Nicolò Zaniolo

[spursfan77]

Interested to see where Conte wants to play him. We’re still a top class central midfielder away from really pushing on.

It will be as an option in attack I suspect. It’s where we need another player.

 

[THOWIG]

We have 4 ideal central midfielders for Conte's system. We won't be buying a creative central mf and don't need to. Creation of chances comes from the practised plays and system he trains. High, wide wing backs and front three dropping in and linking up. Look at yesterday - assists from Emerson (2), Kulu and Sonny.

Don’t need a creative attacking midfielder, but we do need someone who can control the play and pass forward.

 

[spids]

Don’t need a creative attacking midfielder, but we do need someone who can control the play and pass forward.

Bentancur and Højbjerg have proven they can both do this. Højbjerg made the most progressive passes in the PL last season. Bissouma when at Brighton has also shown he can do this very well. And Skipp is a real prospect in this regard too. We are very well stocked in CM

 

[THOWIG]

Bentancur and Højbjerg have proven they can both do this. Højbjerg made the most progressive passes in the PL last season. Bissouma when at Brighton has also shown he can do this very well. And Skipp is a real prospect in this regard too. We are very well stocked in CM

Don’t agree sorry. We need a controller. Appreciate we want different things though.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Don’t need a creative attacking midfielder, but we do need someone who can control the play and pass forward.

Do we? Hojberg was doing a lot of this yesterday. I suspect Conte h
Is happy with his 4 options in midfield + Sarr. We haven’t been linked to any other CMs this window and there is no indication we’ll switch to 352 anytime soon.

 

[JacoZA]

Don’t agree sorry. We need a controller. Appreciate we want different things though.

What do you mean when you say a controller? Because I think a lot of the debate at the moment is down to people having different interpretations of terms.

 

[Woodyy]

I haven’t been following this transfer deal much but is the general consensus still mixed as to whether he’d be a good buy?

I’m at the point where if Conte wants him I’m on board but whenever I’ve watched him I’ve never been that impressed?

 

[Harrier]

Don’t need a creative attacking midfielder, but we do need someone who can control the play and pass forward.

You mean like Kulu yesterday?!

I don’t think we’ll play with a traditional number 10.

Conte will possibly use Harry and Kulu interchanging to unlock stubborn defences.

 

[mil1lion]

I mean with 9 players named on the bench how can anyone not be happy to get Zaniolo? Even if you have a preference on someone else you can't not be happy with this one surely

 

[Tucker]

I mean with 9 players named on the bench how can anyone not be happy to get Zaniolo? Even if you have a preference on someone else you can't not be happy with this one surely

Yeah, I’m not 100% on him, but I’m happy to trust Paratici and Conte and see how he comes on with us. They seem adept at taking un-fancied players and making them incredibly effective.

I don’t think he’ll be the kind of player that’s going to take us up a level, but he’ll definitely improve our depth and give us something different to what we already have.

 

[barry]

Don’t agree sorry. We need a controller. Appreciate we want different things though.

Who do you suggest out of interest?

 

[TPdYID]

Who do you suggest out of interest?

Dear lord…

Here comes another 100 pages of the merits to signing James Maddison.

(Rinse & Repeat)

 

[robotsonic]

When you see the way that we played yesterday, you can see why we're after this guy above Paqueta and Maddison. Once we'd completed the comeback, we looked largely imperious with a bunch of heavily drilled physical beasts strolling around the middle of the park that never for a second looked outmatched or gassed out. I don't think that Antonio is after anything but absolute machines of players in every position, and Zaniolo's height and strength have got to be putting him at the top of the list. He keeps going on and always has done since the minute he showed up about the physicality of the league, and he's building a squad to just bully other teams in a war of attrition if needs be.

 

[HildoSpur]

Don’t agree sorry. We need a controller. Appreciate we want different things though.

Conte doesn't think so by the looks of it

 

[littlewilly]

Why try to thread pretty passes through the middle, which are so often wasteful, when you can overpower teams on the flanks?

 

[iddebu52]

So so many Contes in here???

 

[spids]

Don’t agree sorry. We need a controller. Appreciate we want different things though.

I get what you’re saying (I think), you’d like a Modric or a Thiago as an upgrade on Højbjerg. I really don’t think Conte wants that type of player. He keeps on about the importance of physicality in the PL, of what he calls ‘modern’ football. He wants two CMs who are allrounders, but with great engines, discipline and execution of his game plan. Højbjerg has some obvious limitations (when compared with a Modric or a Thiago), but he is over 6’ tall, he wins a *lot* of tackles, interceptions and headers and is a very progressive passer despite limited scanning ability and a reluctance or inability to be spontaneously creative. I personally really like the balance of our team and the depth to our squad. I think we will score a lot of goals whilst having one of the meanest defences, all built on the platform that is our solid CM.

 

[rawhide]

So so many Contes in here???

Just without the contract, wages, reputation and results.

It’s so tiresome to hear opinion after opinion on why what they want is better than what the actual person whose opinion matters wants, and why they are better and more knowledgeable than people who actually get paid millions to do the job professionally.

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s a football forum and discussion is important. But it isn’t discourse. There’s no listening, understanding others point of view, analysis of the facts and importantly changing of stance based on the evidence presented. It’s “I’m only tolerating your words so I can get to the point where I can tell you why you’re wrong and I’m right”.

And it’s damn tedious to read post after post, page after page of the same parroted stance. Unmoving, unyielding, unsympathetic and totally symptomatic of society today.

Ah, that was cathartic.

 

[Chello90]

Some rumblings on Twitter amongst Roma fans that he's agreed to stay and will sign a new deal in Sep/Oct.

 

[rawhide]

Some rumblings on Twitter amongst Roma fans that he's agreed to stay and will sign a new deal in Sep/Oct.

So most likely bollocks then