goon wrote:As for the lack of interest, I just don't buy that it's something under our control. He's a high profile player and captain of France U21s, I have no doubt scouting departments across Europe would have been aware of his situation and monitored his time in the Bundesliga. I'm fairly certain that's what we were counting on. In the end it turned out to be underwhelming.
Probably because he's a pretty underwhelming player. He plays with a lot of gusto which partly covers up some massive flaws in his game. When we bought him he was 18 and people said he played really well for an 18 year old even though the mistakes were a dime a dozen. I thought he'd improve quickly too. Two years later he still had no idea how to turn with the ball though, something every academy kid at Arsenal can do.
One of the first things Willock did in his first league start for us was to drift out wide, take a pass on the half-turn and truck past his marker up the field. I remember thinking at the time what a striking contrast it was to Guendouzi who always positioned himself centrally a few yards outside the box and called for the ball without knowing what he had in his back. Always tunnel visioned, never throwing a look over his shoulder to scan the field first. I don't think he has ever known what to do with the ball before he actually receives it. He kept being pressed because that's what opponents do to slow and cumbersome players who need four touches on the ball to turn around: they go up in press and target them.
I said he reminded me of Jonjo Shelvey, and I still think that's true. It's pretty much a coin toss as to whether they're going to fuck you over or contribute to a win. Guendouzi is 22 now and he still plays exactly the same way judging by the highlights. I've seen Hertha fans tearing their hair out because he tried to dribble inside his own box, got dispossessed and then faked a foul in response which of course wasn't given. His manager came out recently and said he needs to grow up, that he refuses to take advice, and that he acts like he hasn't been through puberty yet. That would be the 4th manager he managed to fall out with before turning 22. I don't agree with Arteta's man management on many things, but he's not the only one who has had issues with Doozi.
All this tells me he doesn't have the intelligence and the mental application needed for top football. He might realise that at some point and mature, but I think it's much more likely he'll ebb out at a lower level, like a top 6 team in the French league, where things are easier and he can get away with more of his deficiencies. He doesn't strike me as the sort who changes and grows. When you get that kind of reputation it's difficult to wash away, which I'm sure affects transfer value, and doubly so when you only have a year left on your deal. Nicklas Bendtner, Nicolas Anelka, Mario Balotelli and Ravel Morrison spring to mind as players with similar personality issues. None of them ever got better than they were in their late teens and I think the same will be true for Doozi.
