He's just ass

If he wasn’t hugging the touchline and being asked to beat 2 or 3 players I think he would be pretty good as he usually has the better of the defender when it’s 1v1.

7 hours ago, Remodez said:

If he wasn’t hugging the touchline and being asked to beat 2 or 3 players I think he would be pretty good as he usually has the better of the defender when it’s 1v1.

Yeah .. unlike a system where you are trying to create 1-v-1 for your wide players.. he uses them to stretch the opponent back line and have runners into the box likes strikers who can make great runs..

but we have Enzo and CC and Jackson doing this .. this system requires a lampard and costa..we will struggle and struggle cause maraca don’t have any other way .. in the name of philosophy he will replace everyone and we still won’t win..

Edited February 19, 20251 yr by Jangz

8 hours ago, Remodez said:

If he wasn’t hugging the touchline and being asked to beat 2 or 3 players I think he would be pretty good as he usually has the better of the defender when it’s 1v1.

His assist vs Arsenal is the perfect example of this. He made Ben White look like a joke. I think it's a similar story for all our wingers, who excel in 1v1 but because of the slow ball progression are often required to beat 2 players just to create space.

It works well when we jag a goal and go in front, because it creates jeopardy for the opposing winger having to track back so far, but when we are drawing or chasing a game, there is less jeopardy for the winger because they don't need to attack. It doesn't work when you have two workhorse speedsters against you, like we saw against Minteh and Mitoma, who are happy to track back deep and still burst forward.

57 minutes ago, Jangz said:

Yeah .. unlike a system where you are trying to create 1-v-1 for your wide players.. he uses them to stretch the opponent back line and have runners into the box likes strikers who can make great runs..

but we have Enzo and CC and Jackson doing this .. this system requires a lampard and costa..we will struggle and struggle cause maraca don’t have any other way .. in the name of philosophy he will replace everyone and we still won’t win..

Almost any system would work with Lampard and Costa, to be fair, but I think it's more that this system is not going to work without top class players in extremely niche positions. In this system, the wingers are like old-school target men tasked with holding up the ball until play catches up, a complete waste of their ability.

The system 'works' when Cole Palmer is on the receiving end of the ball, but even when he has a 6/10 game things seem to fall apart. Take the last game for example, if Palmer's early shot goes in the whole context of the game dramatically changes. Our tactic is closer to Arsenal's than it is to Liverpool or Man City, too reliant on these 'moments' going in our favour, instead of creating lots of good chances.

I know we lost anyway but thought Neto looked good with actual space and chances to get into 1v1s.

3 hours ago, Remodez said:

I know we lost anyway but thought Neto looked good with actual space and chances to get into 1v1s.

Agree! No imagine instead of Nkunku he had stuck Tyrique George at LW instead, another player willing to run into space. We would have carved Villa open easily.

You would think a PL manager of a top 6 would know that playing Nkunku, Enzo & Palmer as part of your front 4 wouldn’t work. All three want the ball at their feet which is perfect for Villa as we would just have the ball in front of them.

Two goals against West ham and Southampton... teams cut out for relegation... and this guy gives it a big one celebrating his mediocrity with the talking celebration after scoring both...

Wish he'd scored more and created more this season, we wouldnt be in the situation we are if he had....

I think some of stick that Neto has been getting has been unfair. When we signed him, he was the one summer signing that I was excited about and was a proven Premier League player (be it with a bad injury record). Whenever he played for Wolves, I always thought this guy is good/dangerous and puts a shift in (although he has never been a big scorer).

Been impressed with him in the 9 role in the past two games. When Jackson is fit for the run in, I would have Neto and Jackson alternating between the wing and number 9 during matches. Against the weaker sides, I would play Neto and Jackson as mentioned above with Palmer and Nkunku. Against the stronger sides, I would drop Nkunku and bring in James (would be Lavia but never fit) for the extra body in midfield.

Of course, I would want a proper number 9 signed in the summer but for the run in, Conference League and the Club World Cup thingy that is what I would do…..

Posting same question here - why was Neto not even on the bench for the game last night?? Anyone?

Cucurella probably MoM for the goal and good defensive work, but Neto gave it his all. Great effort for the team today. His pressing late on inspired other players and the fans.

Edited March 10, 20251 yr by PhilH930

I seem to be in the minority but I like Neto.

Sure he could score a few more goals but he gives 100%.

There was one time in the match he pressed and chased 3 players on his own for about 20 seconds until they kicked the ball out of play.

Under a more attack minded manager I think he’d be even better.

7 hours ago, 2211 said:

I seem to be in the minority but I like Neto.

Sure he could score a few more goals but he gives 100%.

There was one time in the match he pressed and chased 3 players on his own for about 20 seconds until they kicked the ball out of play.

Under a more attack minded manager I think he’d be even better.

Yeah - full of running - makes Nkunku look like a statue.

Can't believe we paid what we did for him

On 10/03/2025 at 17:22, Bebe1980 said:

Yeah - full of running - makes Nkunku look like a statue.

Yes, we like runners. Neto Cucurella, Jackson. I don't want to get overly technical, but it is a little known fact, that running is the fastest way to get from point A to point B. Unless you have a car.

Guiu is our best runner of the lot. Never stops. He has to go straight back in to the starting line-up as soon as he is fit again.

5 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Can't believe we paid what we did for him

What makes it crazier is directors at the club have said they believe he is able to score 15 goals a season. Chuckled at the statement, came after his goals against Villa and Southampton.

One thing I give him credit so far is he's actually match fit up to this point of the season, which was a rarity. Just like a few other players, don't think the current pedantic style fits him.

6 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

One thing I give him credit so far is he's actually match fit up to this point of the season, which was a rarity. Just like a few other players, don't think the current pedantic style fits him.

Don’t think it’s a style issue with him; He has admitted that he struggles against the double team, as he never faced them playing with Wolves. That is about 70% of the teams we play, and that he prefers the freedom he has to roam playing as a False 9.

He actually was the pick of the subs v Brentford, and had 2 shots on target in 30mins. I just don’t think he will be more than an impact sub for a serious team.

11 hours ago, ducavis said:

What makes it crazier is directors at the club have said they believe he is able to score 15 goals a season. Chuckled at the statement, came after his goals against Villa and Southampton.

Once again, this proves how sh*t they are. Before joining us, Neto hadn't even scored 15 goals in his entire senior career, and I include international level in that too. These idiots keep looking at players that are close to needing that big move in their career, but not quite showing enough to justify it. Neto is one of those players. He was getting closer to that level at Wolves, but not yet enough to justify a big move. He still hadn't had that stand out season.

You could put Salah on that RW and he wouldn't get 10 goals for us in the league and that's down to Maresca's dogsh*t castration of any attacker. If his tactics are making Palmer look bang average then Neto had no chance.

9 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

You could put Salah on that RW and he wouldn't get 10 goals for us in the league and that's down to Maresca's dogsh*t castration of any attacker. If his tactics are making Palmer look bang average then Neto had no chance.

I think it's a mix of both. I do think Maresca is 100% to blame for nulifying our attacking players, but I doubt some of them would be capable of the quality needed anyway. I do think somebody like Neto would love to play with an overlapping fullback though. Instead of an overlapping fullback, he has Gusto waiting just outside the penalty area taking up space I am sure he would love to run into himself.

59 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

You could put Salah on that RW and he wouldn't get 10 goals for us in the league and that's down to Maresca's dogsh*t castration of any attacker. If his tactics are making Palmer look bang average then Neto had no chance.

Fully agree. As I said in another thread, I dont think it is a player issue. If you look at our team, we have good players. The issue is the way they are being asked to play. Slow, boring, unprogressive and predictable football. you could put Salah, Mbappe and Vini up front for us, and they would also struggle, as our play is so damn slow and easy to defend.

I like him in a Kalou sort of way, without the Kalou goals.

11 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

One thing I give him credit so far is he's actually match fit up to this point of the season, which was a rarity. Just like a few other players, don't think the current pedantic style fits him.

We took an unnecessary gamble with a big fee on yet another injury prone player. Could easily have gone wrong. It's like the club doesn't learn it's lesson.

Seen Salah + Saka hug the touchline several times and both have the intelligence + technical ability to create dangerous situations from those areas.

Neto isn’t meant for a possession oriented system and Sancho just isn’t dynamic enough for the Prem. Noni just inconsistent and is a pretty average dribbler.

Think all 3 would do better with an actual outlet but on talent alone, they aren’t good enough for what we want.

Edited April 7, 20251 yr by Sconnie Blue