Nicolò Zaniolo

[RichW]

Jury is still out on him though it is still early days. When Ramsey is fit he goes straight back in the team for sure. 

[Digavilla]

In serial A , the pace is slow and there’s lots of space ( went to a Milan game Serial A couple of years back and left at half time as it felt like a friendly game).  It’s totally different here and the “trickery/ skills “ have to be faster/ crisper to be able to be effective.

Probably why no Italian player that move from Serial A is successful in recent times( please not the ancient Zola/Vialli etc). Someone said Balotelli / Tonali and even then they are subjective as won’t want this 2 character near our team. Their current national striker west ham Sacamecca was also shipped back after one season.With all these factors , really not confident he can make it. 

[wishywashy]

 

 

[wishywashy]

I think Matt's assessment is fair. It feels especially frustrating with Zaniolo because you just get the gut feeling that he's so close to being insanely good: he's never a passenger in games and he clearly is a bit of a menace for defenders, but his final ball leaves so much to be desired at the moment. It's a bad choice virtually every time.

I really hope that it just clicks one week and he's instantly one of our best players. It feels like if he's going to come good, it's going to be like that.

[Demitri_C]

15 minutes ago, wishywashy said:

 

 

He trying to protect him which any top level manager would.

Signs are not looking good for him being made permanent in my opinion.

I remember when we 1st signed traore he made more of a impact than zaniolo has.

[nick76]

7 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

He trying to protect him which any top level manager would.

Signs are not looking good for him being made permanent in my opinion.

I remember when we 1st signed traore he made more of an impact than zaniolo has.

For me the jury is still out because I can see there is a talent in there that might click.  I can also see it may not but I’m keen to wait to judge him until the end of the season before deciding on him.

Edited November 6, 2023 by nick76

[Demitri_C]

55 minutes ago, nick76 said:

For me the jury is still out because I can see there is a talent in there that might click.  I can also see it may not but I’m keen to wait to judge him until the end of the season before deciding on him.

Yeah for sure. We have him until end of season by then we will know. But so far i havent been overly impressed 

[cheltenham_villa]

While he lacked a bit of quality yesterday, he was always involved in our key moments. 

[DJBOB]

2 hours ago, wishywashy said:

 

 

Won't see the best of him until he plays on the right. 

He has never in his career played this many games on the left. Yes, he should be adaptable but our lack of left midfielders through injury is causing out of position play.

[duke313]

23 minutes ago, DJBOB said:

Won't see the best of him until he plays on the right. 

He has never in his career played this many games on the left. Yes, he should be adaptable but our lack of left midfielders through injury is causing out of position play.

I do wonder if we could try Diaby or Bailey on left as a more traditional winger and play Zaniolo just off Watkins off the right?  

[NurembergVillan]

Narrator:
"And here we find ourselves in one of VillaTalk's annual discussions about whether a new signing from a foreign league is either settling in or not good enough.

Watch how they largely disregard their previous experience of good players taking a long time to find their form in a Villa shirt. Even specimens signed from English clubs such as Digne and Buendia.

It's a remarkable sight as they trawl through hours of footage - not just of gameplay, but facial expressions and body language. Round and round they dance, searching for an answer that will only come with time.

Indeed, it is time that shall determine whether the Zaniolo is indeed "good enough" or whether the Alpha Posters have earned that right to say they called it all along."

[grantholtgolazo]

In matches where we come up against a team set up to sit in and defend-where opportunities will be limited and each quality chance pivotal; is it in the team/zaniolo’s best interest to start, at a crucial position, a player who is out of form, adjusting to a new league and playing out of position? I’ll add the standard in Emery I trust disclaimer but am I the only one that thinks it may not have been the most advantageous setup?

[Bazmonkey]

i thought he got in good positions and got on the ball a lot.

I think he was let down by Digne not playing more forward so he had an outlet...most the time he had to either come back inside to trouble....Moreno would have been great for him

Probably should have scored...extra touch took him wide....maybe confidence he does.

I'd be more concerned if wasnt getting in the positions and not wanting the ball...the end product will come soon 

[rodders0223]

41 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

Narrator:
"And here we find ourselves in one of VillaTalk's annual discussions about whether a new signing from a foreign league is either settling in or not good enough.

Watch how they largely disregard their previous experience of good players taking a long time to find their form in a Villa shirt. Even specimens signed from English clubs such as Digne and Buendia.

It's a remarkable sight as they trawl through hours of footage - not just of gameplay, but facial expressions and body language. Round and round they dance, searching for an answer that will only come with time.

Indeed, it is time that shall determine whether the Zaniolo is indeed "good enough" or whether the Alpha Posters have earned that right to say they called it all along."

I said he was rubbish before he was a twinkle in his father's eye. I win.

[Risso]

3 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Yeah for sure. We have him until end of season by then we will know. But so far i havent been overly impressed 

I guess if he doesn't improve, then we just drop him from the team before he hits the threshold that makes the purchase compulsory. I can't see him getting much of a game when Ramsey and Moreno are fit.

[nick76]

1 hour ago, NurembergVillan said:

Narrator:
"And here we find ourselves in one of VillaTalk's annual discussions about whether a new signing from a foreign league is either settling in or not good enough.

Watch how they largely disregard their previous experience of good players taking a long time to find their form in a Villa shirt. Even specimens signed from English clubs such as Digne and Buendia.

It's a remarkable sight as they trawl through hours of footage - not just of gameplay, but facial expressions and body language. Round and round they dance, searching for an answer that will only come with time.

Indeed, it is time that shall determine whether the Zaniolo is indeed "good enough" or whether the Alpha Posters have earned that right to say they called it all along."

When reading that, the voice in my head sounded like Morgan Freeman narrating.

[NurembergVillan]

4 minutes ago, nick76 said:

When reading that, the voice in my head sounded like Morgan Freeman narrating.

That was the intention so I'm glad it came across!

[DJBOB]

2 hours ago, duke313 said:

I do wonder if we could try Diaby or Bailey on left as a more traditional winger and play Zaniolo just off Watkins off the right?  

Unai like Diaby in that 10 role and I think Zaniolo doesn’t play fast enough or is as precise with his passing. 
 
One configuration I haven’t seen a lot is Zaniolo on the right with McGinn on the left. This is typically what happens when Bailey comes in yet we haven’t seen much of it with Zaniolo. 

[NurembergVillan]

9 minutes ago, Risso said:

I guess if he doesn't improve, then we just drop him from the team before he hits the threshold that makes the purchase compulsory. I can't see him getting much of a game when Ramsey and Moreno are fit.

I'd be interested to see if he looks any different with Moreno behind him. A totally different kind of full back to Digne, really.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

2 hours ago, DJBOB said:

Won't see the best of him until he plays on the right. 

He has never in his career played this many games on the left. Yes, he should be adaptable but our lack of left midfielders through injury is causing out of position play.

Saw a quote from Emery today saying he's not playing in his favoured position etc 

I made comment that, as we all know it takes some longer to settle than others ( As well as him obviously having gambling gate over his head )

I do think that, playing out of position may actually benefit him long term though.

He'll learn our system and game from a different perspective and hopefully thrive when he's in his own.