TBF a rich man's Vazquez would be an elite player. Personally I love Asensio but I've never seen Balon d'Or potential. I think he'll be a very good player -- one who can be a core part of an elite side -- but not a bonafide superstar. His best attribute to my eyes is his ability to set up teammates in dangerous positions from ridiculous angles with passes almost no one else would see.
I've always been a fan even when he faltered a bit. Excited to see what he brings if he really is our option on that left side this season.
His best attribute for me is that rocket of a left boot. Hits the ball so true and cleanly on his day better than most.
Asensio has vision, he can see a pass that others don’t , he is wasted stuck out on the flanks, out there he is not as involved and is wasted that’s just not playingvto his strengths IMO, we would see the best of him if he played more central, he has the ability to set up chances and also to score from inside and outside the box, he can be very very good if he isn’t stuck out on the wings
Yes, said this many times as well. He’s a midfield player for me, incredibly wasted out wide where he’s forced to use his ‘good to have abilities’ (pace, one-on-one, crossing) instead of his true strengths (vision, passing, combination play and shooting (scoring ability)). It happens a lot in today’s football, fast players are just put there out wide because “they’re quick eh”. Imagine prime Kaka in today’s game, he’d be a left winger for sure. For me, Asensio has the potential to be a world class (attacking) midfielder, but a decent/good winger.
All of those attributes and characteristics can be showcased from the wing though? Hazard, Messi, Ribery, Coutinho, Neymar etc are all World Class in those departments and all showcase them effectively coming inside from wide positions. It’s not like Asensio has blistering pace ala Bale or peak CR to say that’s why he’s been tossed on the wing. He’s pretty quick but not to that level. Asensio in theory should be better playing on the wing opposite to his strong foot to enable him to cut inside and utilise his skillset but coaches don’t seem to think he’s good in that role, instead tossing him out to the LW where there are tendencies to run down the touchline into blind allies being one-footed and all.
Throw him in alongside Isco and the two can alternate positions. Between those two, Kovacic and Ceballos I am very positive about the creativity in our midfield going forward. What we are lacking is obvious to all but Pérez.
I'm still a big Marco believer. Big season for him. Time to take that next step and deliver more consistently.
He has got a big skillset. And that left foot woosssssshhhhhhh. I really wish him well and if he wears that magic nr.7 , he is just going straight to stardom. Believe !
I agree, actually. Wonder what it'd be like if you dropped him between Bale and Isco. (As I personally also believe Isco is at his best if you give him a defined left-sided role)
From what i saw in JL's Spain, the more attack minded midfielders and forwards often switch positions between them. I expect that to happen here, especially between Isco, Asensio and Benzema.
So there was no offer from Liverpool for 150ME or place in their lineup. Gotcha. This is practically all him, Bale and Benzema are capable of doing. We need players for the other 9 months of the season.
Interesting view but IMO Asensio cannot dribble to get inside or to get past a defender like any of those players, certainly not with the consistency that they do, at least not yet, and that’s not to disrespect or minimize Marco’s obvious for all to see huge talent, that’s just not his strength, he’s fairly quick but he is not like those guys when it comes to getting past your man , he’s much better at seeing passes inside,quick one twos and getting on the end of passes to finish chances, and taking shots from outside the box, wasn’t he great for Espanyol ? , did he not play more central there or am I wrong, they can all play out there and be super effective, but I still think we lose something thinking Marco is the same, in my eyes at least, he is not
And which one of Kroos Casemiro Modric hits the bench in a 4-2-3-1? It’s a formation we’ll use now and then but provided everyone is fit and come the big games I’m sure JL will utilize the same old 4-3-3. The front 6 picks itself.
You're the guy who's fluffing James, and those were the moments James wasn't even wearing a kit. People were saying were destroying talents like Asensio by playing Bale in front of them, and now that he's supposed to play a ton of minutes he's not good enough. Give me a break.
I still think we should get Bale and Benzema out of here but that doesn't mean we don't need to make like five signings for the players that left because of them.
Modric is the best CM in the world, I don’t see why we would play him as a 10 now. And Kroos walking around the pitch in a double pivot would be a disaster. My money is on a Isco Benz Bale front three. Or Isco Bale Asensio if Benzema ever gets dropped.