2020/21 Abdoulaye Doucouré

[Egil Olsen]

He has a restricted role, and he is constantly responsible for covering the space that JR leaves behind, or does not have the strength to cover. In many ways, he does the job of two players defensively. He is a very good player who gives our midfield much-needed qualities, but he is not a world-class player.

 

[neilsyd]

Perhaps he’s doing the running for a right winger (Sigurdsson) with no pace and a right back (Kenny) with no pace. On the other side of the pitch Allan is covering Gomes’ lack of work rate also so Doucoure is mindful that Allan is also being dragged out of position.

Doucoure and Allan can’t be assessed as midfielders until they are surrounded by competent team mates that they don’t have to cover for all the time. Wide players with pace and work rate, full backs with pace and work rate, central defenders who can bring the ball out and start the play. Maybe then they could do what we brought them into do rather than trying to do everything for us.

I disagree with the notion that no one can be good unless they’re surrounded by decent players. That’s just not the case. Teams are always littered with rubbish in their team, particularly in the premier league. There’s always been good players performing for lesser teams. I think doucoure and Allan are decent players, this isn’t a criticism of them, it just frustrates when we slate the players we dislike and then when our bigger names don’t play well, we still blame the usuals. I remember half the forum saying Gomes was only playing badly because he was alongside Davies and sig at the back of last season. And he’s playing just as bad with Allan and doucs alongside him.

 

[Lanolin]

I disagree with the notion that no one can be good unless they’re surrounded by decent players. That’s just not the case. Teams are always littered with rubbish in their team, particularly in the premier league. There’s always been good players performing for lesser teams. I think doucoure and Allan are decent players, this isn’t a criticism of them, it just frustrates when we slate the players we dislike and then when our bigger names don’t play well, we still blame the usuals. I remember half the forum saying Gomes was only playing badly because he was alongside Davies and sig at the back of last season. And he’s playing just as bad with Allan and doucs alongside him.

Very true. It makes me laugh how people shift their view on this to suit the argument they're making too. Players at other clubs are always rubbish and just made to look good by being surrounded by better players, but for some reason the same never applies to our players.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I disagree with the notion that no one can be good unless they’re surrounded by decent players. That’s just not the case. Teams are always littered with rubbish in their team, particularly in the premier league. There’s always been good players performing for lesser teams. I think doucoure and Allan are decent players, this isn’t a criticism of them, it just frustrates when we slate the players we dislike and then when our bigger names don’t play well, we still blame the usuals. I remember half the forum saying Gomes was only playing badly because he was alongside Davies and sig at the back of last season. And he’s playing just as bad with Allan and doucs alongside him.

Yeah there is a fine line you’re right. I just think that in recent games Allan seems to have been popping up all over the place in positions he probably shouldn’t be in, doing things like pressurising centrebacks because no one else in the team seems to. Against Southampton he was just being played around easily which isn’t usually like him which made me think something in the team balance looked wrong rather than a single player being poor. It was the same with Doucoure against Newcastle, he didn’t do that much wrong but it just wasn’t happening for him.

When you see a performance like Iwobi first half v Saints though then that’s different for me, he was getting the ball in time and space and there was poor control, inaccurate passing, and indecisiveness. That’s just poor play. Same with Sigurdsson not finding a 5 yard pass or not marking from a throw in. That’s just poor. I’ve not seen anything really ‘poor’ from Allan or Doucoure yet, perhaps Allan getting caught in possession in dangerous places.

That being said though you’re right that neither could grab those games by the scruff of their neck and stamp their authority all over it. I’m not sure they’re THAT good. Although the game has progressed so much now that you don’t often see a Vieira Gerrard Keane just destroying an opposition singlehandedly with over and power. Ya ya Toure was maybe the last player to do it. Now all the midfields are just stacked with units who can all play. It’s difficult to physically bully any team now (apart from Everton if we line up with combos of Davies Sigurdsson Bernard Gomes)

 

[BlueToff]

He can be a physical presence in the box but he needs to get in there more. We should be playing a bit more direct in my opinion.

Without James and Richarlison, absolutely.

It hasn't helped that without them two we struggle to keep the ball up top (not Dom's fault, like).

Doucoure hasn't been great in the last few games - none of them have - but the tactics against Newcastle didn't help that.

We absolutely had to use him in an advanced role in order to give us another runner. Carlo played him right defensive mid covering for Kenny. He's not the best passer so quite what he was meant to add from an attacking perspective from that position, only Carlo knows.

The new players aren't beyond criticism when they play badly, and our manager isn't beyond criticism for crap tactics. Unfortunately those combined on Sunday.

 

[Egil Olsen]

I disagree with the notion that no one can be good unless they’re surrounded by decent players. That’s just not the case. Teams are always littered with rubbish in their team, particularly in the premier league. There’s always been good players performing for lesser teams. I think doucoure and Allan are decent players, this isn’t a criticism of them, it just frustrates when we slate the players we dislike and then when our bigger names don’t play well, we still blame the usuals. I remember half the forum saying Gomes was only playing badly because he was alongside Davies and sig at the back of last season. And he’s playing just as bad with Allan and doucs alongside him.

Do not completely agree. In many cases it is about playing style. Andre Pirlo would have looked pretty miserable if he had played for Burnley, and Chris Wood would have been totally ineffective if he had played for Guerdiola's Barcelona.

Players who impress in poorer teams often have some physical qualities that make them attractive, but at the same time hide that they are not necessarily the most football intelligent. So depending on the style of play, let's say an ambitious style, it often works against its purpose to buy these players.

So it probably depends on what kind of qualities you look for on a football field, and what you define as a good football player.

 

[neilsyd]

Do not completely agree. In many cases it is about playing style. Andre Pirlo would have looked pretty miserable if he had played for Burnley, and Chris Wood would have been totally ineffective if he had played for Guerdiola's Barcelona.

Players who impress in poorer teams often have some physical qualities that make them attractive, but at the same time hide that they are not necessarily the most football intelligent. So depending on the style of play, let's say an ambitious style, it often works against its purpose to buy these players.

So it probably depends on what kind of qualities you look for on a football field, and what you define as a good football player.

Yes I agree to a certain extent. I just feel a man surely of Carlo's pedigree would be trying to get the best out of his better players. I don't feel we have used Doucoure in such a way as yet. I think the idea of him being over on the right to compensate for James not helping Coleman makes sense, but it also takes away his qualities. He's definitely suffered since Coleman has been out. It makes our RB position so important and points to poor decision making in the transfer market yet again to go into the season relying on Coleman and a substandard back up.

 

[Stephenlloyd]

Yes I agree to a certain extent. I just feel a man surely of Carlo's pedigree would be trying to get the best out of his better players. I don't feel we have used Doucoure in such a way as yet. I think the idea of him being over on the right to compensate for James not helping Coleman makes sense, but it also takes away his qualities. He's definitely suffered since Coleman has been out. It makes our RB position so important and points to poor decision making in the transfer market yet again to go into the season relying on Coleman and a substandard back up.

I agree with a lot of the points, about him covering for James. And personally I think Allan wouid be more suited to that role, slightly more defensive and played that position at Napoli.

for now try Delph holding Until Gbamin is fit and Doucoure left. I think that will free Doucoure, especially with the work Richarlison does down that side. And will also give us another presence around the box and at the back post, when James is floating balls over

 

[neilsyd]

I agree with a lot of the points, about him covering for James. And personally I think Allan wouid be more suited to that role, slightly more defensive and played that position at Napoli.

for now try Delph holding Until Gbamin is fit and Doucoure left. I think that will free Doucoure, especially with the work Richarlison does down that side. And will also give us another presence around the box and at the back post, when James is floating balls over

I think that would be much better. Who would have thought that after signing Allan and Doucoure we would be putting Delph in our first eleven! And still pining for JPG to get fit. To be honest, it would be much easier if James just tracked back more and did the dirty work.....We can afford a luxury player as good as him, but not in front of a reserve right back unfortunately.

 

[Egil Olsen]

Yes I agree to a certain extent. I just feel a man surely of Carlo's pedigree would be trying to get the best out of his better players. I don't feel we have used Doucoure in such a way as yet. I think the idea of him being over on the right to compensate for James not helping Coleman makes sense, but it also takes away his qualities. He's definitely suffered since Coleman has been out. It makes our RB position so important and points to poor decision making in the transfer market yet again to go into the season relying on Coleman and a substandard back up.

Yes, personally I think in terms of players that are available that we get a better balance with 4-2-3-1. Allan and AD (with more freedom to move forward) as number 6, and JR as number 10. This is only a small adjustment, but we take players like Gomes and Gylfi out of the equation + that we get better balance centrally.

The question is who will play number 7, and the best options are Iwobi and Gordon. Richarlison is of course number 11. For me, neither Gomes nor Gylfi are good enough in the transition phases, nor are they good enough in the attacking phase to justify a place on the team.

 

[roy vernon]

Give him time to settle, he looked good in a more settled team with James and Richarlison. He is an athlete, very powerful with a great engine, that is something we have lacked in midfield for a long time.

 

[4737carlin]

Really is going to be a great player, even if last two games he hasnt been great

 

[Lanolin]

Do not completely agree. In many cases it is about playing style. Andre Pirlo would have looked pretty miserable if he had played for Burnley, and Chris Wood would have been totally ineffective if he had played for Guerdiola's Barcelona.

Players who impress in poorer teams often have some physical qualities that make them attractive, but at the same time hide that they are not necessarily the most football intelligent. So depending on the style of play, let's say an ambitious style, it often works against its purpose to buy these players.

So it probably depends on what kind of qualities you look for on a football field, and what you define as a good football player.

I think that's a slightly different point though isn't it? Pirlo would still have looked like a terrific player if he was playing for Burnley, he wouldn't have been as effective but you'd have been able to see the ability there and he'd have been snapped up by somebody better very quickly. Chris Wood would look rubbish whoever he played for, but in certain set ups he would be more effective than others. Everyone knows that, it's why he's still playing for Burnley and didn't get bought by Barcelona. I think sometimes people try to make football much more complicated than it actually is. Usually the team with the best players wins the game, it's honestly pretty simple.

 

[BornBlue76]

Feel it’s time for him to take the most forward role of the midfield three. I place of Gomes or Siggy... would bring Delph in as more defensive cover to release him.. needs to get box to box

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Once Gbamin is back and Gomes is booted I think he'll be given licence to bomb forward knowing Gbamin can actually defend (should he still have some form of pace from his injuries).