CountChocula
Active Member
Decent performance today. Willock had a couple of nice slides into the box to set up Pepe on the overlap that he should've blasted into back of the net RVP-style, but oh well
Last edited:
Needs a loan. He probably prefers to be Arteta's jack of all trades--which I think he's useful as, I'd like to see him used as a wing back who slides in centrally as Arteta uses Bellerín and AMN and Saka often--than to go on loan to a Championship side, but if he wants to develop into a decent midfielder he really needs to be working on his midfield play playing every week, right now he is either not confident enough to receive and play in the middle with regularity or is being hidden by Arteta (yesterday yelled at him to move higher when he dropped deep to receive, so I imagine there's some of that) much like with Torreira under Emery.
Not really fussed either way, probably has squad player level potential and if Azeez, Patino, and Bandeira develop well they should all surpass him.
Ali Bomaye! Ali Bomaye!
Got a chopper and a bottle **** it let 'em spray
He’s a CM - the only reason you ever see him in those random utility roles is because like Ainsley, he has a lot of tools and Arteta prefers ball retention merchants in the middle.
The quality in the defensive phase is slept on here I feel.
Who on earth aspires to be a jack of all trades?
but the lad’s got an incredible ceiling.
Eh, let's not underestimate the question of ball retention with phrases like ball retention merchant, it's an important job of a midfielder. Arteta doesn't play him centrally too often because he doesn't really have high level skills for a midfielder...I don't think Arteta wants 'ball retention merchants', but rather good midfielders. Willock is not there yet, and might never get there.
Really? I think that's clearly his strong point atm, hence why Arteta often uses him late in games to defend from the front whether as a false 9 or a false winger/interior. Hence why I like the idea of him as an interior wing back too.
No one, I said I think he'd prefer to stay here and be that than go on loan to a championship club, but I think for his development a championship club where he will see the ball in midfield and develop his midfield play would be best.
He's got some good qualities but there are loads of footballers who have as good or more interesting skills and are more advanced at his age. He's very much a project, think a mid-table premier club career is a more likely outcome for him than making it at a big club.
His weaknesses to me would be:
-lack of confidence/ability to receive the ball consistently in the middle and progress play (this is a big one), unless no pressure
-lack of passing range
-poor decision making in the final third (this we see more in meaningful games with the first team, where his composure and decision making when he gets in some space has let him down--in cup games where there's less pressure he looks better in this aspect)
All of the stuff you've mentioned basically revolves around playing in a double pivot and he's barely played in the double pivot in the last 12 months or so. He's being playing as a pseudo 10 which he's not very good at for sure.
Most of it boils down to minutes and confidence in his position for me. His short passing is as good an any midfielder we have.
I was really hoping that was the music for this video. Mad upset now. Will have to play it in the background.
Ali Bomaye! Ali Bomaye!
Got a chopper and a bottle **** it let 'em spray
I was really hoping that was the music for this video. Mad upset now. Will have to play it in the background.