Player Watch Player Watch: Dejan Kulusevski

[SlotBadger]

This touch before his pass/shot/miss is absolutely beautiful. It wasn't highlighted during the game, nor on Match of the Day, but so few players have such reading of the ball to even try this.

Not trying to belittle commentators who've not played the game, but I honestly think you need to have played somewhat to realise just how difficult this is (hence it's such a rare sight).

Click the image to load a YouTube clip

 

[mil1lion]

I loved that Norwich fans chanted what the fuck was that and then minutes later he bends it top bins

 

[carmeldevil]

 

[spursfan77]

What an absolutely unbelievable purchase he has been. To think what would have happened had he gone to the scum instead really doesn't bare thinking about

 

[spids]

5 goals and 8 assists since signing. Diaz has 4 goals and 3 assists.

Which one was signing of the season? (don't ask a scouser)

 

[The Long Suffering One]

What impresses me about his 2nd goal was that it came at the back of that odd slip up with him and Sonny, hence when the chance came soon after, you would have thought he would look for a safe pass inside.

But to then go on and did wat he did shows maturity and composure on young shoulders.

 

[mark87]

Since his first game with us our front three have scored 32 goals and made 20 assists in the league. Insane.

 

[ChaoticBeaver]

This touch before his pass/shot/miss is absolutely beautiful. It wasn't highlighted during the game, nor on Match of the Day, but so few players have such reading of the ball to even try this.

Not trying to belittle commentators who've not played the game, but I honestly think you need to have played somewhat to realise just how difficult this is (hence it's such a rare sight).

Click the image to load a YouTube clip
View attachment 111709

Bale used to go past people like this. Love to see it

 

[C0YS]

The scouting of him, Romero & Bentancur has been extraordinary. Personally I'm a fan of Emerson (but can comprehend if we sell him) and I believe Gil can make it here if he bulks up in the summer and can fit the tactics. Perhaps Sarr becomes a big hit during pre-season and adds to the competition.

Both Gil and Sarr are really for a few seasons time, and I would put money on both staying preseason then going out on loan again. Ideally to the PL.

When we signed Gil I knew that he wouldnt have a major part to play for us this season, as wouldn't have had a major part if he stayed at Sevilla. We signed him because he is a collosal talent but his developmental path won't see immediate returns. I worry that he isn't really built for the prem. But it's one fans will have to wait and see and not write him off like they did sessegnon simply because a young player isn't immediately thrust into the first team.

Sessegnon wasn't signed to immediately play many games, nor was Gil. Even before Conte the level we were at is just leaps and bounds ahead of Fulham and Eibar, and neither were exactly pulling up trees at either club when taking into account top flight games. We aren't like mid to late 00s Tottenham where we could buy a young Championship player and they could break into the team quickly.

You invest a lot because too talents cost money and you hope the risk pays off eventually and has a position solved for 7-10 years. But they are still youth players and should be treated as such.

Not all talents progress as quickly as Deki. Who, let's not forget was signed for 45 million by Juventus after playing just 23 professional games. Not all talents progress in a linear fashion, and not all talents will burst into playing at the top level at the same time. Different talents are on different paths towards reaching the top.

When it comes to Deki, it's not that it was such impressive scouting work in terms of identifying him as a talent. Everyone who knows anything about football knew he was a collosal talent.

But, it's more the trust we had, being able to see what he could contribute and trusting his Juve experience as growing pains rather than indicative of stagnation. Mind, there is no way on earth we could have predicted his impact.

The great thing with Deki is he is good now, but he also works as succession planning for when Kane and Son are no longer are around.

Bentacur was very clever, because he maybe wasn't a player with a lot of hype, but a very well known quantity. But it's more the ability to know that he was a good fit for Conteball and a player who would thrive in this league. That was a massive call as we got rid of most our midfielders. If Bentacur flopped we'd have been in serious trouble.

 

[dtxspurs]

Since his first game with us our front three have scored 32 goals and made 20 assists in the league. Insane.

I literally don't think we could have found a more perfect player to compliment Kane and Son. I mean maybe Salah or Vinicius but in reality he provides great balance.

 

[worcestersauce]

What impresses me about his 2nd goal was that it came at the back of that odd slip up with him and Sonny, hence when the chance came soon after, you would have thought he would look for a safe pass inside.

But to then go on and did wat he did shows maturity and composure on young shoulders.

I'm convinced he'd have scored with that slip up but last minute tried to set up Son instead.
He was only 21 until last month, we have a habit of considering our home grown players still young and learning at that age but seem to think a new player is the finished article even at 21. He's just moved to a new club in a new country in a new league, probably the hardest league and he's really making his mark, that's some achievement and you can't help but think he could be a massive player for us in the future.

PS, I hope we make his loan permanent ?

 

[Steffen]

Too bad we can't draw Juventus in CL, as I would have loved to see Kulu and Bentancur smash them.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

I literally don't think we could have found a more perfect player to compliment Kane and Son. I mean maybe Salah or Vinicius but in reality he provides great balance.

Genuinely neither of those players would compliment Kane and Son as much as Kulusevski does.

Vinicius is only effective from the left which would throw the balance completely out as Son is miles better on that side too.

Salah would be amazing and his pace would make us an unbelievable threat but he doesn't offer the same level of composure, creativity and strength that Deki offers. Kulusevski offers complete balance because he has the perfect blend of being a goal threat but also being a creator. That's not to say Salah isn't a better player, he obviously is but I think Deki's traits make him a better fit for our front 3 if that makes sense.

Unreal player.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

No, we're not. As I said in my post above he was genuinely poor for us and i certainly didn't think it was worth keeping him at Juve. He had chances and didn't do enough. Not every player works well at every club. He's just managed to gel with the team and Conte, and provide us something extra. This is where he belongs now.

I think it's a classic case of fans not understanding that bad coaching and tactics can make players look worse than they are. Case in point is most of our defenders looking shambolic under Mourinho. Where as now players like Dier, Davies, Sessegnon, Doherty have excelled under Conte.

It's the same with Kulu. In a well coached system with a coach who has given him specific instructions that enhance his strengths he has excelled for us. He evidently wasn't getting this support at Juve under Pirlo and Allegri.

 

[mil1lion]

Another player who compliments Son and Kane is Eriksen but I think it's better that Kulusevski is left footed. Son is at his best on the left side and we've had 2 great seasons with him there. I would love to get Eriksen back as an alternative on the left side to sort of mirror what we have now (the pacey runner Moura on the right and creativity of Eriksen on the left).

 

[DogsOfWar]

5 goals and 8 assists since signing. Diaz has 4 goals and 3 assists.

Which one was signing of the season? (don't ask a scouser)

When you also factor in the effect on the side it's a no contest in my opinion.
Diaz is rotating with others that have fantastic G/A stats so had little overall effect on Liverpool whereas Kulu took us up a level (ditto for Eriksen at Brentford) so both had a much bigger impact on their teams.

 

[tony0379]

 

[Darth Vega]

Seems like a no-brainer. We get to keep him while managing cash flow to free up funds for the summer.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

So long as that option is watertight, fine by me.

 

[ardiles]

Too bad we can't draw Juventus in CL, as I would have loved to see Kulu and Bentancur smash them.

We will do that when we meet them in the final ?