Neal Maupay...What Does He Actually Do?

[Simster]

In my view Maupay remains the best attacking player we have, sadly.

That isn't saying much though. The others are all absolutely shit at this level whereas he is merely a bit crap. I knew Welbeck was going to prove to be utterly shithouse when we signed him, and he is. Connolly is like a 7 year old in an under 16s match and Andone is a hothead and no goal threat.

They're all shit, not just Maupay.

[Klaas]

I like Neal, and he's a decent player. But he isn't premier league standard is he?

[DJ NOBO]

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Defense starts with the strikers, attacking starts with the keeper and defenders. The job of the eleven players on the pitch is to score more goals than they concede. Why are City top of the table? Because their strikers are scoring? No, they rarely are. Why are United also in the top, because their strikers are scoring? No, they rarely are. They are up there because they are scoring as a team. Just like Brighton (strikers, midfielders, defenders) have chances to score as a team, something I consider Neal very involved in. His playing style is allowing someone to be the equivalent of a winger like Rashford or Sterling or Harvey Barnes or an attacking midfielder like Gundogan or Fernandes or Maddison, but no one is taking up on his offer.

You are right that City’s forwards do not score much (and Firmino) but this is more a product of Guardiola having the luxury of an expensive squad superstars than a strategy of “Oi Jesus, oi aguero - we don’t need you to score, stop scoring”.
It doesn’t work with a less-resourced team at this level.
The extent to which Potter is ultimately responsible for our shit show up front is debatable but fundamentally we need our forwards to score.
I’d sacrifice all of Our forwards’ extra work in the deep for one second of clinical finishing per game. Without it, they are the single-biggest reason why we are in the doodoo.

[vagabond]

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I like Neal, and he's a decent player. But he isn't premier league standard is he?

That’s probably going too far. Got 10 in his first season (if I recall) and has 4 this.

He’s average. But he can’t be our main man carrying all our hopes and is clearly going through a confidence crisis. He needs to be rested and not start every game.

[One Teddy Maybank]

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As sad as it sounds, I still think Maupay is the best option of our sorry roster of striker flids.

Welbeck on form is a 1/4 striker. Inferior record to Maupay and played at United and Arsenal. He’s undoubtedly got quality but how long do we need to wait until be gets to his best!

The other options? Dire or untested.

I don’t think we can confidently say that. He seems to be the first name on the tea sheet in terms of forwards. I’d prefer to see Welbeck given an extended run, and if he breaks down immediately then Zeqiri.

Neither Maupay or Connolly offer any sort of presence, so we immediately limit our options in terms of delivery. There aren’t many teams who play with small forwards..... (Liverpool, City, Leicester), but they all have superior movement to Maupay. Not lookIng for a big lump, but someone who has pace and can hold the ball up and help defensively. @vagabond mentioned Tammy Abraham earlier in the week, who would fit some of those attributes.

I’ll try and stop commenting on this thread as I have literally nothing positive to say about Maupay inside the penalty area...