Player Watch: Emerson Royal

[rabbikeane]

RB in a flat 4, he's good Premier League quality if he is allowed to play at what he's good at. Think he'd do well at somewhere like Crystal Palace. Shame he's missing out on the World Cup, made a mistake joining us.

 

[EQP]

Did he think that he would make the team? Based on his performance this season?

 

[mil1lion]

If he was Italian and if they had made it to the WC maybe he would have gone. Not having attacking quality for Brazil is not likely to work out though.

 

[Albertbarich]

He needs to play in a back four and we need someone better going forward.

Down to Paratici in Jan to make something happen.

 

[ukdy]

He needs to play in a back four.

For another club.

Down to Paratici in Jan to make something happen.

..transfer to another club

 

[Trix]

Wish we could transfer some of our "supporters".

The clue is in the name FFS.

 

[El_Duderino]

Did he think that he would make the team? Based on his performance this season?

Oh come on now. There's nothing wrong with what he said there? What is he supposed to say?

There's lot's of things to dislike about his game but him being dissapointed for not going to the world cup, which is a dream for every player, is nothing to hold against him.

 

[EQP]

Oh come on now. There's nothing wrong with what he said there? What is he supposed to say?

There's lot's of things to dislike about his game but him being dissapointed for not going to the world cup, which is a dream for every player, is nothing to hold against him.

The lack of self-awareness is what concerns me. If he feels/felt that he stood a realistic chance of making the Brazil team for a World Cup, bearing in mind that last time he got called up was on *January 27th, 2022* and bearing in mind he's rarely impressed in our team, what am I to take from that? Doesn't seem like he's living in reality or seemingly aware or concerned with how his development is going.

*Corrected the date for his last Brazil call-up.

 

[Albertbarich]

The lack of self-awareness is what concerns me. If he feels/felt that he stood a realistic chance of making the Brazil team for a World Cup, bearing in mind that last time he got called up was on Novemeber 19th, 2019 and bearing in mind he's rarely impressed in our team, what am I to take from that? Doesn't seem like he's living in reality or seemingly aware or concerned with how his development is going.

It ain't that deep.

His playing in the biggest league for one of the top teams regularly of course he hoped to get in

 

[Dazzazzad]

Sell Sanchez. Move Royal to backup RCB - 2 problems solved?

 

[Blake Griffin]

The lack of self-awareness is what concerns me. If he feels/felt that he stood a realistic chance of making the Brazil team for a World Cup, bearing in mind that last time he got called up was on Novemeber 19th, 2019 and bearing in mind he's rarely impressed in our team, what am I to take from that? Doesn't seem like he's living in reality or seemingly aware or concerned with how his development is going.

that was the first time he got called up.

 

[EQP]

that was the first time he got called up.

Fair dues - I appreciate you keeping me honest and I will correct my information. Last time he featured for Brazil was January 27th, 2022. So I maybe get why he felt he stood a chance but he lost out to a 39 year old Dani Alves, which having watched Dani back at his most recent stint at Barcelona, should be a wake up call for Royal, because Alves looked pretty done with high-level competitive football.

 

[EQP]

It ain't that deep.

His playing in the biggest league for one of the top teams regularly of course he hoped to get in

Cheers, I didn't know. I can rest easy now knowing that it ain't that deep.

 

[dannythomas]

For all his faults Aurier is a better RWB than Emerson.

 

[Teemu]

For all his faults Aurier is a better RWB than Emerson.

Much better. Aurier was a genuinely good RB.

Had a shaky start which created the lazy narrative that he was a liability, but he was very good for us overall.

 

[jurgen11]

Come back Aurier - all is forgiven...lol

 

[mil1lion]

Emerson is better defensively than Aurier. We had to have Sissoko often helping cover for Aurier which left our midfield exposed. A back 3 works well because the right centre back can come across instead and if the left wing back is back you essentially have a back 4 defending the counter.

 

[Timberwolf]

Much better. Aurier was a genuinely good RB.

Had a shaky start which created the lazy narrative that he was a liability, but he was very good for us overall.

I think you're going a bit too far the other way. When he was good he was good, but he was inconsistent and did quite a lot of dumb stuff.

There were plenty of games where he did something needlessly reckless or brainless out of nowhere and cost us points. Like, that reputation didn't come out of nowhere - it was built up over time.

He would've been a good option as a wing back under Conte, though. He was always much better going forward than he was defensively and I think he would suit our current system.

 

[dannythomas]

Emerson is better defensively than Aurier. We had to have Sissoko often helping cover for Aurier which left our midfield exposed. A back 3 works well because the right centre back can come across instead and if the left wing back is back you essentially have a back 4 defending the counter.

I think Romero would have provided more than enough cover for Aurier. And yes maybe Emerson is better defensively but we are playing wing backs not full backs.

 

[mil1lion]

I think Romero would have provided more than enough cover for Aurier. And yes maybe Emerson is better defensively but we are playing wing backs not full backs.

Indeed but I'm just making the point that it's not as simple as one being better than the other. One is better defending and the other in attack. I think in a 343 you can afford to have a more defensive wing back on one side particularly if it allows someone like Romero to get forward. I think the trio of Romero, Emerson and Kulusevski works really well and there's a good balance. Sadly the alternatives are Sanchez and Moura which is a big drop off and a different set of skills between them. That's when the lack of attacking quality from Emerson is an issue because Sanchez can't do the attacking and Moura lacks the hold up and technical ability. I'm actually encouraged by how Dier has been used the last few games coming forward from right centre back. If we go back to 343 with Deki back up top then Dier filling in for Romero would fill that attacking link from right centre back. I'm happy for Emerson to play if we have Romero/Dier right centre back and Deki up top. Otherwise we need a more attacking right wing back if the right centre back can't come forward or if we play 352 and lose a forward. That's why it's not easy to sort of say "drop Emerson, he's not good enough' as has often been the case. It depends on the system and players around him because he's not a bad player just not offering much going forward.