2023/24 Amadou Onana

[Toffeelover]

Has the talent, physique and skill set to dominate every midfield he plays in, just currently lacks the application.

It's like he would rather play anywhere but Everton.

I get that.

Who does ?

 

[CalBuckeye_Rob]

He set up a bunch of chances in the Fulham game. You wouldn't have realized he was on the field against Villa without looking at the stats. Saturday it was a bit better but still not much time on the ball. I like his size and athletic ability but not sure about his best role or if this team has the guys that will work well with him.

 

[PhilEFC]

He’s only young lad, and he’d be gods in a decent team with good players around him. Most fans (myself included) have been expecting too much from him.

Unfortunately he plays for us and is surrounded by mediocre players.

 

[woomy]

He’s only young lad, and he’d be gods in a decent team with good players around him. Most fans (myself included) have been expecting too much from him.

Unfortunately he plays for us and is surrounded by mediocre players.

I don't think the way we play helps him at all.
If he is an anchor player, then play him in front of the back 4 and let him show what he has. Play the season there and make the position his own.
If he is more a box to box or creater, cool, stick say Garner and Gana behind him, get Doucoure out of his way and let him crack on there. In some kind of 4231 formation
But it is like he is just slapped in the middle of the park and told to crack on.

 

[Zatara]

A player of "absolute quality " does not hide or become anonymous in a midfield regardless of whether they are played as a 6 or 8.
He doesn't contribute enough to justify the hype of fee.
If the only midfield role he can play is as an anchor then there is no way a club in our financial position can justify such a fee for a DM .

You should always try to hold onto your top young players and build a team around them.

Im not sure what 'contribution' youre looking for? If its in an attacking sense he could have had 4 or 5 assists if our players could hit a barn door.

If its simply to drive forward with the ball then he has to be aware that Gana is always out of position and Doucoure is in his own world.

In terms of linking play, that wont happen with either Gana or Doucoure in a triangle where 2 players cant pass the ball effectively. He does spread the play wide and forwards well and keeps the ball ticking over and moves into space well to show for the ball.

As for 'not being involved', he can only be involved when he has the ball and there are options.

Take away the ball and dont give him options and hes not going to be Ben Hur riding a chariot through the opposition.

Get Garner next to him and bring in an ACM and with effective wide players im certain we'll see more of him.

Stick Busquets or Pirlo in centre midfield in the same circumstances and both would be given the same treatment on this forum.

Note: Ive said we should just use him as an anchor (see how critical for example Rodri is for City at DM). But both Lampars and Dyche (as i previously stated) have said theyre using him in different midfield roles to improve his all round game.

Same as Garner is seeing under Dyche.

Its madness to me.

 

[evertony]

But here is the thing. He might have bags of potential. But he ain't showing it for us. You can be classed as having all the potential in the world, but at some point you.must show it, and be consistent. He isn't showing it and you wouldn't say having him in the team over say Tom Davies makes us a better team. He hasn't shown that, yet.
If somebody came in and said here is 60m of the finest Kings currency, and we could replace him with a decent performer who gives us a 7/10 each week. We would be a much better team, right now.

He may go on to be a world beater, but right now can we carry someone who is not giving it his all, week in week out.

On that basis we'd have no players if anyone who wasn't consistent was got rid of.
I'd much rather have players who know how to play football and have time on their side to develop than those who haven't a clue and never will have....the journeymen and the average-joes that the bulk of our squad is made up of.
Each to his own I guess but give me potential over bang-average and no chance of improvement any day of the week. And, if you think Tom Davies offered more then this debate needs to end as we'll never find any common ground.
John Stones was pilloried by the Park End for not being Cruyff and making a few mistakes - that one worked out well. Let's not do the same to Onana.

 

[evertony]

I don't think the way we play helps him at all.
If he is an anchor player, then play him in front of the back 4 and let him show what he has. Play the season there and make the position his own.
If he is more a box to box or creater, cool, stick say Garner and Gana behind him, get Doucoure out of his way and let him crack on there. In some kind of 4231 formation
But it is like he is just slapped in the middle of the park and told to crack on.

Then get rid of the manager rather than selling something with a potentially huge upside if thats the issue. He doesn't choose where to play.

 

[evertony]

Too many of these tight, scrappy games completely pass him by.

It's a good job the other 10 superstars don't allow the same to happen.

 

[evertony]

Genuinely can’t see how anyone thought he had a good game.

5 or 6 /10 at best.

That's a good game at Goodison going off whats been served up in the last 10-15 seasons.

 

[Zatara]

That's a good game at Goodison going off whats been served up in the last 10-15 seasons.

Its a fun game this...

Patterson is bad (Garner with no defensive positonal sense as a RM and alongside Keane or Tarkowski making errors. Weird narrow full back setup ny dyche).

Onana is bad (Camera focused on him only and made into a short video showing he was clear motm - performs well and still slated. Next to Gana and behind Doucoure who have no positonal sense or technical ability).

McNeil is bad (Positional and tactical tweak and then a revelation).

Alot of players we have are good. People just dont see the wood for the trees.

 

[Goat]

Its a fun game this...

Patterson is bad (Garner with no defensive positonal sense as a RM and alongside Keane or Tarkowski making errors. Weird narrow full back setup ny dyche).

Onana is bad (Camera focused on him only and made into a short video showing he was clear motm - performs well and still slated. Next to Gana and behind Doucoure who have no positonal sense or technical ability).

McNeil is bad (Positional and tactical tweak and then a revelation).

Alot of players we have are good. People just dont see the wood for the trees.

I cant believe you think Pirlo wouldnt shine in any team unless he was played DM.

You could play him in Goal and he would catch the eye.

If Onana could be arsed for 90minutes he would be a great player, for now hes playing in 30seconds intervals.

Most people can see his talent, it has very little to do with his positional placement on the pitch.

You always make excuses for players, they are played wrong, somebody bad next to them makes them worse, its baffling.

Hes a very talented boy, he needs to show it for sustained periods on a football pitch, then and only then can we mention in him in the same paragraph as Andrea Pirlo.

 

[Zatara]

I cant believe you think Pirlo wouldnt shine in any team unless he was played DM.

You could play him in Goal and he would catch the eye.

If Onana could be arsed for 90minutes he would be a great player, for now hes playing in 30seconds intervals.

Most people can see his talent, it has very little to do with his positional placement on the pitch.

You always make excuses for players, they are played wrong, somebody bad next to them makes them worse, its baffling.

Hes a very talented boy, he needs to show it for sustained periods on a football pitch, then and only then can we mention in him in the same paragraph as Andrea Pirlo.

If we had either a 22 year old Pirlo or Busquets in central midfield in place of Onana with Gana and Doucoure next to and in front of them.

How do you think they would be able to pass to one another back/forth?

Remember, Pirlo used to play CM and only when he moved back (by Ancelotti i think) did his game go up a level.

 

[Goat]

If we had either a 22 year old Pirlo or Busquets in central midfield in place of Onana with Gana and Doucoure next to and in front of them.

How do you think they would be able to pass to one another back/forth?

Remember, Pirlo used to play CM and only when he moved back (by Ancelotti i think) did his game go up a level.

I hope Pirlo sues you for using his name in this thread.

 

[Zatara]

I hope Pirlo sues you for using his name in this thread.

I always preferred Gattuso.

 

[woomy]

Then get rid of the manager rather than selling something with a potentially huge upside if thats the issue. He doesn't choose where to play.

No he doesn't, you're right.
However he does choose how he reacts and plays.
From what others are saying, he has the potential to be class, and a leader. He should be grabing games by the scruff of the neck and challenging those around him. If he is that good, why is he not doing that. Demand the ball, dictate the play. You can clearly.see we don't have anybody like that. If he is that talented, why is he not doing it?

Let's compare him to another youngster, Bellingham. Went to a different country and took ownership, pushed himself, excelled, then goes to another country and is playing in a completely different position, yet is taking charge and being the leader.

Now Onana is not Bellingham, and I'm not saying he is that level, but it is a decent comparison. Onana could do more and seek the ball and be the leader of the team. He chooses to coast. He chooses not to push himself