2022/23 Demarai Gray

[carolinablue232]

Gray had the same amount of assists as Michael Keane. And wingers should definitely score btw.

Most don’t score much though. I’d look for realistic production like that of Bowen or Benrhama at west ham. Good players in a slightly better team that played quite often and each still only managed 6 goals. Wingers getting double digits is largely reserved for the Champs League contenders who are always on the front foot. That ain’t us.

 

[Furey1878]

Bit of an enigma is Gray. I don't think he's suited to the single striker role at all.

He should have a future because he clearly has ability, but for a reasonable offer I would also consider selling. At 26, I think he is - should be his prime years. If he isn't getting games then it's time to move on. However I also sympathise with the manager for not playing him because when he has played he doesn't influence the game enough to justify his selection and when you're scrapping for points, if he's not influencing the game he's just dead weight.

He slows the game down too much, the frustrating thing is if he just played more direct he'd be like 5 times more effective.

If I was his manager I'd be telling him that if I see him unnecessarily take more than 3 touches on 3 occasions or more, then he's getting hooked.

Massive shame as he's got the talent.

 

[StDomingosGringo]

Agree with the posters cautioning about looking at basic stats in isolation. Lies, damn lies & statistics & all that.

On Gray if the quoted prices are vaguely accurate & he’s prepared to go there it’s a no brainer. That fee & a couple of other small ones might allow us to hold onto Onana for another season & increase his value further.

 

[Zatara]

Ha, you beat me to it my friend..my reply to Mike’s post referred to Kanchelskis, who I was definitely a fan of. But Kanchelskis played in a side with strikers on the pitch, and that gives defenders something else to think about and therefore allows openings for wingers.
I do however wish we could swap Gray, or anyone else in the team, for a young Kanchelskis. Or even an old Kanchelskis!

This is precisely why we need to have several threats in the advanced positions on the pitch.

McNeil is a threat but not quite someone you'd call a 'dangerman'...beyond that you could say Doucoure, Iwobi, DCL and of course Gray wouldnt particularly stretch the opposition as a group.

We need to sell the likes of Gray and Iwobi for as much as we can get and bring in quick, dynamic 'dangermen'.

 

[joebocop]

Only at the end though, did we know that.

We are a side struggling for goals, and points. Every point matters.

I'm no Gray fan by any stretch. But I wouldn't sell him just to sell him. We could, and have proven so numerous times recently, do much much worse

I'd agree to some extent. However if Saudis are interested, this changes things. Their involvement increases our chances of getting a higher fee for him.

Then we use the money to replace him plus one of our key positions that need addressing.

This would be sensible.

If we are looking to flog him to another prem club where we'd probably only get 10m. I don't see the point as any replacement would likely be just as costly and the net value to the squad would be nothing.

 

[Azzurri]

Just to play devil's advocate, off the top of my head, Gray's delivery saved us from relegation two seasons ago. And he definitely got us a point at City this past season

I think that’s notable, though. If you asked City why they won the league they’d have a list of players, moments and goals that was never ending.

Getting one point (however valuable) and putting a half decent ball into a crowded box that could have been headed away, missed, etc. being one of few notable incidents from Gray in 2 seasons is partly the reason we’re so crap.

He’s not on the (long) list of dossers we need shut of, but if Saudi want to pay over the odds that’s great.

 

[twoblue]

Agree with the posters cautioning about looking at basic stats in isolation. Lies, damn lies & statistics & all that.

On Gray if the quoted prices are vaguely accurate & he’s prepared to go there it’s a no brainer. That fee & a couple of other small ones might allow us to hold onto Onana for another season & increase his value further.

Onana value only goes up if he improves.

 

[StDomingosGringo]

Onana value only goes up if he improves.

Working with Dyche for a season in a settled system, a lad his age of obvious talent?

Doesn’t seem too unreasonable to be optimistic on at least a few minor improvements in his game.

 

[twoblue]

Working with Dyche for a season in a settled system, a lad his age of obvious talent?

Doesn’t seem too unreasonable to be optimistic on at least a few minor improvements in his game.

I suppose the point I’m making is that we paid decent money already for him. It might be unpopular but in terms of goals, assistists, motm performances he so far has proven less valuable than players such as iwobe.
Age is on his side , but has he even justified 30m? let alone the figures talked about here.

 

[Dougie]

I suppose the point I’m making is that we paid decent money already for him. It might be unpopular but in terms of goals, assistists, motm performances he so far has proven less valuable than players such as iwobe.
Age is on his side , but has he even justified 30m? let alone the figures talked about here.

The fee we paid is due to his potential. Age is on his side, has played football in Germany, France and now England. Is a full Belgium international. Has the physical attributes and some flair mixed in. He will improve almost certainly. Seems to have the right attitude. This season if he stays with us I will want to see him dominate more games like arsenal and Liverpool at home. We will make a profit on him. And if we was to go now we would definitely get our money back for him. Iwobi for the same fee we paid for onana, if he doesn’t go this summer then he leaves on a free next summer. That’s bad business. Only since Lampard came have we saw any really output from iwobi and since the contract negotiations stalled he performance dipped again towards then end of the season. And I have nothing against iwobi wasn’t it fault we paid that much for him.

 

[allen]

FFS, he's 27 now. He's gone from prospect to in-his-prime.

Should've got the deal done yesterday.

 

[blueboy72]

I think that’s notable, though. If you asked City why they won the league they’d have a list of players, moments and goals that was never ending.

Getting one point (however valuable) and putting a half decent ball into a crowded box that could have been headed away, missed, etc. being one of few notable incidents from Gray in 2 seasons is partly the reason we’re so crap.

He’s not on the (long) list of dossers we need shut of, but if Saudi want to pay over the odds that’s great.

Someone put on twitter his Goal v city kept us up how can anybody actually thing this, it’s madness

 

[Mrbluenose]

FFS, he's 27 now. He's gone from prospect to in-his-prime.

Should've got the deal done yesterday.

Anything over 10M, snap their hand off.

 

[StDomingosGringo]

I suppose the point I’m making is that we paid decent money already for him. It might be unpopular but in terms of goals, assistists, motm performances he so far has proven less valuable than players such as iwobe.
Age is on his side , but has he even justified 30m? let alone the figures talked about here.

Not unreasonable at all but could also be used to make the point there’s room for him to grow.

Could still be the sale we end up making for the good of the squad but I’d be happy if we got an unexpected Saudi bonus for Gray & whatever we get from the likes of Maupay instead.

 

[brieverton]

Have to hope Saudi interest is concrete.
Can't make him go there but you would imagine with the wages on offer he would take that and it should not be too difficult for him to return to play in England if it didn't work out.