Irish gunner wrote:
Mavdidi's gone to Preston for the season. Is he any good?
He's more than decent. A good all rounder: scores goals, all different kinds, good general technique, very quick and powerful - at least 6 foot tall and strong - and he works his balls off up front.
He really started to dominate at U23 level last season - and yet I still didn't really fancy him, although his stock rose significantly - then he went on loan to Charlton last January and he was MotM on his first three professional matches. Outrageous dribbling, carrying it from one end of the pitch to the other, wreaking havoc generally.
Then he tore his hamstring in the 5th game. Charlton's medics said it was one of the worst hamstring tears they'd ever seen. The Charlton manager said he took full responsibility because he knew he should have rested him but he was performing too well and he took a risk that he shouldn't have.
He has had a full pre-season and looks like he has come back stronger than ever.
I personally don't think he's enough of a goalscorer to make it at Arsenal but this loan will show that one way or another. I do think he'll have a very good loan regardless and be one of their best players, the way he took to proper football last season surprised me, but he needs to bang them in if he gets a consistent run in the team up front, if he is to make it here.
