ASM

I think 50m has to be the absolute minimum. We paid 20m and he set the league alight to be honest. He looks absolute mustard. He's fast, strong, skillful, and seems to have a good balance in terms of knowing when to pass. He appears at this stage to have a great attitude and the other players seem to really like him. Its only his first season too.

**** it, I want 80m.

 

Considering the quoted amounts bandied around for Traore £80M would be a good price

 

I'm never sure what to make of Traore but he has a great record. Carrying too much muscle though

 

Personally think he a more bulked up version of Almiron than ASM.

 

Hes the sex - he's like Ben Arfa with the ability to pass, Ginola without the arrogance, and Robert with far better work rate.

Those 3 guys were amazing to watch, but ASM is legit better than all of them right now, none of them ever carried out team the way Maxi does, we shouldn't let him go for anything less than a fortune.

An on a similar note, Lazaro looked bloody good last night, when did he suddenly get good?

 

I've quite liked Lazaro from the off. He hasn't been great but he's been bit part. He has a good pedigree and just seems the type to get his head down and graft. If you watch his performances for us, one thing is clear to me. He has a very high level of football intelligence. He definitely has the ability to adapt quite well and I could see him being a great utility player. Kinda like an attacking version of Aaron Hughes. Maybe like Milner type, every squad needs them.

I can't put him above Ginola as yet. To be honest I'd struggle to put him above the other two just yet. But he certainly deserves to be in that exalted company, his level is that high.

 

It's a shame Lazza hasn't been given in a run in the team cos the quality is definitely there. But we can also use him as an impact sub if last is anything to go by, he looked totally up for it as soon as he came on.

As far as Ginola, Ben Arfa and Robert go, they were always "luxury" players, ie amazing talent but wanting in areas such as work rate and defence duties. ASM just seems like the complete package defends, runs through players, ridiculously strong, sets up others and scores goals himself. Yes too early to call it, but the potential is limitless.

 

Yeah that's why I said yet. All of the things you want in a wide player are there. To be honest his changes of direction are absolutely ridiculous. His acceleration makes him very difficult to mark. It will depend once folk adapt to him. I think he is in for a lot of kicking. When someone is that skilful and that quick off a standing start, there is only one way to deal with it. Early, hard and aggressive. Teams will do that and you'll see them double up leaving cover behind so the 2nd gets him. Thats good though because it means Almiron should in theory get room as a result. It will be how ASM adapts once teams come up with a plan because they will. Ginola had that, but because he was two footed and had a shoulder drop to die for, teams never got a grip on him.

All those three were luxury but we set up to deal with that to a certain extent. To be honest I never want to see ASM asked to do that Man C role again, it was ridiculous. If we were dead set on playing like that (never justified in my opinion regardless of oppo), he should have been benched or played up top on his own. I'd be looking to get ASM one on one with his man as regular as I could. Because he is as good as any in the league for me at beating a man.

 

We sold Perez for £35m last year.....ASM is worth a lot more than that now. Add to that the fact that he is only 22 so is only going to get a hell of a lot better you need to factor in potential as well. I'd say currently he's worth £50m at least now.

Takeover or no takeover I'm confident he'll be here next season, he just seems to fit, he likes it here and he can play the type of football he wants. We haven't seen the best of him at home with fans in the ground, he was injured early on and then again after having played a few games before lock down. He looks a completely different player since the restart.

 

no takeover and he's gone... he'll like it at a big club.. he has bigger dreams I'm sure.

 

He is basically like HBA with a better attitude.

 

He's on a five year contract so will have 4 years left at the end of this year. I think even if Ashley is here he might take a gamble and keep him for 6-18 months to see if he can add 10-15 goals a season to his game at which point he'd be worth well in excess of 60m possibly up to 80m. If we were to sell him tomorrow I think he's worth £40-50m at present which would be a huge mark up on the £16m we paid for him.

He's at 3 goals 5 assists (4 and 7 if you include the cup) in his first season bedding into a team that's largely played on the back foot all year. Give him a bit more licence to get forwards next year and 10 goals and assists each could be easily achievable.

 

I actually think he has the potential to be like a Salah or Mane bagging nearer 20. He's that good. But he is a bit more unselfish than them to be fair. I'd like to think we will stick, but its not really up to Ashley regardless of contracts. Players decide when they leave now, so it would be down to him. My worry is the profile of clubs coming if takeover doesn't happen, he'll be off. Hard to blame him or anyone else. Players of that standard need assurance the club means business, and it must be very tempting when a Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Man C or Chelsea come knocking.

 

Very different players but I get the point.

I'll defend HBA though, well a little! His attitude was good for a while. He just seems to struggle to maintain it anywhere he's been. A troubled soul basically, one many have tried and failed to manage.

But capable of things I'm not sure even ASM could manage.

 

Agreed I'd not be surprised to see him hit that in future years when hes Salah and Manes age - Salah only first hit career double figures in a season for Roma back in 2015/16 (23/24 y/o) and Sane has only hit over 15 league goals in the last 2 years bar a season in the Austrian Bundesliga back in 2012 so he still has a bit of time on his hands to reach those heights.

In a decent attacking team with a bit more freedom he could be frightening. As others say with there being a bit of a merry go round for wingers/inside forwards this year amongst the elite teams it could prove tricky to hold on to but we'd break our transfer record (spending and received) if he goes this summer.

 

I think he'll stay next year. I think he'll want to stay regardless TBH. Right now he is the main man in that team which he obviously thrives on. And heIhe seems to love it playing for us. I lf he is to get a move to a club at the 'next level' I think he needs another year anyway to really prove himself.

 

And using photos of Joelinton to make it take longer.

 

Yes, it's about proving yourself once the opponents know what to expect. One of the most talented footballers I've ever seen at SJP. Only hope he has a better attitude than Asprilla/Ben Arfa, and stays longer than Ginola.

 

he's ****e compared to max

 

Please never leave!