But you and Jazzy seem to recognize that the opposite is true, that (at least) some 'modern' forwards can get by on pressing/workrate.
Soto really doesn‘t add much of anything other then scoring, so when he isn‘t he is almost useless out there. Modern forwards, who don’t score as much as we like, can still be a net positive to a team if they create space, press, assist, draw fouls, etc. Soto has shown none of this. I wish we had Haaland, but we don‘t. When we produce someone who can score even semi regularly then we may have something. Until then we play to our strengths, and forward ain‘t it.
You must still be an adequate finisher to survive at a high level, but most coaches will pick an average finisher with a great work rate over a good finisher with a poor work rate these days. 5-10 years ago that did not seem to be true.
Only 1 country has Haaland. The problem that we're having lately, is our top forwards are going to clubs that suck or in Hoppe's case, clubs that won't give him playing time. Haaland, didn't become an elite prospect til the 19/20 season, when he was a 19 yr old, playing for league champions Salzburg. The only time Haaland didn't play for a top team, he scored 0 goals.
Nah….Haaland was already an elite prospect before he joined Salzburg. He was able to negotiate the low buyout (which is how Dortmund ended up getting him) precisely because he was an elite prospect when he transferred from Molde.
Molde is a top club in Norway. He scored 2 less goals than Pepi did, in the domestic league. Pepi played for one of the worst clubs in the league.
Posting on the fly. Saw a report float by that Barnsley are a "no" on Soto. Claims he showed up with a foot injury, didn't tell them, tried to play through it, and has been sent on his way. I'll see if I can find something official a little later or tomorrow if no one beats me to it.
New update emerges on Sebastian Soto’s Barnsley trial https://t.co/Lx4B4TR7eV #barnsleyfc— Barnsleyi.com (@BarnsleyiX) July 17, 2022
Sebastian Soto has returned to Norwich.Duff said: “He came with a foot injury, didn’t tell anybody, tried to get through it but, after half an hour against Crewe, he realised that he wasn’t doing himself any justice. That’s not something we’re looking at at the minute.” https://t.co/RTnVwp2tph— Daniel (@DanielSmith1022) July 17, 2022 Sounds like Barnsley came away rather unimpressed with Soto's professionalism
Sure. There's plenty of USL League 1 sides that he could do a job for. Doubt he could manage the USL Championship.
First I heard of him is when he scored 9 goals against Honduras at the U20 WC—he was already elite at age 18.
Heck, last season Bello has scored more than Hoppe, Gioacchini & Pepi combined, so let's hope scoring doesn't become a requirement for strikers again.
The problem for Soto is that he hasn't set a floor yet. It's impossible to say he's good enough for a certain level. Saying he's good enough for [fill in the blank] is guesswork. He didn't score for Hannover's first team, he didn't score for Hannover's second team, he played well and scored on a loan to the Dutch 2nd tier but it was a short loan, he didn't score for Norwich's U-23 team, he scored once on a loan for Porto B, and he didn't score for Livingston. He also didn't score for the U.S. U-23 team in Olympic qualifying. He turns 22 next week.
I wa ls watching the straight red card livestream tonight and Derek brought up this with Soto. He isnt playing wherever he goes, he isnt staying either. At what point do you look in the mirror?
Dear @belyin, Lots of us players are elite at age 18. Lots of us peter out into nothing special, or even nothing at all. Yours, Freddy Adu