18 minutes ago, CFCholland said:

Interested to see where you got that from?
I have quite a few friends who support Ajax but all of them rate Dolberg much higher. Which is also because they know Traore will be gone next year and Dolberg is their own player.

Same here. I'm surrounded by Ajax supporters, and none of them rate Traore over Dolberg. Lately when Traore started, it was usually because other strikers were injured or only just back from injury. Also, he is ranked one of the worst Ajax players this season by the Amsterdam newspaper. He may have his strong points, but they haven't been on display often.

i still think he'd be great in that Pedro role, his dribbling and ability to cut in onto his left is fantastic. 

i still think he'd be great in that Pedro role, his dribbling and ability to cut in onto his left is fantastic. 

Except that, it really isn't. Have you seen him play on the right wing for Ajax this season? Usually when he attempts to cut in he loses possession. The only time he looks like a good player is when he plays as a striker. Ajax fans were screaming for him to be a bench warmer when he was playing on the right.

I'll read that Ajax forum when I have a bit more time on my hands.

Just now, CFCholland said:

Except that, it really isn't. Have you seen him play on the right wing for Ajax this season? Usually when he attempts to cut in he loses possession. The only time he looks like a good player is when he plays as a striker. Ajax fans were screaming for him to be a bench warmer when he was playing on the right.

I'll read that Ajax forum when I have a bit more time on my hands.

Can't say i particularly watch Ajax much unless its a European game. I'm just basing my personal opinion off the pre seasons when he was with us and the opportunities he got last year. Even when deployed as a striker he seems to find himself out wide quite a lot and cut in. Even that short video that @Jon Stakes posted shows it. 

2 hours ago, Valerie said:

Same here. I'm surrounded by Ajax supporters, and none of them rate Traore over Dolberg. Lately when Traore started, it was usually because other strikers were injured or only just back from injury. Also, he is ranked one of the worst Ajax players this season by the Amsterdam newspaper. He may have his strong points, but they haven't been on display often.

Check out the forum. Those things are there on the last pages. Apparently he's been playing much better since the African Cup of Nations. And unless I am undone by Google Translate at least two forumers hoped Traore would start as a striker over Dolberg in the upcoming game.

Other things are subjective, but Traore being a non-starter is false:

He's played 2635 minutes in the Eredivisie and the Europa League. He's started 9 out of 10 Europa League games and 21 out of 23 games in the Eredivisie. Out of 33 games he could have started he has started 30 (he has missed an additional 9 games through injuries or African Cup of Nations).

 

Well Moses didn't exactly shine on loan so there is that hope Traore could still have a future here.

I initially thought the boy was a special player when he played in Jose's first pre season as a teen (16/17). He looked fast, powerful and full of talent. I don't watch much Dutch football so not sure if he really is as bad as some say or if Jon and some others say he's done well?

 

2 minutes ago, Chelsbear said:

Well Moses didn't exactly shine on loan so there is that hope Traore could still have a future here.

I initially thought the boy was a special player when he played in Jose's first pre season as a teen (16/17). He looked fast, powerful and full of talent. I don't watch much Dutch football so not sure if he really is as bad as some say or if Jon and some others say he's done well?

 

I'm just regurgitating what the Ajax supporters around me are saying, as opposed to what Jon seems to have read on the Ajax fansite. There's collective moaning when Traore is being discussed.

4 minutes ago, Valerie said:

I'm just regurgitating what the Ajax supporters around me are saying, as opposed to what Jon seems to have read on the Ajax fansite. There's collective moaning when Traore is being discussed.

We know how forums can be sometimes, one extreme or the other. I've seen him a few times in Europe and he's looked decent but that's about it.

I don't hold out too much hope if we are in for the likes of Sanchez though as he'd struggle to get ahead of Pedro and Willian as it is. Striker wise I always thought we should have kept him, Michy hasn't exactly done much but then again maybe the same fate would have met Traore.

All if's and but's really. Just need to wait till pre season and see if Conte likes what he see's.

Forgive the broken Google English but decide for yourself:

"Extremely important in the attack game, in this form, the best player of the Eredivisie is a pity that we have to wait a long time."

"Best football player of the selection, the rest can only dream of his technique and dribbles."

"It's almost too easy for him. The ball treatment is just pure art."

"When he still played at Vitesse, Traoré is a graceful breed soccer player. He is quite tall and harder, making him quite big and quick to run. Finishing remains a problem, but as long as he plays this way you have to compose him. Never put on the right wing again."

"His ball treatment and dribbles are of absolute world class. That's why it's moderate to bad finishes so sharply. "

"Traoré currently gives a kind of Afrikaans rhythm to Ajax's game. Delicious, that's steaming when he's coming to the ball. A kind of forcing wave that splashes opponent lines, defeats defenders as empty dirt containers at a tsunami. He has the vibe at the moment and you should not break that. "

"I've been annoyed at Traore for a long time, but the last few games in the spit makes it very good. Too bad that the season is almost over, he seems to finally find his turn."

"But from the first minute I'm already enjoying this male in an Ajax shirt. As everything looks slow, he's faster than 2 players at the same time. As if those opponents are freaked out by a fake time frame, they saw the slow-motion, just like me, but in reality, Traore is three steps further. Very early in the season, I suggested that Traore seems to be a footballer from a different time. Traore has time for his actions, as if he were in the 70s football. Very crazy, but something like that. 
In addition, he is also good at the combination. In between, he is caught on intelligent passes. "

"In addition, I hope for Traore instead of Dolberg at the point against Schalke, but I expect Dolberg and Traore on the right."

 

 

As I said, all I hear is moaning. Let's just conclude the jury is still out.

"empty dirt containers at a tsunami"

Fantastic google translation

I thought Traore looked at ease at Anfield last season as a 'false 9'. Still early days for him but I don't think he has a complete enough game to play anywhere else to be honest. For me he's in the same boat as Chalobah/Loftus-Cheek/Aina/Baker - they can excel in a specific tactical role, but without a complete game unable to justify a place in the starting XI.

Edited April 21, 20179 yr by the special one

Will never make it here, sold or loaned out next year. Eresdivisie seems like his level

Wtf, I've always thought he did well for us whenever he played. Imo he definitely has a future here, he'd be a great second striker.

Seemed to score whenever he played a couple of years ago.

34 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

Wtf, I've always thought he did well for us whenever he played. Imo he definitely has a future here, he'd be a great second striker.

Seemed to score whenever he played a couple of years ago.

 Hed be a great second striker if we were Stoke or Palace. Ill be stunned if hes in the squad next season

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

Wtf, I've always thought he did well for us whenever he played. Imo he definitely has a future here, he'd be a great second striker.

Seemed to score whenever he played a couple of years ago.

He'll be a victim of the De Bruyne/Lukaku curse. Doesn't cost us £30m+ or have a big reputation so won't get a look in. Will be sold, excel elsewhere then try and resign him.

6 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

He'll be a victim of the De Bruyne/Lukaku curse. Doesn't cost us £30m+ or have a big reputation so won't get a look in. Will be sold, excel elsewhere then try and resign him.

Same thoughts here. He's good enough to be our second striker!

On ?20?/?04?/?2017 at 11:38, Jon Stakes said:

Bertrand Traore is a bit lacksaidasical. Reminds me of Mikel in that regard. He's not explosive, just more low key. I think fans failed to notice his strengths, while focused on his laid back manner (which can even be seen in the way he scores goals or dribbles - he doesn't do it at pace).

The Ajax coach must rate him, because he's a starter. And he must be doing something right because Whoscored have him as the 9th best player in the league and 10th best player in the Europa League.

That said he's key pass rate is way beyond what Hakim Ziyech's is and he has yet to assist in the Eredivisie. That is surprising, because Traore's main attribute always seemed to be passing... 

All in all I think its a mixed bag - not as critical to his team as he was during his last loan to the Eredivisie. But you always need to take into account the context of a loan - you are always easier to drop if you don't perform and given how often Traore starts the coach obviously thinks he is performing.

That is because Ziyech's main attribute is his passing and dribbling. Traore's main attribute is not his passing. He is decent at passing but not his best attribute. His best attribute imo is his dribbling. He is good at passing and yeah should have some assists to his name though.

Watching him in comparison to Mbappe or Lemar at Monaco or Julian Brandt etc he see.s to lack that crucial extra yard of pace that would see him be a top-tier player. He's only 21 and it's something he could yet work on, but his physical attributes are lacking.

On 2017-4-20 at 18:36, Jon Stakes said:

Forgive the broken Google English but decide for yourself:

"Extremely important in the attack game, in this form, the best player of the Eredivisie is a pity that we have to wait a long time."

"Best football player of the selection, the rest can only dream of his technique and dribbles."

"It's almost too easy for him. The ball treatment is just pure art."

"When he still played at Vitesse, Traoré is a graceful breed soccer player. He is quite tall and harder, making him quite big and quick to run. Finishing remains a problem, but as long as he plays this way you have to compose him. Never put on the right wing again."

"His ball treatment and dribbles are of absolute world class. That's why it's moderate to bad finishes so sharply. "

"Traoré currently gives a kind of Afrikaans rhythm to Ajax's game. Delicious, that's steaming when he's coming to the ball. A kind of forcing wave that splashes opponent lines, defeats defenders as empty dirt containers at a tsunami. He has the vibe at the moment and you should not break that. "

"I've been annoyed at Traore for a long time, but the last few games in the spit makes it very good. Too bad that the season is almost over, he seems to finally find his turn."

"But from the first minute I'm already enjoying this male in an Ajax shirt. As everything looks slow, he's faster than 2 players at the same time. As if those opponents are freaked out by a fake time frame, they saw the slow-motion, just like me, but in reality, Traore is three steps further. Very early in the season, I suggested that Traore seems to be a footballer from a different time. Traore has time for his actions, as if he were in the 70s football. Very crazy, but something like that. 
In addition, he is also good at the combination. In between, he is caught on intelligent passes. "

"In addition, I hope for Traore instead of Dolberg at the point against Schalke, but I expect Dolberg and Traore on the right."

 

 

That's what I said in the first place. He was being used as a winger for most of the season. A role that didn't suit him at all, and that's why people got annoyed with him.
With Dolberg's injuries he got a chance to play as a striker and that works a lot better for him. It's a shame he's not a very good finisher (yet) though.

On 2017-4-10 at 19:04, CFCholland said:

He's not rated at all by most who watch the Eredivisie when he's deployed as a winger. Doesn't score/assist much, loses a lot of posession etc.
At the moment their number 1 striker (Dolberg) is injured and Traore is starting as a striker which suits him a lot better. He needs to improve his finishing but I think there's potential for him as a striker.

 

Bertrand Traore tearing it up today vs Lyon with a superb goal and a self-aware assist. Amusingly both with his head:

 

Based on post African Cup of Nations performances I would say only Tammy Abraham is having a more successful loan.

Edited May 3, 20179 yr by Jon Stakes

On a side note: Hakim Ziyech looks like the next best thing to a Kevin de Bruyne I've seen in Europe this season. Now on 19 assists for the season.

Traore is having a good match vs OL in Ajax's opening leg their Europa Liga tie - here is the goal that Young Traore scored

 

Traore with his second and Ziyech with his third assist.

Traore also almost scored from distance - the Lyon keeper parries at full stretch.

 

 

I apologise if the city of Amsterdam is the inspiration for Traore's choice of haircut.