With all the talks about players joining Saudi Pro League, he'd be perfect in this moment of his career.
He scored. Glad he is getting his chances with the coach. With Embolo heavily injured and Ben Yedder involved in a rape accusation, Monaco will need strikers this year...
People are saying that Minamino never really get a fair chance from sacked coach Clement and it was a desaster. I was feel the same but didnt watch many Monaco games last season after you recognize Takumi felt out of favour. Adi Hütter is a really really good coach, working also with Kamada and Hasebe at Frankfurt over 2 years. He is the right one and knows a good chemistry. Good thing about Minamino is, that he can be killer, even after a long thirsty episode of nothing, like in Liverpool. Some games were unreal there from him after such a long period of no game time. Or like at the WC against Germany (not against Croatia ^^) when he came in and instantly assist the goal for Japan. He has the ability to be from 0% to 100% in no time.
Minamino got a chance when he arrived, he even directly played the Champions League playoffs against PSV as a starter. Monaco failed to qualify in the last playoffs for two years in a row, which kind of traumatized the group. Thing is, Minamino was bad. He has been bad with the JNT for more than a year. Slowing down the pace, wrong choices, wasting opportunities. The shadow of a technical leader. No wonder he finally was benched during the World Cup. That actually saved Japan creative play. Glad for him to see he's getting back on shape, it was a brilliant player that I used to love, but honestly he's been terrible lately. Also: he didn't assist against Germany. Let's call things by their proper names, please.
His asssit against Germany was an assist, in Germany and some other countrys those things are count as an assist and for me thats right. Its a little like in Ice Hockey no matter if your Pass/shot hits the post, is saved by a goalkeeper or blocked by an defender. When the ball is coming to a team mate and he scored its an assist. And for me thats the Main reason. Its no matter if Minamino want to assist directly or not, he assisted Doans goal. He forced Manuel Neuer to a safe and then Doan could score. Kicker for example see stuff like that in the same way and gave him the asisst. Here in Germany you even get a assist for winning a penalty when the taker score and for me thats also absolutely right. For example after the game they analyze the game from experts (also a active player for Gladbach and former national player) and they also mentioned Minaminos sub in and assist as one of the reasons for Japans win. They called it also as an assist. His bench place was right for Japan, cause he was not in Form. I only want to say that Minamino has a ability to are on point and do crazy stuff. Not every time but he has this thing. And to the Monaco thing. Minamino starts the 2 Champions League Qualify games and then 2 league games with a game between that to get subbed in. He played in every of those games maximum 68 minutes and after that he was done at Monaco more or less. Sure he was not good youre right but at this time of the season ( and many parts of it later) Monaco were very bad to average. The first games of the season Monaco conceded almost every game a red card (or yellow red) and loose games and conceded a incredible amount of games. At the end of the day its surely all about the player him self but often coaches like Clement for example have no clue how to use and motivate player. I mean you can see it how bad Monaco was last season in compare to the expectations. Maybe we have other thoughts on that but for me a new player like Minamino for 15 Mio€ which is not less have to play at least 5-8 games in a row, maybe not from the season start but from some point.
In Germany an asisst count different then in England for example. I am a German,living in Germany and in the Bundesliga you get an assist almost like in Ice Hockey. Kicker Magazin official gave Minamino official the assist for him. And in Germany or in Spain for example you get an assist for earning a penalty when the taker score and after my opinion thats right. For example last season in the game Frankfurt vs Leverkusen, Kolo Mouani gets fouled and earn the penalty and Kamada scored. You can see Kolo Mouani get the assist in Germany like it should be. Another example is transfermarkt.de/com, same game against Leverkusen, they also gave Kolo Mouani the assist for Kamadas penalty. You almost has little different rules in many countrys for a assist. In Germany stuff like that counts and for me too.
Interesting. I knew transfermarkt was partly ruled by random individuals, but I ignored the fact game reports were filed in such an amateur way, we really gotta be cautious with what we come across on internet. Bundesliga officials stats don't match transfermarkt. They don't credit assists for penalties. Since you were talking about Kolo Muani, please have a look: last season he got credited for 11 assists on bundesliga official website, 14 assists on transfermarkt. Reason behind this difference, again, is that they dont credit assists for penalties or other fantasies such as last pass before the scorer dribbles 5 opponents, or deflected balls by keepers (which is more of a mistake than an assist). Only precision about assists rules I could find was - ironically - on Bundesliga Fantasy official website (maybe they felt they had to remind it for football/soccer newcomers): "(3) An assist is awarded to a player who plays the final successful pass which leads to a goal. Please note that assists are not awarded to players who are fouled for free-kicks or penalties which lead to goals, for own goals or for goals which result from rebounds off other players or the frame of the goal." Which says it all. I'll stand with 1) my knowledge of football and 2) the german football official ruler. Now, if you want to believe what you found here and there, please go on, some could also assert that earth is actually flat and show you tons of results found on internet...
I wouldnt say thats said all. And please dont act again so arrogant like to talk from flat earth ^^. I am a man of facts like you but sometimes you can have different looks. I am no idiot and I think you neither. Kicker and Transfermarkt.de are one of the biggest and most serious football magazines in Germany and maybe it sound a little weird but I would say over the years Kicker Magazine feel a little more official then Bundesliga.de cause for example they have own official trophies for players of the Bundesliga which stands for the trophie alone. Like the top goal trophie is callled "Kicker Torjäger Kanone". So the Kicker Magazine is handle the official Trophy for the players. I have to say that I less use other sources for statistics as Kicker or transfermarkt.de cause they are that big that for example normaly I dont recognize Bundesliga.de.They both are way more serious and accuate when it comes about stats. These Magazines are full of Experts, former players etc. and the Kicker Magazine was the one who official start to count assists in the Bundesliga since 1988. That those magazines count assists for that, stands not for nothing, so its not only about my fantasy. And pure from my football knowledge its only logical for me that every last pass which leads to a goal count as an assist, no matter if you want it like this or not (also penalty earning) cause you were 1 of the 2 reasons the goal would be scored and thats it. Like at Ice Hockey. Sure you can have another opionion but that doesnt mean my statement is bullshit. At least my opinion with my facts are some serious statement cause Kicker and Transfermarkt are some heavyweights in the world of sports. You shouldnt compare my opinion with some flat earth crap please. I dont remember me talk ever like this about you. Dont I? Edit: The Bundesliga Fantasy official website is a manger game by the way, like Comunio. Do you think those are the official rules for football real life and in football manger game? Hmmm I am not really sure cause it is not easy to find a accurate definition about assists. I think more those has to do with rules for the game.
I dont like that assist is earning a penalty. Not even in hockey you get that. Assist should be a pass. Only. On the other note. No need to defend Minas last season. It sucked. Also in NT he did. But now I hope that he is finally back.
Thats what I mean, its totaly understandable that you have other opinion. And I would also say that thats right. But you could argue it on the other way. For me as example earning a penalty is maybe even more worth then playing a real assist cause the chance you create can nontheless easily be wasted. Depends on the situation. A penalty also can be wasted but its one of the biggest chances to score. And normaly it stands for your skills when the defender can only stop you with a Foul. Maybe you can understand my Intention of football. For me its only logical that every pass which leads to a goal is an assist. Otherwise we see how often a player didnt get his assist like Mitoma against Liverpool in the league when Van Diyk maybe touches the ball with half a milimeter of his foot and the ball would have with or without him comes to the goal scorer. But I understand also the other side. Edit : Dont defend Minaminos season, it was bad. Only want to say that situations like that could have more reasons and to judge him after 5 games at the beginning of the season is not fair. After that the chances were slim. The Coach was not fired for nothing, he has his cards in a bad season for the team and for Minamino. Its not all about the player but like I said at the end of the day sure its up to him.