That’s fabulous.
Hakim Ziyech | Chelsea player
- Thread starter WeePat
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Im sure they are actually looking at Rice for the centre back position. I'm doubt they'll go for Haaland either with Werner & Abraham there.
I agree with you though, I'm impressed with their transfers & on the strategy they seemed to be employing. If I were in charge of strategy for the chasing clubs, I'd be trying to create a team to peak in 2 or 3 years, when Klopp & Pep's time will be ending.
Taking some of the realistic rumours, Arsenal 2022/2023 could be looking at something like this
Leno (30)
Bellerin(27) Saliba (21) Gabriel (24) Tierney(25)
Aouar (24) Partey (29) Szoboszlai (22)
Daka (24) Edouard (24) Martinelli (21)
Wouldn't have some of the star names of Chelsea's line up but has a bit of everything & is quite realistic. Would also have the likes of Saka, Nelson, Smith-Rowe, Nketiah still under 23. I'd probably go for Lamptey instead of Bellerin as well to be honest.
Im sure with the likes of Martial, Greenwood, Wan Bissaka, Van Der Beek, Tuanzebe, Traore Utd could do similar young team.
The quality of the opposition needs to be questioned massively here 
A goal is a goal mate. No-one is crowning him a Ballon d'Or front runner in hereThe quality of the opposition needs to be questioned massively here
One is 27...the other is 21. I'll let you guess which is which.
I just don't particularly rate Havertz as someone who fits in the premier league, or in a perfectly clear, defined well oiled system. Ziyech will perform whatever the system
A goal is a goal mate. No-one is crowning him a Ballon d'Or front runner in here
certainly not based on them clips! A scuffed cross and a simple slide rule pass! Quality player though don't get me wrong.
How did we not get him?
Chelsea bought Werner, Havertz and him. 3 Attacking minded players who can't all play unless someone is injured.
Our right wing has been empty since years. Why did not we just sign Ziyech?
And again, how did Chelsea manage to buy their complete Attack in 1 window?
Chelsea bought Werner, Havertz and him. 3 Attacking minded players who can't all play unless someone is injured.
Our right wing has been empty since years. Why did not we just sign Ziyech?
And again, how did Chelsea manage to buy their complete Attack in 1 window?
A few reasons:
A) They had a ban which allowed them to save up a lot of capital, that they didn't spend in the previous window.
B) They have an owner who is wealthy, willing to put his hand in his pocket and is a opportunist (by this, I mean his spending this past Summer was done with the idea the market will bounce back and he took advantage.)
C) They had a lot of positions open. This meant the players brought knew they would start. You say Ziyech, Harvetz and Werner cannot all play, but they can if Chelsea play 433 - Harvetz No8, Ziyech No11, Werner No7/No9.
It seems you guys have all your right wing eggs in the Sancho basket.
In 6 years time, Ziyech will be 33 and might be close to retirement. Sancho by then could have 250 appearances for Man United and still only be 26.
It's why you spent virtually the same on Van Der Beek as Chelsea did on Ziyech. You are really playing the long game while Ziyech is a "right now" signing.
It’s not about the long game. We went for a different profile of player. Even once Sancho reaches Ziyechs age I can’t see him having the same passing ability as Ziyech. We also fielded a team with the average age of 25.2 in one game (only Brighton have fielded a younger side) so age isn’t a priority for us.
Essentially it’s about the needs of the club. Man Utd feel a pacy forward will suit them better. I mean they have a tendency to play (and be better at) counter attack more than being a more aggressive attacking team. Chelsea, at least in the league, have a lot of possession so someone with a final pass or can do something unexpected is preferable.
A bit forgotten now, played only 390 mins out of 1350 in PL. He wasn't so injury-prone for Ajax, I think.
When he is fit he"ll come good, he's too good not to
He has been playing some very nice football with Chelsea recently
He's been our best attacker for the past month or so - ever since we switched to 4 at the back. He's far more dangerous on the wing than centrally.
If he's really available for that price ETH will be all over it.
What price?
8.4 million pounds to AC Milan. So straight swap for Ronaldo then?
Wouldn’t be the worst idea if we can get him on the cheap. He might not break into the starting XI but we’re missing a left footed right winger in the squad. The youngsters aren’t ready and Antony is now too expensive. If we saved money here we could possibly move for a centre forward too.
It's frustrating because there's obviously a very good player in there but not for us in the system we play.
Won't be a great loss to us, he's been kinda meh most of the time.
Won't be a great loss to us, he's been kinda meh most of the time.
Ziyech is a #10 stuck on the wings. The reason why EtH doesn't go after him is because you already have Bruno and Eriksen, two players with the same characteristics.
Another Chelsea Salah slip up incoming or is he just not very good?
He doesn't really appear suited to English football. Usually when people say this it's cliche but I think it does apply in this case.
He's 29, I thought he was younger than that. Doubt he's going to have the same career trajectory as Salah now.
Honestly lads, if we go by his performances in the premier league so far we should be staying well clear. He’s literally shown nothing to suggest he could be a success in the premier league. He just doesn’t seem built or up for the fight.
He just wouldn’t be a very good fit in our team either. He’s a playmaker who’s being used out wide. He doesn’t have the pace to threaten from there.
He’d probably do very well in Italy. But prem isn’t for him.
This ended up being spot on.
6/10 is very generous.
Probably but I’d give him that. Some great games, some bad games but mostly just a lot of meh games. Not all his fault, I’ve said before that I think he’s been the biggest casualty of the back 3 system.
Yeah true, I wanted us to sign him when he was at Ajax, even now I don't mind. He is good player.
If there's ever two players that wouldn't work on the same team it's Bruno and Ziyech.
A 10?? He can't be played in the middle of the park because he's so one-footed. He's a playmaking winger who needs to receive the ball in 1v1 situations so he can cut inside.
Sounds about right
Mind giving the lotto numbers out?
This physicality issue wasn't just isolated to the PL. In our CL winning run, during the latter stages... something I will never forget because I found it so fascinating - almost every time he took a shot he ended up on the floor. 100% of the time if he was being challenged, and like 80% of the time if there was an opposition presence near but not touching.
Wand of a leftie, works hard off the ball but he has his shortcomings and definitely not suited to the system. He's more suited to being out wide with time and space to create.
Generous. But closer to 6/10 than a great success, at least.
Yes, a #10. I've followed him since he was young and he is originally a#10. He can still play there. I don't know why you raise him being one-footed. Wesley Sneijder is still one of the only few #10s to have been perfectly two-footed.
Ziyech's best quality is not his 1v1 play, it's his brilliant passing. 1v1 there will be a ton more effective wingerw as Ziyech isn't that quick. That's why he's a #10 rather than a winger. This doesn't mean he can't play on the wing. He's proven at Ajax that he can be great on the wing. However that won't be the case when you expect typical wing-play from him. He will never bring that. He definitely needs an overlapping wing back to be effective as a winger.
Ac Milan about to sign De Keteleare and Ziyrch was said to be his alternative so not sure where Ziyech would go now. Looks out of place in the Premier league but if Ten Hag wants him since he likes his Ajax boys, I'd hope it's a loan deal
Swap for Ronaldo