Whoever plays in that role will be mediocre at best, as it doesn't suit any of our players. They'll constantly receive the ball with their back to goal in fairly central, deep positions. Richarlison's probably slightly better suited to it, but it's not great for either of them.
Conte putting together a squad primed to play 352, but then refusing to play 352 continues to baffle me
I don't think that was ever the case. 352 would take out one of our front three from the XI (likely Kulu) and that just isn't/ wasn't happening. 352 would still see Richarlison on the bench anyway. The squad Paratici/ Conte have put together was just a stronger one than last season, which somehow Conte has largely misused. Fans thought Bissouma would displace Hojbjerg in the XI, Spence would eventually displace Emerson/ Doherty, Lenglet would challenge Davies at LCB, Perisic would displace Sessegnon and Richarlison would be the good quality deputy for our front three by upgrading on Lucas and Bergwijn but so far that isn't so, both in terms of upgrading on the other two and also being versatile enough to cover multiple positions adequately.
Richarlison has played 483 minutes for us in the PL across 13 games… please log in to view this image that equates to 5.4 full games for us in the PL please log in to view this image not even 6 full games
I don’t particularly rate him and he’s nowhere near as good as Kane or even Son, but he needs more games and mins before we write him off.
We’ve all wanted a backup for when Kane needs a rest…he’s that man..we weren’t getting anyone on a better level than Richy imo.We bought him to replace Kane upfront throughout the season, it’s up to Conte to use him and use him in his right position. I think Son has been **** this season and needs a stint off the bench. Richarlison was dropping into spaces upfront from the left whilst Kane dropped deep on Sunday…there was a chemistry there and it worked well imo.
Vinicius played 303 minutes in the Prem in 20/21. Bergwijn played 546 minutes in the Prem in 21/22. So Richarlison’s getting about right for a backup in comparison to others. The problem a number of us had was that we didn’t need to spend £60m on someone to fill that role, especially when they’re bang average, more so when that £60m could’ve gone towards a CB or creative player. West Ham just signed Ings for £12m. Fulham got Vinicius on loan. Utd got Weghorst on loan. For a backup forward, that’s the sort of money you only really need to be spending.
He’s better than all them would do a lot better like he does for Brazil if he played up front like he does for Brazil Fulham got Vinicius on loan because he’s **** and no where near the £40 mill Benfica tried to rinse out of us Ings is past it and a lazy purchase nowadays…a journeyman…probably be warming the Everton bench next season Richarlison is quality just needs to settle down and be used correctly…you can’t blame him or belittle his quality just because of the price tag agreed between the 2 clubs. I like what he brings to a game, the very same thing everyone loves about Romero.
Is he better than Ings? On what basis? Ings managed 1 in 2 at Southampton and 1 in 3/4 at Villa. Richarlison managed 1 in 7 at Watford and 1 in 3 at Everton. I’d debate he’s not much better than Bergwijn too based on what we’ve seen. He may be better than Vinicius but Vinicius done his job as a backup well and he didn’t cost us an arm and a leg. How do you expect him to play upfront when we have Kane? You dropping Kane for Richarlison? He’s got a bit of fire in his belly, all well and good having that but you need the quality to match it - he doesn’t.
In terms of Deki there's two ways he could fit into a 352: either in the hole behind the strikers in a 3412, which is the system he was using at Inter, or Conte being Conte the question about whether he saw him as a potential RWB - which can't immediately be ruled out considering Adama Traore was reportedly seen as one last January, as well as recasting Bissouma as a Kante expy
I think that’d mean putting both Son and Kulu in secondary roles though, both can probably play them just as well but I think having them cut inside from out wide is where they do their best work and I also think Kane is the type of player that works best as a solo striker and not as part of a partnership, like the Benzema’s and Lewandowski’s of the world. Kulu at RWB was definitely an intriguing idea earlier in the season but with us at one point going all Southgate with RBs/ RWBs it probably wasn’t something in the long term thinking of the club and again it’d be playing Kulu in a secondary role. Whilst I think 343 is our best formation when all three main forwards are fit and firing, with the CMs we have 352 could definitely have been used more in certain games, as well as switching up the formation mid-game at times. It’s also probably the strongest area of the squad in terms of quality in numbers, none of our five CMs are what I’d consider to be a “weak” player unlike other areas.
It's what happens in football when you say that the sanction is different for accidental and deliberate. On the other hand mistimed tackles can result in a red card and by it's nature mistimed means accidental. So we have no consistency within the rules and that means no consistency in the decisions. We have not found a way around this for a hundred years but now we are using modern technology to help but as we can see in this example it still comes down to the referee to decide. It doesent work as it should because the referees ego is in the way. Maybe, maybe, we should adopt the method used in cricket and give the captain/manager one or two chances to request that VAR decides during a game and take the referee out of that decision. Would that be too disruptive to the game? Probably, but VAR has someway to go from it's present usage if it is deemed to be fair and consistent and the main thing is consistency over the season.
Emerson highlight video not posted by Emerson: Tackles, blocks, interceptions, some decent passes, a goal, getting kick by Romero... it's all there!
Ings is a predator. He'll take chances and he'll run in behind effectively, too. That's basically it, though. He doesn't hold the ball up well, pass well and isn't an aerial threat. Works hard and will run all day when he's fit, but he's got injury issues. I also have no idea where he'd fit into Conte's system. Richarlison's overall game is better, he can play a couple of positions and he matches Ings' workrate. He's more skilful, a better passer, better in the air and his finishing is about the same. There's a reason that one starts for Brazil and the other is on West Ham's bench. Villa obviously preferred Watkins and some wingers as backup or he'd still be there.
I’d take Ings’ finishing ability over Richarlison’s all day long. Being Brazil’s starting striker is a moot point considering he has little competition and there hasn’t been an elite Brazilian striker since probably Ronaldo, as Fred (not that one), Jo, Damiao and Fabiano have all had spells prior. If Richarlison was English though he’d probably only have a couple of caps to his name just like Ings, as Kane, Rashford and possibly Abraham (plus Vardy pre-retirement) would all get in over him. As for versatility I think that’s proving pretty doubtful. Awful on the right, barely much better on the left and so it leaves Kane’s spot to see if he’d be any good but it’s safe to assume he won’t be knocking Kane out of the XI anytime soon. His hold up play really isn’t much special either for a perceived target man, loses/ gives away possession quite frequently.
