That was a good watch. Some of that hold up an link play is genuinely exceptional stuff. The one on one, I don't think he did a lot wrong, touch is good but keep is out like lightening.
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He sent the ball sideways!
I don't know did he get caught in two minds between having a shot and then decided to square the ball for Pukki or what. But he had so much time there to slot past the keeper and he panicked.
But that's what'll happen at this level - and even at that, I don't think he was closed all that quick; he had time to control, turn, and to take another touch. That's a lot of time.
You can say he's young and he'll learn from it and so on, which is fine, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a bad miss.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Himself and Pukki could make a good old fashioned double act.
Very encouraging signs - well done Adam on that performance. Well done to Dean Smith too. I think he has really got Idah to up his intensity and physicality - impose himself more on the game - and Smith has given him the game time to do it.
Plus he's not even 21 yet! There are going to be mistakes etc. If he keeps this up we could have a very good PL level striker in 2 years times leading the line for Ireland.
That was an impressive collection of touches from one game. Has the air of a midfield boss about him, despite being a striker. Did he play in midfield earlier in his career?
For the goal, the heavy first touch made it. A softer touch and he'd have had to decelerate and he'd have been tackled from behind. I really don't think he had that much time at all. The defender was tight on him. It'd have taken an amazing touch to take that pass, bring it under control without breaking stride and shoot. Use of both feet might have been better.
Last edited by Stuttgart88; 19/01/2022 at 11:32 AM.
My optimism in Idah is that he potentially can be a good player for us, not that he’s a potential Ballon d’Or winner. Sure, 1 goal perhaps was a poor return on the chances he had against Everton but it was a man of the match performance nonetheless from a player finding his feet in senior football. For me, his benchmark is not the World’s best but current and past Irish internationals in his position. Against this measure, his potential is quite high. He's not a Robbie Keane type goalscorer, but potentially he’s an “improvement” on an 88 cap Shane Long.
I think that's a pretty measured bit of optimism. I think there's a chance he could be a huge player for us yet, but things are finely balanced at this point in a career.
I agree with these points. I'll just say that he executed some things on Saturday and against Portugal away that I wouldn't expect from a 20 year-old striker. Maybe it's because he is more physically developed than other 20 year-olds but the way he held off some of the Everton players was brilliant. There was a spin of Andre Gomes in the centre circle which was delicious too.
Very hard to know which way he will go but I don't want to speculate now. Based on what I have seen when he has played well, he seems to have plenty to his overall game aside from just being a big lad up top. I'm not saying he will reach the same heights, but some of his play on Saturday reminded me of the style of Didier Drogba. Just the way that he took the battle to the centre halves. There aren't many strikers around who enjoy taking the ball with their back to goal and a man touch tight. Drogba was the master of that. Idah sought those scenarios out on Satuday. The movement too - way he came short, went long, went to the sides if needed.
It wasn't the perfect performance and he most definitely needs to improve the consistency of his touch and decision making, not to mention the overall consistency of his performance levels. It was just enjoyable. Let's see where it goes.
Funny that we are looking at one debatably bad touch that actually got him a goal when he had plenty of other lovely first touches in the game as Norwich highlighted in their video. The more I look at the goal the more I think it wasn't a bad touch at all. it may have been the perfect touch. Whether he meant it or not.....who cares, he's there to score goals and he finally didQ Everton might be muck right now but he still got MOTM in an EPL game and well...Norwich are brutal too...good going from the lad. I would compare him more to Didzy McGoldrick than Didzy Drogba though......
McGoldrick had one senior goal at Idah's age. Drogba had none. Comparisons are hard so far. It's a good thing that Idah's getting games. It's really nice that he's scored. Hopefully he keeps it up.
Anyway....Watford Norwich live on Sky on Friday, hopefully he's starting, and hopefully has another bad touch that results in a goal.
His performances are definitely grabbing the attention of the media across the way. The Athletic had a piece on Adam this week and there is this on the Premier League website: https://www.premierleague.com/news/2454062
He's really emerged. He just needs to build on this.
Anthony Elanga has had two good games and a goal recently and is a year younger and getting press too but I would be more confident of Elanga sustaining his form for a few reasons.
Will be watching keenly tomorrow night against Watford.
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