Yevhen Konoplyanka

[Sweech]

That's just it, those are the highlights. Trust me my friend, the guy hugs the paint for both club and country. He is very much a bonafide winger who uses his power in open spaces coupled with decent dribbling ability, but a launchpad for creativity he is not. He is adept to using his ability in those open spaces at pace, but he's not the type to receive the ball in front of a stacked box, and work his way through it with dribbling or a clever pass.

Kono is a bit selfish when playing for club, I think you're right about that. But I think much of that has had to do with the disparity in quality of himself and the rest of his team. When he plays for Ukraine, he isn't nearly as "hoggish" with the ball, and very frequently looks for the cross. For club, he shoulders much of the responsibility and looks to use his shooting ability. And yes, you're right that it does seem he has problems with his attitude. Nonetheless, if we were to avoid Kono, I'd rather a player more suited and comfortable to playing on the left rather than continuing this trend of playing players away from their preferred positions.

The Lamela central thing is another new notion I feel is somewhat misplaced. Yes, he is often central, and yes Eriksen can often be found wide, but to my eyes I find their interaction in movement as "gear-like." Lamela starts just off the right shoulder of Eriksen and somewhat more advanced. Depending on where the ball is, and who receives it, Eriksen's movement is dependent on Lamela's. When the ball is deep, Eriksen checks to and plays a deeper CAM position (I think Poch has ordained this to compensate for how poor we are at getting the ball forward), while Lamela takes up the No 10. If Lamela does receive the ball and looks inside, Eriksen does run into that space voided by Lamela. So most of the time Eriksen is still the central pivot, just that with his movement Lamela often moves into his space. This is certainly something orchestrated by Poch in training, as it keeps them from harshing on each other's space and uses this movement to suit each of their respective abilities.

....How much Ukrainian league football do you watch?

 

[DaSpurs]

....How much Ukrainian league football do you watch?

Haha some, try to watch whenever Dnipro plays Shakhtar or Kiev, or whenever the latter two face off, but mostly the national team.

 

[spursfan77]

This was one transfer I thought may raise its head again on deadline day actually.

I don't think he's great but would have been a good option to have.

 

[jimbo]

This was one transfer I thought may raise its head again on deadline day actually.

I don't think he's great but would have been a good option to have.

Personally I think we need to stop collecting exactly that sort of player.