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2014-15 Performances


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golazo

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Can't see him leading the line, he does better running with the ball, rather than finding space in the box.
I haven't seen much of him, but this is an outright lie. Almost every game I've seen him in he's been a predator inside the box. Yes he's a wizard with the ball at his feet too, which is what makes him such an exciting prospect
 

Verminator

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I have seen a lot of him, and he is not about getting on the end of things, although he can do that.
He is more suited to creating for himself and others, hence suggesting wide striker rather than CF.
If any of you think leading the line will get the best out of him, that's your prerogative. I think you'd be discarding two thirds of his game.
 

Verminator

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Such an amazing finisher for his age. Can do it on both feet which is great to see
Was gonna post that video.
How much more often is he either off the front or wide, carrying the ball, and how much of it shows him finding space to get on a cross or short pass?
Watch and decide what he favours. If you say poaching/CF you are lying. (to use your own vernacular)
 

golazo

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Was gonna post that video.
How much more often is he either off the front or wide, carrying the ball, and how much of it shows him finding space to get on a cross or short pass?
Watch and decide what he favours. If you say poaching/CF you are lying. (to use your own vernacular)
Striker. If he has the positional sense to pinch hit on the wing for short periods of a match, then that's a bonus too
 

PedroMendez

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He is just nothing like Messi or Sanchez (who are completly different players anyway), because he wont be able to beat his man reliably in a 1v1 (e.g. like Januzaj). He might do good as second striker or wide forward, but this role/position is very contested; many different types of players can play it so you have to be really really good to set your mark.
I see your point why you dont think that he is a central forward and I tend to agree, but thats the only role very he might have a chance to become a top player.
 

limerickcitykid

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He is better at playing off the shoulder and getting in behind the last man than any young striker I can remember since Michael Owen. His pace and movement are near impossible for CBs to keep up with. His ability to drop deep and run with it is just what elevates him to another level. He also has great instinct in the box. He has played out left before for some of the youth teams so he could play a wide forward role while breaking through to get minutes but ultimately he will be best as a centre forward for me.
 

In Rainbows

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Was gonna post that video.
How much more often is he either off the front or wide, carrying the ball, and how much of it shows him finding space to get on a cross or short pass?
Watch and decide what he favours. If you say poaching/CF you are lying. (to use your own vernacular)
As a striker they're not going to stay centrally all the time. They'll drop to link up play, go out wide (either side) when the team is defending leaving space to dribble, be in the box, etc...

He doesn't have the skills of an Alexis/Messi type player to play out wide consistently. He has great technique for a striker, but it's different when comparing him to other attackers. His finishing ability is so good that he needs to play as the 9 so he can gobble up as many chances as he can. We saw against Spurs, Wolves, etc... that he can find little space in the box and finish. Even using Sanchez/Messi as an example, they were moved centrally to get the best out of them.
 

Trizy

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That video is like a story, going through the matches in pitches with a few supporters to finally making his debut in the biggest clubnstadium in England and you can hear the crowd, its fantastic!
 

Verminator

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He is just nothing like Messi or Sanchez (who are completly different players anyway), because he wont be able to beat his man reliably in a 1v1 (e.g. like Januzaj). He might do good as second striker or wide forward, but this role/position is very contested; many different types of players can play it so you have to be really really good to set your mark.
I see your point why you dont think that he is a central forward and I tend to agree, but thats the only role very he might have a chance to become a top player.
He beats men for fun, usually with pace, but has plenty of skill too. I have more faith in Wilson than Januzaj making it to the top.
I was on about the Messi/Sanchez position, not their styles. (Wide forward, or inside right in old money)
If he is good enough, he will play where he is best. Things change, in our side recently, dramatically.
 

Isotope

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I can see him become one of my favorite players. Skilful, clever, and hardworker. Feels like he has that X factor to be a top player. Just look at the type of goals he scored. So many "oohh.. f*ck!" moment.
 
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Verminator

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As a striker they're not going to stay centrally all the time. They'll drop to link up play, go out wide (either side) when the team is defending leaving space to dribble, be in the box, etc...

He doesn't have the skills of an Alexis/Messi type player to play out wide consistently. He has great technique for a striker, but it's different when comparing him to other attackers. His finishing ability is so good that he needs to play as the 9 so he can gobble up as many chances as he can. We saw against Spurs, Wolves, etc... that he can find little space in the box and finish. Even using Sanchez/Messi as an example, they were moved centrally to get the best out of them.
You could apply most of that to Ronaldo (no comparison, as one seems to have to say, all the fecking time these days), but the best position to get the most out of his talents, are not as a no.9.
Wilson is more suited to running at a defence, than wrestling a couple of monster CBs.
 
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PedroMendez

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He beats men for fun, usually with pace, but has plenty of skill too. I have more faith in Wilson than Januzaj making it to the top.
I was on about the Messi/Sanchez position, not their styles. (Wide forward, or inside right in old money)
If he is good enough, he will play where he is best. Things change, in our side recently, dramatically.

He will never beat men for fun at the top level. Very few players are actually capable of of beating their man in a 1v1 reliably. There are maybe around 20 players who can actually do that on a CL-level. Eventually less.
He doesnt have the agility/low center of gravity/body control/ball control to dribble like Messi/Iniesta and is missing speed to just overpower players like bale or robben.

If he plays as wide forward his biggest strength is to run off the shoulder off his marker and behind the line. He could provide a good amount of goals with the right service. He also seems to be fairly energetic, hard to get off the ball and he seems to have decent work rate. All in all a good all around packages, but nothing like you are suggesting.
 

Isotope

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There's some serious X factor there. Very exciting player
Yeah. I can see why van Gaal feels Wilson should be given more chance this season. His quick thinking and ability to create space to shoot is just incredible for an 18 y.o. player. Exciting player indeed.
 

golazo

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He will never beat men for fun at the top level. Very few players are actually capable of of beating their man in a 1v1 reliably. There are maybe around 20 players who can actually do that on a CL-level. Eventually less.
He doesnt have the agility/low center of gravity/body control/ball control to dribble like Messi/Iniesta and is missing speed to just overpower players like bale or robben.

If he plays as wide forward his biggest strength is to run off the shoulder off his marker and behind the line. He could provide a good amount of goals with the right service. He also seems to be fairly energetic, hard to get off the ball and he seems to have decent work rate. All in all a good all around packages, but nothing like you are suggesting.
Wait. He's missing speed? I saw him run past about 10 players against Man City to score
 

In Rainbows

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Wilson isn't missing speed. That's the reason why he can run past defenders and score. He's really fast.
 

gooDevil

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He will never beat men for fun at the top level. Very few players are actually capable of of beating their man in a 1v1 reliably. There are maybe around 20 players who can actually do that on a CL-level. Eventually less.
He doesnt have the agility/low center of gravity/body control/ball control to dribble like Messi/Iniesta and is missing speed to just overpower players like bale or robben.

If he plays as wide forward his biggest strength is to run off the shoulder off his marker and behind the line. He could provide a good amount of goals with the right service. He also seems to be fairly energetic, hard to get off the ball and he seems to have decent work rate. All in all a good all around packages, but nothing like you are suggesting.
Never seen you in the reserve forum, how many times have you seen him play?
 

gooDevil

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All this talk of playing him wide is quite amusing, don't think I've seen him play there for the reserves, did he play there for the U16s or early in his U18 days?

Perhaps because Welbeck was forced onto the wing people are expecting the same for him?

I still think the best comparison is van Persie (in style not current ability, obviously).

He could probably do a job out there but it would be a bit of a waste for my money.
 

jb8521

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All this talk of playing him wide is quite amusing, don't think I've seen him play there for the reserves, did he play there for the U16s or early in his U18 days?

Perhaps because Welbeck was forced onto the wing people are expecting the same for him?

I still think the best comparison is van Persie (in style not current ability, obviously).

He could probably do a job out there but it would be a bit of a waste for my money.
Yeah he played there occasionally for the under age teams, when he first came into the under 18's and for England under 16's but centre forward is undoubtedly his best position
 

Invictus

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All this talk of playing him wide is quite amusing, don't think I've seen him play there for the reserves, did he play there for the U16s or early in his U18 days?

Perhaps because Welbeck was forced onto the wing people are expecting the same for him?

I still think the best comparison is van Persie (in style not current ability, obviously).

He could probably do a job out there but it would be a bit of a waste for my money.
Whilst not his preferred position it wouldn't be the worst idea in fairness. Robin played out on the right a lot for Feyenoord and Arsenal when Henry, Bergkamp and Reyes were kicking about. Samuel Eto'o played out on the right of a front 3 for Inter too during their treble season with Milito at #9. Even Robert Lewandowski played in wider positions when Barrios was at Dortmund. If playing there can ensure vital first team minutes for Wilson then why not IMO until he's ready to take over full time as the center forward once the older ones leave/ retire/ unravel ? And it never hurts to show a little flexibility.
 

gooDevil

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Whilst not his preferred position it wouldn't be the worst idea in fairness. Robin played out on the right a lot for Feyenoord and Arsenal when Henry, Bergkamp and Reyes were kicking about. Samuel Eto'o played out on the right of a front 3 for Inter too during their treble season with Milito at #9. Even Robert Lewandowski played in wider positions when Barrios was at Dortmund. If playing there can ensure vital first team minutes for Wilson then why not IMO until he's ready to take over full time as the center forward once the older ones leave/ retire/ unravel ? And it never hurts to show a little flexibility.
It certainly can work to help a player develop, agreed, though I worry a bit about any player getting to far away from what got them to where they are.

Of course he couldn't play wing back, so he can only play striker in the 352.

It would be interesting to see him play wide in a 433, but again that's not what got him here and there will be a bigger learning curve for him to learn that position at EPL level than he will as a striker, where all his recent experience is.

Maybe for this season if we use di Maria in midfield hew could play out wide, but I'd like us to have something much better than a super young striker to play out wide, someone who had shown they excel out wide (whatever the age).
 

RedRonaldo

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The Cafe has been overrating our own youngsters for years, but this Wilson is someone I really rate.
 

Invictus

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It certainly can work to help a player develop, agreed, though I worry a bit about any player getting to far away from what got them to where they are.

Of course he couldn't play wing back, so he can only play striker in the 352.

It would be interesting to see him play wide in a 433, but again that's not what got him here and there will be a bigger learning curve for him to learn that position at EPL level than he will as a striker, where all his recent experience is.
Yep him losing the lethal goal scoring touch might be an issue. But if he could maintain that aspect while learning the nuances of playing wide, it would undoubtedly improve his overall game and stamina levels. And one wouldn't put it beyond Van Gaal either. The Dutch love playing youngsters in a multitude of positions just to increase their football IQ and feel for the game.

But you're right and all. In the system we currently employ, playing him as a wind back would be suicidal and even Louis wouldn't be that radical. Can't envision him being anything other than a striker in the 3-5-2, not unless we switch to a 4-3-3 or its hybrid formations.
 

Loublaze

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Clearly you're underrating him. He's more of a Pele/Fat Ronaldo hybrid.
Clearly you're underrating Van Basten. I think @sglowrider is spot on from what i've seen of Wilson's goal scoring abilities and so far. Even Wilson's style of dribbling is similar to the Dutch legend.
 
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surf

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The future is all round forwards rather than specialists like Chicharito. Wilson can do it by becoming a better version of Welbeck, with more goal scoring ability.
 

Fazer

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We have RVP, Rooney and Falcao as our strikers so that will definitely limit Wilson's chances there, unless Rooney is dropped into midfield. Over the past 18 months, with the shocking decline of our pacey players like Nani and Valencia, teams have found it much
easier to contain us by forcing us to pass it side to side.
However with the new players we have added this summer, we now have very good options to attack down the wing if LVG choose to play with wingers in Di Maria, Januzaj and maybe Wilson can be used as a wide attacker too. He has the skill and speed to excel in this role and I am sure he will jump at the opportunity if offered the chance, seeing that his chances to play as a striker for now is currently limited.
It is about time United regain that fear factor it used to have and in these players we have the chance to make that happen again.
 

Still ill

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The future is all round forwards rather than specialists like Chicharito. Wilson can do it by becoming a better version of Welbeck, with more goal scoring ability.
Misread it. Micky Quinn sprang to mind.
 

Lou-is Red

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I wouldn't class him as a poacher. He would ne ideally suited wide in a front three IMO.
Didnt say was a poacher, he still has a poaching threat. Rooney has it to but wouldnt class him as one either. He is suited to playing centrally. Look what happened with welbeck
 

Loublaze

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Didnt say was a poacher, he still has a poaching threat. Rooney has it to but wouldnt class him as one either. He is suited to playing centrally. Look what happened with welbeck
I agree. He's not a strict poacher clearly as shown by his speed and dribbling ability, which will be useful outside of the box, but he's too good a natural finisher (well at least potentially) to be wasted out wide even in a front 3 IMO.