Like him, but he also showed a few moments of braindead dribbling in the back in these games… not quite ready and I never like it when I see intelligence issues… having said that, he has shown other flashes and long-distance passing vision, so I’ll give him a little bit of a pass on the few dumb moments.
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Didn’t know him before, but what a guy he is.
Think we need to see this guy doing his thing when things are going 100 miles an hour in the EPL. He looks good though but the pace is a lot slower that what he will be needing to work in.
1st thoughts are positive though.
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Think he is staying with us for the whole season and not going out on loan. That’s already a good thing.
Don’t know enough to comment.
If he does struggle with the pace a loan could help though.
We shall see.
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Exactly. Xhaka always looks like Pirlo in preseason.
He’s shown enough to at least be considered a first team option IMO. The Europa League alone could give him six appearances and he could feature in the league cup too if we have easier draws and maybe even get the odd token 5 minutes in the league. He can always go on loan in January if he needs to play more than that.
I don’t like when a young player signs for a club then is immediately out on loan, especially after having a preseason with the club. I think it would be nice to let him consider himself part of the team before being shipped out. He’s a young guy just moved to a new country and a far bigger club, is sending him straight to Ipswich really going to be better for him?
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Agreed.
I’m also not sure how productive it is to send a deep lying playmaker like him in loan. He needs to absorb the tactical aspect of the game at the highest level - pressing and press evasion, how to direct the buildup, how to move the ball quickly side to side against a deep defense, etc… Booting long balls and playing header ping pong for a championship side isn’t going to help with that.
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Yeah he may be better served being around the first team squad and getting some cup games rather than going out on loan.
It will be hugely beneficial for him to be exposed to the new regime just like the rest of the guys, he won’t be behind at all.
Indeed. The League Cup is a great chance for him to adapt to the english football.
I must be the only one sceptical about him. 1 minute 4 seconds…imaginary man pushed him over or he’s an incredibly awkward player to watch.
He definitely ‘wins’ fouls, which is more of a positive than a negative in tight games.
I think he deserves to stick around, along with AMN. I like Smith-Rowe, looks like he has reasonable ceiling but along with Joe Willock, I believe deserve a loan somewhere.
Not sure what Emery’s approach is in regards to rotation? I’d like to see him tailor the right guys in the right games and I think we’ll see the likes of Glen and AMN get starts if Unai is of that mind.
I am all aboard the Smith-Rowe hype train. The strength, composure, and intelligence demonstrated remind me a bit of Cesc, even though I think is a little bit of a different player.
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He needs to bulk up a bit, the overconfidence around the 18th box can be coached out hopefully, other than that I think he has what it takes to make it here, at ease technically with good long range passing, albeit hit and miss for now,but the raw talent is there…I’m no longer getting hyped over youngsters though, so I shall wait calmly.
We’re 50 odd posts into his thread, most of which have been about the actual signing process and most of us haven’t even posted here yet. So I don’t think it’s accurate to say you’re the only one sceptical about him. In fact most of us probably haven’t seen him at all yet.
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Wouldn’t be surprised if he started against City, as Xhaka still have to come back from the WC.
SIAP: he looks like Kenny G
He is still young and I don’t want to overreact but he’s probbably the next Pirlo
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He seems to have what it takes to be an affective DLP in the premier league, not sure if he can make it right now for Arsenal but he looks good enough to at least give him a chance.
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