I agree with you....see him more as a sub when chasing the game, but I wouldn't start him unless I really had to. I think with Boufal there is the risk of him losing the ball and playing the team into trouble. I agree that he needs to play in the EPL in order to learn and improve, but at the moment he could be too risky for us to start him. Caught between his need to play and our need for points.
I agree, I’v never understood the concept of saving a brilliant player until late in the game. Give him a few starts and see how he does!
A big assumption to think that he will score regularly. If he played regularly, he might....or might not.
The more I watch the goal, the more I notice the footwork. On first viewing it looks like a significantly skilful kick and run goal, but with the slow-mo you see just how much he shifts the ball from side to side which gets him the space to get the shot away. Simply fabulous goal.
I'm playing the devil's advocate....a reaction to everyone jumping on Boufal as the answer to our prayers. Mauricio may start him and if he does, fine....he is the manager and paid to make those decisions. But I don't expect him to make such a decision based on one goal, but rather on what he has seen every week in training.
As well as playing Boufal more regularly, MP also has to play him in the right position. He showed yesterday that he may well be the no. 10 we have all been crying out for.
And saw where he's at his best in possession: picking up the ball early, and running at defenses before they are set. He's significantly less good trying to have a go at a packed box, as most are for that matter. Still needs to improve his off-ball work (he's far too static, when he could be a real weapon making runs off the striker), but our biggest problem is tempo early in possession, and Boufal seems like a ready-made salve for that. Short version: drop Boufal deep to pick up the ball and drive forward, have Boufal play as a support striker when we've worked the ball into the opposition half. Might be a 60 minute role because of the amount of running that would be required of him, but I'd take a dynamic 60 minutes over a languid 90.
I haven't seen many people jumping on him as the answer. That implies that this is all a bit knee-jerk. Several of us have been calling for him to start for a decent run for some time. This is not a reaction (certainly not from me and not from other people on here I could name) to yesterday's goal. He's been showing his class for some time and we've been asking for him for some time. Maybe we see yesterday's perfprmance more as a catalyst for the management team to consider him for a run of starts - they seem curiously resistant to using him for anything other than 15-20 minutes a game. Vin
Actually, a few of us have been calling for Boufal to start a long run of games for a very long time, not because of yesterday's goal. That just made us more adamant he should have that run.
I've not once said that Fran. What I have said for 12 months is that he is incredibly talented and could be the creativity we have been missing. The only way to find out is if he has a run of games.
The thing that struck me about the goal Boufal scored was somehow he knew where to place the ball in a tight situation. He didn’t panic and just blindly shoot. Which is most definitely what we are missing is a cool head in front of goal. Personally I think he needs a few 30 minute runs before he gets the start he craves. I think he would soon be the top assist man more than the top scorer. Just my opinion though........
Agreed. I think we both said from the moment that he walked in the door that he was incredibly talented. But his kind of talent needs games and time. You have to let him make mistakes, play badly even, but eventually talent like he has will come through. Look at the few goals he has scored. They have all been very special. That's what he capable of on a regular basis if he is allowed to find the pace of the Premier League. And he still hasn't found it but he will, if allowed. We've got to allow him too. His type of skill is what I've always watched football for. He's that good he makes it look easy. Every touch he took was a little bit of magic. The silky stepover, as he shifted his weight to confuse the defender, just before he changed back to the right foot to shoot, got me purring. He wasn't even looking anywhere near the ball, but at the defender. That's real top skill. Not many people can do that. Anyway, I've found a proud Moroccan Youtuber who couldn't get enough of the goal against WBA, so decided to include every televised version of it that could be found. Four and a half minutes of it:
There are not many goals I would watch for four and a half minutes. I just watched that twice. What a goal. To sound like a broken record and a few others on here, he is simply the most talented player we have. Channel that into a regular Premier League player and we may just have another £60m + player on our hands. He could be that good. Not a knee jerk from that goal either.
I think it's been clear since he's joins us he's had some serious talent. What's imprested me is in the time he's played over the last couple of games is that he's not given away the ball which hints at a serious improvement in the weaknesses of his game. Really need to see if he can maintain that over 90 minutes. And with the effort he has put in during his appearances I think he deserves the chance to show that.
What do you suggest? Sticking with an attacking lineup that is clearly incapable of causing teams any real problems? Or start with our most technically gifted, creative player, who works hard, yet may lose the ball in the opposition third by trying to making things happen? It's not like losing possession will be the downfall of our team. If anything we need to be prepared to lose the ball, to win it back again when the opposition aren't set up in defence. Our slow build up play is so easy to defend against. Of course, lets stick with Redmond/Davis & Tadic and bore ourselves (and anyone who watches us) to death.
