Rutter

[Rev72]

I must confess the 'if we go down' scenario has crossed my mind and its something I now refuse to contemplate.

[Monaco_Totty]

JM answered questions on Rutter at today's presser.

“Obviously, everything that we’re trying to do here, we’re looking more what’s important for the long term project. Where we are in the moment, there’s obviously a lot of thinking from the outside and a lot of pressure from different situations that every result means a lot. Obviously that’s always the case. I would say more that we identified Georginio.I’ve known him for a while. He is someone even I watched when I was at Leipzig. It’s a guy who I think is an explosive footballer, a talented player with a lot of potential and when we have done our homework we have also learned and we found this out relatively quickly what a good person he is, what a hard worker he is, how much he wants to try to achieve for himself.

And then, when you coach players for Germany, that have been in Germany, there’s a real high level of tactical education and I sat down with Georginio yesterday and we talked a lot about what we tried to do and our playing model and what our philosophies are and what our strategies and vocabulary and he already was very up to speed and understands most of it. It was a really intelligent football conversation and one that gives me real hope that he can acclimate quickly. So that, in the end, all of those factors were why he was the player that we fought after.”

“I think he has flexibility. You know, one of the interesting things is when we did even research on him, right foot versus left foot. When you look at most players, they’re very right or left foot dominant, obviously, like someone who’s both footed wind up being somewhere between 20 and 25 per cent on their weak foot, that’s how much they touch and move with the ball on that foot. Georginio is 50-50, he is maybe the most two footed player that I’ve ever seen. And he’s obviously strong with his left but his ability to drive in both directions, his ability in one of the one situations, his ability to run in transition, his fitness levels, speed, quickness, intelligence, there’s a lot of big upside and potential with him. I think we can use him as a striker, I think we can use him as a wide player, I think we can use him as a second striker so I think there’s a lot of flexibility. We talked about that yesterday and he’s very open to helping the team in whatever way is necessary and I think he can acclimate quickly.”

[george_kaplan]

Watching Bamford I always thought he does a lot of work/hustling just outside the box, mixing it up, might not be the greatest goal scorer but he puts himself about, enjoy watching this. It’s (imo) looking like we will have a few players who are more then capable of getting goals rather then a out and out goal scorer? We have some good players individually, the skill is putting them together as a team. Our injuries haven’t helped, not a excuse but. The balance has to be right first, the rest follows…

[WTF11]

JM answered questions on Rutter at today's presser.

“Obviously, everything that we’re trying to do here, we’re looking more what’s important for the long term project. Where we are in the moment, there’s obviously a lot of thinking from the outside and a lot of pressure from different situations that every result means a lot. Obviously that’s always the case. I would say more that we identified Georginio.I’ve known him for a while. He is someone even I watched when I was at Leipzig. It’s a guy who I think is an explosive footballer, a talented player with a lot of potential and when we have done our homework we have also learned and we found this out relatively quickly what a good person he is, what a hard worker he is, how much he wants to try to achieve for himself.

And then, when you coach players for Germany, that have been in Germany, there’s a real high level of tactical education and I sat down with Georginio yesterday and we talked a lot about what we tried to do and our playing model and what our philosophies are and what our strategies and vocabulary and he already was very up to speed and understands most of it. It was a really intelligent football conversation and one that gives me real hope that he can acclimate quickly. So that, in the end, all of those factors were why he was the player that we fought after.”

“I think he has flexibility. You know, one of the interesting things is when we did even research on him, right foot versus left foot. When you look at most players, they’re very right or left foot dominant, obviously, like someone who’s both footed wind up being somewhere between 20 and 25 per cent on their weak foot, that’s how much they touch and move with the ball on that foot. Georginio is 50-50, he is maybe the most two footed player that I’ve ever seen. And he’s obviously strong with his left but his ability to drive in both directions, his ability in one of the one situations, his ability to run in transition, his fitness levels, speed, quickness, intelligence, there’s a lot of big upside and potential with him. I think we can use him as a striker, I think we can use him as a wide player, I think we can use him as a second striker so I think there’s a lot of flexibility. We talked about that yesterday and he’s very open to helping the team in whatever way is necessary and I think he can acclimate quickly.”

"I think we can use him as a striker, I think we can use him as a wide player, I think we can use him as a second striker so I think there’s a lot of flexibility.". errrr.......WTF????

We have tried using players in a variety of positions, putting square pegs in round holes, and the only one that has shown an ability to be just about anything is Dallas, with a nod in the direction of Alioski in certain circumstances. No other recent 1st team player has shown any substantial degree of versatility, and certainly not in the positions that Rutter appears to be targeted at.

About time we stopped trying to use the players we have as the equivalent of a swiss army knife, and put them where they belong. We need players who excel at being an anvil, a hammer, a broadsword, or a rapier, not "all things to all men".

[george_kaplan]

I’m gonna steal that (pun intended) mate, Swiss Army knife. great.

[WTF11]

I’m gonna steal that (pun intended) mate, Swiss Army knife. great.

Be my guest, just wish the powers that be at LS11 were so responsive!

[Orgoner]

Escape to Victorinox

[ozleeds]

Just what we needed another Winger this guy plays out wide.

[Orgoner]

Just what we needed another Winger this guy plays out wide.

Another Wenger?!

Razor-sharp wit, me.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Escape to Victorinox

That was a quality line 😎