imagine how many serie A teams would need him should we release him tomorrow .
Thats right, almost half of them, he is half good for a mid table team, almost
I was ready to bash him, but he improved in the 2nd half and showed he can actually play some ball. His first touch improved.
He is looking to me not as a DM (lacks passing ability) and also not as a B2B (has no offensive game), but more like a classic defensive minded CM, in a supporting role, better suited for a mid of 2.
Ideally you play this guy alongside a Locatelli, Fagioli or Pogba as the other CM. Should avoid playing him with Mckennie, who also can't really pass.
I was ready to bash him, but he improved in the 2nd half and showed he can actually play some ball. His first touch improved.
He is looking to me not as a DM (lacks passing ability) and also not as a B2B (has no offensive game), but more like a classic defensive minded CM, in a supporting role, better suited for a mid of 2.
Ideally you play this guy alongside a Locatelli, Fagioli or Pogba as the other CM. Should avoid playing him with Mckennie, who also can't really pass.
I disagree, he does have some offensive game as a marauding B2B - once he gets his head down and goes he's very hard to stop, but he doesn't have much finesse to his game, that much is obvious. I just don't think his ball handling is good enough to play as the DM in the way Max wants one, absorbing pressure and moving the ball on. As you say if he was in a two with a baller alongside him then fair enough.
He is pretty much as I expected but less imposing. Thought he would use his physique more to his advantage. I see him as a role player, someone to put on to close off games or in games where we need more strength. He is and will never be a starter here but can fill a tactical role. That's why I see more use of him than Rabiot, Arthur and McKennie that really do not serve any purpose unless they suddenly start producing.