thejackal
Throbbing Member
This.
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[Albion] Alireza Jahanbakhsh joins Feyenoord
- Thread starter alexanderhills
- Start date
This.
He was alright in that game, yes. Hit the bar with a strike from distance, but I'm sorry, he wasn't outstanding even then. He didn't stand out whatsoever in a team that was no better than they were in the first half but did labour to a 1-0 win against the division's whipping boys in the second. And what I think is more telling is that this was his best performance all season - ultimately another game he scored no goals and didn't assist either, although he did hit the bar. He absolutely did not "play a blinder". That's as poor as any observation you are accusing [MENTION=663]portlock seagull[/MENTION] of making on Ali J, in my view.
Ali J is too slow, he he isn't particularly fast of mind either, and he is one footed. Granted, he has been played out of position, but he isn't good enough at some of the basics as far as I can tell. I hope I am wrong and that a change of position and perhaps more confidence under Potter might transform him, but I'm sad to say I'm not holding out much hope. I think that is the difference between him and the similarly underwhelming Locadia, who I feel genuinely could be transformed under a different manager.
thejackal
Throbbing Member
Well, we're all entitled to our own view but the pundits at the beeb don't agree with you because they gave him MOM, and I thought he was one of our best players that day so I'm happy to defend my 'blinder' comment. Also, everything I have read about the guy is that he is two-footed. He's definitely not too slow, as a look at his vids from AZ demonstrate. I'll just leave that at 3 areas of disagreement ;-)
macbeth
Dismembered
I think my issue was that even in the cup matches, games where we were playing opposition of significantly less quality and should have been having significantly more attacking joy against, (Millwall, WBA, FL Derby, Southampton's B team), he still looked totally lost and contributed next to nothing. That, for me, was a real concern.
Millwall was one of the biggest crimes, last season.
Were it not for Big Jurg, who transformed the game when he came on, 2019 would have been an even bigger shitstorm.
Although I agree, he never had a chance to properly bed into the side. I've said this repeatedly, but he arrived late, was injured for a time, left for the Asian Cup, played in fits and starts and was invariably played out of his preferred position. It's easy to forget but momentum is absolutely critical for a player coming into a new team and league.
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB52XSI5zOc
Despite the hyperbolic title of this video, it's a reasonable compilation of the encouraging signs I see from Ali J. He's smarter than [MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] thinks, I'm surprised his football brain is being questioned. I see real encouragement in the video, including rattling the crossbar. I firmly believe he's going to be remembered as one of our better players - after a dreadful first season. It wouldn't be the first time.
Despite the hyperbolic title of this video, it's a reasonable compilation of the encouraging signs I see from Ali J. He's smarter than [MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] thinks, I'm surprised his football brain is being questioned. I see real encouragement in the video, including rattling the crossbar. I firmly believe he's going to be remembered as one of our better players - after a dreadful first season. It wouldn't be the first time.
thejackal
Throbbing Member
We might have done better in the league, without the distraction of a cup run!
thejackal
Throbbing Member
Plenty of encouraging signs in that vid. A few megs, some nice passes and a fair bit of pace. Some folks on here are genuinely clueless when it comes to recognising talent, at least of the footballing kind!
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I'm genuinely confused how people whose opinion of players I usually value, have such a blind spot here. You watch him for 1 minute and you can see from his balance, technique, how he holds himself etc, that he's got a lot of class. Was the same with Lingard when he was here - it was just obvious.
Is it PotG?
Thrifty non-licker
Many, many games last year he gave the ball away moving forward. Add to that the ease with which he was often dispossessed and that would be a whole new video. Won't go into end product.
Hopefully this term will show a confidence and an improvement.
Albumen
Don't wait for me!
Wow that's some editing skills. I'm a fan of his potential (in an attacking team) but there's no way I'd compile a video of his last season!
thejackal
Throbbing Member
This. The same people who slated Peter Crouch because he looked gangly. A genuinely skillful player.
thejackal
Throbbing Member
I can't argue with most of that. But you can both see the class and potential. Utter shitehouse he obviously is not!
I watched that instantly thinking of his AZ heatmap.
It has the feel of asking Usain Bolt to run a snickers.
"Ok Ali this is the relatively narrow corridor on which you made this transfer happen.
From now on you can have the entire pitch...
...except that corridor on the attacking right side".
I've never said he won't be shitehouse next season, I'd just like him to at least be given the opportunity to fail with his boots on, so to speak.
TSB
Captain Hindsight
thejackal
Throbbing Member
Yeah, true, but maybe he wouldn't have created and scored goals in his first season in new country, playing for a bottom-six team (if such a thing exists), coming off the back of an injury with no pre-season.
In fact, a quick search shows that his stats for his first two Prem seasons (with Villa) weren't particularly inspiring. After a decent return of 2 goals from 7 in 2001-02, he scored nowt in 14 games in 2002-03.
No idea what his assist rate was, to be fair.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh
I think there is a deficiency in dribbling style and technique, he doesn't covet the ball enough (doesn't use his body well to shield the ball), relying on pace rather than slower players like Knockaert. Trouble is , he isn't quick enough to get away with it in the PL. Certain players in the past got away with it like Kuyt. And do not get away with it like Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Difficult how to fit such players in anything other than a counter-attacking side. Really got to play the Hazard role as second striker as he is too far from goal as a winger. I'd sooner we sold Alireza Jahanbakhsh to Fulham for £15 million (crucial decision), unless he improves. And he might do quite well in the Championship.
When we signed him, I thought he would be much quicker and it was a good idea. Disappointed.
I think there is a deficiency in dribbling style and technique, he doesn't covet the ball enough (doesn't use his body well to shield the ball), relying on pace rather than slower players like Knockaert. Trouble is , he isn't quick enough to get away with it in the PL. Certain players in the past got away with it like Kuyt. And do not get away with it like Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Difficult how to fit such players in anything other than a counter-attacking side. Really got to play the Hazard role as second striker as he is too far from goal as a winger. I'd sooner we sold Alireza Jahanbakhsh to Fulham for £15 million (crucial decision), unless he improves. And he might do quite well in the Championship.
When we signed him, I thought he would be much quicker and it was a good idea. Disappointed.
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Billy the Fish
Technocrat
It's ok, this thread will be this season's, "Charlton's going to be terrible".
All these definitive opinions flying around about how terrible Jahanbakhsh is, there's going to be so much humble pie to be eaten but I don't think the majority of the knockers will even re-appear in this thread. They'll just sit down and shut up, knowing how wrong they were but totally without the humility to admit it.
Will you be eating humble pie on the Knockhaert thread if he stays and has a good season?
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
I haven't been anything like as critical of Knockaert (note the spelling, how long has he been here for?) as people have been of Jahanbakhsh. And there's a big difference between the two in terms of the team being set up to benefit one at the expense of the other, and fans choosing to overlook the reality because of past glories. If Knockaert was a new signing last summer and performed as he did, he'd be getting slated. But we all like the guy because of his performances in the Championship - he was THE reason (along with Murray) that we got promoted that season. That will ALWAYS be his legacy, much like Hughton. When the dust settles in 10 years and we're reminiscing about this team, there will only be positives about Knockaert, Hughton, et al. But even so, it doesn't mean we have to blind to the limitations of these guys.
If you're asking, I think Jahanbakhsh is far superior to Knockaert. I'm confident that will be justified before the end of the season and I believe Jahanbakhsh will match Knockaert's goals and assists contribution from the last 2 seasons in this season alone. We all know this thread will get bounced all over the place this season - we'll soon know whether this is insightful, or nonsense.