He scored more goals than anybody ever has in his debut season. This isn't a "well he scores", it's a "he's the only threat taking serious" discussion. Comparing his defensive output to Lewandowski, Haaland and other CFs it's practically in the same ballpark. It's when you add another player with the same kind of off ball participation where the issues begin. Then imagine you add a third or fourth one.
The things I criticize Vini and Mbappe for I COULD do the same for Cristiano but didn't, won't and could never. The difference is he faced similar obstacles and overcame each and every one of them. The sheer numbers he put up in spite of his ego meant that you had to respect him and the juice was always worth the squeeze until it wasn't. I just don't see the same with Mbappe in this era and this team.
Good point on comparing his defensive stats to Haaland and Lewa, I'd love to see the comparisons side by side.
I dont like him but my main problem is not that he doesnt defend,my main problem is that he suck ass as a footballer this season,forget these useless goals,the guy cant dribble,cant hold the ball,his first touch is abysmal ,cant combine with his teammates ... Rarely can actually beat players like he is supposed to do and he used to do when he was younger ......just horrible footballer imo . The way Benzema played and the way this guy plays ......Benzema is on a competely different level as a football player,there is no comparision in terms of skill and football brain .This guy so far is a fraud .
Some per-90 league stats, added passing stats too. Obviously Mbappe isn't doing aerial challenges, he usually tries to win the second ball.
And all this revisionist Benzema glaze is ignoring the years of frustration when his finishing was atrocious for long stretches.
True, though "passes completed in the opponent's half" and "contested ground duels" seem good indications of his willingness to participate in the build-up and play some defense up top, and he is statistically significant above the other two in both those stats. Certainly not woefully behind, as some of the complaints here imply.
I think he was good enough for us when CR7 was around and they clicked. After CR7 left, Benzema stepped up and became a lethal striker and great playmaker. Benzema had more positive seasons than negative ones, IMO.
What scares me the most about Mbappe is we've seen managers tell him what he needs to do (Lucho) and he blatantly ignored them. I just don't see anyone getting through to him so he's a problem the next manager will have to work around.
Yeah it's so annoying. Get a grip on reality. Look guys, Mbappe outscored Cristiano. Deal with it. Benzema was a terrible finisher for the majority of his career. Man had a 5 league goals season. Revisionist glaze of Benzema, Ronaldo and everybody else. Acting like Ronaldo was some pressing monster when he was the one to scream at his teammates to press so he can get a goal himself.
Here's another fun stat for first season of Mbappe and Cris in first year of RM(League) : Mbappe with 4.4 shots per game. Ronaldo with 7.3. Man was shooting almost twice as much as Mbappe and still got outscored. Doubt I'll ever prefer Mbappe over Ronaldo but this was just to show how stupid some of the takes here are. Your nostalgia, bitterness and revisionist takes are so overdone. Mbappe isn't the problem.
No one said Ronaldo was a pressing monster. He's output was so ridiculous and other's sacrificed around him that it was worth it if he didn't run. Nevermind that we got Mbappe "on a free" but shattered the wage structure, paid a sign on fee comparable to the transfer fee of Ronaldo and now have to negotiate future extensions at a higher wage point.
I don't think you can reduce the areas of Mbappe's game that are lacking to stats but clearly the aerial balls is a big part of his game he can improve. Frankly his first touch is the thing I'd want him to address first then the pressure off the ball then the aerial balls/hold up.
Right, Marcelo and Ramos always sacrificed and stuck to their defensive assignments to make up for CR7 being up front. And Kroos was a defensive stalworth rock in the middle constantly pressing and covering defensive assignments. Same with Kaka, Guti, Isco, James, etc. So by your logic, it would have been better if we had signed him for 200+ ME, his market value? That is some twisted logic.
Not every great striker has to be dominant in the air. He is not going to suddenly grow 4-7 inches and start battling in the air like Haaland and CR7. He quite clearly tries to contest the second ball after the initial header, same with Vini, which is as much as you can realistically expect.
It's not just crosses, he backs out of any goal kick or ball played from deep in our half. He has zero interest in fighting for a ball in the air and that's a problem.
Yes. He looks pretty disinterested whenever the ball goes his way aerially and just acts when the ball goes to ground. Which has a pretty low success rate unless the opponent makes a mistake.
you don't have to be a CF to challenge for the ball off a goal kick, I'm sorry this is a very low bar in terms of expectations, he does nothing in these situations, that isn't good enough
We don't see every single session from every single coach though. Tuchel called all time greats cripples and mules, that doesn't mean they are horrible players.
Haaland is practically a telephone pole when city don't have the ball. Reading this place you'd think a striker not constantly pressing and participating is some unique Mbappe concept.
I don't care what other CFs do, and when it comes to us I only care because depending on the opposition, Mbappe and Jr being arsed to try and win the ball sometimes might have helped us a bit more
That's basically what they're saying, exaggerating everybody to put down Mbappe. And about the output, Mbappe scored more in first season. Mbappe didn't break the wage structure,Alaba did. And both of their wages are higher because they were free. I don't see the problem, Mbappe is possibly the biggest name in football.