Chelsea selling Batshuayi to Dortmund, which frees up Aubameyang to go to Arsenal, so that Chelsea can sign Andy Carroll Chelsea have a very strange transfer strategy.
Anyone giving Shane abuse on twitter cannot be a football fan. They are allowed not to like, also not to rate him, but the fact is he gets picked by the gaffer, then plays 100% every game. Can't say that for everyone stepping out for us.
I haven't read anything about it but that is hardly a surprise. He's not blind after all. What a mess. I hope Staveley's next call is to Gao.
Those two sentences immediately made me think of Donald Trump. Don't know why ...But that should go to the other thread
He's spent 9 seasons in the PL (mostly with us), a few with Reading who he got promoted (and relegated) with, West Brom and Hull. So not exactly a glamorous CV (by PL standards). West Brom fans were glad to see the back of him, and Hull fans couldn't believe we bought him off them especially at the price we paid. It's obvious what he offers, he runs, he hassles and makes defenders uncomfortable, sometimes. Can you please elaborate on what he's 'very good' at because I don't see it? His passing is poor, his first touch is poor, his dribbling is poor, his decision making with the ball is poor, he doesn't hold the ball up very well, his finishing is awful for a striker, and he gives away so many stupid freekicks. He was good against Watford, but that was his best performance in god knows how long. Lets not forget that he also missed a guilt edge chance in the first half against them because he wasn't able to divert a ball into an empty from about 4 yards out net first time. He took a touch, set himself and gave their defender time to get a block in. And yes, I would say all of that to his face. What's he going to do, punch me?
He does hold the ball up well. But the main thing he brings to the team is obviously movement which is something pretty vital in football and the lack of it has been our main weakness for 2 seasons. you can have a great passer or dribbler, but if you don't have somebody putting pressure on the defence and dragging them out of position then you don't don't have the space to pass/dribble into and you just end up playing it backwards. the main problem with long is that we have nobody really to get into that space and actually score the goals when we play Long as the striker. It's why he was much better alongside Mane and only scored 1 less goal than Mane that season.
He doesn't hold the ball up well, he just makes some defenders lives difficult but that usually just results in him giving a freekick away. I'm struggling to think of many instances where he's received the ball to feet, under pressure and held the ball up and brought someone else in to play. The idea that he drags defences out of position if also a myth, or at least highly exaggerated. Against teams that play a high line, or just generally are bad defensively then he can cause them problems, but his glaring limitations with the ball means that usually nothing comes from it. I'm not denying his purple patch of goals from that 3/4 month period under Koeman, but that's the exception to his career other than the rule. He's not good enough to be in the first 11 of a Premier League team that has any ambition of playing good football. He's not a bad option to have off the bench when the game is stretched though.
Yeah, i'm just going to disagree with your entire first paragraph. Statistically he averages a foul and a half a match and wins as many free kicks as that(which holds the ball up), you just have to look at the counter attack for our second goal to show the type of space he creates. And his presence on the pitch forces players not to play the high line as you pointed out which is another bonus for him being on the pitch. I'm not saying i want him as first choice just that he does bring things to the team when he's on.
Without splitting hairs he's averaged over 2 fouls per 90 minutes over the last 2.5 seasons. The second goal was woeful defending and he isn't going to be up against Watfords second choice defence every week. You seem to be highlighting the few occasions where he has benefited the team and ignoring the countless times where his lack of ability has hindered us. He missed out on an open goal against Watford because he's unable to divert a ball accurately first time. Your last point about his presence causing opposition players to not play a high line, and that somehow being a bonus: A) Teams do play high lines against us, more so when we're away from home, look at Watford for starters. B) How is it advantageous for us to have teams sit deep against us, especially with Long on the pitch where his best attributes are nullified?
From my memory he missed out on the goal against Watford because he was caught flat footed after the ball was deflected behind him and he had to shift his bodyweight due to the momentum. He did very well to bring that under control and create the chance to shoot. Austin has missed several similiar chances. I would say you are simply missing his contributions. for example focusing on fouls he gives away which is nowhere near as important as winning free kicks or winning the ball back when you're in the opposition area. so if its 50 50 between wining a free kick or giving one away like the stats show then you'll obviously take that. and its better odds than that due to the successful tackles which is about 1.5 per game. For your last point. The more players they keep back the easier it is to defend and the greater the pressure you can put on them. Look at our matches and how we've sat back to see why that is beneficial to the opposition. When we actually attack then Long can put our opponents under pressure and we go 2 up. when we sit back and long gets isolated then they play the high line and we concede twice. as i said, the main problem with long is he needs somebody else beside him as he's not a threat by himself.
That's not how I recall it, it was a cross in to the box which came through a few bodies, he took a touch, hesitated slightly then let a shot off. The fact that he was flat footed (if what you're saying is true) is just another reason why he's not worth starting. No striker worth their salt should be flat footed in that situation, it should have been an easy tap in. Austin has missed plenty of sitters, and I've pointed that out in the past too. I am not missing his contributions, I acknowledge them when they occur, my argument is that he wastes a hell of a lot more good opportunities than he utilises. But if teams sit back against us when Shane Long is playing then he's not going to be any use in breaking down a defence, where we'd need players with good touch and technique to work in tighter spaces. Long was isolated because Watford brought on game changers and used them excellently and just generally had a rocket up their arse in the second half. which we had no answer to - due to our centre backs being scared of physical. aerial battles. I wouldn't start him in my team, with or without a partner. Our squad needs a pretty big overhaul, he could survive it depending on what other players we'd have and what their attributes are. But ultimately he's just a physical, hard working player. There's really not a lot else to his game.
