🇺🇸 Weston Mckennie ha llegado a los 10 goles con la Juventus. Se convirtió en el máximo goleador Norteamericano en la historia de la #SerieA 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/2zsZjcIT0s— Juve Pasión (@JuventusLatam) January 15, 2022
Two things: WM's weaknesses are overrated. Every player has weaknesses. His strengths greatly overshadow his weaknesses, upon which he's improving all the time. Is WM our answer to Lukaku or Salah, namely a guy who improves every year, year over year? If he can have their same 10 year window of constant improvement (of which he's on year 4) the answer is yes. He's in the kind of moment where, like Salah at Chelsea or Lukaku at any number of places, if Juve sells now they'll look awfully silly down the line.
I think we sometimes get way too carried away about our Yanks here partly just because they show they belong - and his strengths don’t greatly overshadow his weaknesses for me. The dude still has a number of weaknesses that he needs to greatly improve on if he wants to be a top player. Doesn’t mean he isn’t really good in a lot of ways for a decent team in a decent league.
I’ve seen his Juventus teammates play - aren’t you curious how he’d do on a better team? Morata and company are often poor and they just lost one of their best players. I’m enjoying the ride so I’m not actively wishing for a move but I’m not going to complain if he does go to the best league in the world - I think he might shine on the right team.
I think it’s odd people think he has the technical ability and tactical sense to play regularly for a Pep coached team. Doesn’t mean I’m not a huge fan for not thinking this hypothetical move that will never happen makes sense.
Exactly right. Wes driving the play forward means having to make lots of last/2nd-last passes. By definition, those passes are more likely to be incomplete because defenders mark one hell of a lot closer than midfielders and DMs are there to make intercepts. It's a meaningful statistic, but only up to a point. Percentage of passes leading to shots on target, plus opening up a defence is more meaningful.
He could tell, say, Everton "you're midtable, chronically unstable - 5 coaches and 2 directors of football, all with completely different philosophies in 7 seasons - and haven't played UEFA ball since whenever. Call me when you've qualified for the Conference League." Then tells Juventus "Everton, really? I know they're offering crazy money and I'll get a nice chunk of it, but I'm not leaving until a well-run team with good resources comes up. West Ham or maybe even Leicester, but never Everton. Now, about that extension . . ."
He was in a Chipotle ad during he last Juve Paramount+ telecast. Does that count?? Seems wherever our Face of US soccer players are, there is Chipotle!
If he can get an upgrade that makes sense for him, that's fine. I just think people seem to be underestimating Juventus as a team if it seems like any move to somewhere in England is somehow considered an upgrade. I get there is money in England and those forces can make things happen. But he's in a great situation at a major and historic club that is unlikely to be replicated at just anywhere with a big bag of money. On a sporting level, I absolutely think he can continue to grow at Juve. The biggest have played there and will continue to do so. I simply don't see this plethora of teams that would be a true sporting upgrade. I have no doubt he could shine in other situations, but he's already in a situation that lets that happen while still being on the up swing and not close to stagnation. So I see no reason right now to move and if he can be a part of Juve's inevitable rise to the top, that to me is more valuable and impressive an achievement that just skipping from team to team and trying to latch onto a winner. He's already at a place where everything is possible. I only see a small handful of clubs as being clearly above Juve and a slightly larger number that are in the ballpark, regardless of how much a specific team has to throw around on buying guys one year or the other.
I don't think it makes sense yet, but I also don't think one can rule it out. If you compare ages to Grealish, at 23 1/2 (Wes' age), Jack was still in the Championship. He had not even debuted for England. But Grealish grew his game a lot from ages 23-26, so Man. City took plunge.... although somewhat surprisingly, his goals/games at Aston Villa and Man City really don't stand out to me. If Wes can continue to improve at the rate of last 2 years, he'll be on the Grealish track for many top clubs around world. Because of the marketing 'bump' and/or based on a club's individual need or strategy, I could see it happening sooner. I could see RM take a bite this summer. If that would occur, it would be like beginning of Juve all over- prove yourself and the position can be yours.
Juve is the type of team RM buys players from, & Juve really needs the euro's. I could see a 60 or 70 million euro transfer as transfer inflation happens for big clubs when buying players. The problem from Juve's point of view is where do you get a replacement?
Getting rid of Bale, Hazard and Isco would free up a lot of cash for the wage bill. They have others that they can unload as well. They'll get some transfer fee money for Hazard. Mbappe is coming on a free. Rudiger would be coming on a free. If they land Haaland, then that would take a good bit of cash, but they might throw in players to lessen the blow. They haven't spent the last 2 years, so they will spend strong this summer for sure. RM always seems to find a way if they want something to happen.
Could you imagine that if McKennie was to be signed to Real while they're establishing a new Galacticos Era?
Allegri commented about how McKennie fits in his midfield after Saturday's match: Allegri was asked what role McKennie is best suited to, as he seems to be shuffling around the Juventus midfield and has lately been in a more advanced role. “He is attacking, especially down the right, because I don’t think he had a good game on the left. His timing of the runs from the right is better, he finds himself in front of goal, but struggles more on the left. “The goal he scored in the Supercoppa on Wednesday was coming from the right too. He is one of these players with a different view of the pitch from one side to the other. “I was the opposite, I did better on the left and cutting inside. Paul Pogba is better on the left, Vidal on the right, when Khedira was on the left it fell like he was running into a brick wall. It’s characteristics, maybe they have one more dominant eye or something!” https://football-italia.net/allegri-angry-at-juventus-identifies-mckennie-specialty/