Angel Gomes

[Marvola]

Lot of pages to work back over - any update on Herc’s mystery injury we’re expecting to come out?

 

[Norn_Iron]

Lot of pages to work back over - any update on Herc’s mystery injury we’re expecting to come out?

I'm assuming it was about Maddison out for a while.

 

[Marvola]

I'm assuming it was about Maddison out for a while.

Ah ok - I thought it has said apart from Maddison / was pointing at another…

cheers!

 

[worcestersauce]

Apparently he was born in Edmonton so it'd be like coming home

 

[PaulThurston]

Apparently he was born in Edmonton so it'd be like coming home

He'll be pining for the delights of Edmonton Green and we can surely play on that.

 

[karennina]

Mansion in Shank Town as a signing on fee

 

[YIDfromtheLANE]

Apparently he was born in Edmonton so it'd be like coming home

Named after Angel Rd/Corner too. Its all aligning.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Apparently he was born in Edmonton so it'd be like coming home

His dad played for Hendon for a year lol. They moved to Salford when Gomes was 2, and he grew up there.

 

[C0YS]

Completely agree, I was pointing out we probably signed him as a marketing exercise first and on pitch considerations second

I think he is a very good talent. And an exceptional 18 year old. Obviously may not make it, but absolutely dominated the K league at a young age. A good signing for the future for sure. But one we are unlikely to truly see how it turns out for another 3-4 seasons minimum.

On Gomes. Seems to me exactly the kind of player we could do with. I get the focus right now is on someone who could support the attack, but I feel midfield is definitely not quite functioning and Gomes offers something a little different so is the deal I want to see more than any other.

 

[Thenewcat]

I think he is a very good talent. And an exceptional 18 year old. Obviously may not make it, but absolutely dominated the K league at a young age. A good signing for the future for sure. But one we are unlikely to truly see how it turns out for another 3-4 seasons minimum.

On Gomes. Seems to me exactly the kind of player we could do with. I get the focus right now is on someone who could support the attack, but I feel midfield is definitely not quite functioning and Gomes offers something a little different so is the deal I want to see more than any other.

To be clear I’m not saying either are or would be bad signings. Personally I don’t think a CM of Gomes’ profile is a high priority for us, but my broader point is they both have other financial factors that I suspect helps get them to the top of our wish list. Yang to keep our dominance in the Korean market as Son winds down, and Gomes because he’s on a free and his wage demands might be manageable

 

[Albertbarich]

He’s a good player but I’d rather get a more defensive midfielder and focus on Tyrese Hall who I love as a player

 

[C0YS]

To be clear I’m not saying either are or would be bad signings. Personally I don’t think a CM of Gomes’ profile is a high priority for us, but my broader point is they both have other financial factors that I suspect helps get them to the top of our wish list. Yang to keep our dominance in the Korean market as Son winds down, and Gomes because he’s on a free and his wage demands might be manageable

I get that point. But I feel that when it comes to Yang the fact he is Korean opens him up to wrongful suspicions that it isn't a footballing choice. It absolutely is. Would be a good signing regardless of nationality. He might not make it, but absolutely is a top prospect, and I think if he weren't korean few would doubt that.

Gomes for me is a high priority. A midfielder who can play deeper and distribute exceptionally well as well as break the lines seems important, particularly as we are struggling to have that calm and keep the ball in midfield. To have a player like that, particularly when we are trying to keep hold of leads, would be super useful to me. But I would want to sign him right now! Not waiting until the summer.

 

[spursville]

I get that point. But I feel that when it comes to Yang the fact he is Korean opens him up to wrongful suspicions that it isn't a footballing choice. It absolutely is. Would be a good signing regardless of nationality. He might not make it, but absolutely is a top prospect, and I think if he weren't korean few would doubt that.

Gomes for me is a high priority. A midfielder who can play deeper and distribute exceptionally well as well as break the lines seems important, particularly as we are struggling to have that calm and keep the ball in midfield. To have a player like that, particularly when we are trying to keep hold of leads, would be super useful to me. But I would want to sign him right now! Not waiting until the summer.

Do you think we'd have enough strength, power, height and aggression in midfield though, if he were paired with Bentancur for example?

 

[C0YS]

Do you think we'd have enough strength, power, height and aggression in midfield though, if he were paired with Bentancur for example?

I mean gomes isn't tall but he is a decent presser. But the way I see his role is not to give those traits. We already have a lot of power. We have Sarr, Bissouma, Deki all have that in abundance.

What I see recently is that we struggle to create fluidity in midfield on occasions. With Deki often playing centrally we seem to often lack something there.

For me Gomes can play any of the roles in midfield. He could play CDM when we want control, and as the more AM position as cover. But, for me what excites me is seeing a midfield three a bit like this:

Gomes - Bissouma - Deki

Where you have the physically of Biss, the powerful running and direct play from Deki and Gomes more to help things keep ticking as well as providing those passes will still maintaining structure and a good presser that can often be lacking from madds who really wants to be playing between the lines.

For me that offers us something different and balanced. This is the thing. I do not necessarily think Gomes would play every game. When you face up against more physical midfields you can bring in sarr.

Similarly if we are ahead and need a bit of calm you can bring him on, a bit like what Hojbjerg did so well last season. He can come on, he keeps the ball and plays it sensibly. Having a player who can receive the ball under pressure and find the right pass is an invaluable skill. We could do with that in our team.

Does he have that physicality, maybe not. But we wouldn't be signing him to give that physicality and personally I don't think our midfield lacks physicality. It lacks poise, things can often get very frantic. Gomes has that, someone who can find calm in chaos.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

We have Sarr, Bissouma, Deki all have that in abundance.

The challenge then is what do we do with a midfield of: Gomes, Bentancur and Bergvall/Maddison?

 

[C0YS]

The challenge then is what do we do with a midfield of: Gomes, Bentancur and Bergvall/Maddison?

But when would you play that midfield? Its like saying the challenge is when you play Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr. Its a weird hypothetical. I think some games, mind, the midfield you show wouldn't be so bad, nor would the one presented above. Gomes offers us things we simply don't have.

It is a good tool to have in our armoury that I think is really lacking.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

But when would you play that midfield? Its like saying the challenge is when you play Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr. Its a weird hypothetical. I think some games, mind, the midfield you show wouldn't be so bad, nor would the one presented above. Gomes offers us things we simply don't have.

It is a good tool to have in our armoury that I think is really lacking.

Assuming we brought in Gomes to play the deeper role - that would likely be the starting CM trio - unless/until we get a RW or Ange prefers Johnson to Deki at RW.

 

[cliff jones]

Do you think we'd have enough strength, power, height and aggression in midfield though, if he were paired with Bentancur for example?

this is the key question isn't it. Bents and Bergvall provide some aggression. We still don't have a feel for what presence Archie might have in there. Under Ange the three are spread out across the pitch, there's no compactness.

 

[C0YS]

Assuming we brought in Gomes to play the deeper role - that would likely be the starting CM trio - unless/until we get a RW or Ange prefers Johnson to Deki at RW.

I think that would be a wrong assumption. I think you buy gomes to primarily compete for one of the two places ahead of DM. DM would be as an option, and would mean Sarr probably playing alongside him.

Deki's best position is CM. Part of the idea of Gomes is he would provide good balance for Deki when playing centrally. I think Deki playing on the right is more to do with Johnsons injury and difficulty finding balance, particularly if you want to shoehorn maddison.

I really don't think about "starting XI". particularly now with all the substitutions allowed. I think of players in terms of tools and what issues they address in helping us win games. If that's from the bench, starting or for depth I'm all for it.

You need to balance out the line up depending on the opposition and other factors. The line up you presented would be imbalanced for most games. But having different players gives us different ways to find balance depending on the opposition and depending on things like injuries loss of form etc.

I Personally think we would have a hell of a lot more points if we had a player like Gomes available. Or, for that matter, if we ket Hojbjerg (though a different kind of player, he did help us slow things down last season). Not because they necessarily be starting games but because they offer solutions to problems that currently we have no easy solution to.

The amount of times we score and then seem to just go in a panic as teams come at us. In part is down to a lack of calm and collectedness in posession. We have to play in a frantic way. Imagine you have or can bring on gomes. Not only can he control the tempo of games but he can do even more. Suddenly you know you have a player you can simply pass the ball into feet and he will have the ability to receive that ball under pressure and turn and wriggle and find that right pass to give us more of a foothold.

That ability is rare. busquets has is Modric has it, Gomes has it. None in our squad have it. That ability alone could help us win games.

 

[spursville]

I mean gomes isn't tall but he is a decent presser. But the way I see his role is not to give those traits. We already have a lot of power. We have Sarr, Bissouma, Deki all have that in abundance.

What I see recently is that we struggle to create fluidity in midfield on occasions. With Deki often playing centrally we seem to often lack something there.

For me Gomes can play any of the roles in midfield. He could play CDM when we want control, and as the more AM position as cover. But, for me what excites me is seeing a midfield three a bit like this:

Gomes - Bissouma - Deki

Where you have the physically of Biss, the powerful running and direct play from Deki and Gomes more to help things keep ticking as well as providing those passes will still maintaining structure and a good presser that can often be lacking from madds who really wants to be playing between the lines.

For me that offers us something different and balanced. This is the thing. I do not necessarily think Gomes would play every game. When you face up against more physical midfields you can bring in sarr.

Similarly if we are ahead and need a bit of calm you can bring him on, a bit like what Hojbjerg did so well last season. He can come on, he keeps the ball and plays it sensibly. Having a player who can receive the ball under pressure and find the right pass is an invaluable skill. We could do with that in our team.

Does he have that physicality, maybe not. But we wouldn't be signing him to give that physicality and personally I don't think our midfield lacks physicality. It lacks poise, things can often get very frantic. Gomes has that, someone who can find calm in chaos.

I’m sorry but Bissouma should not be starting for us. Bentancur and Sarr don’t seem that great at passing either hence the need for Gomes. Our midfield does not look balanced, or controlled. It is struggles to be aggressive and win 50/50s etc. Perhaps a different coach could make them more compact and effective but we’re so far off peak Dembele and Wanyama.