Yehven Konoplyanka

[DaSpurs]

That's a strong statement to make about someone who currently has 4 goals in 21 games playing in the Ukrainian league...

Yes, because it's always a linear relationship suggesting players who score goals elsewhere come to the Prem and do the same.

Roberto Soldado in La Liga the year before he came to the Prem: 24 goals in 35 games
Roberto Soldado in the EPL the following year: 6 goals in 28 games with four of those from the spot

Bojan Krkic in the Eredivisie (with their league champions) in the year before he came to the Prem: 4 goals in 24 games
Bojan Krkic in the EPL (with a side renowned for antifootball) this season: 4 goals in 16 games

Crazy how these things work. And anyway, he's scored those four goals in only 12 games. A .33 ratio is hardly poor for a winger.

Nevertheless, it isn't goals exactly which we need, it's a more well-rounded side. Look at what Ibe did just by running Rose ragged, forced him into making lazy mistakes. This game is so much more than a tally of goals, and the contribution Kono could have provided would have been very beneficial in addressing our weaknesses which consistently lead us to dropping points. The pace, aggression, and will to run directly at defenders could have been very beneficial at Liverpool the other day exactly, as he could have pinned Ibe back and consequently shielded Rose more. And of course, we could have run at Liverpool's tired legs and flaunted their own fatigue rather than allowing them to flaunt ours. Instead, we didn't have a single player who managed to induce much stretch or disorganization in their side at all, and allowed them to counter with ease.

We have to expand our options, regardless of quality, our opposition sides will continue to find it all to easy to to contain us and make it hard to get the ball to our quality players in dangerous space they can exploit.

 

[DaSpurs]

People talk of Kono as if he would be the new messiah - just as Liverpool fans thought Balotelli would be their new "messiah".

It's not as if it's him personally, it's that he provides a skillset and physical attributes which we desperately lack. If Poch/Mitchell/Broomfield were to find another player who offers such a skillset I would argue just as much in favor for the acquisition of such a player, and hope it's a player within Levy's parameters.

The current exasperation in this thread is just due to the feeling that this player under these circumstances and for this price would have been well worth the investment, and I very much wish we'd have taken the option. Personal opinion and nothing more than conjecture of course, but I do very much feel he would have greatly enhanced our chances at winning silverware or achieving top four this season, and not because of any consideration for quality but because he would have so directly filled such a great weakness in our current squad.

 

[EZSpur]

A lot of people (SC'ers) have mentioned that Konoplyanka is a bit temperamental, possibly disruptive, Ade-esque - has this ever been confirmed? I only ask because we seem to be in a good place with the squad at the mo and wouldn't want anything to hinder that development. Granted, Kono is a talent though.

I'd hate to be in Mitchell's shoes, analysing players efforts on the pitch is one thing, but to get inside their psyche and assess how they'll fit into the group as a whole is completely different matter.

 

[jezz]

A lot of people (SC'ers) have mentioned that Konoplyanka is a bit temperamental, possibly disruptive, Ade-esque - has this ever been confirmed? I only ask because we seem to be in a good place with the squad at the mo and wouldn't want anything to hinder that development. Granted, Kono is a talent though.

I'd hate to be in Mitchell's shoes, analysing players efforts on the pitch is one thing, but to get inside their psyche and assess how they'll fit into the group as a whole is completely different matter.

This is my fear we don't need any disruptive influences at the club.
I'm just wondering why he hasn't left the Ukraine league yet.

 

[Trix]

Yes, because it's always a linear relationship suggesting players who score goals elsewhere come to the Prem and do the same.

Roberto Soldado in La Liga the year before he came to the Prem: 24 goals in 35 games
Roberto Soldado in the EPL the following year: 6 goals in 28 games with four of those from the spot

Bojan Krkic in the Eredivisie (with their league champions) in the year before he came to the Prem: 4 goals in 24 games
Bojan Krkic in the EPL (with a side renowned for antifootball) this season: 4 goals in 16 games

Crazy how these things work. And anyway, he's scored those four goals in only 12 games. A .33 ratio is hardly poor for a winger.

Nevertheless, it isn't goals exactly which we need, it's a more well-rounded side. Look at what Ibe did just by running Rose ragged, forced him into making lazy mistakes. This game is so much more than a tally of goals, and the contribution Kono could have provided would have been very beneficial in addressing our weaknesses which consistently lead us to dropping points. The pace, aggression, and will to run directly at defenders could have been very beneficial at Liverpool the other day exactly, as he could have pinned Ibe back and consequently shielded Rose more. And of course, we could have run at Liverpool's tired legs and flaunted their own fatigue rather than allowing them to flaunt ours. Instead, we didn't have a single player who managed to induce much stretch or disorganization in their side at all, and allowed them to counter with ease.

We have to expand our options, regardless of quality, our opposition sides will continue to find it all to easy to to contain us and make it hard to get the ball to our quality players in dangerous space they can exploit.

Stoke haven't played "anti football" since Pulis left.

 

[DaSpurs]

This is my fear we don't need any disruptive influences at the club.
I'm just wondering why he hasn't left the Ukraine league yet.

Liverpool sent a director to Ukraine to see out the deal, and even then his club's billionaire owner stalled out through the end of the window. Is it fair to fault the player for that? He was offered to go to Roma in the last window, but the player himself turned it down to hold out for a move to England. It's said clubs from England, Germany, Spain, and Italy have all offered for him, but for one reason or not between his contract, the very wealthy owner, or the player saying no it hasn't happened. Just because a player doesn't leave a weaker league doesn't always mean it's because the player is simply at his level.

I haven't seen anything to suggest he's "disruptive." If the "attitude problem" is that he's arrogant while playing for their club after so many years despite proving himself at club and country levels, then by all means bring it on, we could fucking do with a bit of belief over the ball. Don't have a single confident dribbler capable of taking on tight spaces in our side. Far too much timidness and indisposition with the ball in our side at the moment.

 

[DaSpurs]

Stoke haven't played "anti football" since Pulis left.

No, but even this modern Stoke side isn't exactly "free-flowing" or particularly technical, while they have a La Masia product in the middle of it all. Was painful to watch at first while he was trying to link up with his teammates and they just weren't at all on the same page as him.

Point remains, that just because a player isn't particular productive in a weaker league doesn't mean they won't produce in a stronger league if they can find their niche there, or even that needed bit of motivation to do so. Bojan in particular is testament to that.

 

[Trix]

No, but even this modern Stoke side isn't exactly "free-flowing" or particularly technical, while they have a La Masia product in the middle of it all. Was painful to watch at first while he was trying to link up with his teammates and they just weren't at all on the same page as him.

Point remains, that just because a player isn't particular productive in a weaker league doesn't mean they won't produce in a stronger league if they can find their niche there, or even that needed bit of motivation to do so. Bojan in particular is testament to that.

I agree, not that it matters a jot in Knoplyanka's case anyway.

 

[jezz]

Liverpool sent a director to Ukraine to see out the deal, and even then his club's billionaire owner stalled out through the end of the window. Is it fair to fault the player for that? He was offered to go to Roma in the last window, but the player himself turned it down to hold out for a move to England. It's said clubs from England, Germany, Spain, and Italy have all offered for him, but for one reason or not between his contract, the very wealthy owner, or the player saying no it hasn't happened. Just because a player doesn't leave a weaker league doesn't always mean it's because the player is simply at his level.

I haven't seen anything to suggest he's "disruptive." If the "attitude problem" is that he's arrogant while playing for their club after so many years despite proving himself at club and country levels, then by all means bring it on, we could fucking do with a bit of belief over the ball. Don't have a single confident dribbler capable of taking on tight spaces in our side. Far too much timidness and indisposition with the ball in our side at the moment.

He's hardly ripping up the league.
We've seen Townsend using pace but not actually doing a lot.
But if MP wants him then I'm all in with him.

 

[DaSpurs]

I agree, not that it matters a jot in Knoplyanka's case anyway.

Haha swooping in to crush my hopes I see, fair enough.

 

[DaSpurs]

He's hardly ripping up the league.
We've seen Townsend using pace but not actually doing a lot.
But if MP wants him then I'm all in with him.

He's maintained a roughly 1/3 ratio there, which isn't poor for a winger and especially one who is likely subject to motivation attrition given the fact he's been stuck at a mediocre club in that league. And Kono is far more than just pace. If I simply wanted a speed fiend, I can assure you I wouldn't have upped Kono so strongly.

But, as Trix said, suppose it doesn't matter. Beyond my reasoning as he'd be free, but hey whatever. I just hope we don't put all our eggs in the basket of trying to get Depay, as in the strong likelihood he chooses to go somewhere else I hope we haven't seen other quality additions already choose other options themselves and we're left in the dust without that needed addition of pace and directness over the ball.