He doesn't come across as an intelligent player and more like Titsup. However, he is a very useful player to have in the squad and on the bench with him being able to play across the back 4.
Mbemba reminds me a lot of Bramble. Has the physical and technical attributes to be a top defender (I think Mbemba is better before we start a debate on that), but he has lapses in concentration, poor positional sense and is frankly a bit thick. The fact that Mbemba still hadn't learned sufficient English to function on a football pitch after a couple of seasons here speaks volumes about the lad. Maybe he needs a transfer to the French league so he can understand what the coaches are asking him to do. I back Rafa 100% on this matter because he will be right. He always is.
Not very useful if 'his head has gone'. Although he does run around like a headless chicken sometimes, tee hee. Honestly, though, watching his positioning throughout the cup game he played at left back this season..... he didn't have a clue. Clark spent most of the game shouting at him and telling him to get in position.
I agree however when we have a need for quite a number of players that will cost a bit having a player who can play in 4 different positions is useful.
Another player that came to us with potential to grow and improve, but didn't. Apart from Lascelles, which other young player that we bought to develop actually improved? Is it poor coaching or a cultural thing with in the club? Or just not doing homework on what the player is like as a person, not just on the pitch?
Rafa has improved: Kenedy Ritchie Lascelles Yedlin Shelvey Diame To name but a few mate. He has the magic touch.
I find it odd that people seem to think that every player continues to improve - maybe he just stopped progressing and was lucky that he was playing in a ****e league before coming to us. For example compare Hugo Viana and C.Ronaldo - when we signed Viana he was rated higher and was better than C.Ronaldo - and we all know how that turned out.
If I'm not imagining it, I remember hearing Ben Arfa being regarded as a better prospect than Messi at one point
What is going on with Merino as well? Surely the lad could have had a run out this afternoon over Haidara?
