Player Watch Player Watch: Dejan Kulusevski

[allpaths]

So much better playing centrally. I'd love to see him and Maddison play as 8.5 in 4-1-4-1

 

[thebenjamin]

Great player up until the penalty area where he generally has a nosebleed

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Very frustrating to watch in the final third

 

[McFlash]

Didn't get to see the game because I was at work but it sounds like he was played centrally and played well?
Pleased that Ange tried him out there because with his (slight) lack of pace and habit of cutting back, that may well end up being his best position in this system.

He always works his bollocks off though and has got to be one of the fittest in the squad.

 

[SonicSarr]

He was my MOM today. Great performance.

 

[Pistols At Dawn]

Go watch the highlights again. Deki is at the heart of everything good we did today. Two shots inches away from scoring, several near-assists, a tricky flick that put Gil in on goal (if anyone was “frustrating in the final third,” it was Bryan), held the ball up countless times. On another day, he scores two and assists two.

You’d think I’m crazy to say Deki walks into almost any Premier League side, so I’ll limit my praise to saying he is undroppable in THIS premier league side.

 

[nedley]

Deki was absolute quality today.

But that was a sitter. You can't be missing those

 

[THFC_SWE]

I know Ange want his wingers to hold the width. But I think we are wasting the strengths of Deki by playing him that way. I think the game vs Aston Villa shows that he's more dangerous when he's allowed to play more centrally.

 

[kernowspurscoach1977]

I have been banging this drum for him to play centrally for a while

 

[13VanDerBale13]

I have been banging this drum for him to play centrally for a while

Only problem is we don’t have many wingers & GIl is not the answer

 

[Joely]

Should really have put that early chance away. He gets into some good positions but believe he can become a bit too predictable. Still poses a threat but with the amount of the ball he see's, feel there needs to be more output in terms of creating changes/scoring.

 

[cjsimba]

Needs to watch a few Arjen Robben clips to improve his end product.

 

[chas vs dave]

He was good centrally, but looked lost on the wing at the end. A lot of our players looked knackered in the last 20

 

[sparx100]

The ball seems to stick to him. There was one moment where Torres just bounced off him. Just needs to be more clinical and composed. Once he gets that he is going to be immense.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

His ball retention is fantastic, the problem we have however is, a lack of goal scorers from our forwards bar Son.

We really need him & others to compose themselves in the box.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

Should have won three or four free kicks on the edge of the box after turning his man inside out and then getting taken out, but the ref wasn't giving him anything. At one point McGinn basically rugby tackled him and the ref just carried on regardless.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Feel his long term future is central. Which is great.

But our attack needs some reinforcement…again

 

[nicdic]

Really liked him central today.

 

[bubble07]

Was very good. Think centrally we are looking good. We just need someone with the skillset of Doku who can play either wing

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Go watch the highlights again. Deki is at the heart of everything good we did today. Two shots inches away from scoring, several near-assists, a tricky flick that put Gil in on goal (if anyone was “frustrating in the final third,” it was Bryan), held the ball up countless times.
On another day, he scores two and assists two.


You’d think I’m crazy to say Deki walks into almost any Premier League side, so I’ll limit my praise to saying he is undroppable in THIS premier league side.

All great points and he was fantastic today I have to say BUT plying devils advocate we do say this type of thing about him too often and I’ve said many a time he DOES need to work on/improve his finishing and final ball etc as he gets in so many good positions but is a bit wasteful.

If he wants to take him game to Saka level for example he needs to do more and be far more clinical, so far 13 games he has 3 goals 0 assists, Saka for example has 4 goals 5 assists in 12 PL games.

Fantastic today and certainly a very useful player but I’d like to see his output improve more towards the levels it was when we very first signed him under Conte when everything he touched week after week was a goal or assist, he has that in him.