Memphis Depay 2.0 as no. 9

redcucumber

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I think it's probably illustrating more that he's quite comfortable at receiving the ball very frequently under high pressure. That's not an easy trait to have, and it's shown by the fact he's pretty much alone in that quadrant of the graph.
He's the standout best forward in the tournament, playing for the current World Cup champions. It stands to reason that'd get the ball often and be targeted by defenders. When you look at the teams they are playing against and the amount of passes and possession France will have, the numbers seem fairly obvious..? Be interesting to see how he compares to other players playing in the CL.
 

DWelbz19

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He's the standout best forward in the tournament, playing for the current World Cup champions. It stands to reason that'd get the ball often and be targeted by defenders. When you look at the teams they are playing against and the amount of passes and possession France will have, the numbers seem fairly obvious..? Be interesting to see how he compares to other players playing in the CL.
Yeah, sample size is tiny so not too much to take from it - just another stat/graph that shows Mbappe is fecking good, I guess
Is there a top NT whose all-time top scorer isn't someone playing for them these last few years?

Off the top of my head, it's only Spain still having Raúl there
Italy? But you did say top NT...
 

Vapor trail

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Thread is a non-starter when Felix is available by all accounts in the January market. Also confirmation via Romano that the club is in talks with Gakpo's agents.
 

redcucumber

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This seems like such a no brainer all things considered. Even if Ronaldo stayed it would have made sense.
I really don't see it at all. We had him here before and neither his ability nor his attitude seemed to cut the mustard.
 

DWelbz19

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Thread is a non-starter when Felix is available by all accounts in the January market.
Massive difference being that Atletico would be looking at a figure of around 100m+ whilst Memphis Depay is most likely available for a free/nominal value with Barcelona happy to get his wages off the books. In January, after a heavy summer spend, I think the latter has more legs to it
 

antohan

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Can someone enlighten me on the wisdom of resigning someone that didn't work here the first time because his current club want his wages off their books pronto?
 

andersj

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Can someone enlighten me on the wisdom of resigning someone that didn't work here the first time because his current club want his wages off their books pronto?
You think Chelsea would have been ok with resigning Salah and KdB a few years ago?

I get that you could question signing someone who is not wanted by their club, but not the argument about him not working out as a young player under Mourinho. Furthemore, the fact that Memphis is not wanted by his current manager is what would make him available at a reasonable fee for us.
 

antohan

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You think Chelsea would have been ok with resigning Salah and KdB a few years ago?

I get that you could question signing someone who is not wanted by their club, but not the argument about him not working out as a young player under Mourinho. Furthemore, the fact that Memphis is not wanted by his current manager is what would make him available at a reasonable fee for us.
The entire point is he wasn't wanted here AND he isn't wanted where he is now. There's a pattern there which doesn't fit the Salah/KdB example, with neither ever having attitude issues at Chelsea, just no playing time.
 

Adam-Utd

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The entire point is he wasn't wanted here AND he isn't wanted where he is now. There's a pattern there which doesn't fit the Salah/KdB example, with neither ever having attitude issues at Chelsea, just no playing time.
He's evolved a lot since he was first here.

Barca signed him as they were needed a striker, he holds the ball up well and fits possession football. They got him on a free so can make some profit on a transfer too.

I don't know what plans United have, but we sure as hell can't rely on only Rashford/Martial as our strikers.

Memphis is experienced, scores goals and can hold the ball up well in the style we need.
 

NoPace

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I think it's probably illustrating more that he's quite comfortable at receiving the ball very frequently under high pressure. That's not an easy trait to have, and it's shown by the fact he's pretty much alone in that quadrant of the graph.
It doesn't seem to show that anyone is actually receiving the ball well though.

Watching the games, there's no way Kieffer Moore should be near Embolo on that list if that's the case because Embolo got a lot of okay passes back to goal that he turned into free kicks and passes to fullbacks* while Moore just had the ball lumped in his general direction.

What the stats does seem to indicate is how much the players on your team rate you. The Spanish players feel they'll neutralize the opponents attack and be incisive when Pedri has it and the French feel like they'll score if Mbappe gets enough of the ball. And the older strikers being low is because they can't separate and get open well anymore,

*Come to think of it, if the Swiss had just played Okafor in the wing forward role Rashford or Real Madrid Cristiano or Salah play they might have done better since Embolo did set up opportunities for his teammates to hit a through ball since he's not exactly Harry Kane spraying passes himself but did hold it up well, but they chose two wingers who don't run in behind in Shaqiri and Vargas).
 

NoPace

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This chart also shows how poor Mexico were on the ball. Vega looked so lively and dropped deep to get open, he should be with the playmaking wingers not the mostly mid 30s #9s.
 

antohan

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He's evolved a lot since he was first here.

Barca signed him as they were needed a striker, he holds the ball up well and fits possession football. They got him on a free so can make some profit on a transfer too.

I don't know what plans United have, but we sure as hell can't rely on only Rashford/Martial as our strikers.

Memphis is experienced, scores goals and can hold the ball up well in the style we need.
Same mistakes, rinse repeat.

I'm not being facetious. Well, I am, but don't mean to be dismissive of your individual reasoning, more the fact we always end up here making the same assessments in last chance / only option saloon.
 

MexicanCowboy

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Memphis isn't a striker. He played in that position for Barca because we didn’t have anybody else. As soon as Aubameyang joined he was benched.
 

Theo88

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In realistic terms, do we think that Martial is a better player up front than Memphis?

Martial played 9 games with Sevilla last year he didnt score. I believe he was benched / injured and/or out of form?
Memphis played 28 and scored 12.
 

bringbackbebe

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In realistic terms, do we think that Martial is a better player up front than Memphis?

Martial played 9 games with Sevilla last year he didnt score. I believe he was benched / injured and/or out of form?
Memphis played 28 and scored 12.
Martial has something to offer that most others don't & links up well with Rashford in ETH's system of play. Problem is he's a crock & mentally off most of the times. We just need an upgraded version of him. Is Depay that?
 

Theo88

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Martial has something to offer that most others don't & links up well with Rashford in ETH's system of play. Problem is he's a crock & mentally off most of the times. We just need an upgraded version of him. Is Depay that?

I dont know - in all honesty i've seen some highlights from last year and he looked okay - serviceable. obviously those are highlights so everyone looks good there. I'm just a bit perplexed with how easily people dismiss him and use absolute terms when he was able to hold his own for 1 year in barcelona and a tiki-taka high press system when Martial couldnt perform for Sevilla.
 

Isotope

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I really don't see it in him. But i only watch him closely on this WC.
 

JeffFromHK

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a half-year loan with no obligation to buy would make sense for us. We lack strikers and we should not be too picky.
He is a good half-year cover for Martial if Martial needs a rest or gets injured
 

Adam-Utd

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Same mistakes, rinse repeat.

I'm not being facetious. Well, I am, but don't mean to be dismissive of your individual reasoning, more the fact we always end up here making the same assessments in last chance / only option saloon.
Our usual mistake is giving the player a 5 year contract on 200k a week.

We should offer no more than 2 years or 1+1 and go from there. Memphis IS a good player, and we need striker options. Right now there is a very small pool of players that are good enough and available.

We either take a gamble and pay big on somebody like Ramos, or find acceptable short term answers. I don't really understand why people think it has to be a world class or nothing, when we are 1 injury to Martial away from being in big trouble.
 

moses

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I have no idea either, yet.
Martial has something to offer that most others don't & links up well with Rashford in ETH's system of play. Problem is he's a crock & mentally off most of the times. We just need an upgraded version of him. Is Depay that?
We need a version of him that is available, and maybe two more strikers. Depay is potentially a cheap and or short-term fill for one of the two strikers arguably need.
 

Tarrou

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i'd want him if we can get him on a short term deal

we were desperately short before Ronaldo left

I'd rather Memphis starting than say Elanga or some other reserve lad if we need a result for top 4

suffice to say, i would prefer someone better.. but no idea if budget is available for that (Gakpo, Felix)
 

lysglimt

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Loan-deal for 6 months with option to buy would be perfect
 

lysglimt

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i'd want him if we can get him on a short term deal

we were desperately short before Ronaldo left

I'd rather Memphis starting than say Elanga or some other reserve lad if we need a result for top 4

suffice to say, i would prefer someone better.. but no idea if budget is available for that (Gakpo, Felix)
I am convinced we have funds for Gakpo - losing Ronaldos wages should free up sufficient for that.
 

Idxomer

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Loan-deal for 6 months with option to buy would be perfect
Option to buy for a player out of contract in 6 months? He's very likely to cost nothing because he is of no value to Barca.

If he agrees to an 18-months contract, it wouldn't be the worst idea to get him in January. If he demands a 3-year contract, it would be a terrible idea. Depay after all isn't really good at the highest level and also had trouble staying fit in the last year.
 

lysglimt

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Option to buy for a player out of contract in 6 months? He's very likely to cost nothing because he is of no value to Barca.

If he agrees to an 18-months contract, it wouldn't be the worst idea to get him in January. If he demands a 3-year contract, it would be a terrible idea. Depay after all isn't really good at the highest level and also had trouble staying fit in the last year.
ah you are so correct !
 

wolvored

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I can see us going for Gakpo and maybe Depay as well on a 6 month deal. The downside to this though is how many players return to a club and do any good?
 

Zen

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United dropping Rashford? Since Depay barely plays from the centre...