Lille are up 1-0 midway through the 2nd half. Watching the highlight of the own goal that put them ahead, Weah sure looks like he is playing left back for Lille today. He did charge into the box to get in the fray for the goal though.
Ends 2-0. I only watched the last 20-25 minutes in earnest but I liked what I saw from Weah. He was at RB for the time I was watching. This is nothing new to me, but the guy is really, clearly, a superb professional. The form of his one-on-one defensive stance is as practiced, tight and honed as the best basketball players. He's very focused and consistently driven, no matter the role he's given.
Started at LB and moved to RW late in the game. His teammates invited him to take a free kick late in the game just outside the box which he hit directly at the GK. He showed some frustration on a counter when he served a perfect pass in on goal for a teammate but he couldn't get it passed the GK. He also had one fantastic strike from outside the box while playing LB but the GK made a great save. His pace/technique combo is legit IMO. I just get the sense that Lille knows he is out the door so he isn't getting much playing time. They have a lot of young attacking talent. All that being said... he is currently yet another young YA who flashes true class but just can't seem to put up scoring stats. I am so desperate for a young YA to put up double digit goals or assists in a top 5 league.
Yes. I would say that Gio, CP and Weah are the Yanks currently in top 5 leagues w/ the talent to reach 10 goals or assists in a season. Gio was close in 20/21 with 7 assists... but the following season was plagued by injuries which trickled into this season as well as BVB has treated him w/ kid gloves for fear of re-injury. Even in CPs richest vein of form he never reached 10 or 10 within the EPL: 9 goals / 6 assists in the in 20/21... although he did reach 11/8 in all comps which is a very good season. Weah hasn't even gotten close with 3/5 in 21/22 being his best season. There is also another set of players that I keep expecting to put up better assist numbers but they just don't seem to be getting there: Musah, Wes, Jedi and Aaronson. Unlike CP, Gio and Weah... these players have gotten a significant number of minutes for their clubs this season and you can color me disappointed that their assist numbers are not higher. Musah started the season well but seems to slowed down of late... playing way further back and not venturing forward in an adventurous manner as much. Hoping he gets back to being a bit more aggressive w/ the ball at his feet today. Stats are not everything, but for the players I have mentioned I would say that I am disappointed that at least one of them is not on their way to get close to 10 in a scoring category. I think Adams has been clearly our best YA in a top 5 league but even elite DMs don't typically get close to 10 assists... so I don't expect that out of him.
BMG interest: Sébastien Denis @sebnonda Info: Timothy Weah's entourage is not happy with the situation of their protege at LOSC and is pushing hard for a departure by January 31. Borussia Monchengladbach and Sevilla FC are very hot on the record.
Gladbach has Hoffman doing pretty well at RW, but Thuram appears to be injured. I wonder if he would be asked to play CF? Transfermarkt says Thuram is the only CF on their roster. Sevilla has Tecatito at RW who has only played one game this season but is expected back soon. I suppose each team would be a decent move for him. I don't watch much of Sevilla but Gladbach likes to hit quickly on the counter with speed so I think it could be a pretty good landing spot.
I'm with you on Musah, Wes, and Aaronson, not so sure about Jedi getting assists. Lack of vision does seem to be a continuing problem for US players in general.
Assists can be a bit trickier to predict. All-in-all I would expect Jedi to have more assists based on the sheer number of crosses he lobs into the box and given the target 9 (Mitro). But he seems to do so much better with his cutback crosses that he puts at the top of the box on the ground than he does with his aerial crosses near the 6. It is a difficult skill. He has the whip but he doesn't have the accuracy. But overall I find it troubling that the Yanks in the top 5 leagues are not scoring or unlocking Ds w/ a final pass enough.
Fulhamish has Weah on a really long, far-fetched list of possible transfer targets. Take it with a grain of salt with a sodium chloride chaser. Everton & Brighton also mentioned. https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-01-22-fulham-rumour-round-up-karlsson-osimhen-weah/
Jonathan David – 5 – A really anonymous performance from one of the divisions most prolific strikers. He couldn’t get himself into the game, and when the ball did eventually come his way, he lacked his usual clinical touch, undoubtedly a bi-product of his lack of involvement in the tie. Timothy Weah – 7 – The American, who has been tested in a variety of positions this season, was a constant threat at right-wing. On the counter, he had the pace to get in behind, and the composure to put the ball on a plate for his teammates. On another day he would have had a couple of assists to his name. He should, however, have done better when 1v1 against Schmeichel, but credit to the Danish goalkeeper who made himself imposing when he was second favourite to make the save.
If the Lille fans have their way, he's not leaving. They like him, like his versatility (he's played striker, left wing, right wing, left back, right back, attacking mid, and wide forward), and some insist he'd be a better point-of-the-spear (#9) than David. Weah is one of a handful of our guys who are actually well-liked by the fans of their team (Passion LOSC is the most active French-language Lille OSC forum).
Weah passes the eye test rather easily on the pitch IMO. He looks like a legit sports car but for whatever reason the scoring stats don't back it up. I have a reasonable amount of confidence that he will find the right spot in the next few years and his career will take off.
He has an economy of motion about him that makes his fairly pedestrian technical skills (for a top Euro league) look smoother and also more effective imo. He knows where his bread is buttered and that's with good, direct, athletic play. Good mix of mental and physical attributes. I hope he can unlock his full potential I love rooting for him.
Weah starts, Lille (7th) hosting Clermont Foot (8th). A top-three spot seems well out of reach, but a 4th-place finish still seems doable. Let's go! David is out today (hand injury). I have no idea if he was ever a serious transfer candidate, nor how his recent performances factored into the equation. At one time David was a hot property, but interest seems to have cooled off considerably. Not clear (to me) why, but I haven't followed his production that closely.
Out at 82'. Played close to goal but couldn't score. It's been 257 days since Timothy Weah scored a league goal.
My most recent post was pretty ill-timed. Weah is certainly in a dry spell but I think he has flashed quite a bit this year in his minutes but he was pretty poor out there today. Especially in the 1st half. Foot's ginger left CB just man-handled him so many times early on. Really poor shot on the set-piece play... technique totally lacking as his head is not over the ball. Got a bit better in the 2nd half with his crosses but overall didn't make the most out of this chance at all IMO. Color me bummed. You would think he would score just based on luck given the number of times he shoots the ball.
+1 for opinions on him not having very good technique. Like CP, he's often off balance and off center. Has pretty much all the other tools, though. Perhaps both were stunted somewhat since they could get by on athleticism alone growing up and probably dribbled the ball into the net more than lasering it in from range
Poor shooting technique seems to be a theme for Yank players IMO. I think you may be right about elite speed leading to poor shooting technique. Every time Weah and CP shoot for distance it is obvious that they are going to do so.... completely telegraphing their intentions. But more importantly, the lack of balance and getting their head above the ball drives me nuts. It is a relatively simple concept that should be driven into them by the time they are pros. That and the fact that scoring consistently at a high level requires a quick thought to physical response. Space is going to be tight so you need to make said space and shoot, with good technique, as fast as you can.
On the bench: 📋 OUR STARTING XI 🆚 @staderennais 🤝 @CazooUK pic.twitter.com/uV0jmRq6Rt— LOSC (@LOSC_EN) February 4, 2023