Ekrem KONUR @Ekremkonur Valencia CF do not want Yunus Musah to leave in January, despite interest from Inter Milan, Juventus, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Starts in cup match: STARTING XI 🆚 @RealSporting #CopaDelRey #RealSportingVCF pic.twitter.com/e2MCWHGIiE— Valencia CF (@valenciacf_en) January 18, 2023
Out with a healthy lead: Valencia CF @valenciacf #RealSportingVCF 0-4 | 66' @skoda_es @IlaixMK + Fran Pérez + @HGuillamon ↩️ @yunusmusah8 + @tonilato + @andremms7
They're a mid-table club but this season they had the squad to be doing better. Last season they finished 9. This game is one they should win comfortably.
They shouldn't be dropping points like this. The way they're going, they're going to end in the bottom half of the table. Musah did well, had a couple of good moments --including a dribble through the middle that took 4 Almeria guys and ended with a nice pass to Cavani who shot at the keeper. He got tired towards the end, seeing limited action in the last 30.
His 1st 30 minutes were pretty sic. Just taking on players like a beast and breaking lines. He was also involved in both Valencia goals. On the 1st he takes a roll out from his GK and dribbles the length of the field before passing it off for the scoring play. The other was a nice give and go which ended up being stopped and bobbled by the GK and put in... so again, typically... a yank making a nice pass but getting no scoring sheet credit. But he also had a couple bad give-aways in the midfield that he was lucky not to be punished for and like you said... and quite typical for Musah... pretty gassed in the final 3rd of the game. I wonder if he will ever have a 90 minute tank... but if he continues to push the attack on O and evolves then he could be a fantastic 70 minute player. All about reps and consistency.
From the perspective of the type of person who would command the respect of the players, yes. However, Valencia just look completely devoid of ideas as to how to break down a defense. And now Musah has been reduced to off-roading it in his car to escape the ultras! Not that one necessarily has anything to do with the other, but not sure I’d want Gattuso’s current ju-ju parachuted into the current USMNT environment.
Valencia is a total train wreck. Musah w/ two chances early... one results in a decent cross that the defender deflects out effectively. The 2nd he is one-on-one with the GK at a tight angle and makes a poor shot/decision rather than cutting it back for two wide open teammates. And wouldn't you know it... the Canadian Larin comes on late and does what Musah appears to not be able to do.... put the ball in the back of the net. Musah shows so much promise but around the 18 he just doesn't get it done. I know Larin is a striker and Musah is a CM but it is troubling to me that Musah is not increasing his scoring stats.
Agree that theoretically Musah should be producing more offensive end product than he is, but Valencia on a whole just can’t score goals. To me, that points to a systemic failure that goes way beyond any one player. I grant that Cavani is getting long in the tooth, but he is still plenty capable and he is barely getting even a sniff at goal in most matches. I think Valencia is a great spot for Musah’s development given the trust he has clearly earned and the minutes he is getting but it’s on the precipice now of turning really toxic given the team’s recent performances. Might be good for him to get out at season’s end.
OK, managed to missed the 1st half and was wondering why his teammate was yelling at him after Larin’s goal I couldn’t find any mistake by Yunus on the play itself (Kluivert was dispossesed and Valladolid started a counter) Kinda saddens me how the fans have completely turned on him & if his teammates do too it could be really hard to improve. At least he has backing of the manager but that may not last long post WC fatigue might be affecting him
Very good points. I thought the addition of Kluivert and Cavani could help but it seems losing Soler had a bigger net impact on the squad & results I wonder whether Weah would’ve given a spark or been bogged down like most of the other attackers in this system.