What's new

Player Watch Player Watch: Giovani Lo Celso

  • Thread starter Deleted member 29446
  • Start date

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
should have gone for bruno fernandes at the same time
If we had Bruno playing as a number 10 ahead of Lo Celso we'd have one hell of a side right now. One thing you can never accuse Bruno of is lack of effort: he covers the entire pitch and would've been a dream player for Jose.

We clearly had Lo Celso pencilled in as the Eriksen replacement and Ndombele the Dembele one.

If we'd known Lo Celso would be such an amazing CM, maybe we would've pushed for Bruno instead of Ndombele.

Oh well...
 

felmani26

SC Supporter
Jan 1, 2008
24,362
43,015
Yes, we can look back of what might have been if we secured Fernandes when we were linked to him but don't forget, he wouldn't be fulfilling the same free role here - he would be much more constrained and you can guarantee he'd be called overpaid and we should have bought Lo Celso and/or Ndombele instead!

Futile looking at other transfers for teams with completely different systems - we can't buy them all and despite Ndombele's obvious fitness concerns (which i'm truly hoping can be turned round), talent wise him and Lo Celso were perfect signings for us.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Yes, we can look back of what might have been if we secured Fernandes when we were linked to him but don't forget, he wouldn't be fulfilling the same free role here - he would be much more constrained and you can guarantee he'd be called overpaid and we should have bought Lo Celso and/or Ndombele instead!

Futile looking at other transfers for teams with completely different systems - we can't buy them all and despite Ndombele's obvious fitness concerns (which i'm truly hoping can be turned round), talent wise him and Lo Celso were perfect signings for us.
All just speculative of course, but I think in terms of skillset and character Fernandes is SO much more a Mourinho player than Ndombele ever will be. I could easily see him slipping into the Dele/Lamela role, pressing hard while also linking the defence and the attack with his passing. He's a leader, he follows instructions and he's also a compatriot of Jose.

I think he'd be a fan favourite and a nailed on starter if he was here now.
 

stormfly

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
4,584
11,990
I always thought Le Celso was our Eriksen replacement but now feel he should play in the position we bought Ndombele for and try out Ndombele in the position we bought Le Celso for haha.
 

felmani26

SC Supporter
Jan 1, 2008
24,362
43,015
All just speculative of course, but I think in terms of skillset and character Fernandes is SO much more a Mourinho player than Ndombele ever will be. I could easily see him slipping into the Dele/Lamela role, pressing hard while also linking the defence and the attack with his passing. He's a leader, he follows instructions and he's also a compatriot of Jose.

I think he'd be a fan favourite and a nailed on starter if he was here now.
Of course and don't get me wrong, I think Fernandes has started his Utd career superbly and would give my left bollock to have him here but then i'd have loved to have seen Spurs play some of the free flowing pass and move football the team displayed yesterday.

Point was, we were never realistically buying all 3 players and Ndombele was deemed heir apparent to Dembele which was clearly a priority move next to say a Winks with Lo Celso further forward presumably with the remit of succeeding a want away Eriksen.
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Of course and don't get me wrong, I think Fernandes has started his Utd career superbly and would give my left bollock to have him here but then i'd have loved to have seen Spurs play some of the free flowing pass and move football the team displayed yesterday.

Point was, we were never realistically buying all 3 players and Ndombele was deemed heir apparent to Dembele which was clearly a priority move next to say a Winks with Lo Celso further forward presumably with the remit of succeeding a want away Eriksen.
Yeah absolutely. Hindsight is 20/20 etc.
 

JUSTINSIGNAL

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2008
15,980
48,499
I always thought Le Celso was our Eriksen replacement but now feel he should play in the position we bought Ndombele for and try out Ndombele in the position we bought Le Celso for haha.

Yes I believe that was he plan. A combination of Poch getting sacked and NDombele’s fitness issues have scuppered that though. Poch was more willing to play Alli wide of the attacking three which would have allowed Lo Celso to be our number 10 in place of Eriksen, then NDombele could have taken Dembele’s role. Mourinho seems much more wedded to the idea of 2 speedy wingers which means Alli has to play central and therefore Lo Celso is deeper and NDombele is benched.
 

stormfly

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
4,584
11,990
Yep, it’s looking like Dele, Lamela and Ndombele are all fighting it out for the same position now.
 

Snarfalicious

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2012
15,709
71,935
Yep, it’s looking like Dele, Lamela and Ndombele are all fighting it out for the same position now.

And since we are struggling so bad with some finesse and creativity in the final third, I’d love to see Ndombele given a chance. I’m sure he will soon.
 

ackie

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2005
8,780
6,660
As I look at it now, I think Lo Celso is the replacement for dembele... Taking the ball from defense into attack... Good dribble, passer and can create and score too.
Excellent player. Will only get better.

I can't really comment on Ndombele at the moment
 
Last edited:

ackie

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2005
8,780
6,660
Yep, it’s looking like Dele, Lamela and Ndombele are all fighting it out for the same position now.
At the moment though, I'm base my comment on merit... It's Lamela, Alli then Ndombele (only cause we haven't seen much of him)
Pre covid and post covid, Dele seems to be stuck... Still don't know if it's him or his brother
 

fridgemagnet

Well-Known Member
Jan 18, 2009
2,410
2,864
I'm pretty sure Modric broke his leg in his first season with us.

Season under Redknapp wasn't it? Fractured it when some lummox that played for Stoke made a shit unnecessary challenge on him near the touchline, I'm almost certain is was that **** Adams it may have been Adams when he played for Blackpool but I'm sure it was Middle Earth FC (ruined Bales ankle 3 times and Luka's thigh)

Anyhoo ignore me for derailing another thread...
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,051
6,342
Ndomele has the talent to be world class his just got to have the ambition if he had Kane desire he would be bossing the premier league. Sadly i dont think he ever will have and we brought a very talented but heartless player!
 

cliff jones

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
4,059
6,515
Jose is not offensive enough as a coach to pick TND alongside our new main man

he seems to insist that a playmaker like GLC is supported by water carriers only
 

spids

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2015
6,647
27,841
Lo Celso is a bit of a hybrid of Eriksen and Dembele. Not quite as strong as either at their respective strength, but has 80%+ of each in his locker. But this makes him potentially more effective than either IMO. In terms of CM I consider him a number 8, he has something to offer in all 3 thirds. For me his real competition is Gedson and Winks (who is not a number 6 / DCM). I think we still badly need a specialist number 6 / DCM, but happy for Sissoko to compete with Skipp for this for the remainder of the season. I'd like to see Ndombele fight it out with Lamela and Dele for the 'number 10 role'. Ndombele is by far the most creative / skilful, but offers the least in terms of team shape and pressing.

Although, all that said it must be noted that Jose is not currently playing with a number 10 at the moment, but instead with 2 inside forwards (Dele and Moura started in these positions against West Ham, with Son on the LW and Aurier making up the RW)
 

Vincent30

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
900
3,694
The ideal for me is a DM paired next to Lo Celso (as our box to box) and Tanguy in front of these feeding our front 3, could be a thing of beauty.

The big problem with this is Dele who literally makes us look awful going forward and living off past glories, but seems to be undroppable even though anyone who watches us can see he constantly adds very little to any attacking movement. Tanguy could be devastating in that role, he is way quicker in moving the ball and exceptional at breaking the line, whereas Dele is exceptional at slowing the ball down to a complete stop and passing it sideways or waving his hands in the air because someone didn't pass him the ball so he could stop and pass it sideways.

But as long as Dele is here we will continue to look unbalanced and play outdated slow possession sideways football. No other top top team in world football has a player like Dele in their team and is super successful.
 

ILS

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2008
3,803
6,913
The ideal for me is a DM paired next to Lo Celso (as our box to box) and Tanguy in front of these feeding our front 3, could be a thing of beauty.

The big problem with this is Dele who literally makes us look awful going forward and living off past glories, but seems to be undroppable even though anyone who watches us can see he constantly adds very little to any attacking movement. Tanguy could be devastating in that role, he is way quicker in moving the ball and exceptional at breaking the line, whereas Dele is exceptional at slowing the ball down to a complete stop and passing it sideways or waving his hands in the air because someone didn't pass him the ball so he could stop and pass it sideways.

But as long as Dele is here we will continue to look unbalanced and play outdated slow possession sideways football. No other top top team in world football has a player like Dele in their team and is super successful.
Just waiting for the Thomas Muller comparisons to rain in. Even though Muller has a far superior football brain and a better finisher.
 
Top