I have to agree with those who say the "City Transfers" thread has become terminally boring. So after viewing the highlights of the last two matches on Tiger Player I thought Alukos apparent revitalisation might be worth discussing. From the fairly brief viewings of him against Huddersfield and Accrington, admittedly not the most challenging of oppositions, he has looked like the Aluko who showed such exciting promise when he first came to us in the Championship a few years. Injuries then set him back, he lost confidence, and he became a shadow of his former self. Will this be his "Breakout Year" when he becomes one one of the most feared players in the Division. He looks fast, strong, direct, and very skilful. He is not running round in circles, he is passing the ball, and he's opening up space for the strikers. Where will Bruce play him (hopefully not up front), and where does he fit? Its a key question. He's too valuable a player to be coming on as a late game substitute IMO. I'd be very interested in any comments on Aluko, and what our best line up might look like.
Aluko can play like his arse is on fire when he wants to but was out of his depth in the Premier League. He has a golden opportunity to show what a great player he can be if he stops playing for himself and plays 'team' football. He is an attacking mid-fielder and I would like to see him coming in to the penalty area, drawing the opposition and then getting the ball to someone who has found the 'empty space'. In the past he just continued on until he has lost the ball with our 'strikers' screaming for it. Nobody has appeared to be able to 'mentor' him into 'bonding' with his team-mates so maybe this could be his year. I do hope so.
Aluko is best utilised in the attacking midfield role, or out wide on a wing I think. He's not the sort of player who is suited to the striker role, particularly the way we play.
Aluko, like Tom Ince, is a v good championship player, but just lacking when it comes to the prem. If you think back to our promotion year he was brilliant first half of the season but then got injured before Christmas and a lot on here were gutted when it happened and saying it could harm our prospects of promotion. If we keep him injury free all season he will defo be up there on the MOM ratings for sure
Aluko certainly has talent but his main problem has always been his decision making - he gets his head down and lacks awareness of what his team mates are doing. Hence his apparent greediness, the tendency to try and beat the same man twice and also his reluctance to get a shot in when the opportunity arises. He is definitely most effective when teams give him more time on the ball - this was particularly noticeable in the pre-season matches. He could have a very good season and, if the penny drops about looking up more, could still become a decent premier league player - only problem is he is getting to the stage in his career when major changes in technique are less likely to be achieved.
Like Tigeroo says, Aluko is a selfish self centred player who needs to learn how to play the team game. Then and only then will he be looked at as a player with promise. A really good Championship player, but the jury is out on him being a decent Premier league player, and the possible verdict doesn't look good
I seem to remember the first half of our game against West Ham, where Aluko worked his way into the box well about four or five times but didn't pull the trigger, and everyone moaning that he needed to shoot more..
It was a very good pass, if he can keep coming up with stuff like that, he'll be a very handy player again. Be interesting to see if Bruce plays him behind Akpom on Sunday, Jelavic has so far been a waste of a shirt.
Steady on OurLord&Master, members of this board have been known to give a 'striker' 4 years to settle in, 40 games and 2 goals and criticize every other player on the pitch before writing a 'striker' () off and even then won't have a word said against him!
He's a bit like the manager, great in the Championship but average in the top flight. I always thought he had the potential to play at the highest level but going on the last few seasons he doesn't seem to have great decision making or clinical enough finishing, he dallys on the ball.
Will have to re-think my position on keeping Jelavic if he is having some sort of diva reaction to the Championship, I thought he was better than that as a pro
He's done that a few times before. I've said it before but I think Aluko's forward passing is better than most of our team. He's wasted up front pretending to be a target man; give him the ball facing the right way and he can cause problems with balls like that.
So I'm confused, is Jelavic a striker or a 'striker'? Is it possible for him to go from striker to 'striker'? Is that what has happened?
Love Archer, have a watch of Bojack Horseman that's pretty good too, slightly different sort of theme though
