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@@remy7663 So has Lee Gunner, the real fan who told u in 2019 that Arteta isn't good enough to win Arsenal a major trophy no matter how much he spends. 5 seasons later and 700m lighter and still nothing..,
Really rate how risk averse this football analysis is, doesn’t overhype talents, he does look very promising, excited to see what coaching from arteta will do
@@MikeTHEBOSS That's why Arteta won an FA cup in his first 7 months and 2 community shields. In klopps first 4 years of management, he got Mainez promoted and then relegated, that's all he won. Pep is an exception because he's never managed anyone throughout a rebuild and always entered clubs with superior finance (Bayern, Barcelona, City) Arteta, in his first 4 years of management, is one of the most successful managers in the game today.
@@PythagorasinBoots I second his thoughts! I know this might be counter productive but showcasing players that go under the radar is a great idea too. An under hyped player like Caqueret, who I view as a great option for plenty of EPL teams would make great sense.
Feels like the left hand side answer to Ben White. Versatile in possesion being able to step into midfield whilst having overlap potential. Havertz will benefit from crosses from the left wing as it provides better angles for him to attack
Bro, he's literally a Ben white from Italy. They even run the same. I feel like they may actually become best friends. Both models, both have that calming intensity, both quality.
IMO, Calafiori reminds me of Sergio Ramos when he used to play RB for Madrid and Spain. He was prone to making rash, early tackles rather than tracking the attackers. Ronaldinho used to take full advantage of that weakness and skin him every time lol.
I wouldn't call that a weakness necessarily. Its risk reward. He has a good timing of the tackle and is pro-active. Most of the time it works, hence why his 'winning tackles' is at the top. Sergio Ramos was still a very good player... despite Ronaldinho (he was exceptional btw lol). Sure, a very tricky, skilful winger may get the best of him at times and that's something he needs to learn about certain opponents and adjust his game, etc. But overall, there are a lot of positives and he can still improve.
I definitely see the Maldini comparison. He's not as fast as Paolo was in his prime, but he has the same mix of brains and brawn. And just like Maldini, he's a natural center back, but he might end up playing at left back a lot for tactical reasons.
I think he is an italian John Stones. Good with the ball, decent dribbling and skills. Even have decent abilities in front of goal. He is a kind of player that top teams only can afford in their starting line-up when they are dominating possession. He is prone to mistakes, he is not that athletic but defensively can hold his ground mostly. He is like Pique in front of goal, passing is not on that level but he is a better dribbler what is a great asset to have since opponents will have harder time with pressing or he can alone attack to draw more than one people and open spaces for teammates by drawing people. Of course he is not like Rüdiger or Van Dijk material. Not even a Nesta or Cannavaro. But he is a modern hybrid centre-back. He is versatile. Since he can play as a wing-back not just a cb but I don't doubt he could play as a defensive midfielder too. More importantly he is left-footed so he is going to be able to play with Saliba as a lot less static partner than Gabriel. Or he will be able to play in the role of Zinchenko when Oleksandr is out of form or injured. His time will come quickly since there are a lot of roles where he can play instead of the main player. My personal opinion is that he will be a better defender for Arsenal at left centre-back than Gabriel. Less strength and firepower but he have other strengths that will complement Saliba better. When you check the future opponents it's very likely that Arsenal is going to be the next team in a few years that will dominate possession in every game. Pep will leave City soon, Barcelona is too young with other issues so its the best time for Arsenal to buy a defender that suits a high possession team. I don't have doubts about that Calafiori is not going to be defensively a genius but Arsenal won't need that so he can easily become one of the most valuable assets for Arsenal. Opponents will understand soon there is no point pressing him. He will create spaces for the team that other CB-s couldn't. Even counters will become easier since opponents will press him when they need a goal (even if it's pointless) and he will thrive in that. I think this is going to be one of the best signings of the Arteta era and the last piece of puzzle to win a major trophy. Maybe not this season but soon.
Considering Gabriel is only 26 I don't see Calafiori as the long term LCB. I see him as a flexible LB at Arsenal competiting with Timber. With hardworking wingers around him and Rice's defensive awareness I think his flaws at LB will be mitigated well.
lol some of your points have some weight to them but he's not coming to be a sub for Zinchenko you're way off with that one, he's coming to be first or second choice LB behind Timber and second choice LCB behind Gabriel.
The Timber part for me is a bit off. Since he never really played at this level as a former Eredivisie player. Not everyone can settle well. Pépé or Antony had problems for example and the gap between PL and Eredivisie is bigger than between PL and Ligue 1. Timber had a very long injury that made even bigger talents bench players and it can be the reason for him to be injury prone in the future and never get back to his physical prime. Not like he was essentially a strong or fast player. Maybe he can get back from this but currently I don't see him as a first choice for any position with this background.
Just curious to know...🤔 Would you have had the same concersns on pre right back Ben White regarding dribbling, passing and shooting and speed, wide channel defending...? Or was he remarkably better in any of those attributes ....
I've tried to understand this player from other yt channels....but you always make it easy ...well done to the work you've put in to give us such videos ....
@@PythagorasinBoots How good are they at reading space? - How they deal with manipulation? - How good are they at straight ground defending? These are often as important as pace. As you mentioned, now that wingers are inverted, pace becomes less important. I really believe he has the potential to become a lockdown defender without van de ven pace. Right now though yes his defence is lacking a bit.
All your insight aside, I specifically commend you on your excellent articulation and probably recording technique. Rarely do I see a video where I don’t need to use the cc even for a bit that I didn’t hear clearly. Keep it up. On topic, I’m kinda jealous of Arsenal. Calafiori looks very solid.
Love the structure in your analysis process, Pytha. Too many so called analysis channels just waffle away with shallow commentary disguised as in depth analysis. You actually have numbers and figures and draw your conclusions from quantitative data. There is a qualitative quality as well of course from observation of match samples. Gives you strong credibility as a reputable scouting resource.
Arsenal lost two seasons now because of a weak left sided fullback. Arteta is smart to have plugged that gap. This may end up being arsenals best ever backline
Looking forward to how arteta gonna use him or how far can arteta take him cause he holds high potential and can be one of the best player in upcoming future .
Whilst I'm sure he will be utilised as the LB for Arsenal, my bet is that he will basically be in a back 3 with Ben white inverting when we have the ball. Then take turns with stepping forward when on the ball.
Gabriel is used to defending for zinchenko and kiwior. Calafiori is a better defender than both. So defending, calafiori's biggest weakness, won't be an issue at arsenal.
You really deserve millions of subscribers and views for the work and effort you put to create such not videos but masterpieces. Thank you for existing in my life and our lives if i may speak on behalf of your followers and i'm pretty sure that you will get what you deserve.
I'd say bring him on as a substitute wildcard when u want to set ur side for counter attacking threat.... Those ambitious forward passes (short and long) may reflect poor stats... But remember, only one or two need to work.
@@PythagorasinBoots Yes. I am an Arsenal fan but somehow I am skeptical of this deal because of his injury record. We also need to get rid of Kiwior and 3 other players
On the creativity aspect... Every single video I see the correct idea but bad execution. First touch is not good at all. Needs better fidelity (Ball control/passing power etc.) With some work this guy can be a become a beast! The potential is there.
Calafiori's a promising talent & could be a worthwhile investment that just needs refinement but his pros far outweigh his cons. Both Barça & he mutually benefit from his progressive carries & ability to invert from LCB. While Balde & Araujo mitigate his recovery pace.
@@TheKh65 For me I'd say he looks both more athletic and more technically gifted. Similar profiles for sure and will be interesting to see how they progress.
Great content great channel! Try to do an analysis of Angelo Stiller, one of the most underrated players of this season (Stuttgart also very underrated). I know you loved those deep line playmakers and Stiller is a great one! He's very good at press resistant, an incredible work rate and stamina and he also possesses solid defensive skills. Overall really complete and UNDERRATED defensive midfielder with great potencial. Rodri at 22/23 years old didn't performed like Stiller! Keep up the fantastic work!
I think this is perfect for Arsenal, would not need to start right away. Certainly an upgrade on Kiwior/Zinchenko. He can acclimate and compete with Gabriel and timber/tomi at lb depending on the opponent. Definitely a floor raiser for Arsenal defence and is closing the gap on City.
Arteta may have him inverting into midfield from the left, sitting next to a Partey for instance who is a better ball player, and allowing Rice to be more of a box to box player. With Gabriel sliding over to cover the way he does when Zinchenko inverts. Califiori will also be able to drive forward more from midfield in the Arsenal system.
@@jnr.00 è fradicio fisicamente..poiché anni fa si è spaccato tutto ..menisco e legamenti vari, è soggetto a stati infiammatori e dolori post partita. Ecco xké la Juve non era disposto a pagarlo più di 25 milioni. Quelli dell'Arsenal possono rischiare di buttare i soldi. Noi no
No argument with the speculation that Arteta's intention is to play him in either the left center back position of a pair, or as a left back with a better overall capacity to invert into midfield, or break forward down the line with or without the ball whilst not being unduly harmful to our defensive stability, than both Zinchenko and Kiwior. However, in consideration of his attributes and Arteta's penchant for thinking outside the box, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he exercised the scope to expand our possession based style by going 3@the back with Saliba and Calafiori flanking Magalhaes, in order to have a permanent extra man in midfield. Further to that, the potential strikes me as being within his skill set to equally be developed to operate as a defensive midfielder or a box to box.
Please do one on Goncalo Inacio. Not a lot of vids on him online and he’s likely getting a move this summer. Possibly an option instead of Branthwaite for United as well
I got a really good feeling about this guy! Those Italians always produce world class defenders, and from what I see in this guy I feel he's going to be come a top ball playing centre back. Very jealous of Arsenal if they land him, I'd love this guy to sign for Liverpool, and he's just what they need too, now Matip has left! Somebody said he could possibly play as a libero type defender, they are as rare as rocking horse shit! 40m for this guy is going to be a bargain!
Great analysis as usual. What do you think of nico schlotterbeck? Can he play lb? His ball playing looks very good. Who do you suggest liverpool buy as a conservative Lb who could tuck in a back 3 to allow trent to bomb forward as a traditional overlapping rb. Someone who could balance this.
Schlotterbeck on the ball is quality. I don't see him as LB material though. I think Calafiori could have been a good fit for you as a wide LCB/LB hybrid. Lucas Hernandez might be a shout.
@PythagorasinBoots yeah I was all in for calafiori . Thought it work here but somehow liverpool didnt move for him , perhaps the arrival of slot has delayed signings . Yes lucas hernandez good call but too injury prone I guess. Remains to be seen what michael edwards and co have in mind.
He's not injury prone, he only missed 2 games all of last season. He had a horrific injury in 2018 but I don't understand why people keep saying he's injury prone. He also played 33 games in both league and domestic cup plus 4 full 90 minutes in the Euros so not sure why he's labeled as having a lack of regular football.
20/21 he missed 33 games. 21/22 he missed 20 games 22/23 he missed 16 games 2 ways to look at it, either he's ever getting fitter and now he's broken past that with last season only missing 2 games, or it's a one off season and he'll continue to miss games in the double figure region.
@@PythagorasinBoots If you look into it a bit further he’s suffered a massive injury in 2018 that doctors at the time said he would never recover from. They performed reconstructive surgery immediately and he was back on the pitch a season later (20/21 season). Given the severity of the injury, the time out explains the slow nature of his return. Every season he has been injured less, and last season he played the majority of games for Bologna and Italy, so i’d say the evidence is there that he’s not necessarily injury prone. Injury prone, to me, is someone like Reece James, Thomas Partey, Luke Shaw. These are players that show a consistent pattern of injury every season, and tend to be sidelined at a random rate without showing signs of fitness. My two cents tho, appreciate the work you do.
The last time Arsenal fans were this excited about a new signing was when they signed Rob "Maldini" Holding and Mikel Arteta landed Cedric Soares and Willian
@@PythagorasinBoots Tbf I'm surprised you haven't deleted my comment and blocked me after making all your non match going 'fans' cry with my reality check...
I really am just putting this out there, Arteta's confidence in Zinchenko, at left back, is more hopeful than successful. He gambled with him last season and it cost us the league. If Zinni is not gonna be used in mid-field as a ball handler, he must leave the club.
The glaze is insane. These players get so much attention for the international team but it’s all smoke and mirrors once they move to a big league too early, and then they are never the same
Great analysis, however I disagree Gabriel has "brain farts". Gabriel was along wuth Saliba, best cb pairing this season. Improving our cb position doesn’t have to come with mentioning Gabriel's past mistakes. He was excellent last season. We already have the best defense and adding to that with young/talented Calafiori is welcome. Leave it at that.
as much as chelsea having colwill will be an odd fit for him, arsenal already having jurrien timber will pose the same questions. i also don't like the fit in the structured way they play defense, which takes away the unique strength calafiori may bring to any team - roaming as a centreback. i think the serie a still suits him better, unless some other coach can design a game plan around his gifts.
2:45 Do you think this will be alleviated more with him playing at LB as an inverted fullback, cause that sounds quite a lot like Zinchenko (in terms of the ‘lack of recovery pace’ aspect)
@@PythagorasinBoots This makes a lot of sense, thanks 🤝🏾 I think in this case it would make sense for Arsenal to get a physical, creative LCM with a lot of stamina & high attacking & defensive work rate, this I imagine would facilitate Martinelli & the left flank again, be able to offer support to the likes of Calafiori & supply the creativity & physicality in the midfield that we need 🤝🏾
Yoro higher than Calafiori? For a player less rounded beyond body/athleticism. We will be there if Yoro gets any serious injury and see if he can recover.
@@PythagorasinBoots He did absolutely nothing wrong in the 2nd leg. Bayern 1st leg yeah fair but Kiwior was also at fault for being caught flat footed imo. Every single defender itw has “brain farts”, a bit unfair to use it for Gabriel who was a bozo only until 2022.
Hmm, I'm not convinced he's better than Gabriel individually - let alone worth it to break up the awesome Saliba/Gabriel partnership. And I'm not convinced he's a natural left back either. Although Kiwior seems a similar kind of player and did okayish at LB last year, and Calafiori is an upgrade on him. I really liked how Tomiyasu played the position when fit last year - both coming inside and helping midfield and charging forward on the overlap. And then we have Timber coming back too who seems a bit more nimble on the ball as well as being a really good one on one defender
@@delzsupreme I'm not sure how you can be confident Calafiori has a higher ceiling. He's a better dribbler than Gabriel, but Gabriel is the better athlete, has a great mentality and has been a top 5 PL CB for the past 2 or 3 seasons. Calafiori has a lot to prove to reach that level, let alone surpass it And it doesn't really matter what position a player originally broke through in, he just doesn't seem to move or play like a left back, inverted or otherwise. Left side of a back 3 sure, but I can't see us switching to that system anytime soon He wouldn't be bad at lb, it just doesn't seem like it would make the most of his strengths, or be a good area to prioritise our funds. And I think it would be extremely foolish to break up Saliba/Gabriel who have a fantastic understanding and are both individually great
@@SuperFuzzyDunlop Gabriel was a car crash of a centre back until Saliba came in the team, he makes Gabriel look better than he is. What is Gabriel outside of Arteta's system? 5th choice CB for Brazil behind Marquinhos, Miltao, Beraldo and Bremer and was a calamity every time he featured for Brazil until he got dropped. Don't get me wrong he was quality last season top 3/4 cb's in the prem but I don't think it's hard to reach his level. Calafiori is 4 years younger and in my opinion his potential is limitless where as Gabriel's potential from now until he turns 30/33 is capped I don't see him getting much better than he is currently, Saliba is generational fair enough if he stays at Arsenal for his whole career (WHICH I HIGHGLY DOUBT) he'll retire as top 2/3 prem CB's of all time.
Think alot of people overhype him.. hes a good player and a move to juventus would have suited him better and helped him develope into a world class player. Now he will move to a faster and more physical league.
