October 2010 - 01:38 AM, said:

I think after this season no players sould be bought with the plan to build around Anelka/Drogba/Lampard. We have a team packed of players who were built around them, theres no need to add more as I feel there is just not enough time left in their careers to justify it while trying to maintain the feasibility of our current economic plan.

When aquiring new players I think we need to start building around Essien mainly and hopefully in the near future Josh and Kakuta. We may have to import a striker to build around unless Kalou(unlikely) or Sturridge(glimpses, but not consitent glimpses) can show they are capable of leading the front line successfully.

I wasn't meaning build around them, I was meaning replace them, or at least fill their roles in the team.

[german-blue]

I would take Pato and Aguero over Higuain.
Higuain´s finishing is just not consistent enough in my opinion, he scores lots of goals but that is mainly because he has a good positional sense and gets a lot of chances (as every lone striker at Real would get). He is a bit like Kalou really. Unlike Pato and Aguero he doesnt really create for others aswell

[footballoholic]

german-blue, on 02 October 2010 - 03:16 AM, said:

I would take Pato and Aguero over Higuain.
Higuain´s finishing is just not consistent enough in my opinion, he scores lots of goals but that is mainly because he has a good positional sense and gets a lot of chances (as every lone striker at Real would get). He is a bit like Kalou really. Unlike Pato and Aguero he doesnt really create for others aswell

His finishing was pretty damn good in the league last season from where i saw. He did screw up in the champions league though and does tend to be very selfish at times. I'd gladly take any one of those three but realistically none of those are going to happen.

Edit: which is why i really hope Kakuta goes on to do great things for us

Edited by footballoholic, 02 October 2010 - 04:18 AM.

[Barry Bridges]

footballoholic, on 02 October 2010 - 04:15 AM, said:

His finishing was pretty damn good in the league last season from where i saw. He did screw up in the champions league though and does tend to be very selfish at times. I'd gladly take any one of those three but realistically none of those are going to happen.

Edit: which is why i really hope Kakuta goes on to do great things for us

I've noticed this about pretty much any striker in the world except the Drogba of this season, he has been super unselfish....and look how the team benefits!

I grew up always playing team sports and I was the type of guy who would always look for the assist before a goal, unless it was a easy one. It just bugs me so much when I see a striker take a low percentage shot when he could easily pass it for a teammate who would have a much higher percentage chance. I have literally chewed out a teammate on the court in the middle of a basketball game with spectators in stand and everything for this type of behaviour. He was a point gaurd who did this a lot and his selfishness was effecting the teams chance of success so as the captain I figured if repeated talks in practise didnt work, maybe a little public shamig would....and it did....for a few games anyways. Like it literally drives em insane and I'd be tempted to sub a player for doing that if I was the managaer. I see it more in football than any sport and I just dont get it, to me its more important to win than score yourself.... but then again I suppose I never had to compete/justify a 7 figure salary playing a sport.

[Mikstaw]

Pato is a great young player, but he is already on a very high level, of course he will improve, but he isn't going to be the best striker in the world. There is a lot of young players which are more talented than Pato...

[footballoholic]

Barry Bridges, on 04 October 2010 - 07:43 PM, said:

I've noticed this about pretty much any striker in the world except the Drogba of this season, he has been super unselfish....and look how the team benefits!

I grew up always playing team sports and I was the type of guy who would always look for the assist before a goal, unless it was a easy one. It just bugs me so much when I see a striker take a low percentage shot when he could easily pass it for a teammate who would have a much higher percentage chance. I have literally chewed out a teammate on the court in the middle of a basketball game with spectators in stand and everything for this type of behaviour. He was a point gaurd who did this a lot and his selfishness was effecting the teams chance of success so as the captain I figured if repeated talks in practise didnt work, maybe a little public shamig would....and it did....for a few games anyways. Like it literally drives em insane and I'd be tempted to sub a player for doing that if I was the managaer. I see it more in football than any sport and I just dont get it, to me its more important to win than score yourself.... but then again I suppose I never had to compete/justify a 7 figure salary playing a sport.

Completele share your views. Drogba is really unselfish and always passes to a teammate who's free even if he's 1 on1( Kalou's goal against Wigan). Higuain I've noticed several times tends to go alone. Like here having the world's best player to pass to:

[footballoholic]

Mikstaw, on 04 October 2010 - 07:53 PM, said:

Pato is a great young player, but he is already on a very high level, of course he will improve, but he isn't going to be the best striker in the world. There is a lot of young players which are more talented than Pato...

Name one... and dont say Neymar

[jcm28]

footballoholic, on 05 October 2010 - 03:52 AM, said:

Name one... and dont say Neymar

I'm with you on that one.

I guess you could make an argument about Aguero, but I can't think of anyone else. Not Dzeko and not Higuain.

I think I'd take Pato over preety much anyone right now.

[Mikstaw]

footballoholic, on 05 October 2010 - 03:52 AM, said:

Name one... and dont say Neymar

He isn't going to be the best striker in the world. He just doesn't seem to be... That's my opinion.

[Scooby Blue]

I fancy Kakuta to make a few headlines tomorrow. First goal perhaps?

Anyway I see Talksh*te are sensationalising what Carlo has said about his future.

http://www.talksport...ew-chelsea-deal

Quote

Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta has been warned he is not indispensable as negotiations are stepped up about a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
The talented French midfielder caused a stir last season when Chelsea were slapped with a transfer ban by FIFA after allegedly tapping him up while he was at Lens.
Chelsea successfully appealed the ban and Kakuta has been clear to play for the club – where he is rated very highly.
But his current deal runs out in June 2011 and manager Carlo Ancelotti admits he has no idea if the player will stay.
He said: "I'm not Kakuta, if I have to give an opinion about this I think Kakuta has to stay here and sign a new contract.
“But I'm not involved in this. He is an important player but nobody is indispensable."

[Mikstaw]

Carlo said that Kakuta will play tomorrow! GREAT NEWS!

[Maverick]

Mikstaw, on 04 October 2010 - 07:53 PM, said:

Pato is a great young player, but he is already on a very high level, of course he will improve, but he isn't going to be the best striker in the world. There is a lot of young players which are more talented than Pato...

If he manages to stay fit he could well be one of the best strikers in the world. Its just that he carries a lot of niggling injuries through the season that hinders him from putting in consistent performances day in and day out.

Glad to see Kakuta start tomorrow and its not upto him to make these starts count and earn his new contract.

[Fido Dido]

Not a good match yesterday for gael. I almost feel that he feels an urge to be spectacular everytime he gets the ball. What with the around the world in the middle of 4 players and that right footed shot in the z stand.

[The Blue Train]

To be fair to Gael, everyone was pretty poor in the first half, and it was hard to create chances for anyone. What I noticed was that Anelka kept drifting wide a lot of time, which kinda squeezed Kakuta between Anelka and Essien, and made him look out of position. Had we played with Drogba, who plays more as an out and out central striker, instead of Anelka, I think Kakuta would've come more into his own. For me, what Gael needs to do is to stay wide, and then cut in from the right. That way he'll know what to do with the ball, and Drogba would always be in the box for a pass.

[Mikstaw]

As I wrote before: Kakuta wasn't bad in the first half. He was much better than Anelka...

[Mod]

Kakuta wasn't a patch on Anelka in the first half, nor will he be anywhere near close to him at the moment. A few years down the line, we shall see, but at the moment comparing them both is plain insane!