Incoming? Ismael Kone

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Think some are forgetting he played his 1st pro game earlier this year… now he’s at the World Cup. Looks very raw but clearly talented.

Yeah he does look talented and maybe one for the future. But very raw, as others have said

Given we have an immediate objective (promotion, this season), is he the guy I'd like us to allocate funds towards?
I'd say probably not.

In January, I think we need to go after one big defensive midfielder that can come in, offer physicality and athleticism in the middle of the park.
Someone ready-made that can drop in and immediately adapt to the level and improve our XI.
Ismael Kone doesn't look like that guy (yet).

Maybe in the Summer, if he's still available, it's one to revisit.
 

We can stop pretending he had a good World Cup now.

As much as we were willing him on as a potential Blade, he was pretty safe and unambitious in his possession and looked miles behind what Norwood and Doyle bring in terms of game impact and impetus when he did get on.

He took little to no opportunity to drive forward when given the chance. From what I've seen of both, I actually think Coulibaly is a far better bet right now.

Keep Berge or replace with Kone? Absolute no-brainer.

As much as you accept he is young, he was very green defensively and nothing exciting offensively.

He might kick on with experience, but we're interested in this season, not the 2024/25 season.

Not overly uncomfortable with this one not going our way to be perfectly honest.
 
I thought he looked very raw
Exactly. You didn't think "he'll slot in right away".

You thought he had some basic physical attributes and he might make an interesting 18 month project in terms of hitting levels we might want now.
 
I don't get why we would gamble on someone who has been playing professionally for less than a year. If he didn't cost anything then yes but not paying a fee of a few million Why not just develop Arblaster
If I was going to make an argument as to why we were interested is that he’s a different type of player to what we have in the academy at the moment.
 
Not disappointed in this at all. A bit of a gamble for them this signing. I feel he’s more likely to be a flop than a success personally but will be interesting to see how he does with them.
 

Tbh i wonder if this signals we’re in for Doyle. End of the day he looks much better equipped than Kone for the PL and thats where we need to be aiming
 
Tbh i wonder if this signals we’re in for Doyle. End of the day he looks much better equipped than Kone for the PL and thats where we need to be aiming
Doyle would be v expensive (if he agrees to join). He'd only be realistic if Utd got up and even then he's maintained he's aiming for a place in the Man City team (which is ambitious and/or naive IMHO)
 
I don't get why we would gamble on someone who has been playing professionally for less than a year. If he didn't cost anything then yes but not paying a fee of a few million Why not just develop Arblaster
Because he (Arblaster) is about a foot and a half shorter than Kone and never likely to be at the physical levels of athleticism you need to be a premier league standard box to box midfielder (which Kone could be albeit as other have said he look extremely raw).
 
Because he (Arblaster) is about a foot and a half shorter than Kone and never likely to be at the physical levels of athleticism you need to be a premier league standard box to box midfielder (which Kone could be albeit as other have said he look extremely raw).
There is 3 & 1/2 inches between them which is nothing as height is no longer a problem when it comes to players especially in midfield as this day and age the ball is nearly always on the floor in the top levels. Did you watch Kone? He needs a rocket up his arse to put in any work than is more than a jog, tracking back he wasn’t arsed too much and he looked pretty slow getting around. So If you are comparing the two for getting box to box then Arblaster would come out on top for me in that respect. Kone did look good on the ball and technically sound I will give him that, but then Arblaster is very good technically on the ball also, and he is far more creative than Kone.

Kone will no doubt go on to be a very good player and I would have liked to sign him but I never saw anything that I thought wow this lad is amazing we need to break the bank to get him now. Just my opinion of course which means jack shite.
 
What was the consensus? We were heavily linked to this guy in the Eve to Berge leaving earlier in the season. I didn’t think he looked bad yesterday in his brief appearance. Neat and tidy if not spectacular. Considering his age and limited game time in Europe he did ok.
 
I was pleased when he came on because from all I've seen of him he's not a penetrative player, and thankfully I saw nothing to change my mind

Would have been a stupid way to replace Berge in my view
 
What was the consensus? We were heavily linked to this guy in the Eve to Berge leaving earlier in the season. I didn’t think he looked bad yesterday in his brief appearance. Neat and tidy if not spectacular. Considering his age and limited game time in Europe he did ok.
Seems like a gamble on traits and the player he could be rather than the player he is. He’ll need time to develop which Watfords chop and change approach when it comes to managers may not afford him.
 
Didn't look out of place in a game between two of the better championship squads.

Wouldn't have said no to having him tho probably too raw for the premier league if we go up.
 
Kone was no better or worse than 90% of central midfielders who now seem to play the game without tackling, are poor in the air, pass the ball square or behind at every opportunity and seem to get a nose bleed if they leave a 10m band either side of the half way line. Technically competent, tactically aware and lacking both adventure & creativity.
 
I thought he looked quite tidy when he came on, but maybe that's just me.
 

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