New forward needed in January?

[wilko154]

For me we need 2 signings in January.

 

Striker - I don't think we need to replace Wes, what we need is something different. In a few games now playing Wes up top hasn't worked and we haven't been able to change our style of play by changing the type of striker up front. A player like Alfredo Morelos is what we need, he can play on the shoulder of the last defender, balls can be knocked in behind for him and he is also capable of unlocking a defence on his own. If you are trying to hold out for a win (like against Liverpool) you can leave him up front to snap away at the defenders and pull them about giving them something to think about. We currently have 3 strikers who play a relatively similar game in Wesley, Kodjia and Davis. Kodjia is surplus to requirements and should be sold, Davis needs sending out on loan to add goals to his game.

 

Winger - Inconsistency on the wings is a major problem at the moment, along with a lack of chances being created for the striker. For me Benrahma is a player that would make a real difference to our side. If money isn't an object then in the long term meeting Brentford's demands could really help us get over the line this season. With a choice of 3 wingers (4 once Jota returns), it allows you to bring Grealish back into the centre whilst retaining the attacking intent from the front three. We then need to drill the front three to become more of a unit in the way that Liverpool play with Mane, Firminho and Salah; too many times this season have the front three not pressed together and not moved forward together.

 

Left back isn't a position we need to strengthen in my opinion. Hause should be played over Taylor though.

[TRO]

I have a worry of spending big money, when we have trouble crossing a quality ball....The service is not quite good enough and we could waste our money....we need to be careful.

maybe a loan player until we have a better platform for a quality striker to be bought outright.

 

[danceoftheshamen]

From what i've seen we have a major issue with ball retention too. I've lost count of the times we win the ball and just play it straight back the the opposition in an unforced manner in the space between the 18 yard line & half way line in our own half of the pitch... It happens game in, game out repeatedly and eventually wears the defenders out. Can't quite put my finger on why we keep doing it either it's odd but almost every player on the pitch is guilty of it. It happens around 5 to 10 times a game and scares & frustrates the life out of me when i'm there.

Not sure what the answer is mind or if it's just something which is happening due to the way we're set up? Or maybe just poor quality players.

I watched Liverpool and they barely did that once unless it was forced.

Grealish also does this a heck of a lot when in possession just outside their penalty area, he does some sweet moves and then more often than not a lame pass to nobody or a cross which goes out for a goal kick or throw in follows.... So frustrating! This i do partly put down to us needing a new striker in Jan as it's as though he is waiting for someone to make a decent run for a pass but nobody (Wesley) does and in the end he either loses it or plays to nobody as there is simply nothing on!

So for me YES!! we do need a striker in Jan urgently. Someone who will be on the same wavelength as Grealish who is a bit more crafty than Wesley and knows where the net is. Maupay would have been ideal for me. but that ship has sailed.

We need someone in the mold of Aguero, Kane or Salah, a Vardy or whatever. Easier said than done of course but we are seriously lacking a poacher.

Go find one Dean it will likely make or break us.

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by danceoftheshamen

[AV82]

Snore. Are we still taking about x goals in y games?

Edited November 12, 2019 by AV82

[sne]

One to keep an eye on and send scouts to watch.

Mohammed Daramy, still only 17, playing for FC Köbenhavn in Denmark.

Not yet got his Danish citizenship but he was born in Denmark so shouldn't an issue.

Where we are we need to pick these guys up before they make their first transfer abroad if we are to have any chance of signing them.

We probably could have gotten a guy like Skov before he moved to Hoffenheim, we won't be able to now.

[VillaChris]

19 hours ago, TRO said:

I have a worry of spending big money, when we have trouble crossing a quality ball....The service is not quite good enough and we could waste our money....we need to be careful.

maybe a loan player until we have a better platform for a quality striker to be bought outright.

 

We've scored a decent amount from crosses this season, two v Burnley, the McGinn one at Arsenal, Jack v Brighton, Wesley scored a few tap ins from them I think, Trez v Liverpool. No better or wose than majority of teams in the league.

[Dr_Pangloss]

We need a winger, we need a forward, we need better central midfield options off the bench, we need better back up at the back, we need a lot but a winger and a forward are joint number one priority.

[MotoMkali]

44 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

We've scored a decent amount from crosses this season, two v Burnley, the McGinn one at Arsenal, Jack v Brighton, Wesley scored a few tap ins from them I think, Trez v Liverpool. No better or wose than majority of teams in the league.

None were headers though. They were low bouncing balls that our attackers could volley in or the defenders struggled to deal with. We currently do not have the size note the skill in the air to be playing high crosses into the box. The only 'proper' cross was against Norwich where wes chested the ball down and turned and finished. 

[MotoMkali]

42 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

We need a winger, we need a forward, we need better central midfield options off the bench, we need better back up at the back, we need a lot but a winger and a forward are joint number one priority.

Winger/forward combo for me. El ghazi is a good enough winger. Most games he won't do much but when he does do something we tend to have easy victories because he is probably our only player who doesn't rely on jack to create for him. Plus I think wes will do better with a change in tactics so he plays more of a false 9 than target man like he did at brugge.

After that I would like us to sign a true box to box midfielder with size and pace. Currently there could be quite a few options berge and kessie as well as someone like exequiel palacios from a Brazilian side. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, MotoMkali said:

None were headers though. They were low bouncing balls that our attackers could volley in or the defenders struggled to deal with. We currently do not have the size note the skill in the air to be playing high crosses into the box. The only 'proper' cross was against Norwich where wes chested the ball down and turned and finished. 

was my point really.

[Delphinho123]

1 hour ago, MotoMkali said:

Winger/forward combo for me. El ghazi is a good enough winger. Most games he won't do much but when he does do something we tend to have easy victories because he is probably our only player who doesn't rely on jack to create for him. Plus I think wes will do better with a change in tactics so he plays more of a false 9 than target man like he did at brugge.

After that I would like us to sign a true box to box midfielder with size and pace. Currently there could be quite a few options berge and kessie as well as someone like exequiel palacios from a Brazilian side. 

I can't agree with anything you're saying MM. Not a slight on you, just we all see things differently. 

Wesley just looks downright poor and all these people asking for a change of tactics in order to accomodate him need to wise up. We argued this with Scott Hogan for months until he found his level on the bench of a struggling championship team. What are these change in tactics exactly? Do we have to put it on a plate for him 5 yards out for him to score? If so, let's just get Billy Sharp in. His all round game just looks awful. Is it not too much to ask for a striker that can dribble, head the ball and shoot? Is it? When's the last time Wesley received the ball on the edge of the box, created a yard of space for a shot and tested the keeper? He has never done this and because he doesn't are we supposed to blame the players around him? I don't remember people saying we needed to change our tactics when Abraham was in the team and that's because he was a good player. He was sharp and he made things happen for himself. 

El Ghazi. Another player who has been largely poor during his time here. He isn't good enough, he just isn't. He has one decent game in 5 and the rest of the time we're left sat thinking 'why isn't Trez' playing. I can count the amount of good games I've seen him play on one hand for Villa and if we ever have any morsel of ambition to push on in the premier league, players like him need to be squad players at best.

I sound extremely negative which isn't a fair reflection on my opinion of Dean Smith and the current Villa squad. I love some of our players. Heaton, Guilbert, Nakamba, Engels, McGinn, Grealish, Mings all look like fantastic players and good enough for this league. Then you have the likes of Targett, Luiz and Hourihane who are likeable characters and each offer something. I think we're in a good place on the whole and I'm not 'forgetting where we were this time last year'. 

Our forward players just arent good enough. Wesley, Trezeguet, Jota, El Ghazi. They're the reason we'll go down if we do. We desperately need to get to Jan and bring in at least another winger and 1 striker to replace what we currently have as we're lacking in this area entirely.

UTV

 

[MotoMkali]

16 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I can't agree with anything you're saying MM. Not a slight on you, just we all see things differently. 

Wesley just looks downright poor and all these people asking for a change of tactics in order to accomodate him need to wise up. We argued this with Scott Hogan for months until he found his level on the bench of a struggling championship team. What are these change in tactics exactly? Do we have to put it on a plate for him 5 yards out for him to score? If so, let's just get Billy Sharp in. His all round game just looks awful. Is it not too much to ask for a striker that can dribble, head the ball and shoot? Is it? When's the last time Wesley received the ball on the edge of the box, created a yard of space for a shot and tested the keeper? He has never done this and because he doesn't are we supposed to blame the players around him? I don't remember people saying we needed to change our tactics when Abraham was in the team and that's because he was a good player. He was sharp and he made things happen for himself. 

El Ghazi. Another player who has been largely poor during his time here. He isn't good enough, he just isn't. He has one decent game in 5 and the rest of the time we're left sat thinking 'why isn't Trez' playing. I can count the amount of good games I've seen him play on one hand for Villa and if we ever have any morsel of ambition to push on in the premier league, players like him need to be squad players at best.

I sound extremely negative which isn't a fair reflection on my opinion of Dean Smith and the current Villa squad. I love some of our players. Heaton, Guilbert, Nakamba, Engels, McGinn, Grealish, Mings all look like fantastic players and good enough for this league. Then you have the likes of Targett, Luiz and Hourihane who are likeable characters and each offer something. I think we're in a good place on the whole and I'm not 'forgetting where we were this time last year'. 

Our forward players just arent good enough. Wesley, Trezeguet, Jota, El Ghazi. They're the reason we'll go down if we do. We desperately need to get to Jan and bring in at least another winger and 1 striker to replace what we currently have as we're lacking in this area entirely.

UTV

 

First of all el ghazi has already had 4+ good games this year in the prem in 10. Which isn't bad considering if you want a winger to be good every game you have to sign heung min son or raheem sterling. Was good against arsenal (got an assist and was among our most dangerous players going forward), Norwich (obviously), wolves by far our best player with nakamba and if others had been on the ball we could have easily got a result, Liverpool 85 brilliant minutes of creating chances and tracking back with 1 lapse in error that plenty of full backs would make let alone an attacking minded winger, and obviously last 20 minutes against Everton and was the only player who wanted anything too happen.

Wesley has had 3 good games this year which obviously isn't much but in those games we rarely played long balls (which we have begun to do constantly) players were close to him and running in behind and he either received the ball to feet or for him to run onto. We haven't been doing that the rest of the season and that gives me reason to believe that unlike Hogan we aren't playing to his strengths. Hogan never had a good game for us and was a waster. Wesley on the other hand is a hard worker otherwise he wouldn't be where he is today who is still in his formative stages as football player. Most players at his age have been in professional academies for at least 12 years (Jack has been at villa for nearly 20 years) wesley on the other hand is behind by about 5 years on a player like keinan so he is not likely to have the same level of skills as them however he has great finishing ability inside 12 yards and has been a key player in 7 or 8 of our 17 goals so that is pretty good contribution from a player who people say we may as well be playing with 10 men.

Edit: At 7 years into his footballing career Jamie Carragher was still playing as a striker and what he is probably one of the best ever England defender and certainly one of the best of the premier league era. 

Edited November 13, 2019 by MotoMkali

[Delphinho123]

4 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

First of all el ghazi has already had 4+ good games this year in the prem in 10. Which isn't bad considering if you want a winger to be good every game you have to sign heung min son or raheem sterling. Was good against arsenal (got an assist and was among our most dangerous players going forward), Norwich (obviously), wolves by far our best player with nakamba and if others had been on the ball we could have easily got a result, Liverpool 85 brilliant minutes of creating chances and tracking back with 1 lapse in error that plenty of full backs would make let alone an attacking minded winger, and obviously last 20 minutes against Everton and was the only player who wanted anything too happen.

Wesley has had 3 good games this year which obviously isn't much but in those games we rarely played long balls (which we have begun to do constantly) players were close to him and running in behind and he either received the ball to feet or for him to run onto. We haven't been doing that the rest of the season and that gives me reason to believe that unlike Hogan we aren't playing to his strengths. Hogan never had a good game for us and was a waster. Wesley on the other hand is a hard worker otherwise he wouldn't be where he is today who is still in his formative stages as football player. Most players at his age have been in professional academies for at least 12 years (Jack has been at villa for nearly 20 years) wesley on the other hand is behind by about 5 years on a player like keinan so he is not likely to have the same level of skills as them however he has great finishing ability inside 12 yards and has been a key player in 7 or 8 of our 17 goals so that is pretty good contribution from a player who people say we may as well be playing with 10 men.

Edit: At 7 years into his footballing career Jamie Carragher was still playing as a striker and what he is probably one of the best ever England defender and certainly one of the best of the premier league era. 

My opinion is that we need to look to replace both El Ghazi and Wesley in January. Both aren't good enough I'm afraid. 

[Laughable Chimp]

24 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

First of all el ghazi has already had 4+ good games this year in the prem in 10. Which isn't bad considering if you want a winger to be good every game you have to sign heung min son or raheem sterling. Was good against arsenal (got an assist and was among our most dangerous players going forward), Norwich (obviously), wolves by far our best player with nakamba and if others had been on the ball we could have easily got a result, Liverpool 85 brilliant minutes of creating chances and tracking back with 1 lapse in error that plenty of full backs would make let alone an attacking minded winger, and obviously last 20 minutes against Everton and was the only player who wanted anything too happen.

Wesley has had 3 good games this year which obviously isn't much but in those games we rarely played long balls (which we have begun to do constantly) players were close to him and running in behind and he either received the ball to feet or for him to run onto. We haven't been doing that the rest of the season and that gives me reason to believe that unlike Hogan we aren't playing to his strengths. Hogan never had a good game for us and was a waster. Wesley on the other hand is a hard worker otherwise he wouldn't be where he is today who is still in his formative stages as football player. Most players at his age have been in professional academies for at least 12 years (Jack has been at villa for nearly 20 years) wesley on the other hand is behind by about 5 years on a player like keinan so he is not likely to have the same level of skills as them however he has great finishing ability inside 12 yards and has been a key player in 7 or 8 of our 17 goals so that is pretty good contribution from a player who people say we may as well be playing with 10 men.

Edit: At 7 years into his footballing career Jamie Carragher was still playing as a striker and what he is probably one of the best ever England defender and certainly one of the best of the premier league era. 

I generally agree with you on the El Ghazi point.

But as for Wesley, remove the Norwich game from the equation because that game was an incredible anomaly and is not representative at all of how he usually plays. The criticism that about how its playing with 10 men with him is in reference to his usual game, which is worlds away from that one game.

Without that game, Wesley has 2 goals and 0 assists out of 12 goals we've scored. 

For every footballer that looked shit at Wesley's level of development and then turned out to be world class there are also many footballers that looked shit at Wesley's level of development and continued to be shit for the rest of their career. Which is why I find the whole, listing all the players who were initially shit at Wesley's level of development and then became good whether it be age or time as a professional footballer, whichever suits the narrative more, to be a garbage argument.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Laughable Chimp

[TRO]

40 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I can't agree with anything you're saying MM. Not a slight on you, just we all see things differently. 

Wesley just looks downright poor and all these people asking for a change of tactics in order to accomodate him need to wise up. We argued this with Scott Hogan for months until he found his level on the bench of a struggling championship team. What are these change in tactics exactly? Do we have to put it on a plate for him 5 yards out for him to score? If so, let's just get Billy Sharp in. His all round game just looks awful. Is it not too much to ask for a striker that can dribble, head the ball and shoot? Is it? When's the last time Wesley received the ball on the edge of the box, created a yard of space for a shot and tested the keeper? He has never done this and because he doesn't are we supposed to blame the players around him? I don't remember people saying we needed to change our tactics when Abraham was in the team and that's because he was a good player. He was sharp and he made things happen for himself. 

El Ghazi. Another player who has been largely poor during his time here. He isn't good enough, he just isn't. He has one decent game in 5 and the rest of the time we're left sat thinking 'why isn't Trez' playing. I can count the amount of good games I've seen him play on one hand for Villa and if we ever have any morsel of ambition to push on in the premier league, players like him need to be squad players at best.

I sound extremely negative which isn't a fair reflection on my opinion of Dean Smith and the current Villa squad. I love some of our players. Heaton, Guilbert, Nakamba, Engels, McGinn, Grealish, Mings all look like fantastic players and good enough for this league. Then you have the likes of Targett, Luiz and Hourihane who are likeable characters and each offer something. I think we're in a good place on the whole and I'm not 'forgetting where we were this time last year'. 

Our forward players just arent good enough. Wesley, Trezeguet, Jota, El Ghazi. They're the reason we'll go down if we do. We desperately need to get to Jan and bring in at least another winger and 1 striker to replace what we currently have as we're lacking in this area entirely.

UTV

 

• We do all see things differently....mainly different interpretations of the same thing....spice of life and all that.
• Wesley does look poor....but the debate is how can a Brazillian International, looks so poor.....thats to debate.
• Billy Sharp has carved a good career out of a team who plays in a fashion that suits his qualities.....Billy has a great appetite for controlled aggression and it opens doors for him and unsettles his opponent....it brings him results.
• Tammy is a fine, fine player, but didn't he have a barren spell in our last 10 games of last season?
• El Ghazi should be twice the player he is, he has pace, and guile....he should be knocking them out the way like skittles, like Traore.....He's a pussy....Lacks aggression in his play....ok when he's getting a bollocking for not tracking back, lazy minded....subsequently inconsistent
• you are not negative....you are objective and thats what this forum should be for.....opinions.
• I don't think our players are good enough, rounded enough, complete enough to play 4-3-3......particularly away from home....I am not going to right off the forward line, but I can see the concerns.

I worry that the signing of new players, will not bring in the required edge we need to secure points......equally I am not saying we shouldn't, sign new players, just saying I think the problem we have is a culture as opposed to just players being not good enough or maybe we are signing the wrong types...not sure on that.

If not being aggressive enough during the game, is not good enough.....then we are not good enough.....but most folk mean technically, when they say not good enough.

I see plenty of players at other clubs not as good as ours IMO......but because their team is more committed to a physical approach, they make more of a mark.....bring those same players in to our group and they would possibly fail i.e Billy Sharp would not work for us, I don't think Jamie Vardy would, he relies on sharp thinking sharp acting, pacy players to react to his qualities.

[sir_gary_cahill]

35 minutes ago, TRO said:

• We do all see things differently....mainly different interpretations of the same thing....spice of life and all that.
• Wesley does look poor....but the debate is how can a Brazillian International, looks so poor.....thats to debate.
• Billy Sharp has carved a good career out of a team who plays in a fashion that suits his qualities.....Billy has a great appetite for controlled aggression and it opens doors for him and unsettles his opponent....it brings him results.
• Tammy is a fine, fine player, but didn't he have a barren spell in our last 10 games of last season?
• El Ghazi should be twice the player he is, he has pace, and guile....he should be knocking them out the way like skittles, like Traore.....He's a pussy....Lacks aggression in his play....ok when he's getting a bollocking for not tracking back, lazy minded....subsequently inconsistent
• you are not negative....you are objective and thats what this forum should be for.....opinions.
• I don't think our players are good enough, rounded enough, complete enough to play 4-3-3......particularly away from home....I am not going to right off the forward line, but I can see the concerns.

I worry that the signing of new players, will not bring in the required edge we need to secure points......equally I am not saying we shouldn't, sign new players, just saying I think the problem we have is a culture as opposed to just players being not good enough or maybe we are signing the wrong types...not sure on that.

If not being aggressive enough during the game, is not good enough.....then we are not good enough.....but most folk mean technically, when they say not good enough.

I see plenty of players at other clubs not as good as ours IMO......but because their team is more committed to a physical approach, they make more of a mark.....bring those same players in to our group and they would possibly fail i.e Billy Sharp would not work for us, I don't think Jamie Vardy would, he relies on sharp thinking sharp acting, pacy players to react to his qualities.

Name me a player ever in the history of the game who hasn’t had a barren spell, the great ones bounce back from them and go on to better things

I suggested Billy Sharp as a transfer target on here in the Summer but was chastised. He’s a natural goalscorer

By the same token, I don’t think Wesley should be written off at all. I see a lot of potential in him, he has shown it albeit sporadically for us

[TRO]

4 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

Name me a player ever in the history of the game who hasn’t had a barren spell, the great ones bounce back from them and go on to better things

I suggested Billy Sharp as a transfer target on here in the Summer but was chastised. He’s a natural goalscorer

By the same token, I don’t think Wesley should be written off at all. I see a lot of potential in him, he has shown it albeit sporadically for us

but the point was referring to the way we play....The other poster referenced Tammy and I was merely trying to add balance to the point....of course all stikers have a cold spell, the best don't make it too long.

I have no Idea ,with Wesley....but it would not surprise me if he did end up doing well.....but It could just as easily end up the other way too.

I don't think Billy Sharp would work for us, as I have expalined.....He thrives in the environment he is currently in, like Vardy, it might not work somewhere else.

[TRO]

10 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

Name me a player ever in the history of the game who hasn’t had a barren spell, the great ones bounce back from them and go on to better things

I suggested Billy Sharp as a transfer target on here in the Summer but was chastised. He’s a natural goalscorer

By the same token, I don’t think Wesley should be written off at all. I see a lot of potential in him, he has shown it albeit sporadically for us

 

10 minutes ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

Name me a player ever in the history of the game who hasn’t had a barren spell, the great ones bounce back from them and go on to better things

I suggested Billy Sharp as a transfer target on here in the Summer but was chastised. He’s a natural goalscorer

By the same token, I don’t think Wesley should be written off at all. I see a lot of potential in him, he has shown it albeit sporadically for us

 

50 minutes ago, TRO said:

• We do all see things differently....mainly different interpretations of the same thing....spice of life and all that.
• Wesley does look poor....but the debate is how can a Brazillian International, looks so poor.....thats to debate.
• Billy Sharp has carved a good career out of a team who plays in a fashion that suits his qualities.....Billy has a great appetite for controlled aggression and it opens doors for him and unsettles his opponent....it brings him results.
• Tammy is a fine, fine player, but didn't he have a barren spell in our last 10 games of last season?
• El Ghazi should be twice the player he is, he has pace, and guile....he should be knocking them out the way like skittles, like Traore.....He's a pussy....Lacks aggression in his play....ok when he's getting a bollocking for not tracking back, lazy minded....subsequently inconsistent
• you are not negative....you are objective and thats what this forum should be for.....opinions.
• I don't think our players are good enough, rounded enough, complete enough to play 4-3-3......particularly away from home....I am not going to right off the forward line, but I can see the concerns.

I worry that the signing of new players, will not bring in the required edge we need to secure points......equally I am not saying we shouldn't, sign new players, just saying I think the problem we have is a culture issue as opposed to just players being not good enough or maybe we are signing the wrong types...not sure on that.

If not being aggressive enough during the game, is not good enough.....then we are not good enough.....but most folk mean technically, when they say not good enough.

I see plenty of players at other clubs not as good as ours IMO......but because their team is more committed to a physical approach, they make more of a mark.....bring those same players in to our group and they would possibly fail i.e Billy Sharp would not work for us, I don't think Jamie Vardy would, he relies on sharp thinking sharp acting, pacy players to react to his qualities.

 

[sir_gary_cahill]

19 minutes ago, TRO said:

but the point was referring to the way we play....The other poster referenced Tammy and I was merely trying to add balance to the point....of course all stikers have a cold spell, the best don't make it too long.

I have no Idea ,with Wesley....but it would not surprise me if he did end up doing well.....but It could just as easily end up the other way too.

I don't think Billy Sharp would work for us, as I have expalined.....He thrives in the environment he is currently in, like Vardy, it might not work somewhere else.

We can’t afford for Wesley not to do well, if we doesn’t, we will get relegated or close to it. As it stands, I’d bite your hand off for 17th.

I miss Abraham greatly, he was terrific for us and played a big role in us getting promoted. He was always destined for bigger things though sadly, as he has shown this season with Chelsea

I can see what you’re saying with Sharp but I think he’s such a natural goalscorer, he could pretty much play in any side. The Sheffield United side is pretty much built around him

As for Vardy, I think he is a bit of an animal but I like that side of him. A lot of players these days are too nice 

[MotoMkali]

1 hour ago, Laughable Chimp said:

I generally agree with you on the El Ghazi point.

But as for Wesley, remove the Norwich game from the equation because that game was an incredible anomaly and is not representative at all of how he usually plays. The criticism that about how its playing with 10 men with him is in reference to his usual game, which is worlds away from that one game.

Without that game, Wesley has 2 goals and 0 assists out of 12 goals we've scored. 

For every footballer that looked shit at Wesley's level of development and then turned out to be world class there are also many footballers that looked shit at Wesley's level of development and continued to be shit for the rest of their career. Which is why I find the whole, listing all the players who were initially shit at Wesley's level of development and then became good whether it be age or time as a professional footballer, whichever suits the narrative more, to be a garbage argument.

My point wasn't that he will or won't be great it was that throwing him under the bus at this point in his career is ridiculous. He is the equivalent of probably a 17 or 18 year old in terms of technical ability. Also aside from his 2 goals (excluding Norwich game) wesley got a pass to assist at Brighton, Everton and held off Davison sanchez for mcginns goal. In other words excluding the Norwich game he has been a key piece in 42% of our goals and if you exclude set pieces that is the equivalent of 50% contribution rate which in my books is pretty good. Once again completely underselling what he has contributed to our campaign. Let's face it we have been generally poor when getting the ball up the pitch and too our players feet in dangerous positions. Against wolves wesley probably got the ball what 3 or 4 times in their final third and only once in a good position for a shot (twice if you count the ball he couldn't quite get on) which I'm sorry whilst he should have hit the target was a pretty good effort.