Confirmed Signing Abdoulaye Doucouré

[Neiler]

I've done FPL but I don't really enjoy it as lately you have to pick kopites to win which I'm not a big fan of.

Good stuff mate, you should give it a bash again this year, I just renewed some of the leagues, we ran a league last year, were one of the rules was you couldn’t pick Orcs, immediate disqualification if you did, was good fun, I’ll do it again if we get the numbers and the blood flowing in a few weeks.

 

[AmericasToffee]

If he's an 8 he needs to be good at passing the ball forward. He is not.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Certainly on the stats, there an be no argument re his passing. It's poor (although his key passes per game, at just under 1 are strangely solid, a bit of a stand out).

Re winning the ball back, while I concede he doesn't make that many tackles, he is very good at pressing-forcing opponents back or forcing a mistake. The criticism might be he does this in a somewhat uncordinated way (as it's not massively allied to an astute positioning, more just chasing the ball).

He's an unconventional player though, and if we wanted to have ball pressuring and passing, there areprobably players we could get who could do both aspects. Allan seems like one who could.

I like to see tackles, key pases and passes per game (also with half an eye on completion rate). Anything 2.5ish, 1 and 50+ is very good to me.

The key passes are a nice bonus and again a good thing if he's playing box to box type. I genuinely don't know what to make of the pressures. I don't know that I've ever seen such a gap between those and the number tackles a player makes.

 

[neilsyd]

I’d rather we signed him than not because I’m a fan and we live in hope that he’ll be great for us. My head is telling me now that we are potentially buying a player on the way down. He’s had a poor season by all accounts, maybe even two? His stock has fallen and he’s a player who relies on energy and stamina rather than technical ability which is fine if he was younger. I just feel it’s a case of he’s better than what we’ve got and with
no resale value, if he flops, it’s an expensive mistake. I wish our scouts would be a bit more creative. My heart is telling me to buy but my head says he’s a typical west ham/Newcastle signing. I suppose that’s where we’re at though, it’s just with Carlo in charge, I’d expect our ambitions and scouting network to be greater.

 

[Zatara]

Doucoure’s assets when on form are his size, some speed, pressuring opposition into turnovers, running forward with ball and getting into the box. Allan is a better ball winner, tackler and interceptor (not at Gana level or even Hojberg, but Allan arguably has a much better all round game). He offers less threat in the opposing box than Doucoure & neither are creative passers (though Allan is a ‘play-linker’).

If (big if) we sign both a fairly defensive 442 is possible meaning we must upgrade wide but 433 looks a decent option with a Gylfi or Gomes in there. Gylfi for all the hate is actually more productive creatively than Gomes...

For completeness if Gbamin ever gets fit he theoretically offers Allan’s tackling, intercepting & Doucoure’s size & ball carrying. Another big IF.

Neither Allan or Doucoure are City/Liverpool level but one, other or both of them would potentially get games at most of rest of top 8 (maybe bar United) so it is hard to argue they would not improve us IMO. Age, VFM are all valid concerns but even one Euro adventure would significantly offset the risk.

Very good explanation.

Only thing is that i think he would get in the RS team based on his performances for Napoli. Hopefully they translate to the premier league..

Don’t be to ruled by stats last, Football is a team game, often influenced by blend, combinations and what that enables.

Looking at stats is useful, but you are looking at a player in isolation, think Peter Reid or Lee Carsley I’m pretty sure they weren’t stat demons before we signed them and yet both enabled so much in a team.

Equally the only stats available are those directly measurable, how do you measure efficacy in holding space, position or enabling a system or the in general I’m not taking on that monster and I’ll pass it on sideways.

It's funny, I look at stats a fair bit but I much prefer to judge a player by my eye test.

I don't think stats were enormously prevalent in the 80's, you'd have probably gone on eye test, get a scout to watch them lots, comments made by existing players or people you knew in the game etc.

I think stats can help frame a player. I saw some earlier that put Doucoure above average for carrying the ball, top 10% in his position for pressuring, and below average for all else. But he was playing as a number 10, in a poor team, with 4 different managers. So what allowances do you make?

There are things stats I don't think can ever tell you. Character for one. Also how they react in situations. If you watch a game, you quickly get an idea of who is the key player judging by how others around treat them.

I like Doucoure having watched him anyway. He's big and powerful and can do a bit of everything.

I think the problem is you are looking at him as if hes a 6, like Gomes hes an 8.

Hes not going to be good at everything, Gana wasnt good at everything, very few players are.

I dont understand how stats over a season can be used when a player has:

-- played under 3 or 4 managers
-- played in 3 or 4 positions

He has said in the past hes best as a DM. Something to think about is that as he gets older perhaps he can transition into an anchor.

 

[Goat]

Very good explanation.

Only thing is that i think he would get in the RS team based on his performances for Napoli. Hopefully they translate to the premier league..






I dont understand how stats over a season can be used when a player has:

-- played under 3 or 4 managers
-- played in 3 or 4 positions

He has said in the past hes best as a DM. Something to think about is that as he gets older perhaps he can transition into an anchor.

Wage anchor more like you mean.

 

[Pat Butcher]

Think he’s scored 4, 5 and 7 goals the last 3 seasons. Don’t even remember Davies or Gomes testing the keeper last season never mind have a chance of getting that many goals. In fact that’s more than our wingers scorelol

And most of the time he plays directly behind the striker, will he do the same for us?

 

[meagher94]

And most of the time he plays directly behind the striker, will he do the same for us?

Probably not, although if we play a 3 in midfield he might be the one tasked with getting forward.

Just checked Transfermarkt. Last season all his goals came playing behind the striker but in 18/19 and 17/18 they all came while playing CM or DM.

 

[Deleted member 48881]

He will be boss, don't believe nay sayers.

 

[brecontoffee]

Seems like a big game player. The complete opposite to our current midfield.

 

[MikeH72]

Seems like a big game player. The complete opposite to our current midfield.

Does he?

 

[Zatara]

Probably not, although if we play a 3 in midfield he might be the one tasked with getting forward.

Just checked Transfermarkt. Last season all his goals came playing behind the striker but in 18/19 and 17/18 they all came while playing CM or DM.

I remember him alternating between DM and CM and he looked class that season.

 

[nsno-chris]

Seems like a big game player. The complete opposite to our current midfield.

he’s the complete opposite

 

[Kantareller]

So we actually want this cart horse?

 

[Cool_Blue]

Don’t worry, he’ll probably suffer a career threatening injury 5 minutes after signing