Xavi Simons

[Ace Face]

I think I’d go Sarr over Palhinha right now for that momentum from KO…bring on Palhinha to help close a game out (oh how we wish!)…

Tbh mate, I really struggle to see what Sarr offers other than running. Not particularly good at defending, keeping possession or creating opportunities. I’ll grant he has a decent eye for goal but not good enough overall for me, especially in our current situation.

Palhinha adds that bite and attitude…just don’t expect him to break the press!

 

[thfcsteff]

Tbh mate, I really struggle to see what Sarr offers other than running. Not particularly good at defending, keeping possession or creating opportunities. I’ll grant he has a decent eye for goal but not good enough overall for me, especially in our current situation.

Palhinha adds that bite and attitude…just don’t expect him to break the press!

I'd have him for energy and mobility. I love Pahlinha's vibe but just think maybe we need to start this one with energy throughout. Pape can surge with the ball too.

 

[SteveAWOL]

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[billyiddo]

Now do it in the PL

 

[thfcsteff]

Now do it in the PL

Now let's continue to play him the PL with the type of team and attitude we have carried the last two games.

 

[El Dante]

This didn’t age well. I still back him to make it with us but it’s very tough days right now.

This followed me saying he would be a club legend. He was then sent off v Liverpool.

He has the ability to make it. He has the mentality and work rate to make it. I think he will be there especially when we have an operational attack. He can then link well with the better players and show exactly what he’s about as he did last night.

He was the one attacking midfielder I most wanted last summer. And after some tough days I believe he is ready to fly. And when he does it will be because he dug deep, he put in extra training, he worked hard both on and off the pitch to succeed. So it will be great to see him thrive.

 

[Muttley]

Tbh mate, I really struggle to see what Sarr offers other than running. Not particularly good at defending, keeping possession or creating opportunities. I’ll grant he has a decent eye for goal but not good enough overall for me, especially in our current situation.

Palhinha adds that bite and attitude…just don’t expect him to break the press!

I'm thinking that if I was in an opposition player I wouldn't want to play against Sarr. He has boundless energy and is in your face for the entire game. He stifles you in possession and he makes you chase him at pace when his team have the ball. I think it's easier to setup against Palhinha as he does what it says on the box. What I'm a little disappointed about is that all this turmoil at our club is stopping Sarr from perhaps getting the missing pieces. I'd love to think that Sarr could just press a button and play a la Palhinha in the 6 role. We already know guys like Gray absolutely can switch between 6, 8 and even 10. I'm not sure Sarr is one of those. He's got a bit of that "heart rules head" in him and can horribly be out of position. Not like Sissoko who would just vacate the midfield space completely and do what he wants though.

 

[billyiddo]

Now let's continue to play him the PL with the type of team and attitude we have carried the last two games.

Done it in previous European games also iirc - AM left a lot of space for Xavi to drive in to between their defensive and midfield lines and they only had two central midfielders vs Gray/Sarr/Xavi - it's a numerical advantage you don't tend to get in the PL.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I'm thinking that if I was in an opposition player I wouldn't want to play against Sarr. He has boundless energy and is in your face for the entire game. He stifles you in possession and he makes you chase him at pace when his team have the ball. I think it's easier to setup against Palhinha as he does what it says on the box. What I'm a little disappointed about is that all this turmoil at our club is stopping Sarr from perhaps getting the missing pieces. I'd love to think that Sarr could just press a button and play a la Palhinha in the 6 role. We already know guys like Gray absolutely can switch between 6, 8 and even 10. I'm not sure Sarr is one of those. He's got a bit of that "heart rules head" in him and can horribly be out of position. Not like Sissoko who would just vacate the midfield space completely and do what he wants though.

Sarr's only 23. Remember Dembele was 25 when he signed for us, and didn't become the player we all loved for another year or two after that.

 

[Muttley]

Sarr's only 23. Remember Dembele was 25 when he signed for us, and didn't become the player we all loved for another year or two after that.

Yeah, it's a good point.

I think my point was if our club could get some coaching stability like the boys had under Poch then we could perceive him very differently

 

[Gazza]

Like I may have mentioned previously, has shades of modric when he first came to us.

Needs to toughen up as modric was became a tough little nut after his first year of floating around in the wind.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Sarr's only 23. Remember Dembele was 25 when he signed for us, and didn't become the player we all loved for another year or two after that.

That’s a common fallacy about Dembele on here, he was fantastic alongside Sandro under AVB at the start and in CM for Fulham, it’s the reason we bought him after all. It just took a bit of time for Poch to understand what he had, preferring to play him AM to start with. Similar to Harry and Modric..

 

[Gutter Boy]

That’s a common fallacy about Dembele on here, he was fantastic alongside Sandro under AVB at the start and in CM for Fulham, it’s the reason we bought him after all. It just took a bit of time for Poch to understand what he had, preferring to play him AM to start with. Similar to Harry and Modric..

Wasn't that the 'turgid' period? And Poch's first intervention was to clear out all the CMs and play Mason and Bentaleb who could actually transition the ball. Poch then coached Dembele for a year on releasing the ball, which was the final piece missing in his jigsaw

 

[parklane1]

I really believe that he has the ability and desire to be a top player for us. Keep it up son.

 

[fernadez]

I think as he adapts and stops trying to run into on coming traffic he'll up his level again.

There's no way he's outpacing and going to be stronger in those battles so he needs to be smarter. Less running in straight lines with the ball and more turns.

Credit to him that he's not afraid to head straight into a ruck though.

 

[Ace Face]

I'm thinking that if I was in an opposition player I wouldn't want to play against Sarr. He has boundless energy and is in your face for the entire game. He stifles you in possession and he makes you chase him at pace when his team have the ball. I think it's easier to setup against Palhinha as he does what it says on the box. What I'm a little disappointed about is that all this turmoil at our club is stopping Sarr from perhaps getting the missing pieces. I'd love to think that Sarr could just press a button and play a la Palhinha in the 6 role. We already know guys like Gray absolutely can switch between 6, 8 and even 10. I'm not sure Sarr is one of those. He's got a bit of that "heart rules head" in him and can horribly be out of position. Not like Sissoko who would just vacate the midfield space completely and do what he wants though.

Don't disagree with any of that. But going back to Sarr, outside of having tons of energy/covering a lot of ground, I don’t see another attribute that he is above-average at, and good PL midfielders need to be exceptional at one, maybe two parts of their game. Moving forwards if we are to get to where we want to be I don’t think either player offers enough to be a part of that squad.

But, having said that, he has played well the last two games in a more disciplined role. If he can improve on his passing or become more press-resistant then he could have a future with us. However it has been four (?) seasons now with some improvement but not enough to make me believe he is a long-term answer for us. That’s all.

 

[Ace Face]

Sarr's only 23. Remember Dembele was 25 when he signed for us, and didn't become the player we all loved for another year or two after that.

Don’t want to be a Debbie-downer after the past two good performances but you could use that metric for every single 23 year-old player.

 

[parj]

Now let's continue to play him the PL with the type of team and attitude we have carried the last two games.

Absolutely this. Bring him on when we losing already or give him no runners but let's blame him.

 

[parj]

Don't disagree with any of that. But going back to Sarr, outside of having tons of energy/covering a lot of ground, I don’t see another attribute that he is above-average at, and good PL midfielders need to be exceptional at one, maybe two parts of their game. Moving forwards if we are to get to where we want to be I don’t think either player offers enough to be a part of that squad.

But, having said that, he has played well the last two games in a more disciplined role. If he can improve on his passing or become more press-resistant then he could have a future with us. However it has been four (?) seasons now with some improvement but not enough to make me believe he is a long-term answer for us. That’s all.

Every team needs someone just chasing players to force them into mistakes. I would pick him every week if he could be trusted to mark a player

 

[SubZero]

That’s a common fallacy about Dembele on here, he was fantastic alongside Sandro under AVB at the start and in CM for Fulham, it’s the reason we bought him after all. It just took a bit of time for Poch to understand what he had, preferring to play him AM to start with. Similar to Harry and Modric..

Absolutely, Dembele's strengths was there for all to see. He was one of the best in the world at consistently moving the play, bringing the ball from his own half into the opposition area safely, alone or with the help of others. No need for 167 passes in all sorts of directions to advance 10 yards. Just him and his magnetic boot. You could commit as a team, not fearing that he would misplace a simple 8 foot pass, putting the team on the back foot, or wander aimlessly into a wall. I like Sarr, but I fail to see a single Dembele fibre in him.