i will certainly not judge the guy on 15-20 minutes in a game v. reigning champs, best team in the country, away where we were completely on the back foot and had nothing to do but defend and had absolutely none of the ball.

True.
Even Messi was useless in the 10 role when Argentina were under the cosh.
I am not worried as he has higher technical ability than the current Ozil replacements so should, at least, help create chances for our strikers.

Pros: should have everything to prove after being sidelined at Barcelona, knows and likes Emery, and definitely has technical ability.

Cons: doesn't know the league, seems a bit lightweight, and doesn't possess outstanding pace or strength.

Sort of wish we still had Santi Cazorla in this squad.

Burnwinter wrote:

Pros: should have everything to prove after being sidelined at Barcelona, knows and likes Emery, and definitely has technical ability.

Cons: doesn't know the league, seems a bit lightweight, and doesn't possess outstanding pace or strength.

Sort of wish we still had Santi Cazorla in this squad.


He certainly could have been a huge asset to us

Yup. I think Cazorla could have provided some of the intelligence and coordination we've missed badly in our game. He's a very smart footballer with a superb attitude.

Notwithstanding sometimes the pace and intensity of this league did challenge him.

Good for him. Inspiring story. He doesn't need to have these successes with us. Maybe it was his time to move on and prosper somewhere else.

I suspect he has untouchable status for Villarreal.

8 days later

This kid is powder puff. Pointless signing.

Hopefully he will show us what he is about but I did think it wasn't a good sign the Barca fans on my twitter feed celebrating when they loaned him out.

I haven't seen a lot of him, but I can promise you that the reason some were positive obviously isn't because he's done so well at Barcelona. Plenty of players don't fit in there, Sanchez and Fabregas included.

From what I’ve seen, he’s not the type of player thst can come into the shit show we have going here and hit the ground running. We need to form a functioning attack first.

more ornamental than instrumental. could be decent, but only if he has other creators he can link up with

This guy is playing ahead of ozil.... In what stupid world do we live in....

He is so weak and slow from what I see

To think we shipped Smith Rowe out on loan and brought this bum in whilst Ozil and Ramsey sit at home.

£20m down the toilet if we make it permanent, he’s crap.

I like how you're actually complaining that we have an option to buy. It's an opportunity, not a restriction. It's irrational to see it as something negative.

He's barely played 90 minutes...

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

I like how you're actually complaining that we have an option to buy. It's an opportunity, not a restriction. It's irrational to see it as something negative.

Not complaining about that, I said before he joined I’d rather not see us sign him, he’s bang average and from Emery’s words about him settling in it seems pretty likely we want him permanently anyway.