2020/21 Niels Nkounkou

[toffeeblue9]

Will get lots of mins next season as wing back I reckon.

This thought had occurred to me - he looks ideally suited to being a wing back. Pace, can get up and down well and has great delivery. His weakness is the defensive side of the game which can be compensated for in a wing back role.

It's actually Digne who I think might not suit the system - he's a fantastic full back, great delivery, but he isn't what you'd call rapid and he struggles to occupy a flank himself. He needs someone to play off in front of him, in the way Baines used to be so much more effective with Pienaar or another player to act as a pivot for him in front of him. I might end up being miles off, but I could conceivably see Digne being used on the left of a back three if we end up playing with wing backs. Helps our distribution from the back and gives us a left-footed balance there, plus Digne is much, much better in the air than people give him credit for. His stats for number of aerial duels won is really impressive.

Of course, we may not end up playing with a back three and in which case the whole two paragraphs above become irrelevant

 

[blueconverse]

This thought had occurred to me - he looks ideally suited to being a wing back. Pace, can get up and down well and has great delivery. His weakness is the defensive side of the game which can be compensated for in a wing back role.

It's actually Digne who I think might not suit the system - he's a fantastic full back, great delivery, but he isn't what you'd call rapid and he struggles to occupy a flank himself. He needs someone to play off in front of him, in the way Baines used to be so much more effective with Pienaar or another player to act as a pivot for him in front of him. I might end up being miles off, but I could conceivably see Digne being used on the left of a back three if we end up playing with wing backs. Helps our distribution from the back and gives us a left-footed balance there, plus Digne is much, much better in the air than people give him credit for. His stats for number of aerial duels won is really impressive.

Of course, we may not end up playing with a back three and in which case the whole two paragraphs above become irrelevant

Would not mind seeing this. Digne really is solid defensively, I only really remember Traore giving him a difficult time but that fella is a freak of nature. As you say it may help is play out for the back as Digne is great at finding the right pass and with Nkounkou racing forward we could stretch teams.

 

[mightymoyes]

going to the olympics with France according to the athletic.
so we've no left backs to start the season
delph?!

 

[dead_soft]

going to the olympics with France according to the athletic.
so we've no left backs to start the season
delph?!

Pistone resigning

 

[Simon Buttle]

going to the olympics with France according to the athletic.
so we've no left backs to start the season
delph?!

I don't get why other clubs seem to be blocking their players from going to the Olympics yet we are letting ours go.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

going to the olympics with France according to the athletic.
so we've no left backs to start the season
delph?!

This again is another reason the Small decision is mental, imo, Small has an opportunity to jump Nkounkou here, and Digne (my personal opinion) I think has a season or two before he might move.

Advisors and their weird decisions, instead hell goto a club and probably won't be heard of for another 4 seasons. oh well.

 

[ToffeeTim]

going to the olympics with France according to the athletic.
so we've no left backs to start the season
delph?!

Godfrey

Digne could be fit by then as well

 

[mightymoyes]

Godfrey

Digne could be fit by then as well

hes gonna be fit in 4 weeks after an injury?
whens he start training?

 

[Toffe3m4n]

hes gonna be fit in 4 weeks after an injury?
whens he start training?

He's fit now isn't he?

He said in an Instagram Q&A last week that he was 'ready' to go. Seems like the injury wasn't that bad - only enough to rule him out of the rest of the Euros.

Be interesting to see if he's on the plane to Florida next week.

 

[ToffeeTim]

hes gonna be fit in 4 weeks after an injury?
whens he start training?

I think I heard he could be fit, but time will tell.

 

[sageyefc]

He might aswell go play in the olympics, not like he’ll get minutes here

 

[Barnfred 55]

going to the olympics with France according to the athletic.
so we've no left backs to start the season
delph?!

I think that's fair enough in his case. He's the right age and it will be a great experience for him and hopefully aid his development.

Totally different to the Richarlison situation IMO

 

[Barnfred 55]

hes gonna be fit in 4 weeks after an injury?
whens he start training?

I don't think his injury was too serious. Only in terms of the limited time span of a tournament

 

[sladen90]

I thought he had gone to anderlecht on loan. Did that fall through? Or was it a made up story?

 

[mos6141]

I don't get why other clubs seem to be blocking their players from going to the Olympics yet we are letting ours go.

Why would you block this? Great opportunity for him to play, develop, and also raise his profile. For a young player that benefits us