Gonzalo Higuaín (64 Viewers)
- Thread starter Marc
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Yes and no. This new Juventus has been built on strength of the whole over strength of any one player. We won under Conte with our forwards scoring 10 goals each and everybody getting at least one. Look at the new fan favourite Mandzukic completely forgetting about his ambitions to be the number 9 (he left Bayern and Atlético because he wasn't the star striker any more) to provide for the team. What Gonzalo does may be hard to measure in terms of 'hard' numbers but it is crucial to our system, every one of our 11 men is.
However that argument doesn't hold so much water when you look at his scoring record in Serie A. If he's ramming them past teams in Italy what's the excuse in Europe? I have no idea but can only hope his goals last week will spark a Tevez-like reaction and from now on will be banging them in wherever and whenever.
In summary - disappointed as everybody else in his lack of CL goals but it's not like he's been useless.
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It already has been! Watch him score his first ever goal in Wales.
However that argument doesn't hold so much water when you look at his scoring record in Serie A. If he's ramming them past teams in Italy what's the excuse in Europe? I have no idea but can only hope his goals last week will spark a Tevez-like reaction and from now on will be banging them in wherever and whenever.
In summary - disappointed as everybody else in his lack of CL goals but it's not like he's been useless.
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It already has been! Watch him score his first ever goal in Wales.
But I agree with this... 
I'm not saying otherwise, and yes I value his contributions outside of scoring. He's been fantastic here, and made me like him a lot more.
But he needs to take his chances in the big games. Scoring in 1 of 6 knockout games is not good enough, especially considering the number of fantastic chances he missed.
Having him here this entire year, I wouldn't change a thing. He is worth the fee we paid so far, and Higuain-Pjanic has made us far better than we were with Morata-Pogba (ignoring potential 5 year down the road scenarios that really don't matter right now). Especially with Alves added into the equation. We are the strongest team in football this season imo, regardless of what happens in a one-off CL final.
However this doesn't mean I can't have high expectations for both our team in thinking we should finally pull off a CL victory and perform up to our potential, and for Higuian insofar as wanting him to be more clinical in big knockout games. If we lose the final 1-0, and Higgy bottles several great chances, it will be very disappointing. I'll be cheering him on just as hard as anyone though.
I'm not saying otherwise, and yes I value his contributions outside of scoring. He's been fantastic here, and made me like him a lot more.
But he needs to take his chances in the big games. Scoring in 1 of 6 knockout games is not good enough, especially considering the number of fantastic chances he missed.
Having him here this entire year, I wouldn't change a thing. He is worth the fee we paid so far, and Higuain-Pjanic has made us far better than we were with Morata-Pogba (ignoring potential 5 year down the road scenarios that really don't matter right now). Especially with Alves added into the equation. We are the strongest team in football this season imo, regardless of what happens in a one-off CL final.
However this doesn't mean I can't have high expectations for both our team in thinking we should finally pull off a CL victory and perform up to our potential, and for Higuian insofar as wanting him to be more clinical in big knockout games. If we lose the final 1-0, and Higgy bottles several great chances, it will be very disappointing. I'll be cheering him on just as hard as anyone though.
But I agree with this...
I'm not saying otherwise, and yes I value his contributions outside of scoring. He's been fantastic here, and made me like him a lot more.
But he needs to take his chances in the big games. Scoring in 1 of 6 knockout games is not good enough, especially considering the number of fantastic chances he missed.
Having him here this entire year, I wouldn't change a thing. He is worth the fee we paid so far, and Higuain-Pjanic has made us far better than we were with Morata-Pogba (ignoring potential 5 year down the road scenarios that really don't matter right now). Especially with Alves added into the equation. We are the strongest team in football this season imo, regardless of what happens in a one-off CL final.
However this doesn't mean I can't have high expectations for both our team in thinking we should finally pull off a CL victory and perform up to our potential, and for Higuian insofar as wanting him to be more clinical in big knockout games. If we lose the final 1-0, and Higgy bottles several great chances, it will be very disappointing. I'll be cheering him on just as hard as anyone though.
I'm not saying otherwise, and yes I value his contributions outside of scoring. He's been fantastic here, and made me like him a lot more.
But he needs to take his chances in the big games. Scoring in 1 of 6 knockout games is not good enough, especially considering the number of fantastic chances he missed.
Having him here this entire year, I wouldn't change a thing. He is worth the fee we paid so far, and Higuain-Pjanic has made us far better than we were with Morata-Pogba (ignoring potential 5 year down the road scenarios that really don't matter right now). Especially with Alves added into the equation. We are the strongest team in football this season imo, regardless of what happens in a one-off CL final.
However this doesn't mean I can't have high expectations for both our team in thinking we should finally pull off a CL victory and perform up to our potential, and for Higuian insofar as wanting him to be more clinical in big knockout games. If we lose the final 1-0, and Higgy bottles several great chances, it will be very disappointing. I'll be cheering him on just as hard as anyone though.
Honestly, Higuain has done way better than I expected. Imagine the drama here if he had actually flopped hard and only scored 6 goals, a la Torres at Chelsea. Even Trezeguet missed chances in his day and, in contrast to Higuain, you wouldn't know he'd be on the pitch sometimes for the better part of the game.
And I honestly don't think he's got a weight issue. I mean, what are the odds? If I'd be playing 50 games a year plus all the training sessions I'd probably weight like 40 kilos by the end of the season. It's probably a deliberate decision to have him stronger rather than skinnier. At least I think so. I don't believe a player nowadays can still be fat with the amount of fitness coaches and nutritionists teams have now.
And I honestly don't think he's got a weight issue. I mean, what are the odds? If I'd be playing 50 games a year plus all the training sessions I'd probably weight like 40 kilos by the end of the season. It's probably a deliberate decision to have him stronger rather than skinnier. At least I think so. I don't believe a player nowadays can still be fat with the amount of fitness coaches and nutritionists teams have now.
I agree with @Post Ironic, and i surely didn't rate Morata
He was brought in to make the difference in CL games.
That's what we payed €90m for. His Serie-A record is all nice and dandy, but not worth even half of what we payed for him.
He was brought in to make the difference in CL games.
That's what we payed €90m for. His Serie-A record is all nice and dandy, but not worth even half of what we payed for him.
Come on now a bit exaggerated on the value part there. I think we overpaid somewhere between 10-20M€ for him but 45M€ for a player of Higuain's stature and quality is something that not even the great man :daibeppe: could ever pull off.
Higuain is taking De Lamentiis to court for 680k euros that were deducted from Higuain's pay at Napoli for the "solidarity tax" introduced under Mario Monti's austerity government in 2011. Weird because I didn't think Serie A players had to pay it, from what I remember about the last labour contract negotiations.
http://www.calciomercato.com/news/higuain-fa-causa-a-de-laurentiis-84740 (Italian)
http://www.calciomercato.com/news/higuain-fa-causa-a-de-laurentiis-84740 (Italian)
its a blessing.
