Miralem Pjanić

[easley91]

Is negotiating for Pjanic the reason for nothing being confirmed as yet? Would love a double deal.

 

[Barry Mead]

I can see why if we tie up Lamela we might be looking be looking at Pjanic rather than Eriksen as Lamela links up play pretty well in the more advanced areas and Pjanic can link up from deeper areas. He's got a lovely passing range, plays the kind of passes that Soldado will eat up and gives us a great free kick taker if Bale goes

I think Pjanic maybe gets a bit of unfair criticism because often he looks a bit of a languid player, but much like Berba in him you have a player that won't chase lost causes just to impress the fans that he's trying but will put himself out if he thinks he has a chance

First things first though, lets tie up Lamela and then weigh up our options and what we need. Willian was the kind of player that could operate both as a winger and an am/attack orchestrator, will we want similar, more a lw, more an am, maybe a deeper mid playmaker (though Capoue has a great passing range to be a really deep lying playmaker/dm)

 

[Syn_13]

I can see why if we tie up Lamela we might be looking be looking at Pjanic rather than Eriksen as Lamela links up play pretty well in the more advanced areas and Pjanic can link up from deeper areas. He's got a lovely passing range, plays the kind of passes that Soldado will eat up and gives us a great free kick taker if Bale goes

I think Pjanic maybe gets a bit of unfair criticism because often he looks a bit of a languid player, but much like Berba in him you have a player that won't chase lost causes just to impress the fans that he's trying but will put himself out if he thinks he has a chance

First things first though, lets tie up Lamela and then weigh up our options and what we need. Willian was the kind of player that could operate both as a winger and an am/attack orchestrator, will we want similar, more a lw, more an am, maybe a deeper mid playmaker (though Capoue has a great passing range to be a really deep lying playmaker/dm)

I don't think that's entirely true. He's not a languid player in the style of Berbatov. He's been dropped from the Roma squad a few times and criticised by Italian pundits simply because he won't chase down the ball at all, let alone for lost causes. Also, he has a record for picking up injuries, something we may not want to risk of the player that we rely on to make us tick.

As I said earlier, I don't think he'd get in over our current crop of centre mids simply because AVB wants grafters in that midfield and they're all more well rounded developed players. We have Capoue, as you said, who looks like he knows how to pass a ball whilst being strong and a hard worker. If we signed Pjanic I'd imagine we'd play him as the centre attacking mid of a 4-2-3-1 rather than a centre mid in a 4-3-3 as he won't put in the defensive work to be a centre mid and he's not effective on the wings.

I know Holtby hasn't provided that much yet, but watching him for the Germany U21 proved to me that he can play a deeper playmaking centre mid role. He's got bags of energy and if he learns to curb it a little and player smarter by not chasing everything then he'll be better than Pjanic. He's got youth on his side. Now I can't comment on Eriksen as I don't watch Ajax, but I watch a hell of a lot of Serie A and Pjanic, whilst being a promissing player, has never blown me away.

 

[Barry Mead]

I don't think that's entirely true. He's not a languid player in the style of Berbatov. He's been dropped from the Roma squad a few times and criticised by Italian pundits simply because he won't chase down the ball at all, let alone for lost causes. Also, he has a record for picking up injuries, something we may not want to risk of the player that we rely on to make us tick.

As I said earlier, I don't think he'd get in over our current crop of centre mids simply because AVB wants grafters in that midfield and they're all more well rounded developed players. We have Capoue, as you said, who looks like he knows how to pass a ball whilst being strong and a hard worker. If we signed Pjanic I'd imagine we'd play him as the centre attacking mid of a 4-2-3-1 rather than a centre mid in a 4-3-3 as he won't put in the defensive work to be a centre mid and he's not effective on the wings.

I know Holtby hasn't provided that much yet, but watching him for the Germany U21 proved to me that he can play a deeper playmaking centre mid role. He's got bags of energy and if he learns to curb it a little and player smarter by not chasing everything then he'll be better than Pjanic. He's got youth on his side. Now I can't comment on Eriksen as I don't watch Ajax, but I watch a hell of a lot of Serie A and Pjanic, whilst being a promissing player, has never blown me away.

The Roma team has had so many coaches it's hardly a shock players get dropped. I don't know how much the statement that AVB only wants grafters is true, but the whole point about having balance in a team is that with players with a good engine and big work ethic like Paulinho, Walker, Capoue etc., allow a player with guile to play and bring the strengths they have whilst the others work rate covers for a player with less. Now of course in an ideal world you might say lets have a player with skill, vision and guile and workrate but it's not always a perfect world and with what 10 days to go choices may be limited.

To be honest I don't really care overly much who we get and personally if we sign Lamela then Griezemann would be the player I'd like us bringing in instead of Willian, I think another playmaker would be a nice to have but personally I'd be inclined to try for a young lad like Will Hughes who looks a really promising youngster that can play central or more attacking and with the players we already have could be a good young player to get gradually introduced to the team rather than a more experienced player who might be unhappy not getting some games

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

The Roma team has had so many coaches it's hardly a shock players get dropped. I don't know how much the statement that AVB only wants grafters is true, but the whole point about having balance in a team is that with players with a good engine and big work ethic like Paulinho, Walker, Capoue etc., allow a player with guile to play and bring the strengths they have whilst the others work rate covers for a player with less. Now of course in an ideal world you might say lets have a player with skill, vision and guile and workrate but it's not always a perfect world and with what 10 days to go choices may be limited.

To be honest I don't really care overly much who we get and personally if we sign Lamela then Griezemann would be the player I'd like us bringing in instead of Willian, I think another playmaker would be a nice to have but personally I'd be inclined to try for a young lad like Will Hughes who looks a really promising youngster that can play central or more attacking and with the players we already have could be a good young player to get gradually introduced to the team rather than a more experienced player who might be unhappy not getting some games

Hughes would be a good shout, but I heard Liverpool had a 10M bid rejected, so he's not gonna come cheap, so when you weigh it up, Pjanic/Ericksen look like better purchases.

 

[mil1lion]

I would be shocked if Roma sold both Lamela and Pjanic.

 

[Blake Griffin]

what player(s) is pjanic like?

 

[Yid]

I would be shocked if Roma sold both Lamela and Pjanic.

Same here.
I don't see anyway they'll get rid of their essential core of the team (their #1 playmaker + their #1 scorer).

PS. But they do have Strootman and Bradley, so there is a tiny glimmer of hope for Pjanic. Perhaps?

 

[Anrey]

Not really. Bradley is DM, Strootman is playmaker. Pjanic is a AM or CM(but there he play not well) and Lamela is AM/winger

 

[Yid]

what player(s) is pjanic like?

Pjanic is what I would call a traditional, yet versatile playmaker who's known for his wicked curve as a dead-ball specialist, and has a penchant for long-range belters from outside the box (with either foot btw). He can play practically anywhere (even out wide), and he does really well playing in the hole. However, I personally believe he'd be best utilised as your old-fashioned regista (deep-lying playmaker) ala Pirlo. His two main (and only) weaknesses AFAIAC, are lack of explosive pace and physical strength.
Other than that he is a very creative midfielder with excellent technical ability. His closest comparison (imho) to a current young footballer that I can think of, would probably be someone like Jordy Clasie (aka Dutch Xavi) at Feyenoord.

 

[Yid]

Not really. Bradley is DM, Strootman is playmaker. Pjanic is a AM or CM(but there he play not well) and Lamela is AM/winger

That's neither here nor there, because if you really want to dig deep, Bradley can (and did) play a more advanced role than DM, Strootman can play box-to-box (DM, CM, and even AM too), Pjanic also can play practically anywhere (RW/LW, CAM, CM or even DM), and Lamela plays RW (but is equally adept or I would even say better equipped to play in the hole), so that point is moot, imo.

PS. Btw, Pjanic is more of a traditional playmaker than Strootman, imo.

 

[AUSpur]

That's neither here nor there, because if you really want to dig deep, Bradley can (and did) play a more advanced role than DM, Strootman can play box-to-box (DM, CM, and even AM too), Pjanic also can play practically anywhere (RW/LW, CAM, CM or even DM), and Lamela plays RW (but is equally adept or I would even say better equipped to play in the hole), so that point is moot, imo.

PS. Btw, Pjanic is more of a traditional playmaker than Strootman, imo.

And Strootman & Bradley have looked very good playing together.

 

[Anrey]

Bradley is weak player, DDR is a fantastic DM. Pjanic can play anywhere, right. But when he play as a DM(never seen) or CM he play like Gylfi in last matches, not so good. He must play as AM, his best position. He can even play as striker in 4-3-3.

 

[IMissTheWaddler]

Well it looks like this one's dead

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2013/08/romas-pjanic-set-to-stay/

 

[Yid]

Bradley is weak player, DDR is a fantastic DM. Pjanic can play anywhere, right. But when he play as a DM(never seen) or CM he play like Gylfi in last matches, not so good. He must play as AM, his best position. He can even play as striker in 4-3-3.

I've seen him play in a double-pivot of 4-2-3-1 in the past, and he does very well out of that position imo (when there is a quality enforcer, such as your aforementioned DDR starting next to him, tbf), but yes, you're right, he won't make it as a primary DM (especially in a 4-3-3), because he doesn't have the power to break down plays and he is relatively poor at tackling. Though his outstanding dribbling skills often help him get out of sticky situations on the pitch.
Yes Pjanic is a great CAM, but isn't cut out to play striker, IMO.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Well it looks like this one's dead

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2013/08/romas-pjanic-set-to-stay/

Oh no, what a shame

 

[Strikeb4ck]

No no no please don't sign him. Watched him since his time at Lyon, just not gonna cut it in this team and definitely not the creative player we need.

 

[Negotiator]

Pjanic is what I would call a traditional, yet versatile playmaker who's known for his wicked curve as a dead-ball specialist, and has a penchant for long-range belters from outside the box (with either foot btw). He can play practically anywhere (even out wide), and he does really well playing in the hole. However, I personally believe he'd be best utilised as your old-fashioned regista (deep-lying playmaker) ala Pirlo. His two main (and only) weaknesses AFAIAC, are lack of explosive pace and physical strength.
Other than that he is a very creative midfielder with excellent technical ability. His closest comparison (imho) to a current young footballer that I can think of, would probably be someone like Jordy Clasie (aka Dutch Xavi) at Feyenoord.

So Lampard essentially.

 

[Yid]

So Lampard essentially.

I can actually see where you're headed, and your conclusion is very logical. They're somewhat similar, but Fat Frankie Lamps is a bit bigger, stronger, and has a better (more powerful) finish. Lamps is also better defensively, so naturally he is a better DM than Pjanic. Whereas Pjanic is a better regista-playmaker, imo.
Interestingly enough, physically Pjanic is almost identical to our own Tropical Frankie Lamps (aka Paulinho), with the exception of raw physical strength (where Paulie excels a bit).
They're both same height, and Paulinho is only a bit more bulky (by only a couple of pounds of muscle mass), and that's about it, but again Paulie is better defensively, so he is closer to the Chavs Lamps in that regard.
Paulinho is your good old classical segundo volante.

Sorry for the extensive depiction.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Not to divert, but I'd much prefer Remy Cabella. His play seems to be trending upwards whereas in my opinion Pjanic' development has stalled a tad.