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Player Watch Player Watch: Giovani Lo Celso

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Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
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You make a some good points although it was clear when we bought Lo Celso It was meant as an Eriksen replacement to play as a 10 or in the attacking roles rather than 8. If he was signed as an 8 I would have been fully behind signing Fernandes as well.

Although I’m sure this conversation will be redundant when both Lo Celso establish themselves as some of the top midfielders in the prem next season.
Yeah it's true - Lo Celso was obviously earmarked as the more attacking option and we were crying out for a Dembele replacement so who better than Ndombele?

Just a shame things didn't work out a bit differently, but either way we've signed a huge talent so can't be too disappointed.
 

djee

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2004
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Bruno is a wonderful player and fits that Utd team perfectly - particularly with Pogba (world-class). He has the license and freedom to create in the final third with a very settled team behind him.

Gio has been filling in various positions because, frankly, he is an absolutely incredible footballer that can play anywhere across the midfield. The exciting part is that in a more attacking role, he has proven to be devastating at Betis - notching up a ridiculous number of assists/goals in his last season.

They are both very fine players but in terms of versatility and what our club needs, Mourinho is on good grounds to claim he would not swap. What we do need (as mentioned by others) is a top DM that will make Gio an even more effective deep-lying playmaker, or further up the pitch as a number 10.

In a season that, to borrow the modern parlance, can get in the bin, Gio has been a pleasure to watch and I can't wait to see what he can do for us in the future.
 

rossdapep

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Aug 25, 2011
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A lot of regret on not bringing in Bruno but I think Lo Celso can offer us a lot, we just need a better balance in midfield which has been mentioned already.

As we are going to rely more on counter attacking football and as we may be missing a midfielder who scores as frequently as Bruno, I wonder if Coutinho on loan would be a good option. I think he'd offer us that threat from outside the area too, which we don't tend to have a lot of. Although they'd be a question mark over his defensive capabilities.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
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If he has a better career than Eriksen I’ll be very impressed.
I think he might have a higher ceiling. Eriksen is obviously a brilliant player, but his is more of a quiet brilliance. He racks up goals and assists and ties the team together, but very rarely, if ever, does he grab a game by the scruff of the neck. I think this is ultimately why none of the mega clubs ever seriously went in for him.

Lo Celso looks a bit more decisive in that sense. You can imagine him really getting stuck in, beating a man, and being the driving force of the entire team.
 

danielneeds

Kick-Ass
May 5, 2004
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I think he might have a higher ceiling. Eriksen is obviously a brilliant player, but his is more of a quiet brilliance. He racks up goals and assists and ties the team together, but very rarely, if ever, does he grab a game by the scruff of the neck. I think this is ultimately why none of the mega clubs ever seriously went in for him.

Lo Celso looks a bit more decisive in that sense. You can imagine him really getting stuck in, beating a man, and being the driving force of the entire team.
Lo Celso’s got the quick feet and acceleration to escape good marking. That was always Eriksen’s weakness - against the best teams with really top defensive markers he couldn’t always engineer that time and space.

I don’t think Gio’s got the same level of vision that Eriksen gave us though, so in the end they are quite different players.
 

Snarfalicious

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2012
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Fernandes has hit the ground running and part of his game is always going to shine because he’s so progressive with the ball. He shoots on sight and basically tries every single pass that he feels has a glimmer of a chance. It makes for an all-action attacking midfielder/central midfield hybrid. That’s all well and good and he would have absolutely been a fantastic Eriksen replacement given how the Dane played when he was at his peak.

Since Modric left we have been looking for his replacement. Even at the pinnacle of his time with us, Dembele controlled the midfield but didn’t always dictate play like Modric did. Lo Celso is, for me, as close as we could hope to get for a Modric replacement, the metronome midfielder, and because of what that can mean for both attack and control of possession, I see that as more valuable to prolonged success, but that is a personal thing, I presume.

In an ideal world, Fernandes replaced Eriksen from an advanced creative outlet and Lo Celso Modric/Dembele From the midfield controller perspective.

Obviously, the wild card is Ndombele. We know Ndombele looks like Dembele given his close control, dribbling and ability to glide past players. What we also know is he looks to be far more comfortable in the final third than Dembele. If we can pair Lo Celso with a true enforcing DM, with Ndombele playing the most advanced role to limit the need for him to lock down a certain area of the pitch through defensive work rate, we could seriously be on to something.

I think that about sums up the situation. Nothing revelatory but my general viewpoint. Basically, Lo Celso is love, Lo Celso is life, Ndombele could be really fun to watch in a free attacking role and Fernandes is basically Eriksen on cocaine.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Fernandes has hit the ground running and part of his game is always going to shine because he’s so progressive with the ball. He shoots on sight and basically tries every single pass that he feels has a glimmer of a chance. It makes for an all-action attacking midfielder/central midfield hybrid. That’s all well and good and he would have absolutely been a fantastic Eriksen replacement given how the Dane played when he was at his peak.

Since Modric left we have been looking for his replacement. Even at the pinnacle of his time with us, Dembele controlled the midfield but didn’t always dictate play like Modric did. Lo Celso is, for me, as close as we could hope to get for a Modric replacement, the metronome midfielder, and because of what that can mean for both attack and control of possession, I see that as more valuable to prolonged success, but that is a personal thing, I presume.

In an ideal world, Fernandes replaced Eriksen from an advanced creative outlet and Lo Celso Modric/Dembele From the midfield controller perspective.

Obviously, the wild card is Ndombele. We know Ndombele looks like Dembele given his close control, dribbling and ability to glide past players. What we also know is he looks to be far more comfortable in the final third than Dembele. If we can pair Lo Celso with a true enforcing DM, with Ndombele playing the most advanced role to limit the need for him to lock down a certain area of the pitch through defensive work rate, we could seriously be on to something.

I think that about sums up the situation. Nothing revelatory but my general viewpoint. Basically, Lo Celso is love, Lo Celso is life, Ndombele could be really fun to watch in a free attacking role and Fernandes is basically Eriksen on cocaine.
Yeah the dream would be Hojbjerg or some other proper defensive-minded midfielder, with Lo Celso and Ndombele in front of him. I think one of the reasons Ndombele is really struggling to get games is because, aside from Skipp, we don't have any proper DMs in the squad to cover his arse.

Kane
Son------------------Bergwijn
Ndombele---Lo Celso
Hojbjerg/DM
Get better fullbacks and we have a really impressive first 11 with great depth provided by Alli, Sissoko, Winks, Lamela, Lucas, etc.
 

EQP

EQP
Sep 1, 2013
7,958
29,657
He looked very labored and just kept slipping on the field. Not his best game and it shows that if he struggles, the team struggles.
 

Hoddle&Waddle

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2012
8,337
17,565
We've got so many players that play the same positions.

Yet apart from a youngster we don't even have a single player that can play deep in midfield. Or a back up striker.

Absolute joke it really is.
 

thebenjamin

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2008
12,164
38,545
I really think he needs to be further forward. We have absolutely zero creativity in the final 3rd. He's good in CM but we need someone who can create some chances, and he's basically the only person we've got capable of doing it.
 

ILS

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2008
3,803
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This guy scored 16 goals lasts season playing as a number 10. He should be the one driving forward with the ball and playing in the front three. Yes he is good playing deeper but I think he would be another level playing further forward. Just need to find the right combination behind him.
 
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