MotoMkali Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 2 hours ago, Jareth said: Diaby slotted straight in Yes but he had also worked with emery in the past, had a clear perfect role to slot straight into and had a former teammate to help him settle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyVillans Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 Offers something different compared to ramsey, bailey and diaby. Once he adjusts to the physicality I think he will be a good player for us. Based on his attributes I think he is probably 3rd choice striker as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 37 minutes ago, DCJonah said: Diaby also had a full pre season with the club. And knew 3 or 4 of our current squad from France and Leverkusen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I dont know if its because of his size and build but he does look a little slow when he has the ball. Hopefully he has a bit more pace in him and it's just rustiness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shay Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 Reminds me of a young Christian Eriksen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted September 18, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 18, 2023 On 17/09/2023 at 09:13, Pinebro said: The most important thing bar none for an attacking player is your decision making. I hardly saw a worse decision maker yesterday. Zaniola needs to learn how to look up when he gets into good positions. He has ability but he needs to be aware of his surroundings. Basing that on the long run where Watkins just runs straight in front of him without making a move for like 40 yards? He was waiting for Watkins, then after it was too late Watkins moved and the pass to Diaby wasn't on anymore so he went on his own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 33 minutes ago, romavillan said: Basing that on the long run where Watkins just runs straight in front of him without making a move for like 40 yards? He was waiting for Watkins, then after it was too late Watkins moved and the pass to Diaby wasn't on anymore so he went on his own. Yeah Watkins definitely screwed him over there. VERY early days but does look like he can be a bit myopic at times. Made all the more clear by being on the same pitch as Diaby who makes a good decision 9/10 times. That said Zaniolo seems much more of a direct threat so its good to have different kinds of attacking options. Be interesting to see him on the left. Feel its difficult for him to shoot when playing on left which seems to be one of his main strengths. Overall I thought it was a very encouraging first start. Clearly got the tools to be successful in this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 18 hours ago, Zatman said: I dont know if its because of his size and build but he does look a little slow when he has the ball. Hopefully he has a bit more pace in him and it's just rustiness I am thinking it's a combination of a wee bit of rustiness, fitting into a new team, adapating to life in a new country, getting up to speed with the league and how we do things. Given time, he will be fine for us, as too will Torres. So far, I've liked what I've seen from Zaniolo and I think he will too become an important player for us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterDad Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 3 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said: I am thinking it's a combination of a wee bit of rustiness, fitting into a new team, adapating to life in a new country, getting up to speed with the league and how we do things. Given time, he will be fine for us, as too will Torres. So far, I've liked what I've seen from Zaniolo and I think he will too become an important player for us. I totally agree with you - I feel he will be a regular starter and important asset to the team 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 (edited) 18 hours ago, Zatman said: I dont know if its because of his size and build but he does look a little slow when he has the ball. Hopefully he has a bit more pace in him and it's just rustiness Saw someone else comment this on another forum, so did my usual Googles. He was rated as one of the 5 fastest wingers, in Serie A, in 2021 apparently. Maybe Birmingham slows our players down. lol * His speed stat " on Fifa " is 86 as well. Edited September 18, 2023 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 (edited) He created more chances than any other player on Saturday apparently. I think if one of those - particularly the one that Cash fluffed after excellent work from Zaniolo - goes in then we're having a bit of a different outlook on his performance and decision making. Although I will say he had a couple of attempted back heels that drove me a bit mad, one in particular he under hit to Digne when he could have played him more or less through on goal with a simple pass. For me it was an encouraging first start and a textbook case of just needing to get up to speed with the league. There were quite a few occasions where he had the ball stolen from him after just taking that extra half second after his first touch, but I'm sure that'll come to him and he'll prove more than useful as you can see he has a lot of the elements to his game to be a success. Edited September 18, 2023 by Indigo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taxahunter Posted September 18, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 18, 2023 15 hours ago, Shay said: Reminds me of a young Christian Eriksen He couldn't be further away from looking anything like Christian Eriksen. CE has never had the speed to be able to carry the ball forward. CE has his vision, his passing ranges and a decent shot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 19 hours ago, Zatman said: I dont know if its because of his size and build but he does look a little slow when he has the ball. Hopefully he has a bit more pace in him and it's just rustiness Looks quick to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 On 16/09/2023 at 17:28, KMitch said: I like him... It's rare to have really good touch and control when you're a big man, but Zaniolo seems to be built for the Premier League. Once he gets used to the lack of space and his teammates movements, he's going to be an issue for the opposition's defenses. Haaland, Carew, Ibrahimovic, Dzeko, Crouch....there's been quite a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke313 Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 Plenty of time for him to come good but thought he was trying too hard vs Palace. Held onto the ball a bit too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 3 hours ago, romavillan said: Basing that on the long run where Watkins just runs straight in front of him without making a move for like 40 yards? He was waiting for Watkins, then after it was too late Watkins moved and the pass to Diaby wasn't on anymore so he went on his own. I am a big Watkins fan but that was so poor. If he’d checked his run and curved inside/behind Zaniolo I’d have backed our Italian friend to slip him through and none of this talk of lack of passing would be happening. Early days but lots of potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishywashy Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 Interview with Collomosse. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12536221/Nicolo-Zaniolo-Roma-Aston-Villa-UEFA-Conference-League.html Quote Nicolo Zaniolo celebrated his birthday in July and probably reflected that he had experienced more in 24 years than many people do in a lifetime. Aston Villa’s summer signing was sent death threats and chased through the streets by Roma fans furious at his desire to leave the Serie A club. He has felt the rough end of Jose Mourinho’s tongue and suffered two serious knee injuries, the second of which ruled him out of Italy’s triumphant Euro 2020 campaign. Impressively, he has also managed to gain a solid grasp of English in just six months, thanks to daily lessons when he was playing for Galatasaray. Much more importantly, he joined a select group of players to score the winner in a major European Final. Less than 18 months after he struck the only goal for Roma against Feyenoord in the Europa Conference League Final, Zaniolo is starting a new journey in the competition. The Italy international expects to be involved when Villa take on Legia Warsaw in Poland on Thursday and, as he sits in the cavernous indoor training centre at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath base, he dreams of reliving his golden moment in Tirana. ‘It was a great day – unique,’ Zaniolo tells Mail Sport in his first newspaper interview since moving to England. ‘To score the only goal was an incredible emotion. It was the first trophy I’d won in my career and I will always carry it in my heart. It will always be a wonderful memory. This season Aston Villa are one of the main candidates to win the competition. It won’t be easy as there are a number of very good, organised teams and it’s always hard to play away from home, but we are a very good side and we want to lift this important trophy. If we do what we’re capable of this season, we can make our fans very happy.’ When Zaniolo scored that goal against Feyenoord to give Jose Mourinho his 27th trophy as a coach, it should have been the launchpad for his career. Yet eight months later, he was on his way to Galatasaray after rejecting a move to Bournemouth, due to a complete breakdown in relations with Roma. Contract talks did not progress and by late January, it was clear that Roma and Zaniolo needed to go their separate ways. Mourinho said he ‘didn’t want to play for Roma’. A banner appeared near the Colosseum calling Zaniolo a ‘traitor without honour’. Zaniolo was followed by fans to his home in Casal Palocco, an upmarket district on the outskirts of Rome, where he received death threats and called police in the early hours. Zaniolo is still reluctant to relive those traumatic final days as a Roma player, insisting his love for the club burns as brightly as ever, as does his respect for Mourinho. He even revealed he remains in occasional contact with the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss. ‘There will always be difficult times in life and it’s important that you stay united with those close to you and give each other strength,’ Zaniolo says. ‘But I’d prefer to keep family matters to myself and not talk about my state of mind during that period. I have wonderful memories of Rome and Roma from my first very day there but things in life have a beginning and an end. Unfortunately that ending happened in January but I want nothing but the best for Roma fans and I loved the Roma colours. Now I’m at Villa, I’m happy here, I’ve got back into the national team and I’ve rediscovered the joy of playing international football. To go back into the past for me isn’t positive because it’s finished. Mourinho is a great person. I respect him very much and he taught me a great deal. I have to thank him for all the times he picked me and put his trust in mind. Now and then we are still in touch.’ Villa’s move for Zaniolo was driven by Monchi, the club’s Spanish sporting director, who worked for Roma from 2017-19. He is currently alone in a temporary base in Birmingham but has a close family – father Igor was a lower-league player in Italy – who will visit regularly. Zaniolo was able to keep his favoured No22 shirt at his new club – a tribute to his mother, who was born on the 22nd of the month, as well as his idol, the former AC Milan and Brazil attacker Kaka. Though Zaniolo’s performance on first Premier League start, against Crystal Palace last weekend, was sketchy, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. He is a powerful ball-carrier who can operate on either flank as well as through the middle, and he has an eye for goal. If Zaniolo performs well, there is a strong chance his initial loan move from Galatasaray will be made permanent at the end of the campaign. ‘Football is a job but if you don’t like what you’re doing, you won’t play well,’ he reflects. ‘If you get to the pitch and you don’t feel joy and passion, you’re finished. In my life I’ve never really given that much weight to what other people say or advise. I’ve always acted on what I think and feel. I’ll listen to others but it has to be me who decides. To come here, I didn’t need to ask anyone’s advice because I knew what I was getting into. I was certain about my choice as it’s been my dream to play in the Premier League since I was very young. I would advise anyone who had an offer from the Premier League to think about it very hard. You don’t just grow up as a player here. You grow up as a person in a wider sense. It’s not just about football. Going to Turkey, coming to England… these are life experiences that help. If you stay in the same place, you don’t think about what else is out there. But doing it this way, it opens your mind and helps you stay calmer. That can help you on the pitch, too.’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 I think he's going to come good. But my Roma supporting friend said this to me about Zaniolo, "If there's a remote possibility that he can score, he will take on the shot instead of a pass. So don't be too surprised when he takes the shot instead of passing to the wide open man." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas10 Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Platt Posted September 19, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 19, 2023 1 hour ago, DJBOB said: I think he's going to come good. But my Roma supporting friend said this to me about Zaniolo, "If there's a remote possibility that he can score, he will take on the shot instead of a pass. So don't be too surprised when he takes the shot instead of passing to the wide open man." Well that was before he was coached by Emery and Co so hopefully he only shoots when there is no better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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