Traore the enigma

[Tredman]

The shooting thing was weird, he looked good earlier in the season and did well at Boro with goals.

He looks on the right track to me and good to see progress.

 

[YoungWolf]

His movement was actually quite good up front (albeit against a terrible defence).

Saturday was a very good opportunity for us to play him in, and there were signs of improvement. I have no issue with us using him in that way.

 

[Johnny75]

Is it fickle to have an open mind?

Thought Traore played very well first half on Saturday and brought a different dimension to his game and our performance.

I don't think lambasting Nuno one minute and then saying it's only his opinion that counts can be seen as anything other than fickle.

Traore did well against poor opposition in a role that was clearly unusual to him but worked very well for us as a team. He's best when running from wide and he did that to great effect. Unless we are going all out for the rest of the season I think we'll only see him start against Fulham.

He's a good option against poor teams, but that's a very limited number and role.

He was abysmal when he went up front as DW has said.

 

[YoungWolf]

Can see him starting Brighton at home in a similar role to be fair.

 

[Johnny75]

His movement was actually quite good up front (albeit against a terrible defence). .

I didn't see that at all. Too many times he was on his heels or over running his line and killing the momentum.

 

[YoungWolf]

He got himself into positions where he could run at the defenders (and then did his terrible shooting as discussed) a couple of times. And actually pulled outside to play first time passes inside. A couple of them fancy flicks that probably weren’t necessary but got the crowd on their feet somewhat.

It wasn’t anything revolutionary just more intelligent than when he first joined (a low bar, I know)

I’m not fussed either way with Traore, I don’t think he’s the worst player ever nor do I think he’s going to turn into a world class player with us but while he is here I do value a) his 1v1 ability outside and b) his ability to turn defence into attack quicker than anyone I’ve seen live when he wants to.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Problem for me is that he can be devastating all the way up to the point he needs to do something decisive at the end of the move - it all goes seriously wrong at that stage

He's what 23 now - if he hasn't learn't what he needs to do by now then not sure he ever will.

 

[Tredman]

I don't think lambasting Nuno one minute and then saying it's only his opinion that counts can be seen as anything other than fickle.

Traore did well against poor opposition in a role that was clearly unusual to him but worked very well for us as a team. He's best when running from wide and he did that to great effect. Unless we are going all out for the rest of the season I think we'll only see him start against Fulham.

He's a good option against poor teams, but that's a very limited number and role.

He was abysmal when he went up front as DW has said.

Personally don't think I have ever lambasted Nuno?

We've had issues breaking defensive poorer quality teams, Traore and Vinagre helped immensely with that. Hope to see more of it.

 

[Johnny75]

Can't deny he's very good running with the ball.

Not so much decision making. A couple of times I was thinking the South Bank could have holdup Forest Gump style 'pass' or 'stop' cards when he had the ball.

I agree he's certainly not the worst andi hope we get our money back on him this summer as I think we will.

 

[Johnny75]

Personally don't think I have ever lambasted Nuno?

We've had issues breaking defensive poorer quality teams, Traore and Vinagre helped immensely with that. Hope to see more of it.

Apologies, the lambasting wasn't in reply to your good self.

I agree with your last sentence. I thought Vinagre was immense.

 

[Premier Quality]

Is this the same Nuno you were all bitching about on the shambolic Huddersfield match thread?

I think the word I'm looking for is fickle.

I don’t think I’ve ever bitched about Nuno, so no?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

People were being cunts on the Huddersfield thread. I don't think PQ was one though.

 

[Jinky]

People were being cunts on the Huddersfield thread. I don't think PQ was one though.

Once again, people were not being “cunts”.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yes, they were. I know you don't like hearing it, but it doesn't make it any less true.

Whiny, moaning, entitled, delusional, unreasonable cunts if you want specifics.

 

[Alan]

There were some OTT reactions in the moment but I don't think that can be unexpected when you've managed to A) give a team nearly 50% of their total points over almost 30 games, and B) not managed a single shot on target against them.

It was a dire performance, it's not really fair to call people who were unhappy about it "cunts".

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

No, balls to them. The way people talk about this team - the best we've had in 40 years at least, so by definition easily the best most people on here have seen - is unacceptable at times. I'll call that out all day.

Don't like it, don't be a wanker then.

 

[Alan]

It's not as if people were declaring the squad full of wasters, Nuno a chancer, etc etc.

It was a bad performance against a historically bad side. That's tough to stomach, especially given our ambitions.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They absolutely were slagging off Nuno. And how dare they.

People don't know how lucky they are and the sense of entitlement really fucking pisses me off. It's always people who never even bloody go to games as well.

You could buy them an all inclusive five star holiday to Tenerife and they'd want one to Elevenerife. We don't want or need people like that. Buy into it or fuck off. Guess what, teams play badly sometimes.

I mean, you're fine to voice that opinion and all. But I will call it out, and you can't hide behind your rock when I do. I've let it go for 18 months, no more.

 

[Gwent Wolf66]

Once again, people were not being “cunts”.

Well pleasant post to start off with. Well here is some of my points of both the Huddersfield game and Traore so apologies for the length!
We were analysed by A. Shearer after our 1st Huddersfield defeat on Match of the Day showing how 3 Huddersfield midfielders were given jobs to man mark our midfield play-makers, Neves & Moutinho by working in a triangle around them so 1 or 2 of them were making the challenges as they were receiving the ball knowing they had a player(s) nearby to pass it off to. This was shown on prime time T.V plus it was live on Sky Sports on the 25th November 2018 for hundreds of thousand's of football fans, football people to see how the wheels completely fell off our game when this simple tactic was used. Most of our fans could see this happening with other lower league sides but it took till the Cardiff game for the system to be changed!!
We needed wide players who could run at at their shaky defences. Like Vinagre done tremendously on the left and Traore ran at them on the right as a wing-back while Saiss broke up there play in the middle. This left room for Jota and Jimenez to cause carnage in the middle scoring the goals. This system(or one very much like it) has to be used again against sides who try to man mark our midfield creators who need time on the ball.
Yes Traore has to start hitting the back of the net too, plus his decision making needs to be worked on and if this does not improve he will find himself in the future being replaced but at the moment if he can run through players and get his final ball into the box that creates a goal, well that's a useful tool to have in a young team still developing and in 7th place.

 

[Johnny75]

Well said Dan.