Mohammed Kudus

[Gutter Boy]

Pointless getting into a debate with @Bishop on this one, he's not going to budge on Johnson

Actually think Kudus v Johnson is an interesting case. I have been critical of Kudus purely from an end product point of view. Johnson has the end product which is crucial and a very positive thing to have at 24 years of age but needs to improve in other areas.

The opposite is true of Kudus - he needs to improve his decision making at the final hurdle ie when to pass vs when to shoot, which will help his overall figures.

However history tells you that the end product does come as age improves if you have the ability and Kudus is still fairly young and certainly has ability. Johnson improving aspects of his game such as beating his man etc isn't so easy to do, whilst not impossible. All in all I'd say it's good to have both these different players as options and will be interesting to see how the next couple of years go for them as there is plenty of scope for them both to improve....

Balance is important too.

I think Johnson right would balance Odobert (or Moore) left, whereas Kudus right would balance Tel (or Son) left

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Balance is important too.

I think Johnson right would balance Odobert (or Moore) left, whereas Kudus right would balance Tel (or Son) left

Yep
Although I do think under Frank Johnson is as likely to be played like wissa

 

[Bullet]

Balance is important too.

I think Johnson right would balance Odobert (or Moore) left, whereas Kudus right would balance Tel (or Son) left

Hmm that’s an astute point

So first half was Porro staying back, Udogie pushing up on the left with dribbler Moore inside the pitch and Johnson the wide right finisher (not a dribbler)

Second half was the mirror opposite with Davies staying back, Spence pushing up on the right with dribbler Kudus inside* the pitch and Son the wide left finisher ( not a dribbler anymore)

*often went wide too when breaking forwards

 

[Bishop]

Is that the same Johnson who was our top goal scorer last year, and the same Johnson who won us the EL ? Just wondering

Yes the same Johnson who barely contributed in general game play, the same guy who contributed to us being penned in and being unable to play out. The same Johnson who regularly has less than 30 touches in a game, fewer than even the second half subs at times.

I expect a little bit more from a player than just finishing the odd chance here it there. If we want to actual win consistently and the big competitions we do indeed players who can both perform well and contribute statistically.

 

[Baleforce]

Yes the same Johnson who barely contributed in general game play, the same guy who contributed to us being penned in and being unable to play out. The same Johnson who regularly has less than 30 touches in a game, fewer than even the second half subs at times.

I expect a little bit more from a player than just finishing the odd chance here it there. If we want to actual win consistently and the big competitions we do indeed players who can both perform well and contribute statistically.

And contribute defensively.

It may have just been idiotic tactics, but Johnson hasn’t been involved in that half of the game.

 

[Bishop]

And contribute defensively.

It may have just been idiotic tactics, but Johnson hasn’t been involved in that half of the game.

I'm not even an advocate for the deep defense as you are but I agree he does very little defensively.

 

[Baleforce]

I'm not even an advocate for the deep defense as you are but I agree he does very little defensively.

It doesn’t have to be deep, but it has to be something, we could have saved 15/20 goals last season just by bringing the wide players back into the box when out of possession.

 

[veryoldspur]

Yes the same Johnson who barely contributed in general game play, the same guy who contributed to us being penned in and being unable to play out. The same Johnson who regularly has less than 30 touches in a game, fewer than even the second half subs at times.

I expect a little bit more from a player than just finishing the odd chance here it there. If we want to actual win consistently and the big competitions we do indeed players who can both perform well and contribute statistically.

A bit like Jimmy Grieves than?

 

[Bishop]

A bit like Jimmy Grieves than?

Poor comparison, first Jimmy Greaves was a striker and secondly he scored at a rate that was undeniable. If Johnson gets 25+ goals a season in the league then his rudimentary football abilities will be more than made up for by his goal contribution but sorry he was playing out wide and we need more than tap ins from a wife player.

 

[Baleforce]

A bit like Jimmy Grieves than?

Football was brick back then though, it was normal for attacking players to completely disregard their defensive responsibilities.

It’s completely unacceptable and unprofessional now.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Football was brick back then though, it was normal for attacking players to completely disregard their defensive responsibilities.

It’s completely unacceptable and unprofessional now.

Wouldn’t go that far but agree in principle. Even poachers like Van Nistelrooy are rare these days. Forwards need to contribute goals but their overall play needs to be much better.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Wouldn’t go that far but agree in principle. Even poachers like Van Nistelrooy are rare these days. Forwards need to contribute goals but their overall play needs to be much better.

Sorry to interrupt, but Van Nistelrooy was way more than that mate.

 

[RunTMC]

Poor comparison, first Jimmy Greaves was a striker and secondly he scored at a rate that was undeniable. If Johnson gets 25+ goals a season in the league then his rudimentary football abilities will be more than made up for by his goal contribution but sorry he was playing out wide and we need more than tap ins from a wife player.

Look I get you don’t like the guy but stick to his football and not his personal life

 

[Kandi1977]

Sorry to interrupt, but Van Nistelrooy was way more than that mate.

Maybe he was, but I also predominantly remember him as a fox in the box. A modern version of Ian Rush, who I'm certain had the longest toe in history!

 

[Baleforce]

Maybe he was, but I also predominantly remember him as a fox in the box. A modern version of Ian Rush, who I'm certain had the longest toe in history!

a thousand times better than rush, scored every kind of goal,

 

[Bishop]

Look I get you don’t like the guy but stick to his football and not his personal life

I don't even dislike him, I just think he's really poor at the basics and thus is not a player I want to see in the technically demanding positions or roles in the team.

 

[Bishop]

Maybe he was, but I also predominantly remember him as a fox in the box. A modern version of Ian Rush, who I'm certain had the longest toe in history!

Rude was actually very technical it's just he specialised in scoring goals and was very good at it. I remember in the latter days of his career at Real Madrid he was basically playing AM and was surprisingly very effective doing so.