Toon in talks with Ola Toivonen

Bas Dost transferred to VFL Wolfsburg about two months ago.

 

Lee Ryder has tweeted there is no current interest in Ola Tovoinen

 

We'll just have to wait and see.

 

I want us to add defenders more than anywhere else but LDJ would be more than welcome.

 

right-o, so no response whatsoever on my analysis on Toivonen, thats the third time around im writing a full scoutreport and no one gives a crap. Pisses me off a bit

 

Dude, take it as a compliment. People evidently find your info fact based and hard to argue against. That makes you quite an important opinion source on here. I'll pay you in rep for your services you Dutch tart! keep up the good work.

 

Haha, thanks. Though i write them to give insight for opinionmaking, do you want the player or not for example? Does he fit in the team?
The report should start a discussion, if none starts, well... then im starting to wonder if anyone even read it.

 

Keep doing the reports dude. By the way.. In your opinion... Who are the three biggest prospects in Dutch football in you opinion?

 

Rep

 

Dutch:
Adam Maher(AZ)
Jeffrey Gouweleeuw(SC Heerenveen)
Luuk de Jong/Siem de Jong(yes they are family, FC Twente/Ajax)
Jeroen Zoet(PSV)
Wildschut(VVV Venlo)

Foreign:
Christian Eriksen(Ajax)
Esteban(AZ)
Tyton(PSV)
Vadosz(NEC)

To name a few

 

It was a bit too late last night to pump out three more reports but here they are:

#1 Christian Eriksen: Fantastic attacking midfielder, biggest prospect in years from the Eredivisie. No such talent has been seen since the departure of Sneijder in 2007. He is just 20 years old but his technique, passing and tactical insight are already nearing world class level. He was brilliant in the 2010-2011 season with some beautiful actions and free kick goals. With his 5ft 9 he is not the tallest player around but he compensates that with good anticipation and positioning. Although mentally he is not the strongest player around but he always shows high work rate on the pitch and during training. Eriksen is always in top shape and is rarely injured. Oh, and he is insanely fast.

Video's:

[video=youtube;mNbr9nA7J90]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNbr9nA7J90[/video]

[video=youtube;ity370EUKeQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?src_vid=b7q9Z8fx_Xs&annotation_id=annotation_258455&v=ity370EUKeQ&feature=iv[/video]

[video=youtube;FphUwjVHnJ4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FphUwjVHnJ4[/video]

[video=youtube;lokg5-5Sliw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lokg5-5Sliw&feature=related[/video]

#2 Adam Maher: Had a brilliant 2011-2012 season and has already been included for the Dutch National squad. With his 18 years he is by far the biggest Dutch prospect in years. Although, it might as well be just a big hype built up by the media, and the youngster will crash and burn the coming season. It will be a make or break season for the AZ Alkmaar youngster. Already showing a bit of attitude by stating that he has already outgrown AZ(after just one season) and he wants a transfer to either PSV or Ajax. My gut feeling says needs a reality check first.

Skills: Started last season as an attacking midfielder but after Maarten Mertens came back from injury Gert-Jan Verbeek put him on central midfield. He excelled the most in this position but he is a good AM. Can play as right winger aswell. Great passing, good tactical insight and he can take a free kick if needed, though Rasmus Elm took about 90% of them last season. The kid is inconsistent though, but that comes with his age. He can play brilliant games but he has also been invisable aswell in a couple of games. I do question his work rate, he isn't showing much on the pitch. And with his attitude i suspect he is the complacent type of player and has to mature first in the Dutch league. His speed and acceleration are not too impressive but his endurance and stamina improved greatly during last season. With his 5 ft 7 he lack height to be effective in the air and i have yet to see him win a header in midfielder but he can score a goal if unmarked in the box. His main strenght is his passes with most notably the 'no look pass', i will post a video on that.
He is a very young talent and Manchester United and Barcelona are already showing interest in the player. Though i personally still have my doubts because it has only been just one great season, he might just end up being the next 'Gregory van der Wiel'. But i certainly hope not.

1 minute 24: no look pass
[video=youtube;hl7vGnzF97w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl7vGnzF97w[/video]

[video=youtube;6mAL8jOZu58]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mAL8jOZu58&feature=related[/video]

[video=youtube;WmoqINfk5Os]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmoqINfk5Os[/video]

[video=youtube;NbQ7yWoahJU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbQ7yWoahJU[/video]

#3 Jeffrey Gouweleeuw: This is a personal thing. In this day and age i think we focus too much on strikers, wingers and midfielders. Defenders never get any credit and thus this position lacks popularity to produce great defenders like Jaap Stam, Cafu and Sol Campbell. Defenders like those made strikers pee their pants before the game knowing they had to beat them to score. Defenders these days are marked by their flaws. Agger, Luiz, Mertesacker, Phil Jones, Heitinga and King only shine in the media when they screw up, giving the image that defenders rarely do anything good at all.

Back to Gouweleeuw. He single handedly screwed PSV over in the 2010-2011 season by ruining their title chances. PSV needed to win to stay in the race for the title and Gouweleeuw showed no mercy and destroyed them. The game ended in 2-2. He set up both goals for SC Heerenveen and couldn't do much about the 2 goals conceded. In my opinion he is the best defender prospect the Eredivisie has. He is 20 years old(21 on 10th of July) and his strenght, stamina and endurance are his best skills. He is 6 ft 1 and yet still agile enough to keep up with players like Adam Maher. He is a solid defender, and like Jan Vertonghen can rush to midfield and even till the box. And like Vertonghen, he can score goals. His marking skills still need to improve but his tackling and concentration are good. He got the right mentallity aswell but he lacks consitency, but then again, he is still young. He is fast, and has great technique for a central defender. He can give accurate long passes and take driven free kicks like Jan Vertonghen. He is not the fastest guy around but he is agile and his acceleration is decent. He is very strong in the air, jumping and heading skills are very good but due to inexperience he makes screw ups at times. Like Adam Maher the coming season is a make or break one. He needs to improve in order to transfer to Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV but he is definetly a defender to put on the short list.

[video=youtube;X79NGCSD900]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X79NGCSD900[/video]

[video=youtube;3iUaJ0Jsf6k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iUaJ0Jsf6k[/video]

 

Cheers Cove - he Eriksen classy. I don't always pay a lot of attention to these video montages, as some woeful players can look good in a 2 minute compilation of 'best moments'. Especially those who like little 'flicks 'n tricks' but do stuff all else for 90 minutes. But if as you say, this guy works hard too and has both the skills and end product these ones show, then he looks quality. I guess if he's that good and playing for Ajax, then we could get priced out. I'm sure Carr has his sights on him.

 

Another good review Cove. Again, looks good. But it's things like your concerns over his attitude and work-rate that worry me. When someone is classed as such a 'hot property' at that age, but comes with attitude and ego, then it can often end in someone who either goes off the boil just as quickly, or 'does the rounds' as they never quite settle at any club 9i.e. the smaller clubs are too small for ther own ego, while the biger clubs can afford players with as much ability, but better attitudes).

Anyone, certainly one to look out for. So far, Eriksen looking better to me.

 

Again, good work Cove. I can't seem to view those vids this time, but I like your assessment. Sounds like a very good prospect.

Might be the kind of lad we should nip in for early doors, as if he does have a good season, then more clubs will sniff around and his price will inflate.

Agree that quality defenders seem difficult to come by, so when greatprospects do appear, they are worth grabbing. I think it's partly the way the game has evolved. There was a time when defenders were truly feared and had strikers beaten before a ball was kicked. but now, the attacking players know that if they come within half a yard, then a quick dive to floor clutching face will win them a free kick / penalty. So defenders have to be more careful, sometimes leading to them looking exposed.

I'd actually rather see us get a young quality centre back and a full-back, rather than more strikers / midfielders. And if we then don't sell any of our key players, that will do me nicely.

Good work Cove!!

REP coming your way when I'm out of jail.

 

Is Cove, Graham Carr in disguise?

 

I think Cove is Carr's main scout in the Netherlands - he has them everywhere.

 

Dub dub dub, dib dib dib.

 

I wish i was on the payroll of NUFC, i'm asking 5k a week, a merc, and business class seats if Carr wants me.

 

What is it you do drive? what litre engine and is it manual or auto?

 

He's just a kid, it's a pedal car.