4 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Abit harsh on Sancho there Scott. He’s very capable of beating players with skill and he’s pretty good at finding players.

I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far this season and unfortunately we got to this point where I can say, under a proper manager and better attackers we’d see the best of him.

If we sign a striker that’s good enough to convert simple chances then Sancho’s G/A will rise.

Just isn’t that simple. In the modern game your front 3 are all responsible for contributing (goals + assists). Fans keep making excuses for his frailties but he has 2 goals against an xG of 1.16, 4 assists against an xA of 2.1, takes 0.9 shots per game, and has created 4 big chances (not Top 50 in the PL), He isn’t exactly underperforming based on those metrics. Could stick Halaand upfront and his numbers won’t be better, because he is bang average.
 

I’m actually really impressed with Sancho, think he’s been the next best attacker after Palmer in this side.

Bizarre that people would question him, taking last nights game for example playing through Sancho in the first half is when we were at our best. We abandoned that in the second and look how that turned out. 

I think people are being a little bit harsh on Sancho too.

He definitely doesn’t score enough goals, I agree with that, but he’s done ok and for £25m it’s a good deal.

He was good in the 1st half last night and we should have gone in at half time 2 or 3 goals ahead - IMO Sancho isn’t the one to blame for not being comfortably ahead at the break.

 

For me our problem is that we hardly ever turn a 1-0 into a 2 goal lead.

Solve this and teams have to open up straight away to salvage anything from the game and that gives more space to the likes of Sancho, Neto etc…

We go 1-0 ahead then miss chances so teams stay in a low block until very late in the game, then they open up a bit, manage to score quickly and we’re deflated by then.

Go 2-0 ahead against Fulham, Palace and Bournemouth and I’m convinced we go on to win all these games comfortably.

 

Having said all that, I do think Sancho and a few others should really do extra training work on shooting, the likes of Zola and Lampard would happily stay behind after training to improve their shooting.

The appetite for players to put in a bit of extra work to work on their shortcomings either isn’t there or if they do stay behind it clearly isn’t working.

Edited January 15, 20251 yr by 2211

He's got a few assists. He's a reasonably tidy player. I don't expect him to change his game and suddenly become a goal scorer, as it just doesn't happen. He'd be fine as a squad player option. Neto is more of a worry for me. He's not contributing much at all. ANd obviously Mudryk is sh*t and going to be banned anyway.

Any Dortmund watchers here ? What was Sancho doing differently when he was a good goal scorer, or was it just down to team tactics and poor defences in Bundesliga ?

7 hours ago, ducavis said:

Just isn’t that simple. In the modern game your front 3 are all responsible for contributing (goals + assists). Fans keep making excuses for his frailties but he has 2 goals against an xG of 1.16, 4 assists against an xA of 2.1, takes 0.9 shots per game, and has created 4 big chances (not Top 50 in the PL), He isn’t exactly underperforming based on those metrics. Could stick Halaand upfront and his numbers won’t be better, because he is bang average.
 

His numbers would be better imo if we had a better striker of course but also if we didn't have things like Cucu in the box getting on the end of his passes. 

Of all the attackers we have in the team not named Palmer, he is the least of my concern. 

Just now, Remodez said:

His numbers would be better imo if we had a better striker of course but also if we didn't have things like Cucu in the box getting on the end of his passes. 

Of all the attackers we have in the team not named Palmer, he is the least of my concern. 

I'd still like to see him shoot more, because I do think he has more goals in his locker. 

The finish against Tottenham was a great example of what he can do ... 

6 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'd still like to see him shoot more, because I do think he has more goals in his locker. 

The finish against Tottenham was a great example of what he can do ... 

Could be old age but I honestly can't recall many times he's actually had a clear chance to have a shot as he's usually the one holding the width more than Noni who cuts in more frequently. Also factoring in Cucu inverting and taking up the space he could potentially use. 

2 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Any Dortmund watchers here ? What was Sancho doing differently when he was a good goal scorer, or was it just down to team tactics and poor defences in Bundesliga ?

Those were the same years Werner was putting up 20+ goals. 

Bundesliga just a terrible barometer. 

2 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Any Dortmund watchers here ? What was Sancho doing differently when he was a good goal scorer, or was it just down to team tactics and poor defences in Bundesliga ?

I don't watch much of the Bundesliga, but the few games I've watched I don't see defences as strong, intense and packed as in the PL.

42 minutes ago, RMH said:

I don't watch much of the Bundesliga, but the few games I've watched I don't see defenses as strong, intense and packed as in the PL.

You won't see that in any other league.

Give this man a break! He was broken by Manure and he's still recovering from that horror show....he's been doing aaaight!

9 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Any Dortmund watchers here ? What was Sancho doing differently when he was a good goal scorer, or was it just down to team tactics and poor defences in Bundesliga ?

Bundesliga defences push up very high, they are very open and exposed, brilliant for counter attacking teams to play against. Havertz, Werner, Sancho, they could score for fun. It's the reason why I have always said Mudryk would have more success there.

Watching the Zola , Cole palmer video on youtube

and zola asks Cole palmer if he stays behind after training 

to practice free kicks etc . Cole palmer replies to zola

that Maresca doesn’t allow it - zola looked shocked

22 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I don't think it's harsh at all. 18 games, 2 goals, he should be blamed just as much as our other low goalscorers in this team. He's incapable of even getting into positions to score because he's weak and too slow. He's piss easy to defend against in most games. He does a bit of showboating on the half way line with a nutmeg, but looks completely hopeless in attacking positions with defenders standing up to him.

I'm not willing to give the guy excuses. A lot of United fans tried that and it didn't work for them either. Why do we think it's going to work out for him here if it didn't work out for him at United? It's no different than Arsenal signing Havertz and Tottenham signing Werner.

We don't need him to be what United fans needed.

He was their statement signing on a near record fee and ludicrous wages, at the fee we got him for and reported wages we will pay him even if he ends up a squad player it won't be the end of the world.

1 hour ago, Vin1968 said:

Watching the Zola , Cole palmer video on youtube

and zola asks Cole palmer if he stays behind after training 

to practice free kicks etc . Cole palmer replies to zola

that Maresca doesn’t allow it - zola looked shocked

If that is actually true, it is a staggering statement.

 

3 hours ago, Argo said:

We don't need him to be what United fans needed.

He was their statement signing on a near record fee and ludicrous wages, at the fee we got him for and reported wages we will pay him even if he ends up a squad player it won't be the end of the world.

Problem with this line of thought is he is providing this kind of performances (personally think he has been average) because he feels loved and he is starting every game. Once you take that away and he is coming off the bench, he will look disinterested and probably revert to his Utd shenanigans. He will stop putting in an effort in training, and fire up his PlayStation. The reported wages also won’t be easy to move, as we are the last of the “top” clubs that will have him.

I also feel there are better options in the market like Kudus & Gordon who could be bought in the summer if we didn’t have an obligation to buy on Sancho.

6 hours ago, ducavis said:

Problem with this line of thought is he is providing this kind of performances (personally think he has been average) because he feels loved and he is starting every game. Once you take that away and he is coming off the bench, he will look disinterested and probably revert to his Utd shenanigans. He will stop putting in an effort in training, and fire up his PlayStation. The reported wages also won’t be easy to move, as we are the last of the “top” clubs that will have him.

I also feel there are better options in the market like Kudus & Gordon who could be bought in the summer if we didn’t have an obligation to buy on Sancho.

Kudus has 2 less G/A's than Sancho this season and would likely cost twice as much (£50m minimum).

Newcastle would want at least £80m for Gordon, they only paid £45m for him a year ago and he's got much better since then. 

21 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Any Dortmund watchers here ? What was Sancho doing differently when he was a good goal scorer, or was it just down to team tactics and poor defences in Bundesliga ?

I watch Bundesliga few times during covid break. It is a bit similar when we play soton, soton could attacked us but they were also so open 

11 hours ago, ducavis said:

Problem with this line of thought is he is providing this kind of performances (personally think he has been average) because he feels loved and he is starting every game. Once you take that away and he is coming off the bench, he will look disinterested and probably revert to his Utd shenanigans. He will stop putting in an effort in training, and fire up his PlayStation. The reported wages also won’t be easy to move, as we are the last of the “top” clubs that will have him.

I also feel there are better options in the market like Kudus & Gordon who could be bought in the summer if we didn’t have an obligation to buy on Sancho.

You could be right but equally we can only go by what we've seen here so far.

Small sample size granted but being hooked at half time at Anfield then being an unused sub against Newcastle didn't cause any negative effects.

15 hours ago, Vin1968 said:

Watching the Zola , Cole palmer video on youtube

and zola asks Cole palmer if he stays behind after training 

to practice free kicks etc . Cole palmer replies to zola

that Maresca doesn’t allow it - zola looked shocked

 

13 hours ago, just said:

If that is actually true, it is a staggering statement.

 

It's not. 

Couldn't believe any manager would ever say that so I just watched the video. Zola asked Palmer if he practiced FKs when referencing his FK goal against Brighton, and Palmer says no. He doesn't practice them. 

I understand posting stuff when there's context missing, but @Vin1968 just flat out lied.  

20 hours ago, Argo said:

We don't need him to be what United fans needed.

He was their statement signing on a near record fee and ludicrous wages, at the fee we got him for and reported wages we will pay him even if he ends up a squad player it won't be the end of the world.

But that's the issue, he's not been signed to be a squad player, he was signed to be a regular starter, and he's just not good enough for the role.

3 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

But that's the issue, he's not been signed to be a squad player, he was signed to be a regular starter, and he's just not good enough for the role.

Maybe I'm wrong but the price (and rumoured wages when he signs permanently) doesn't really scream marquee signing.

In this market that's below even bog standard squad player money (as we've discovered multiple times in the last decade).

To judge the Bundesliga you just have to look at a declining Harry Kane who could score 100 goals in 2 seasons.

Tells us all we need to know.

2 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

To judge the Bundesliga you just have to look at a declining Harry Kane who could score 100 goals in 2 seasons.

Tells us all we need to know.

Although i agree Bundesliga is sh*te i don't think kane is or was declining, he has his best PL season they year before he left