Nicolò Zaniolo

[ender4]

54 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

This will be my last post on this site as it is now impossible to display an opinion or be contradictory in any way to the club without being belittled.

Everything is brilliant and the club will never get anything wrong every again or do something someone might actually not agree with.

Brilliant.

End football.

You just wanted to get all 6 types of likes in one post didn't you 

[MWARLEY2]

Did both his knees rather than one twice. So now with the elastic bands in place he should be fine.  Physically now probably steonger than before . Did Mings do an ACL ? 

[romavillan]

5 minutes ago, allani said:

When he first started at Roma, I guess the player that he initially reminded me of was Gazza.  Just that complete command of the ball, supreme confidence, almost effortless ability to beat players and un-erring knack of playing exactly the right ball at the right time.

I'd never thought of the Grealish comparison before you said it, he has the same ability to anticipate what the defender will do and move the ball at the latest possible millisecond. Control in tight spaces is phenomenal, first touch, technique is absurd. Either foot, inside, outside of the foot he can kill a ball stone dead instantly.. Actually the way he dribbles reminds me of Gazza (just watched some youtube) a bit but I still think the Cassano/Totti comparisons are good for the way he can see something no-one else can and just put the ball perfectly where it needs to go. 

He could play 10, or as the wide second striker equally well I think. I hope he signs and I hope we get the best out of him. If we do and he stays fit this is an enormous signing.

[villaslash]

36 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said:

sounds like an exotic sex position.

 

possibly involving a gobble

Thank goodness- back on topic. More talk of Zaniola, Reverse Turkey positions and triangles involving zaniola, Luiz and Coutinho. I’m staying for now…

[El-Reacho]

Haven't had any real pedigree with Italian players (like a lot of PL teams). Carbone the only Italian I can remember playing for us?? Any idea what sort of money he'll cost?

[dubliner]

1 minute ago, El-Reacho said:

Haven't had any real pedigree with Italian players (like a lot of PL teams). Carbone the only Italian I can remember playing for us?? Any idea what sort of money he'll cost?

The great Pierluigi Gollini would like a word

[DeadlyDirk]

1 minute ago, dubliner said:

The great Pierluigi Gollini would like a word

Fabio Ferrerasi say's hi.... Riccardo Scimeca is confused about his own nationality..... 

[Reivax_Villa]

I think this will work..

We have a mixed style to how we play..

We have a slow build up possession style, which is sometimes at a walking pace ( This may suit his style)

We also have a quick counter combo attacking style in some instances too..

He plays a number of positions and has a high footballing IQ.

So I think he will be fine.

[ml1dch]

3 minutes ago, dubliner said:

The great Pierluigi Gollini would like a word

I remember being excited by Fabio Ferraresi.

[Jareth]

Re the reverse turkey debate I'd just like to contribute the obvious kenneth term of 'spatchcocking'

[StefanAVFC]

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

I gave you a full house. You're welcome

I helped!!! @hogso

[It's Your Round]

1 hour ago, thabucks said:

Last Italian playmaker we had became a cult hero … Just think of the triangles with Coutihno & Dougie

More triangles than an infant school concert. 

[Spoony]

I know nothing about this guy. I really wish Buendia a speedy recovery and to come back stronger, but at the risk of sounding heartless I don’t think it would take much for another player to offer at least the same as he does. 

[allani]

17 minutes ago, romavillan said:

I'd never thought of the Grealish comparison before you said it, he has the same ability to anticipate what the defender will do and move the ball at the latest possible millisecond. Control in tight spaces is phenomenal, first touch, technique is absurd. Either foot, inside, outside of the foot he can kill a ball stone dead instantly.. Actually the way he dribbles reminds me of Gazza (just watched some youtube) a bit but I still think the Cassano/Totti comparisons are good for the way he can see something no-one else can and just put the ball perfectly where it needs to go. 

He could play 10, or as the wide second striker equally well I think. I hope he signs and I hope we get the best out of him. If we do and he stays fit this is an enormous signing.

I agree entirely.  I guess the reason for the Gazza / Grealish comparison is that I wanted to use an English player as an example as most people on this board may have seen more of those players.  For example, I think a lot of people don't understand Totti's role at Roma because what they mainly see is the highlights of his goals.  Totti was the reason I adopted Roma when I moved to Italy and I don't think I'd realised quite how intrinsic he was to everything that Roma did and / or quite how much influence he exerted across the pitch. 

Position wise, you're right he is more of a 10 than a CM or out and out wide player.  One thing he is very good at is getting the ball under pressure, holding onto it and then laying it off to another player in more space.

It's a gamble for sure.  But if the rumoured mandatory purchase is dependent on some performance criteria being met then it seems well worth the gamble.  It's slightly in the Coutinho deal zone (and for that reason it is a risk for Monchi because I think all our other purchases this summer make complete sense so he'd be sticking his head above the parapet on this one) but I think the upsides are much higher.  IF we get Zaniolo back and firing on all cylinders he's top, top class (£70-80m easy) and at 24 he's got plenty of years service in him.

[MWARLEY2]

As above it is a calculated risk to get some real top level talent into the club . He is Diaby level talent or even one above. As per Coutinho i am concerned that we seem to be the only ones in seriously for him though. 

Buy all the left footers ! 

[Tayls]

1 hour ago, rodders0223 said:

This will be my last post on this site as it is now impossible to display an opinion or be contradictory in any way to the club without being belittled.

Everything is brilliant and the club will never get anything wrong every again or do something someone might actually not agree with.

Brilliant.

End football.

Surely you mean “ever again” and not “every again”?

“every again” just doesn’t make sense. 

[allani]

3 minutes ago, Tayls said:

Surely you mean “ever again” and not “every again”?

“every again” just doesn’t make sense. 

I think he meant "Emery again" or maybe it was a pun...

[rjw63]

33 minutes ago, ml1dch said:

I remember being excited by Fabio Ferraresi.

[Tayls]

5 minutes ago, allani said:

I think he meant "Emery again" or maybe it was a pun...

Well, I could be wrong, but I believe ‘Emery Again’ was an old, old wooden ship that was used during the civil war era? 

[allani]

6 minutes ago, MWARLEY2 said:

As above it is a calculated risk to get some real top level talent into the club . He is Diaby level talent or even one above. As per Coutinho i am concerned that we seem to be the only ones in seriously for him though. 

Buy all the left footers ! 

I think it is clear how highly I rated Zaniolo when he joined Roma.  And I'm still not convinced either way on this.  I think it's probably a case that he'll either be brilliant or it won't work.  There's possibly no middle ground of him being just OK and doing a job for a season or two.  If the mandatory fee is dependent on performance then at £8.5m it's a gamble that is probably worth taking.  If he does well and then the total price is £20m then it could be one of the deals of the decade.  If it's a straight £20m gamble then I might be a bit more circumspect.

Oh and if we are worried about Zaniolo being our only Italian player - I'd be pretty happy to sign Chiesa to keep him company!!!!  **** me - the options we would have then!