Leo Bonatini

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Because "can be better" does not actually equal "not good enough"

Semantics.

If Leo was/is good enough every man and his dog wouldn't have wanted us to sign someone better.

 

[Trips]

I'm not disputing that. I've said on other threads I'm disappointed we didn't get another striker in. What I dispute is the idea we should have kept Dicko just because he's a striker. Nuno believes he doesn't fit with the system he wants to play so he moved on.

And just because we were looking to strengthen the squad it doesn't automatically mean Bonatini isn't good enough. If we signed Messi would that automatically mean Costa isn't good enough, of course not.

What have you seen from Bonatini that makes you think he isn't good enough?

 

[slink]

Just because we were looking for another striker doesn't mean that Bonatini isn't good enough though. We signed Jota to play where Cav and Costa generally do but i'm pretty sure they are good enough. We let the other strikers go because they don't fit this system and yes Dicko had scored 1 goal but anyone not craving for the old Dicko back and being sentimental could see that he wasn't good enough. He wasn't the player we first signed, his first touch was dreadful, he'd lost 2 yards of pace and his finishing was poor.

Glasgo keeps going on about the chance at Brentford but i think Dicko should be scoring by being stronger and getting infront of the defender. We obviously did want another forward player that could rotate with Bonatini instead of play Cav or Jota there but it didn't materialise for one reason or another and so we go with what we have, if Bonatini isn't fit or isn't playing well or we need to switch it up one of those 2 will play there and i think we will be just fine in doing so. Again wanting to be stronger in forward areas doesn't mean those that you have aren't good enough and anyone that's seen enough of Leo in the first games can see what his strengths are and imo will only get better now he will be fit.

 

[slink]

Semantics.

If Leo was/is good enough every man and his dog wouldn't have wanted us to sign someone better.

This doesn't make sense. We have several players that are good enough but if someone else comes along who is better you're not going to turn them down are you.

 

[Langers]

Semantics.

If Leo was/is good enough every man and his dog wouldn't have wanted us to sign someone better.

It's not semantics, it's common sense. We don't have enough strikers, we wanted another, and with Fosun's resources and other exciting signings made this summer, it wasn't too big a leap of faith to anticipate another.

From what I've seen so far, Leo is a good addition to the squad but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking to improve and add to what we already have. Certainly in terms of numbers but also in quality. Not a slight on Bonatini whatsoever, more a sign of where we are and how far we've come.

If the poll asked 'do we have enough strikers?' it'd be a different result.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I'm not disputing that. I've said on other threads I'm disappointed we didn't get another striker in. What I dispute is the idea we should have kept Dicko just because he's a striker. Nuno believes he doesn't fit with the system he wants to play so he moved on.

And just because we were looking to strengthen the squad it doesn't automatically mean Bonatini isn't good enough. If we signed Messi would that automatically mean Costa isn't good enough, of course not.

What have you seen from Bonatini that makes you think he isn't good enough?

You brought up Dicko, I didn't. This thread is about Leo.

Nuno wanted to sign someone he felt was better than Leo, therefore on that basis, as i respect Nuno as being a bloody good manager, he doesn't' think he is good enough, or Nuno would have said, "no we are ok, we don't need another striker" prior to the window closing.

Which is what people seem to be saying now. "Oh it's ok Leo is good enough, we didn't need that striker we were all so desperate to get just a few days ago".

 

[Johnny75]

Has Nuno said he wanted to sign someone better than Leo?

 

[Langers]

Which is what people seem to be saying now. "Oh it's ok Leo is good enough, we didn't need that striker we were all so desperate to get just a few days ago".

That's not what they're saying at all. This is about Leo Bonatini, not about how well equipped we are in his position.

 

[YoungWolf]

People aren't saying that at all.

We rate Leo, but recognised he can't be asked to play every single league game? That's not being revisionist.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Has Nuno said he wanted to sign someone better than Leo?

Do you think he was going to spend 10 million on Locadia for him to sit on the bench?

 

[Trips]

You brought up Dicko, I didn't. This thread is about Leo.

Nuno wanted to sign someone he felt was better than Leo, therefore on that basis, as i respect Nuno as being a bloody good manager, he doesn't' think he is good enough, or Nuno would have said, "no we are ok, we don't need another striker" prior to the window closing.

Which is what people seem to be saying now. "Oh it's ok Leo is good enough, we didn't need that striker we were all so desperate to get just a few days ago".

Of course he wanted to sign someone better than Bonatini, why would we go out and try and sign players worse than we have. It doesn't mean he doesn't think Leo isn't good enough, it means he wants to strengthen the squad.

What have you seen from Bonatini that makes you think he isn't good enough?

 

[Siggy]

I thought he had a really good game against Brentford, his link up play is superb and his touch on a football is class. I think he will get 15 goals or so and 10 or more assists, which would be more than acceptable in my books. I think Jota and Costa will get 10 or more goals so we shouldnt really have an issue unless Leo gets injured.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Of course he wanted to sign someone better than Bonatini, why would we go out and try and sign players worse than we have. It doesn't mean he doesn't think Leo isn't good enough, it means he wants to strengthen the squad.

What have you seen from Bonatini that makes you think he isn't good enough?

That's where i disagree, and i and many thought at the time that we signed Leo that he would be a back up striker, called upon if needed, that back up striker is now 100% the main man.

 

[Johnny75]

Do you think he was going to spend 10 million on Locadia for him to sit on the bench?

So Nuno didn't say he wanted somebody better than Leo then. If you're going to make shit up at least be credible.

In response to your statement, I would think Nuno would play both at different times depending on fitness. It's important to have options and at the moment we don't have many up front. However that's not the point of the thread as others are pointing out to you.

 

[Johnny75]

That's where i disagree, and i and many thought at the time that we signed Leo that he would be a back up striker, called upon if needed, that back up striker is now 100% the main man.

Now that's revisionist.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

So Nuno didn't say he wanted somebody better than Leo then. If you're going to make shit up at least be credible.

In response to your statement, I would think Nuno would play both at different times depending on fitness. It's important to have options and at the moment we don't have many up front. However that's not the point of the thread as others are pointing out to you.

Excuse me? So unless Nuno explicitly says something we can't make assumptions? I guess because Shi said yesterday that a striker wasn't our priority that is true, because he said it?

So one of you is arguing that you should always buy better, and another is arguing that Nuno didn't want to buy better than Leo, despite the fact we had a 10million bid accepted. I guess as we are so rich now we will happily spend 10million on a back up striker!?

 

[Trips]

That's where i disagree, and i and many thought at the time that we signed Leo that he would be a back up striker, called upon if needed, that back up striker is now 100% the main man.

So what is it you've seen that makes you think he's not good enough, or should be a back up?

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Now that's revisionist.

So when we signed Leo did you think that was it, 'we have the main man, no more strikers will be signed, he is the real deal.'

If i could be arsed I'd go trawling to see what you thought.

 

[Siggy]

Locadia looks to have a different set of qualities to Leo so had we signed him I think we could very easily switch between the 2 dependent on the opposition, for example a team sitting very deep where pace isn't going to help as much Leo's little flicks and tricks to create space would work well.

Also (judging purely from the youtube vids) Locadia looks like he can play either IF position, looks like he can run the channels as well as sit centrally.

If we are looking for strength in a central position I am convinced Zyro can do it, yes it was a brief appearance against Southampton but hes made considerable progress since pre-season.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

So what is it you've seen that makes you think he's not good enough, or should be a back up?

His lack of pace, his lack of dynamism and physicality, i think long term Jota will play down the middle and Leo will be the one coming off the bench - which will prove that he isn't good enough.

Of course i very much hope i am wrong.