24 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

He's 21 and it comes with the package. 

Inconsistency comes with a package of a young player. Gusto hasn't been inconsistent, he's been in constant decline. This isn't normal. 

He's being asked to perform a role that is alien to him and is really the job of a defensive midfielder. Nothing wrong with him bar some inconsistent performances under Poch last term. Another example of Maresca employing a system that doesn't fit with the squad makeup. 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I agree. Inconsistency is quite common with younger players. Also this season he has been in and out of the team a fair bit. Partially when Reece has been available, partially while the new system is being worked out, and partially through injuries.

Gusto has had 1 or 2 good performances in an otherwise awful season for him so far and one of those was in the league cup v Barrow. That's not inconsistency. 

5 minutes ago, Remodez said:

Gusto has had 1 or 2 good performances in an otherwise awful season for him so far and one of those was in the league cup v Barrow. That's not inconsistency. 

Perhaps the inconsistency was actually his encouraging form last season. Many young players can show potential at stages of their career. but ultimately never fulfill it. That is the risk with signing young players. Lets hope that is not the case with Gusto.

There’s no issue with Gusto’s ability, shown in the fact Liverpool have been so strongly linked with him, the problem is solely on this awfully pedantic system Maresca has to implement because football is no longer about great players or skill it’s about pointless sideways passing and recycling possession.

10 minutes ago, Remodez said:

Inconsistency comes with a package of a young player. Gusto hasn't been inconsistent, he's been in constant decline. This isn't normal. 

It's perfectly normal.

Players of similar age like Nico Williams, Adam Wharton, Nuno Mendes, & Alejandro Balde have all suffered poor seasons after previously impressing the season prior. 

10 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

It's perfectly normal.

Players of similar age like Nico Williams, Adam Wharton, Nuno Mendes, & Alejandro Balde have all suffered poor seasons after previously impressing the season prior. 

I don't know about Nico as don't watch Bilbao but stats wise I don't see the poor season you are referring to. It follows a pretty expected path for a young player. 

Wharton, Mendes and Balde all had big injuries which explains the drop in performances. Gusto hasn't had that so again it doesn't explain his decline. The only thing that's drastically changed is the sytem.

18 minutes ago, Remodez said:

I don't know about Nico as don't watch Bilbao but stats wise I don't see the poor season you are referring to. It follows a pretty expected path for a young player. 

Wharton, Mendes and Balde all had big injuries which explains the drop in performances. Gusto hasn't had that so again it doesn't explain his decline. The only thing that's drastically changed is the sytem.

Nico's been poor. There's no sugar coating it. Especially after a promsing season & summer. 

Wharton was sh*t before his injury in November which correlated to how awful Palace was at the time. 

Mendes and Gusto share the same issue which is chronic thigh/hamstring issues. 

Alejandro Balde was getting heavy criticism before his injury in January 2024 given he couldn't replicate his form the season prior. 

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

It's perfectly normal.

Players of similar age like Nico Williams, Adam Wharton, Nuno Mendes, & Alejandro Balde have all suffered poor seasons after previously impressing the season prior. 

I'd be inclined to agree if it wasn't also affecting all our players who are 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 !

I'm assuming 32 year old Bettinelli is the same bang average 3rd keeper that he was last year 🙂 

4 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'd be inclined to agree if it wasn't also affecting all our players who are 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 !

I'm assuming 32 year old Bettinelli is the same bang average 3rd keeper that he was last year 🙂 

I think with those you are mentioning we are well in our right to question if they were ever good enough. Certainly seems like that in their player threads. 

I remembered posting that Chalobah is better at rb than gusto in the summer and few member here laugh at me 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Gusto had problem defending crosses last season and he has problem defending crosses this season. Nothing new.

8 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

I remembered posting that Chalobah is better at rb than gusto in the summer and few member here laugh at me 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Gusto had problem defending crosses last season and he has problem defending crosses this season. Nothing new.

Poch played Chalobah at right back in 3 of the 5 match winning run at the end of last season. Gusto was on the bench :-)

Just now, Sexyfootball said:

Poch played Chalobah at right back in 3 of the 5 match winning run at the end of last season. Gusto was on the bench :-)

Gusto is a very good attacking fb but he is terrible defender especially against crosses. The mistake that he made vs villa happen a lot this season and last, nothing new.

He is not a “terrible defender”. He was among the best tacklers and duel winners in the league last season at full back. Bloke pocketed Doku and Mitomo like it was a past time hobby.

Villa’s equalizer was clearly tactical as you could see Gusto try and step up to force the offsides vs stay with his man, which forcing the offsides has been a staple under Maresca.

Tbh I can appreciate that my opinion of him is somewhat clouded, but I have never particularly rated him. The only thing he had in his favour at the beginning was that he wasn't Disasi. I think he flatters to deceive, is a pussy in any muscular challenge, passing decision making is poor and now his defensive positioning is horrendous which, I can see, might be intentional by Maresca. But I remain of the opinion that the overall package is pretty sh*t and I would rather we focused on trying Acheampong there.

Edited February 23, 20251 yr by WhiteWall

11 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

Tbh I can appreciate that my opinion of him is somewhat clouded, but I have never particularly rated him. The only thing he had in his favour at the beginning was that he wasn't Disasi. I think he flatters to deceive, is a pussy in any muscular challenge, passing decision making is poor and now his defensive positioning is horrendous which, I can see, might be intentional by Maresca. But I remain of the opinion that the overall package is pretty sh*t and I would rather we focused on trying Acheampong there.

Gusto is fine. But like many of our players, he is overrated. He is a good young attacking fb with clear flaws in his game and that is normal.

Last year we saw many of his quality as attacking fb also his many flaws defensively. This season because of inverted/defensive fb setup all we get is the bad stuff.

Just play a back three and have him play RWB

2 hours ago, Bob stark said:

Gusto is fine. But like many of our players, he is overrated. He is a good young attacking fb with clear flaws in his game and that is normal.

Last year we saw many of his quality as attacking fb also his many flaws defensively. This season because of inverted/defensive fb setup all we get is the bad stuff.

I believe there is a different type of player coming through into the PL now. This league is becoming more and more reliant upon speed married to large, strong physiques. Set pieces are an integral part of the game and becoming more and more important. Large, aerially adept defenders, both attacking and defending are very much in demand.

With the obsession that we have had for 20 years on possession based, midfield-run, football, there is now a dearth of traditional, physical centre forwards. So we have to develop multiple varieties of tactical formations, in trying to create overloads in advanced positions. Therefore recovery speed and strength to defend against transitional play becomes more and more important.

The Acheampongs are the defenders of the future. Strong, athletic, powerful and fast. The jinky, dinky, tippy toe tap, flyweight players will become a thing of the past for a while here, in my opinion.

The Gustos, Netos, Maddisons, etc will just get out muscled. If smaller players are to survive in the pL they are going to need low centre of gravity, real strength and rapid speed. Gusto just doesn't tick these boxes for me and looks destined for Ligue 1 or La Liga.

18 hours ago, Bob stark said:

I remembered posting that Chalobah is better at rb than gusto in the summer and few member here laugh at me 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Gusto had problem defending crosses last season and he has problem defending crosses this season. Nothing new.

Not sure I buy into that.

Crosses to our back post has always been an issue and weakness of ours regardless of who plays right back.

Probably best for his future if we sell him to La Liga.

1 hour ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Just play a back three and have him play RWB

But the clown on the sidelines insists we play a back 4 with inverting FB's, possession based football that is outdated, slow sideways and backwards passing which allows the opposition to reset and get 11 behind the ball, therefore he has ruined Gusto and is now ruining Palmer

5 hours ago, POCH OUT said:

But the clown on the sidelines insists we play a back 4 with inverting FB's, possession based football that is outdated, slow sideways and backwards passing which allows the opposition to reset and get 11 behind the ball, therefore he has ruined Gusto and is now ruining Palmer

Don't forget the fake press when out of possession so we're never nearer than two yards to the opposition players.

Should have resigned Livramento from Southampton instead of getting Gusto. Newcastle signed two of our Cobham graduates at full back and both are better than Gusto and Cucu.

1 minute ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Should have resigned Livramento from Southampton instead of getting Gusto. Newcastle signed two of our Cobham graduates at full back and both are better than Gusto and Cucu.

both now in England set up ,sd's a joke

So bad