It is.

Klaus wrote:

Speaking of future world class strikers, has anyone watched Domenico Berardi? I would sign that kid in a heartbeat if I could. He's maybe had a little more difficult second season in Serie A, but at 20 he looks like pretty much the complete package. Fucking Juventus have to own him of course.

He has totally gone off the boil. Might be a one season wonder. Lets judge him against next season.

He hasn't gone "totally off the boil". I watched him put in a very good performance as late as yesterday.

Above all the creative side of his game has been evolving this season, though. He has a couple fewer goals so far but in return he creates plenty for the other attackers. He's still Sassuolo's most important player. Some of the balls he has played are pretty unreal. There's an impressive range in his passing game that is very unusual for a striker, never mind one this young.

There's an article about Alvaro Morata in the Mail today: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3016429/Alvaro-Morata-Marco-van-Basten-Karim-Benzema-taught-Andrea-Pirlo.html

I really like this guy.

We should have paid whatever was needed for him last summer. 

20m euro with a buy-back clause, can only imagine what he would have costed without one.

I think Morata looks like a safe bet. Dybala too.

Klaus wrote:

There's an article about Alvaro Morata in the Mail today: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3016429/Alvaro-Morata-Marco-van-Basten-Karim-Benzema-taught-Andrea-Pirlo.html

I really like this guy.

Good player but my word what a horrible fucking video.

Morata's the only U25 center forward I can think of who has all the attributes to play the position. He's definitely one that we missed. He'll cost a bomb now.

He's a good all rounder but nothing about his game is particularly outstanding. Reckon he's nailed on to become a good player but not sure I see much more there at this point.

innervisionscm wrote:

Morata's the only U25 center forward I can think of who has all the attributes to play the position. He's definitely one that we missed. He'll cost a bomb now.

Took him less than half a season to completely displace Llorente at Juventus. He's practically forcing them to make allowances for two strikers right now. I think it's really impressive, especially in Italy where so much emphasis is put on tactical execution and knowing your role. He's clearly an intelligent and driven player in addition to being physically and technically blessed.

i liked the morata links last season, pity real wanted a buyback

Ricky1985 wrote:

He's a good all rounder but nothing about his game is particularly outstanding. Reckon he's nailed on to become a good player but not sure I see much more there at this point.

That's the way I feel about him too. Don't think he'll ever be world class.

A lot of Vietto's goals are tap ins, quite similar to Higuain, not quite Aguero or Tevez level. Lacazette looks a quality player.

Morata is good, don't expect him to develop into a world class striker but more into Morientes kind of level. Jese is the world class talent from Madrid (although he's looked heavy legged since his come back from injury), could develop into another David Villa if used through the middle IMO.

Rayman wrote:

A lot of Vietto's goals are tap ins, quite similar to Higuain, not quite Aguero or Tevez level. Lacazette looks a quality player.

Vietto's got more pace and mobility than Higuain but yeah he isn't an all rounder like Aguero or Tevez. Dybala looks more to be into that mould (but may turn out to be a lower level talent).

Dunno but Lacazette reminds me of Sturridge, haven't seen much of him though.

Vietto's has an incredible shot in him. He has that killer instinct of being in the right place at the right time too. I like his all round game too, very intelligent overall play and good technique.

The overall view of Morata has predictably changed here since he is now becoming good. So many didn't want "another project" here this time last year.

I am really not convinced by Dybala. I think there's something missing in his game.

Lacazette's record is indisputable, but he hasn't scored against any of the top 5 side this season.

real wanted a buyback for a reason. it's not like he was some hidden gem.

Klaus wrote:

innervisionscm wrote:

Morata's the only U25 center forward I can think of who has all the attributes to play the position. He's definitely one that we missed. He'll cost a bomb now.

Took him less than half a season to completely displace Llorente at Juventus. He's practically forcing them to make allowances for two strikers right now. I think it's really impressive, especially in Italy where so much emphasis is put on tactical execution and knowing your role. He's clearly an intelligent and driven player in addition to being physically and technically blessed.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12961/9786724/alvaro-morata-chose-juventus-over-arsenal-and-wolfsburg-claims-intermediary

Seems he really wanted to go to Juve if this is true.

There's a good writeup on Berardi here if anyone's interested:

Voted best player in Serie B at the age of 18. 30 goals and 18 assists in 59 Serie A games at the age of 20. Has also picked up a staggering 23 yellow cards and 2 red in those 59 games. He's a nutter, and it will probably turn out to be a good thing. No one's going to walk over this guy.

How would you describe him as a player? What kind of forward is he?

Young van Persie, basically. Bit quicker and more two-footed, but that's his general makeup. High technical level, good sense of where the goal is, hot temperament. He was banging in freekicks with both feet at the age of 18. Doesn't really play with his back towards the goal. Like Robin early on he's perhaps more of a winger than an outright striker at the moment. Creative guy. He grabs assists like this one regularly when he doesn't score himself: http://gfycat.com/FlickeringIlliterateAxisdeer

I've seen him hit a few 60 yard assists in Serie A. Major concern so far is that he doesn't spread his goals around too much, and a good few of them are from penalties. He will respond if he gets provoked, but I don't think it's a bad trait to have against Premier League defenders.

Do you think Juve would let him go? They have Morata but at any time R.Madrid could call him back.

I think they might, yeah. I don't see Real buying Morata back. They'll probably just come to some form of agreement where Juve pays them off in order to remove the clause from his contract.

Plus Juventus are buying Dybala this summer. Tevez, Morata, Llorente and Dybala will make a great strikeforce next season. There's no real room for Berardi there, and Juve still co-own him with Sassuolo unless I'm mistaken. They will have to solve that this summer. I think Juve will end up selling Sassuolo the full rights for a modest sum, on provision that they get most of the money when Berardi makes his next move.

Sounds interesting, what kind of money do you think they'd want for him?

I have no idea, but looking at the fees for young players like Dybala and Iturbe might give us some form of indication. I think Iturbe was €22 million and Dybala is rumoured to move for €28 million.

I doubt we would be interested either way, unfortunately. Wenger has been obsessing for years over strikers who can play with their backs toward the goal, and I don't think Berardi will ever play like that. If we were to build teams like we used to prior to 2008 he would be a very interesting signing though.

JazzG wrote:

Sounds interesting, what kind of money do you think they'd want for him?

To give another perspective, Juve want a deal in which they can buy him back for a fixed fee from the latest I've heard. I'm sure they will probably sell their share of Berardi to Sassuolo that way. They've done the same thing before with Simone Zaza. As a result, a potential deal would make sense for Juve and us would probably be a higher fee and first refusal if Berardi ever wanted to leave.

As seen in the gif provided by Klaus, Berardi absolutely loves to play Milan and has destroyed them on multiple occasions.

Klaus wrote:

Young van Persie, basically. Bit quicker and more two-footed, but that's his general makeup. High technical level, good sense of where the goal is, hot temperament. He was banging in freekicks with both feet at the age of 18. Doesn't really play with his back towards the goal. Like Robin early on he's perhaps more of a winger than an outright striker at the moment. Creative guy. He grabs assists like this one regularly when he doesn't score himself: http://gfycat.com/FlickeringIlliterateAxisdeer

That's a Messi assist.  :drool:

GaelForce wrote:

Klaus wrote:

Young van Persie, basically. Bit quicker and more two-footed, but that's his general makeup. High technical level, good sense of where the goal is, hot temperament. He was banging in freekicks with both feet at the age of 18. Doesn't really play with his back towards the goal. Like Robin early on he's perhaps more of a winger than an outright striker at the moment. Creative guy. He grabs assists like this one regularly when he doesn't score himself: http://gfycat.com/FlickeringIlliterateAxisdeer

That's a Messi assist.  :drool:

Look at the ones between 2:32 and 3:00 in this clip:

The lad can play.

Super Mario wrote:

To give another perspective, Juve want a deal in which they can buy him back for a fixed fee from the latest I've heard.

I hadn't heard that, but it makes sense. Allegri doesn't seem to rate him much though, hence Dybala.

Adama traore albeit in a wide forward role

Breel Embolo possibly?

I don't think there are many who are born great strikers. ie Ronaldo9, Owen, Inzaghi - most of the greatest that we see today - Benzema, Ibrahimovic, Cavani, Suarez, RVP - or looking in the past the likes of Henry, Eto'o, Batistuta, Torres, all became great strikers over a certain amount of years.

I think that unless you have unreal pace or out of this world talent rarely seen, most of the art of striking is something you learn during your years as a professional.

Strikers are judged more on their stats than midfielders, and generally they don't master their trade and max out their stats until they've reached their mid twenties.

Changes in formations and systems of play have surely contributed to this apparent lack of striking quality.

Embolo, Barbosa and Selke.

Martial too.

Kane is one of the best all round young strikers in the world.

Rashford innit

Nah

He'll be world class by the next World Cup.

He'll be world class by the time he's 20?