this.... he certainly has all the physical attributes to be a top cb in the Prem only time will tell if he has the mentality to learn to adapt and improve personally I think he does have that mentality, he is also hungry.and has a point to prove which is exactly the kind of young players we need.
I'm not saying he's going to be, but yes in theory, every young player has the potential to be World Class when they hit their prime. However probably only 1% or less of players get anywhere close to that though. Some look better at a younger age than others, however for some reason don't improve as much and other's do. Did anyone think Ronaldo would turn out the way he did when he started playing for United?
I understand the point about being to optimistic about new players who have a good start and getting carried away but for me anyway MAMBA has the physical attributes to really be a force in his position... one of the best in the league. the fact he has looked able to cope with the demands of the pl within a few games despite a few dodgy moments (natural for someone new imo) but it looks good for his future.. he could end up a big stupid lump but I just don't see it.
We do have a habit of bigging up young talents like Sterling/Ibe. However, bigging up Sakho is completely justified - Sterling is a youth player with a handful of first team appearances in a struggling LFC team last season. Sakho was fixture for PSG and has won the league title and is French intenrational. Anyways, there is a guy on Youtube who does great videos of individual performances - compiles almost all of the touches by one player over the course of a match, and here is the video of Sakho against Crystal Palace. Enjoy. [video=youtube;mTjCFxsVYSI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTjCFxsVYSI[/video]
This for me is the value of being in the UEFA Cup. Lads like Ilori get some game time. However, let's hope he is thinking that he's got a lot of hard work to do. That's what we want surely. A young, hungry player snapping at the heels of the first teamers As for Sakho he's looked solid so far. Really impressive and a bit of the physicallity we've been crying out for. Totally agree with Jimmy that a player like him can be seen as a marquee signing. 12/18 months ago this lad was one of the best prospects in Europe and we wouldn't have had a hope of seeing him in a Red shirt. No marquee signing guarantees success (or is even guaranteed to be a success) but what we should always be looking for is to sign the best potential we can.
I don't recall... did he not miss a tackle all game or get beaten for pace... or is this only where mummy actually got to touch the ball. Must say mummy is awesome... couple of hoofs but mostly good plays. The odd thing about mummy is every time he kicks the ball you always think from the leg swing its going to be this Mega hard kick... but then its a gentle close pass.
I love the low fast pace passes that he so often plays, they often completely bypass the oppositions whole midfield. I can't remember seeing him misplace one either. I don't buy into this 'every player has the potential to be world class' bollox - some just have that something special about them, and Sakho for me has that. Whether he makes the grade is impossible to call right now, if he works hard and keeps improving then he has a great chance of having that type of label. For example if you compare Sakho and Kelly (I use Kelly as they're the same age) it is clear that Sakho is strides ahead of him, in every aspect of his game. Time will tell, but he definitely has that potential that is rare in a player - whether he works hard enough to change that potential into reality is impossible to predict.
Reminds me of what Fergie said about Dion Dublin once. “The sight of Dion Dublin in the showers is magnificent,” said Sir Alex Ferguson, Dublin’s manager at Manchester United, once upon a time. “I’ve seen some whoppers, but Dion’s is something else"
Yep - his passing is bang on, so too is his touch and control. Would be interesting to see how Kelly would have developed had he not suffered those injuries.
Of course every club will praise their youngsters and we've seen all too often the most promising ones fall through the cracks or not make the grade. Sakho however has been touted as one of the world's best young CB's for years - not just by PSG fans but by many around the world. I remember he's been on all sorts of lists as the best young French player (domestically and internationally). When PSG injected cash into their accounts, he was forced out of the squad (not fully) and was quite simply too good to sit on the bench. Their loss, our gain. However he isn't yet world-class and could very well never make it. It all depends on how he trains, learns, and plays. It also depends on who plays around him and where the club are at in a few years time.
