He'll get games like I said but if you are picking your strongest 11 he doesn't start. He adds depth but he's not going to start the big games unless others are injured or suspended.
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I don't think many people expected him to be anything other than depth.......
Perhaps being surrounded by better players will elevate him to a whole new level where he'll start to challenge the other 3, but it was already clear by the end of last season that that's a very high bar.
If he produces throughout the season it's a bonus and quality depth is something that has been sorely missing especially from the front line right up until we signed kulu. I just hope he is happy to play a part and doesn't start getting stroppy and effecting team morale. But I don't think he will be able to get his name on the starting 11 for the big occasion. If he is happy to be that and produces when called upon when things aren't going well then that's great.
I was just responding to you suggesting most people thought Kulu would be dropped. That wasn't the case.
I think a lot of people think that we will see the same Richarlison that we saw at Everton. I don't think we will at all.
Conte's system is exact, certain players do certain specific things to make it work. It's been this way in all of his teams. Just look at Kulu and Betancur, neither had the roles and specific function at Juve as they do now at Spurs. Kulu at Juve was played high up the pitch almost (not quite) as a target man. Eriksen too had a totally different function than he did when he was at Spurs.
He will 100% not be playing as he was playing for Everton.
Right now he's being primed to play a specific function. Conte will not have us play a different way, so whilst we can all speculate that he could play any of the front three positions, I doubt he's being primed to play in all of these positions, I'd guess it's one of those. Which one? I've no idea. But my gut is going either Kane or Son (both play centrally, whilst Son is more on the left he's not comparable to the positions Kulu picks up for example, there's a rotation between Son and Kane as one drops deeper the other is often running behind).
So, now imagine what it looks like to have him play with Kulu in the same team, putting balls into the box for him (like the delivery to Sess). He's going to be so, so much better than he was at Everton. I bet he can't wait.
Conte's system is exact, certain players do certain specific things to make it work. It's been this way in all of his teams. Just look at Kulu and Betancur, neither had the roles and specific function at Juve as they do now at Spurs. Kulu at Juve was played high up the pitch almost (not quite) as a target man. Eriksen too had a totally different function than he did when he was at Spurs.
He will 100% not be playing as he was playing for Everton.
Right now he's being primed to play a specific function. Conte will not have us play a different way, so whilst we can all speculate that he could play any of the front three positions, I doubt he's being primed to play in all of these positions, I'd guess it's one of those. Which one? I've no idea. But my gut is going either Kane or Son (both play centrally, whilst Son is more on the left he's not comparable to the positions Kulu picks up for example, there's a rotation between Son and Kane as one drops deeper the other is often running behind).
So, now imagine what it looks like to have him play with Kulu in the same team, putting balls into the box for him (like the delivery to Sess). He's going to be so, so much better than he was at Everton. I bet he can't wait.
Agreed, judging by Kulu's outstanding performance yesterday he'll have his work cut out.
Still think he'll make a significant contribution to our season tho.
Agreed, judging by Kulu's outstanding performance yesterday he'll have his work cut out.
Still think he'll make a significant contribution to our season tho.
Thing I like the most is that if he's subbed on for any of the 3, it forces the oppo to significantly re-adjust cos he's more direct, aggressive and physical than the other lads.
Don't really agree here. Conte is no mug, he'll be looking to keep all of his squad as sharp as possible, and he'll likely look at games as a "horses for courses" scenario. I think he'll also operate a meritocracy, so if Richarlison gets the opportunity, tears it up and gels well with whoever in the front line he plays with, then he'll stick with him until either he goes off the boil, or he sees another player as more suited to starting against a certain team.
The long and the short of it is that every player has to give Conte a selection headache, whilst simultaneously accepting that they're not a shoe in for a starting place regardless.
Like Pochettino's old adage "Players are paid to train"
That makes sense on paper, and I agree,
However what you haven't taken into account is how well they have played in training, their fitness, how use to the system they are under Conte, how much Conte trusts the player etc..
If for example Son/Kane/Kulu have a run of a few bad games but they are consistently better in training than Richarlison, then I think Richarlison would still be on the bench for example.
I suppose I am just trying to add that there can be a lot more context to the decision that Conte makes that we don't see.. rather than simply the players performance in previous games.
Define big games? Woolwich away? All CL? All PL?
He will start in the CL and PL so he will get a chance, if he impresses he’s in contention to start say Goons away. Players have a knock / niggle 50% of the time so it allows optionality as opposed to having to risk points because Lucas fucking Moura is doing his impression of a puppy chasing a ball
The feeling I got from what I see in team selections and starting 11s around social media and groups was that they were picking richarlison and not kulu.
Didn’t see anyone suggesting that - maybe some teenagers on Twitter
Big league games knockout cl games with progression on the line fa Cup semi final. With everybody fit the real big big games (the season defining ones) it will be Son Kane Kulusevski and I'd put everything I own on that.
We just won 4-1 so Richarlison isn't going to get in above anyone - yet
Kulu had a 10/10 performance yesterday but you have to see how much focus and attention Son and Kane take away from opposing defenses/teams which open the game up for the rest of the team.
If you watch 3 out of our 4 goals yesterday, you'll see that either Son and/or Kane were being double marked, pulling defenders away and opening up space for our goalscorer.
The dynamic between the three of them is perfect as is. Lets not change that when it has been working.
Kulu had a 10/10 performance yesterday but you have to see how much focus and attention Son and Kane take away from opposing defenses/teams which open the game up for the rest of the team.
If you watch 3 out of our 4 goals yesterday, you'll see that either Son and/or Kane were being double marked, pulling defenders away and opening up space for our goalscorer.
The dynamic between the three of them is perfect as is. Lets not change that when it has been working.
I think he would have seen 25 minutes off the bench for Son yesterday if he was available. For now he’s 4th on the list of attackers but players get injured, players will have good/bad patches. It wouldn’t surprise me if we have a 5 match spell where he’s undroppable. We need depth for rotation and we need options off the bench. We will have a lot of minutes available for everyone.
Could see Kane/Son being "rested" for Richarlison fairly soon. DeKi is way too young to have his playing time managed.
It would be great to go into games without wondering if the day is going to be an "off day" for Kane/son which will inevitably lead to dropped points. It already is amazing to watch games without worrying about the Winks-subbing in time.
It would be great to go into games without wondering if the day is going to be an "off day" for Kane/son which will inevitably lead to dropped points. It already is amazing to watch games without worrying about the Winks-subbing in time.
I think if everyone is fit, he’s always starting in the “lesser” game of two in a week. If we play in UCL midweek R16 and have Man U at the weekend for example, he’s likely starting at the weekend rather than midweek.
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He will get time this season especially with 5 subs. He would have played yesterday if he wasn’t suspended. He seems like he will take the idea that he isn’t the number 1 attacker as a challenge to do the best he can whenever he gets minutes to prove he should start.
I also think Moura still being at the club will help him not take the idea that he isn’t starting right away as a bad thing. Moura seems like the best kind of person to have in the locker room.
I also think Moura still being at the club will help him not take the idea that he isn’t starting right away as a bad thing. Moura seems like the best kind of person to have in the locker room.
Hopefully he will get enough game time to keep him up for it he should be a serious option when the need is there. We all know to stay in the hunt for honours we have to keep winning games and it looks at the moment we do have some real quality options to keep us there and the players on board .