Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread
He's not very good in wide areas...very much a central player. Moreover I think AVB prefers wide forwards on the flanks more than anything else, though I guess an inverted playmaker is possible if they are prolific. Holtby is not a goalscorer though, more of a creator, perhaps even a deeplying playmaker.
Holtby's style is described as a cross between Modric and VdV...someone who assists the assist, while also capable of direct throughballs. I don't expect him to come anywhere near their playmaking level next season just yet though. For example, for an AM his key passes creation isn't very high (1.4 per game compared to, say, Modric's and VdV's approx. averages of 2.5 last season, and Moutinho's 3.5 this season) but that could be an issue of Schalke's style or usage of him and his own form this season. There's also a lot of qualities that aren't really embodied in stats...if he's more intelligent with the ball than our current players, he could improve us immeasurably as a team. Certainly at only 22, you'd expect him to have plenty of time and room to improve!
In truth I think someone more VdV in terms of direct productivity (goals, assists, chance creation) would fit our team better, especially since we don't have a prolific lone striker atm, but there's no doubt Holtby makes far more financial sense than the likes of Isco and Willian, leaving us more resources to strengthen elsewhere. He's also quite tough defensively, which fits in with AVB's team ethos and high pressing game.
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My guess is that we'll be looking for a more prolific lone forward this summer so that we're not so dependent on the No. 10 to score, as we were with VdV. (Easier said than done, as we all know! But that would explain why we're so interested in Leandro despite his awfulness with his back to goal and link-up play.... he's quite good facing forward.) That would change our playing style from Ade drifting out and linking up play to leave space for Bale/VdV to score from the vacated center, to a more vertical, less organic, more systematic style with Holtby acting as a creative hub pulling the strings for a fluid front three.
You can see how this could work if Holtby is very fast in the head and visionary with the field - both Sandro and Dembele are wonderful interceptors and tacklers, and can feed him to feed the front three quickly, while Dembele's dribbling and surging runs draws markers to leave others in more space. Lennon would have to become more wing forward-esque in scoring (as he is already starting to do of late), while Dembele would have to get faster with transitioning the ball rather than hanging on to it. And our FBs need to become... well, more intelligent, because running forward and crossing into the box just isn't going to work against the inevitable parked bus (though Naughton seems to have an eye for a throughball).
You can see how this counterattacking approach would naturally compel teams to sit back, esp against our front three's pace. Nobody wants to give Bale space. So we have to be fluid and clever enough to drag teams out of shape, and be capable of swift one-touch passing in every position. Coaching of movement plus the understanding that comes with relative team stability will help, but I think that striker position is going to become even more important this summer.
