Yea, thanks for running down their careers... I knew them when I made the statement. If GZ went to D.C. United I would expect him to follow those career arcs rather than using it as a spring board to getting back to bigger and better leagues. None of those guys have used a move back to D.C. United as a springboard to better things... they have faded into mediocrity/oblivion (my term of art). If GZ did the same thing I would predict a similar outcome. I would not predict a huge success and then a move back to a higher level.
I can’t completely follow this post because I can’t follow what I wrote. This post you responded to and my prior one in the thread make me think some type a foreign substance was involved that evening. Let me try again on the video leaving out other players. He has a horrible first touch, doesn’t play the easy pass wide and put that guy under pressure, spins away from defender to get spacing and better angle of the field (both of last two steps imply slowing the game down), and makes an incisive pass that could have resulted in next pass putting player in on goal. I like players that can maintain possession, create space for themselves, see forward passes with small margin for error, and execute. I was very sad to not get to him play in the u20 WC and the impact of the injury on his career. Maybe it decreases his chances of succeeding, but I’m not giving up hope.
I was thinking Junior Flores was the next in line for that....................... WIth his German passport, there will be some Euro clubs willing to take a chance on Zelalem. Not "big clubs" but you know what I mean.................... Giving up on him is premature.
I think everyone here just needs to wait and see. We have zero idea how he's recovered from his injury. The only upside is being aggressive and explosive was never part of his game. I agree with a lot of people about his weaknesses. Namely, he can't finish, doesn't win enough possession, and kind be extremely passive. That all being said, Gedion has a unique skillset. Does it look good in 70% of the way modern football teams are playing right now? No. But does it have some value to the right team and the right manager? Yes. His outlook to me is pretty simple. He either needs to get better at the attacking part of the game and move closer to being a 10 OR he needs to get better at winning possession and play a deep lying playmaker role ala Pirlo. I don't know where he goes to figure that out, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him in bundesliga 2.
OK, this is a good sign: Local Gedion Zelalem Edging Closer To A Return To Training After Suffering An ACL Injury In The U20 World Cup Earlier This Year! Can’t Wait To See Gedion Back In Training With Arsenal In A Couple More Weeks!#RepDMV pic.twitter.com/WanS1VrYBB— DMV Soccer (@DMVSoccer96) December 8, 2017
I’m hoping that video was from months ago. He’s 6 months post-op. He should be well beyond running in a straight line.
Staying at Arsenal to continue his rehab: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/zela...transfer-window-to/11qjm0jz84cr81w77j0zex8qsl @bungadiri, can change to "Gedion Zelalem at Arsenal"?
I’m pretty sure I could have written this article. He hasn’t featured in anything since his injury. What team is looking for a guy still recovering from an ACL?
That was one of the most non hyped recovery vids I've ever seen. Cool, he did some jogging in a straight line. If he's really only that far a long after 6 months something other than just his ACL blew up in the knee.
I know he’s just a reserve, but you’d think there’d be something of substance regarding where his recovery stands. If he’s not at least training, then we didn’t get the full story on his injury.
The only thing of substance in the article is that his contract ends summer of 2019. I know he signed a minor extension a while back, but couldn’t remember the details. Arsenal has done everything possible to recoup some money on Zelalem - apart from loaning him to VVV Velcro or whatever. Yet this is his year to make his case to future suitors and it doesn’t look promising for Zelalem or Arsenal.
Jorge Bird article a few weeks ago.. no major news, just forecasting from the Arsenal youth guru. “Gedion Zelalem, one of the older players in the squad, should return from his lengthy injury absence soon and will aim to play regularly to build up his fitness.” https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/...senals-u23-team-look-after-recent-departures/
boom... on the Insta... "gedi34 After a setback in January, I will now be back playing in pre season. Progress has been very good past couple months and already stronger than I’ve ever been. Next season will be very exciting for me.#update#doubterskeepdoubting" LikeComment 4,664 likes gedi34After a setback in January, I will now be back playing in pre season. Progress has been very good past couple months and already stronger than I’ve ever been. Next season will be very exciting for me. #update#doubterskeepdoubting
The new Charles Renken....don't really expect much out of Gedion at this point honestly. Hope he proves me wrong but don't see it happening. Both he and Emerson need to leave England as soon as possible.
Stronger than he’s ever been is a seriously low bar. Snark aside I do hope he’s used his time off to build up his overall physique to the point he won’t be tossed around the pitch like he used to be. He will probably never recover the speed he had, and that could be his downfall, but the skill set he had makes me somewhat hopeful he’ll have a productive career somewhere.
Yeah, odds are already long against anyone trying to become a high-level pro, and they have become so much longer for Gedion. He's due some good luck- I hope he comes back strong and ready to compete (and contribute!). Good luck, kid!
How bad were the particulars of the injury last spring? Kinda think it's early to write him off at this point. He's definitely not as high up on the board as he used to be, but if he fully recovers (and that wouldn't be till at least spring '19, you're never fully back from major knee injuries till typically 2 years later, you can play a year later, but all the way back, not exactly). I have some hopes he'll make it back but am not counting on it. I'd just give him a fair shot if the knee has healed properly.
I wrote this somewhere around here the moment he got hurt ... that if he uses the time to finally strengthen his body, things could really change for him. As for the speed ... well, he was not a speed demon to start with, but an ACL injury at the age of 20 is not something that is going to destroy you - at least not in this era of modern medicine. He has a great chance to recover the vast majority of whatever speed he had. I have never been as high on him as the vast majority here, but for anyone who believed in him before, there is no reason to jump completely off his bandwagon now.