Antoine Semenyo

andersj said:
Semenyo and Cunha is a big physical upgrade on all of our 10s, Amad, Garnacho and Bruno (assuming he plays deeper).

But is Delap much of a physical upgrade on Hojlund? Hopefully, if we sign him, an upgrade. But not much of a physical upgrade.
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I think he holds the ball up much better than Hojlund. That’s not difficult like, but it would make a big difference.
 
andersj said:
Semenyo and Cunha is a big physical upgrade on all of our 10s, Amad, Garnacho and Bruno (assuming he plays deeper).

But is Delap much of a physical upgrade on Hojlund? Hopefully, if we sign him, an upgrade. But not much of a physical upgrade.
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Delap is yes. His hold up is better, and hes a shithouse. Hojlund has physical traits but he lacks balance and does not know how to stay upright in a tussle
 
AndyMUFC said:
I do like how the solution to us getting bullied by the rest of the league looks like it might be to just sign some of the players that are doing it to us from other Premier League clubs. So simple but makes complete sense.

Think of how much Semenyo, Cunha and Delap would improve our physicality.
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Yup it's going to be night and day just to have a player who can comfortably receive the ball to feet from the CB, turn and run. Right now teams know that we can do feck all if we press them high. Previously we at least had some really quick wingers (Rashford, Greenwood) and a silky forward (Martial) backed by the threat of Bruno hero ball.

Mount / Mainoo / Bruno whoever plays there doesn't quite provide the same level of running in behind.

Hojlund is shit.

So that leaves Garnacho as the only real out-ball and even he's not as crisp with his off the ball running as peak Rashford used to be. Teams are happy to take their chance that we're not going to be able to hit that pass to Garnacho and just press us high and we fold. Part the problem is also the system's suitability for existing players. Amorim wants the #10 to come back, receive the ball and turn. Ole / Ten Hag ball is basically run in behind and hit the long pass. It's night and day difference to what the players are used to and that's causing problems too.

Generally getting Amorim his #10s of the Semenyo, Cunha, Mbuemo mould who can do what he wants and help us progress up the field will improve us significantly. The physical component is also important to turn against big PL defenders and shit PL referees who don't call defensive fouls on a player who's about to turn. Of course it's also important on the press.

All that said, Cunha for close to 80M EUR at this point? And I don't know how much they plan to play for Semenyo but 60M EUR? That's the bit that's insane to me. They're doing this again because they want instant success. INEOS chose Amorim as their guy and they can't afford to mess around with cheap unknown bargains from the continent and write off yet another season. We need to be good next year or there's going to be a ton of pressure from fans, media, Glazers, from Amorim himself etc. In particular the potential fued lurking in the background between the Glazers and INEOS I think is a pretty big issue and that's what's driving the overpayment for PL proven guys like Cunha.

I don't know how to feel about all of that. I'd rather we just have strong leadership without the off field drama that says feck it we're not overpaying, we fecked around for a decade, it's time to take our medicine. We're going to really build out our data analytics department, find these guys before they come to the PL and, sure, yeah go a bit mental like Forest and sign 5 attackers from the continent for 40M each instead of 3 from the PL for 70M. I don't think it's all that hard to sign these players if our organization knows what it's doing. Ralf was recommending guys like Diaz, Alvarez etc. That's the type of signing I expect right now. But as a fan, I also don't want to suffer through yet another season of mediocrity so let's see - it's up to Vivell and Wilcox and hope they pull something out of the bag here.
 
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Lash said:
I genuinely find it utterly bizarre people keep parroting the wingback conversion. Why woud you not just buy an actual wingback if that's what you want?
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Or at least someone like his teammate Outtara who played leftback 7 games kicking Kerkez out of the team in the 2nd half of the season?

Nope. Lets sign a direct winger who has no defensive qualities and has never played in defence and play them as a wingback. We know it works because thats what we did with Garnacho and Rashford right?
 
Ekeke said:
Or at least someone like his teammate Outtara who played leftback 7 games kicking Kerkez out of the team in the 2nd half of the season?

Nope. Lets sign a direct winger who has no defensive qualities and has never played in defence and play them as a wingback. We know it works because thats what we did with Garnacho and Rashford right?
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Agreed.

For what it's worth, I actually understand it from a 10 position, as they are psuedo wingers, but need to be goal threats - which he is. Not at the price mind you, don't see the appeal.
 
Lash said:
Agreed.

For what it's worth, I actually understand it from a 10 position, as they are psuedo wingers, but need to be goal threats - which he is. Not at the price mind you, don't see the appeal.
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Who is that goal threat for a reasonable price, some will say Cherki but isn't there some confusion over how much Lyon are actually asking for him
 
Ekeke said:
Or at least someone like his teammate Outtara who played leftback 7 games kicking Kerkez out of the team in the 2nd half of the season?

Nope. Lets sign a direct winger who has no defensive qualities and has never played in defence and play them as a wingback. We know it works because thats what we did with Garnacho and Rashford right?
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I also like Ouattara. Or Minteh of Brighton. Players who have already played as a WB.
 
Semenyo's ball carrying is insane but doesn't really have the end product to match. He was more frustrating to watch than Garnacho whenever I watched him play.
 
Teja said:
Semenyo's ball carrying is insane but doesn't really have the end product to match. He was more frustrating to watch than Garnacho whenever I watched him play.
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This would be a true for a lot of players that are being touted right now. Folks watch most of the these players in highlights or one or two games in a season or are going off stats. You can only really judge the quality of player only when you have seen them regularly.

Plus, the demands and standards expected from United are much much higher. I remember a while back and watching a Spurs game in which Michael Vorm was the keeper. He was getting praised to the high heavens for his performance in that game by the commentator. I remember my buddy and me looking at each other and concurring that the same performance won't get half the praise it was a United game and in fact would be scrutinized much more intensely.
 
Teja said:
Semenyo's ball carrying is insane but doesn't really have the end product to match. He was more frustrating to watch than Garnacho whenever I watched him play.
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11 goals and 5 assist is quite good though.

Semenyo as a wingback would be quite interesting. Dorgu and Semenyo would offer abundance of pace and power.
 
I don't particularly rate Semenyo. I think Mbeumo is much better and if we sign Mbeumo there's no need to Semenyo, GK, ST and CM are much bigger priorities.
 
Lash said:
I genuinely find it utterly bizarre people keep parroting the wingback conversion. Why woud you not just buy an actual wingback if that's what you want?
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I think because it's quite a niche position that doesn't exist in the setups most teams use. If we look at top level wingbacks of recent years, almost all of them started off as fullbacks or wingers, right?
 
Semenyo would infuriate United fans. Shoots from anywhere and the quality of his shots are shit. Look at his xG to conversation rate.

He would fit right in at Spurs.
 
Ish said:
I can see him being an alternative to Mbuemo but I'd much rather prefer Mbuemo.
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Different sides, no? Makes more sense for spurs to go for Semenyo over Mbuemo, for all those worrying about that kind of thing
 
Dirty Schwein said:
Semenyo would infuriate United fans. Shoots from anywhere and the quality of his shots are shit. Look at his xG to conversation rate.

He would fit right in at Spurs.
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Him and Cunha are two peas in a pod in that respect.
 
Ish said:
For some reason I thought semenyo also played off the right mostly (albeit they’re both 2 footed).
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He did the season before last. Last season he ended up playing about the same either side but he was better on the right with more goals
 
Ekeke said:
He did the season before last. Last season he ended up playing about the same either side but he was better on the right with more goals
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Thanks bud - i think most of the handful (or less!) of games I watched he was on the right, but drifted across between the 2 positions. But good to know. His versatility must be a big bonus, along with his other attributes of course.
 
Slugger O'Toole said:
I think because it's quite a niche position that doesn't exist in the setups most teams use. If we look at top level wingbacks of recent years, almost all of them started off as fullbacks or wingers, right?
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It's not like they don't exist though. It's not that niche that you need to spend 40m+ on someone who's never played in that position and then convert them.
 
saivet said:
I don't particularly rate Semenyo. I think Mbeumo is much better and if we sign Mbeumo there's no need to Semenyo, GK, ST and CM are much bigger priorities.
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I actually would be more excited with a Semenyo signing, I think he's ready to explode in form and is better technically. Supremely two footed as well.
 
Lash said:
I genuinely find it utterly bizarre people keep parroting the wingback conversion. Why woud you not just buy an actual wingback if that's what you want?
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It’s because Amorim plays wingers in those positions rather than atypical wingbacks, no? The role is different to a normal wingback.
 
Silas said:
It’s because Amorim plays wingers in those positions rather than atypical wingbacks, no? The role is different to a normal wingback.
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I don't think it is though. Dumfries would be a good example of someone who would do well in this system who isn't a winger. Realistically they just need to be able to physically cover the whole wing and have a decent level of technical ability to be effective. Buying a 10 goal season winger and converting him to wing-back for a lot of money seems a bit a frivolous spend.
 
I just hope he isn't the first alternative to Mbeumo.. Wrong player profile for the no 10 position regardless of quality.
 
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