Topic: Arthur Melo

[Eeyore]

Kabak did okay for us, we wouldn’t have got top 4 without him that season, Klopp obviously didn’t fancy Davies so can’t comment on him

His first 3 League games were 1-4 City, 1-3 Leicester, 0-2 Everton.

[capt k]

His first 3 League games were 1-4 City, 1-3 Leicester, 0-2 Everton.

partnered with who tho? 1 defender does not make the result..Klopp's already told you that

[Eeyore]

partnered with who tho? 1 defender does not make the result..Klopp's already told you that

In the league.

18/19 we lost 1 game

19/20 we lost 3 games

21/22 we lost 2 games

With Kabak in the side we lost his first three League games.

[newterp]

Has he scored yet or assisted? What a waste.

[stoa]

In the league.

18/19 we lost 1 game

19/20 we lost 3 games

21/22 we lost 2 games

With Kabak in the side we lost his first three League games.

Seriously?

Yeah, we lost Kabak's first three league games, but we had already lost 4 league games (which is more losses than in all those seasons you mentioned) before he even made his debut including a glorious 0-1 against Burnley right before those three games with Kabak and a 2-7 mauling by Aston fucking Villa. Kabak wasn't a good player for us hence why we didn't sign him, but the point you're trying to make is just ridiculous.

[Eeyore]

Seriously?

Yeah, we lost Kabak's first three league games, but we had already lost 4 league games (which is more losses than in all those seasons you mentioned) before he even made his debut including a glorious 0-1 against Burnley right before those three games with Kabak and a 2-7 mauling by Aston fucking Villa. Kabak wasn't a good player for us hence why we didn't sign him, but the point you're trying to make is just ridiculous.

You should have just shortened it to Kabak wasn't a good player for us.

Melo isn't a good player for us.

Maybe the notion should be that trying to sign panic buys at the last minute for a Klopp side isn't a good idea.

How many panic buys do City make ?

[classycarra]

Kabak was and is not a great defender, and is a very poor footballer on the ball.

His passing made one appreciate (and not take for granted) that our defenders - including the ones that come through the academy and don't make it - are all in absolute worst case pretty good at passing.

Even though he wasn't here long, it sticks in the mind. There's obviously recency bias at play here, but I can't think of a player whose played at least 10 odd senior games in the last 20 years who was worse at it

[Eeyore]

Kabak was and is not a great defender, and is a very poor footballer on the ball.

His passing made one appreciate (and not take for granted) that our defenders - including the ones that come through the academy and don't make it - are all in absolute worst case pretty good at passing.

Even though he wasn't here long, it sticks in the mind. There's obviously recency bias at play here, but I can't think of a player whose played at least 10 odd senior games in the last 20 years who was worse at it

He was just a panic loan.

We need centre backs who are aerially dominant and who can play a high line.

We bought Konate who can do both.

[classycarra]

He was just a panic loan.

We need centre backs who are aerially dominant and who can play a high line.

We bought Konate who can do both.

Oh no doubt. Just find his identification and signing - with the benefit of hindsight, and knowing we somehow thanks to some miraculous performances and moments got 4th - to be a pretty interesting break from the norms we've grown used to from our defenders (even including our down period post Rafa).

Seems like he was just identified as someone who physically dominated under 21 age groups, where I remember he looked built like he looks now around age 16/17, but didn't really account for how that didn't scale up to adult football.

[Fromola]

You should have just shortened it to Kabak wasn't a good player for us.

Melo isn't a good player for us.

Maybe the notion should be that trying to sign panic buys at the last minute for a Klopp side isn't a good idea.

How many panic buys do City make ?

We all know we messed up and it was badly planned.

Kabak was still better than doing nothing at the end of the window despite not being good. Ben Davies we needn't have bothered

[Asam]

We all know we messed up and it was badly planned.

Kabak was still better than doing nothing at the end of the window despite not being good. Ben Davies we needn't have bothered

at the time of us signing Kabak our objective was to just find a way to get back into the top 4, he okayed his part in that and without him we wouldn’t have got there, so he deserves credit, not good enough for us over the long term? yes but the loan served it’s purpose

i was hoping we wouldn’t have to repeat a panic loan situation but here we are again, i’ve never seen Melo play so won’t pretend to be an expert, if he’s not got an engine then yes he will struggle to adapt to Klopp football, running power and athletism is a given

[kj999]

Melo isn't a good player for us.

I love a judgement of a player after ZERO minutes.

[Schmidt]

I love a judgement of a player after ZERO minutes.

13 minutes, that's more than enough for Al's trained eyes.

[Fromola]

at the time of us signing Kabak our objective was to just find a way to get back into the top 4, he okayed his part in that and without him we wouldn’t have got there, so he deserves credit, not good enough for us over the long term? yes but the loan served it’s purpose

i was hoping we wouldn’t have to repeat a panic loan situation but here we are again, i’ve never seen Melo play so won’t pretend to be an expert, if he’s not got an engine then yes he will struggle to adapt to Klopp football, running power and athletism is a given

We know we need more of this but we lack this in midfield anyway so in that sense he'll fit in. The challenge is adapting our tactics to account for what we lack in midfield.

We can get by with Thiago in there bossing things next to Fabinho. The challenge for Arthur will be being able to do a broadly similar job when we're without Thiago, if he can't then Keita or Jones will get those minutes. And if the injury crisis doesn't abate then he'll be needed as Kabak was so will still serve his purpose as a signing. The hope is he actually does do well which he might well do, or the fact he won't actually be needed.

[stockdam]

Arthur was obviously brought in as an unplanned buy. His role is to play if needed and not to displace Fabinho and Thiago. He may get some minutes if Thiago needs to come off or if we need to tweak our formation towards the end of a game (although Milner tends to come on to do that).

I hope he does make an impact but I suspect that we won't see a lot of him.

My concern is that we all could see that our midfield was the weakest part of the team yet we allowed injuries to force a panic buy. I hope that this is addressed next year if not in January.

[Eeyore]

I love a judgement of a player after ZERO minutes.

It isn't a judgement of the player, as I have stated over and over again. Melo is a quality player with great technical ability.

The question is whether Melo is a good fit for what we require from our midfield players. My opinion is that he isn't and for him to succeed we would need to tweak our system to accommodate him.

[El Lobo]

Kabak and Melo to Al are always going to be a symptom of FSG stiffing Klopp, so Kabak could have turned out like peak Desailly and Artur like peak Pirlo and he’s still going to slate them. It’s not worth wasting any time on, it’s just an offshoot of his favorite pastime.

[number 168]

It isn't a judgement of the player, as I have stated over and over again. Melo is a quality player with great technical ability.

The question is whether Melo is a good fit for what we require from our midfield players. My opinion is that he isn't and for him to succeed we would need to tweak our system to accommodate him.

An opinion is only as valid as the evidence used to validate it. I doubt anybody could claim, with authority, that he isn't a "good fit" after 13 minutes as a sub in a catastrophic game. Only a decent run of games can decide his ability to play or us, until then he is an enigma but one I am looking forward to seeing tested.

[afc tukrish]

An opinion is only as valid as the evidence used to validate it. I doubt anybody could claim, with authority, that he isn't a "good fit" after 13 minutes as a sub in a catastrophic game. Only a decent run of games can decide his ability to play or us, until then he is an enigma but one I am looking forward to seeing tested.

Anybody666 has been happy to make such an inevident  claim...

[Eeyore]

An opinion is only as valid as the evidence used to validate it. I doubt anybody could claim, with authority, that he isn't a "good fit" after 13 minutes as a sub in a catastrophic game. Only a decent run of games can decide his ability to play or us, until then he is an enigma but one I am looking forward to seeing tested.

Melo hasn't had an entire career of 13 minutes, though has he. We know what qualities he has and we know his limitations as well. So it isn't a snap judgement based on 13 minutes against Napoli.

[Eeyore]

Anybody666 has been happy to make such an inevident  claim...

Another poster who adds nothing to the debate but relishes taking cheap shots at other posters. Ever thought of playing the ball and not the man ?

[El Lobo]

An opinion is only as valid as the evidence used to validate it. I doubt anybody could claim, with authority, that he isn't a "good fit" after 13 minutes as a sub in a catastrophic game. Only a decent run of games can decide his ability to play or us, until then he is an enigma but one I am looking forward to seeing tested.

And yet

[marmite sw]

i have a good feeling about him once he gets going i reckon he'll be good and by good i mean we will take up the offer of signing him ... he knows he has a big big opportunity here cant see him messing this up 

[Historical Fool]

That is kind of the point though.

Elliott and Carvalho are 8's who add an extra attacking dimension. Teams drop off and suck us up the pitch, so we might as well have 8's who are more comfortable playing in the attacking third.

Melo whilst a great technical footballer is the opposite of that. Ideally, he is best employed as a deep lying playmaker in a double pivot. Think Alonso alongside Mascherano. Or as a Thiago replacement alongside Fabinho.

He simply hasn't got the game to play as a largely offensive 8.

Elliot Carvalho and Arthur were all signed for the academy. The former two learnt, Arthur will too.

[Samie]

Looks like he's finally ready to play as he's been getting a trim today. 

[Machae]

Hopefully he gets to play b4 January 

[Eeyore]

Hopefully he gets to play b4 January 

What year though ?

[6BigCups]

At this rate he’s destined for the Davies/Caulker treatment.. despite evidence that he’s actually a quality player. Speaks volumes when Milner gets a game before him at his age.

[leinad]

Keyser Söze

[Dim Glas]

Maybe his absence is covid related. Only speculating, but it’d be odd for him to not be in the squad considering how many subs you can name!

[Machae]

Don't think his baptism has happened yet, thats my only explanation

[JerseyKloppite]

Looks like he's finally ready to play as he's been getting a trim today. 

That's where I get my hair cut Will have to keep my eye out...

[Knight]

Surely he's injured/ ill?

[Adam_LFC]

Surely he's injured/ ill?

Not according to Pearce

[Legs]

Surely he's injured/ ill?

Someone suggested ill / covid ?

[Xanderzone]

He was never going to be much of an option really. We scrambled around on deadline day to loan in an unfit Juventus flop.

That said, how bad must he be in training if he's not even a better option than this version of Milner.

[VVM]

Sounds like he's been training hard, turning down opportunities for breaks to work on fitness and showing up for under 21 games, suggests a good attitude at the very least. Expect he'll get an opportunity soon, at very least you'd expect him to play League Cup in a months time.

[has gone odd]

Sounds like he's been training hard, turning down opportunities for breaks to work on fitness and showing up for under 21 games, suggests a good attitude at the very least. Expect he'll get an opportunity soon, at very least you'd expect him to play League Cup in a months time.

Exactly. He has not done a thing wrong since he got here, just he hasn't played many minutes for a long time and needs to get up to speed. Our team is not suffering because of this lad. If he gets his fitness up am sure in the League and FA cups he will get his chances.

[Red-Soldier]

Can we change the thread title to Ben Davies.

[Xanderzone]

A player is always on a bad footing when he's a symbol of a failed transfer window - which Arthur is (through no fault of his own).