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Transfer Check-In: Strikers Edition Part 1
11 Plays30 days ago
Transfer Check-In: Strikers Edition
- Gyokeres
- Ekitike
- Isak
- Woltermade
- Joao Pedro
- Sesko
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Transcript
Introduction of Host and Episode Overview
00:00:12
Chino Onwuka
Hello and welcome to another episode of the love of the game today, you know stepping in for our our fallen soldier in Mecca is your boy Chino, you know back back back doing some hosting duties gonna have to shake off the rust but you know what it is over here it's a next man up mentality so with me is as always Chukwu Chukwu how you doing say what's up to the fam
00:00:42
Chuku
What up, what up, what up? all Good to see see you back in the sticks, you know moderating, who no holding us down. I know Emeka, unfortunately, is not going to be here today, but you know we're going to try and carry you know carry carry him in spirit. And I think we you know we're going to have a great show. you know i'm like I'm excited and ready to chop it up with you, my boy.
Podcast's Return and NBA Season Preview
00:01:04
Chino Onwuka
for sure we will do our very best so i know it's been a while since uh you heard from us it's been a couple of weeks it's been the interlull and you know it's you know life be happening we've been we've been wanting to get some episodes out you know most importantly you know with the nba season starting soon on the 21st we really want to do a big you know nba preview pod but you know You know, this is this is not our day job. We've had other things coming the way, but we will get that to you guys as soon as possible once we have the whole crew together.
00:01:38
Chino Onwuka
But, you know, just because, you know, we we do have lots of things to talk about. We did want to get just a quick episode You know, this is something we've been wanting to discuss
Summer Signings and Number Nine Performance
00:01:46
Chino Onwuka
for a bit. and So today, Chuku, what we're going to do is...
00:01:50
Chino Onwuka
You know, during the summer, there were a lot of high-profile signings, especially at the number nine position. And we debated those at the time. You know, our club, Arsenal, needed a number nine. So we discussed a lot of these players.
00:02:04
Chino Onwuka
lot of clubs were looking for number nines, and there was a bit of a strike or merry-go-round. So it's been a couple of games into the season. What we're going to do today is we're just going to list out some of the major names that have moved, especially to the Prem.
00:02:18
Chino Onwuka
and just gave our thoughts on how we think they're performing, you know, compared to expectation.
Victor Jokeres at Arsenal: Performance Analysis
00:02:26
Chino Onwuka
and and just just give our grades on where they are. And then to round it up, we're going to do a quick preview of our game of the week, which is Liverpool versus Manchester United.
00:02:37
Chino Onwuka
so with that, you ready?
00:02:40
Chuku
Oh, i'm ready.
00:02:42
Chino Onwuka
Okay, okay, let's do it. So... I'm worried. There's obviously only one place we're going to start. And honestly, it's a question I've been wanting to ask you guys for a while. So the the first striker that we're going to check in on is Victor Jokeres, signed by Arsenal for some of, you know, 60 million with add-ons and...
00:03:07
Chino Onwuka
Where it is he at so far? So throughout the season, he's started pretty much all of the games for Arsenal and he has three goals, you know, one penalty goal and two non-penalty goals all in the Prem. So Chukwu, I got to ask you, I'll start with you.
00:03:26
Chino Onwuka
How do you, and and it's a couple of questions. What are your thoughts on Jokeres so far? What grade would you give him? And, you know, something that,
00:03:36
Chino Onwuka
I've been really curious about too is, you know, you are someone that was really, really excited for you. course, he's the striker that you wanted. You know, how is he performing compared to your expectations?
00:03:51
Chino Onwuka
You know, is he the player that you thought he was? you know, are there some things that have, that have reconfirmed your thoughts about him? Are there are some things that are slightly different from what you thought about him?
00:04:03
Chino Onwuka
You know, what are your thoughts?
00:04:05
Chuku
Yeah, yeah. I was definitely, definitely one that was high on him. And not to say anything has changed. I'm still high on on him. I still believe, you know, he's going to have an impact on this club. And in my opinion, he already kind of has already had an impact on the squad.
00:04:24
Chuku
You know, obviously it would be would have been nice for him to be more of a, you know, a presence when it comes to the goal scoring, although he has scored a couple goals so far. But, I mean, you know, the he's on a what, I believe a 6-7 game drought at the moment.
00:04:40
Chuku
So, I mean, obviously, you know, there's there's room for improvement, right? There's room for improvement. But truth of the matter is, like,
00:04:51
Chuku
he's done He's been able to know add something to the team that I believe, you know, in the long run is something Arsenal needed. And that's a willing, you know, runner, someone that's always willing to make those...
00:05:08
Chuku
runs him behind of the defense. He draws a lot of attention. I feel like this doesn't get talked about enough. I know you know everyone wants to sign a striker that has had the prolific goal-scoring record that he's carried from Portugal.
00:05:25
Chuku
I mean, I had never thought for any for one second he was going to match that tally coming into the Premier League. Personally, you know and we've had these conversations outside of here,
00:05:37
Chuku
outside of the pod, but personally speaking, I had an expectation of somewhere in i around, you know, 20 would say goals. you know closer to 20 or 20-plus in all competitions.
00:05:52
Chuku
And I thought that would be good enough you know because of the ability. I i know that you know when it comes to scoring goals, we've never really lacked in that. It's just the timeliness of those goals, I think, you know which I think Jokeres could bring when it comes to playing those lower – you know lower caliber clubs, you know, where we've struggled in the past.
00:06:15
Chuku
And, you know, what I would definitely say that I've noticed right away is, again, just his ability to draw the attention of the opponent's defense and give our other attacking options, you know, more space to be able to maneuver, i think has gone under the radar quite a bit because, quite frankly, you know, as someone who's been – I'm sure you know we've we've watched our this club bar you know very closely the last couple of years. And it's been very, in the past, been very easy to just double up on, say, Asaka and you know kind of neutralize or try to at least neutralize
00:06:54
Chuku
you know, our attack based off of, you know, doubling our best player. But with Jokeres in the mix, you can't just go and just double Saka and leave this guy, you know, leave your maneuver defense vulnerable for a willing runner like a Jokeres. Like teams have had to account for that.
00:07:13
Chuku
And that's something that I think over time, you know, is going to, as he gets more you know, in tune with the league, gets more experience, more reps, I do think he's going to come good.
00:07:25
Chuku
And I've seen enough to know our belief that, you know, if, I mean, right now he's getting a good run of games, but even with the addition or coming back of Havertz, I just think having that other guy there as well, pushing you in the, you know, in the background, knowing that, you know, if there's certain games, they're not, you didn't got it, so on.
00:07:49
Chuku
that is capable and willing to, you know, is going to be coming off the bench. Whether Yorcarest starts and Havers comes off the bench or Havers starts and Yorcarest comes off the bench, I just think it's going to be something that going to be feed off from, and the goals will come.
00:08:05
Chuku
I can assure you they will. They will come. I'm not worried one bit. So if I had to rate his you know performance so far, I mean, I'll be fair. It's not been anything crazy to know jump up about, but at the same time, he's not been no slouch in my books.
00:08:22
Chuku
To be fair, i would give him a 6.5. I think that's that's a fair rating from what I've seen so far. And like I said, not the greatest.
00:08:33
Chuku
I'm willing to admit you know there's been no slight growing pains initially. And quite frankly, I mean, I didn't expect him to hit the ground running, but at the same time, I also didn't expect...
00:08:44
Chuku
you know, for the growing pains to be this apparent early on as they appeared to be. But since the Olympiacos game and some of the other games we've played in the league, I have liked what I've seen. You know, he's gotten better in the buildup.
00:08:57
Chuku
I think the team is learning how to play around him. And, you know, I just think, you know, over time, he's going to come good. He's
Jokeres: Expectations vs. Reality
00:09:04
Chuku
going to come good. So, yeah. What do you think, Chino?
00:09:08
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, and and just to face everything, I was someone who was not as in favor for Yoko Rez as both my co-hosts were.
00:09:09
Chuku
lot
00:09:20
Chino Onwuka
And the reason for that is i felt that at this stage in in Arsenal's progression, I felt like what we needed was a superstar striker.
00:09:36
Chino Onwuka
you know, considering the depth and the caliber we have, you know, over the rest of the field, I feel like that was the one thing we were lacking. And so for me, it was two things. Either sign a superstar striker or somebody who could become a superstar striker.
00:09:53
Chino Onwuka
And so when it came to Yoko Reyes, my issue was like, you know, I felt like he had a lot of good qualities, but considering his age and, you know, him and where a lot of his production was coming from in the Portuguese league.
00:10:08
Chino Onwuka
I wasn't really sure. i didn't believe he was that superstar striker, that person that we, that could go toe to toe with your Howlands of the world. And so far it's, that's sort of what has turned out to me. I think he's been
00:10:24
Chino Onwuka
good You know, he started off with that goal against Leeds, which is, you know, something that we worried would he be able to do that in the Prem. You know, he started off with that. He scored a penalty goal. You know, those are the things you expect him to do.
00:10:39
Chino Onwuka
But, you know, with that, there's been some growing pains. You know, i was worried about, you know, he was able to bully players in the Portuguese League. And, you know, we've seen it's weird because he is physical He is, like you said, Chuku, he is, you know,
00:10:58
Chino Onwuka
he is, you know, drawing a lot of attention. He is battling hard, you know, with defenders, forcing defenders to to focus on him. But... don that That way he was able to bully players in other leagues. He has not been able to do that so far in the prep. So, you know, every physical tussle is, you know, you can see his he's, you see him on the ground a lot because he's battling, but, you know, he's battling against people who can give it back to him.
00:11:25
Chino Onwuka
You know, his first touch comes and goes, you can see it's clearly something it's working on, but it's not as instinctual as it is for some of our other players He's not at the technical level of of a lot of our other players and what you expect at Arsenal. And so for me, it was like, I didn't care about any of that.
00:11:45
Chino Onwuka
You know, Arsenal made the decision to sign him. So, okay, find out back the player. We know what he can do. He's a channel runner. He's relentless in his runs and he's got a hammer of a shot. So,
00:11:57
Chino Onwuka
I was hoping that even though things may look ugly times, that at least we would get goals. And for me, what I said is, I know Chuka, I know you said, you know, 20 goals is what you're expecting. But for me, with, you know, with the way he's been talked about with what you were excited about. To me, it was like, yeah, he had to give us 30 goals in all competitions this season. And so it's still early.
00:12:25
Chino Onwuka
Like you said, we've seen games where he's, he's played well and hasn't gotten the goal. You know, he's done a lot where he's occupying defenders, maybe pushing them back, which is giving us a lot more space to advance the ball.
00:12:40
Chino Onwuka
But That's all good, but that's not what we signed him for.
Jokeres vs. Havertz: Role and Expectations
00:12:44
Chino Onwuka
We signed him to score both. And so again, it's still...
00:12:47
Chuku
Do you know what it is? sorry. I don't want to interrupt you there, but I just want to just quickly interject just so I can just just just on your point of why me the no on the opposition side of why I wanted Yoko Riz even like I want to be clear.
00:12:53
Chino Onwuka
Yep.
00:13:05
Chuku
Yes, I know I had expectations of Jokeres, right? But the reason why I wasn't expecting him to be scoring 30-plus goals in his first season with us is because I never thought Jokeres coming in was ever going to be like he comes in and boom, he's going to be like the out-and-out only guy that we're playing as as as our nine moving forward.
00:13:28
Chuku
Not that I think that you thought that, by the way. But I'm just giving you my thought by thought process because, again, feel like people still don't see that Havertz is a thing.
00:13:34
Chino Onwuka
Mm-hmm.
00:13:40
Chuku
like Havertz is a thing. like He is our highest paid or you know soon to be either way, one of our highest paid players for a reason. And with Jokeres, my thing with Jokeres was I was just thinking it's more of like, again, phrase for Arsenal fans.
00:13:59
Chuku
that we need to just accept and, you know, live as a mantra is squad depth. Like, this is what you're, I mean, look, at at this point, don't know why we're trying to make it out.
00:14:09
Chino Onwuka
with with all due with With all due respect, I feel like not that people are changing goal poles, but coming into the summer, I don't think – this is my understanding.
00:14:12
Chuku
Hmm?
00:14:14
Chuku
yeah
00:14:24
Chino Onwuka
People were not bigging up Yoko Ress as a squad that signing. They were saying that, yo, this is a guy that scored 50 goals last year. He scored a hat-trick against Man City.
00:14:35
Chino Onwuka
He was the top scorer of the Nations League. got Look at how hard he shoots. This guy is our super... that That is what I heard. And that is what I was... Like, we can go back. That is what I was fighting against.
00:14:48
Chino Onwuka
I did not say he wasn't a good striker, but I didn't think he was that... supernova striker especially considering I wanted either a superstar or someone who could develop into a superstar so it seems weird to me now that people are now bigging up all these other things saying oh Kai Havertz was there when during the summer I wasn't hearing any of this right I'm hearing it now for sure but I wasn't hearing any of this in the summer and so you know it's good that we have Kai and Kai is a really good striker But let's not forget the reason why we are so frustrated with Kai all the time. So if you're spending $60 million on a 27-year-old
00:15:31
Chino Onwuka
to come and battle with Kai, which is fair, which is good, but to me, that was pointless. I think that's what I've always...
00:15:40
Chuku
But I disagree.
00:15:41
Chino Onwuka
I get what you're saying. To me, that was... Okay, yeah?
00:15:45
Chuku
No, I just disagree on the pointless point. Because at the end the day, we didn't have a profile like Yokoz in our current squad that I feel like can be very useful in certain type of games and matchups, right?
00:16:01
Chuku
And like the truth of the matter is...
00:16:02
Chino Onwuka
Well, useful to do what?
00:16:03
Chuku
like
00:16:06
Chuku
Well, for one, a willing runner that a guy like Odegaard thrives off when it comes to being able to be creative and with his ability to, you know, with the weighted passes and weighted through balls.
00:16:21
Chuku
Like, Jokoraz is the type of of profile of a player that we've seen. for Odegaard, and even, we've seen, I mean, I'm not, again, trying to draw any part parallels with these two players because one is 100% clear of the other, but we've seen what an Odegaard can look like and can do in the national team with a striker profile of one of, a willing runner of Arlen Haaland that's willing to run, you know, again, constantly make those runs in and behind the defense.
00:16:52
Chuku
You know, if if there's teams that, again, tried to press us. Jokoraz is the type of player that can literally and you know make the the one pass is all it takes in beyond of the defense and he's clear and goal.
00:17:07
Chino Onwuka
For sure, for sure. And I agree with you. And I think honestly, that is having an impact. Like I said that before, but I think sort of what I'm saying is we brought Yokeris in, and maybe this is a by-product of that, but I feel like we brought Yokeris in because There's a lot of good stuff that Kai does. Again, he battles with defenders. Maybe not that much running in behind, but he's physical. He presses well.
00:17:34
Chino Onwuka
To me, we brought Jokoris to score the goals that Kai can't score.
00:17:39
Chino Onwuka
to finish those chances, to score something be out of nothing.
00:17:39
Chuku
but
00:17:42
Chino Onwuka
i'm i'm not disagreeing. I'm saying in that's what I feel like if you're signing someone like Jokras to do. And I'm not saying he hasn't played well, but to me, what I look at from Jokras is just get me the goals.
00:17:55
Chino Onwuka
And it's still early, and I'm not saying it's not coming. So I guess that to round up, I will also give him a 6.5 because it's – the reason I'm giving him 6.5 –
00:18:07
Chino Onwuka
He's doing things that I think are clearly benefiting the team, but I think he is not that superstar striker. And, you know, the goals haven't come yet in the way we'd hope they would.
00:18:23
Chino Onwuka
Hopefully they do come. i do think there's some other factors as well. I don't know how many games he's played with both Odegaard and Saka in the side. you know So there's things like that, but you know we're only grading based off of what we've seen so far. So you know I think that the good has been channel running, the space he's created, the battling, the bad has been his his technical level isn't quite there yet.
00:18:49
Chino Onwuka
One thing that was supposed to be his advantage is his physicality, you know, against the Prem defenders. it's It's not as much of a power for him as as it was before.
00:19:01
Chino Onwuka
Anything to to add to that?
Arsenal's Squad Depth Needs vs. Superstar Striker
00:19:05
Chuku
Yeah, all I'll just kind of no close on is, look, at the end of the day, I understand your point of like, Jokeres definitely had a lot of hype, you know, in the summer.
00:19:16
Chuku
But I do think, just me personally speaking, that at the end the day, the same comments you're making about how much we spent to bring a guy of Jokeres' caliber to the squad, having a guy like Havertz, one can make the same argument of they spend even more money to bring a guy like Eze to play who, some argue, plays in the position that our captain, one of our best players, also plays in.
00:19:46
Chuku
But at the end of the day, it's still all about having quality. And I use word again, know, I highlight this word, you know, importantly, quality, squad depth. And that's what I think is very, very much, you know,
00:20:03
Chuku
not being talked about or I feel like it's yeah not being spoken and enough about because the end of the
00:20:08
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, but I think squad depth is, like, I see what you're saying, but I feel like I would rather have a top-class superstar first 11 or 14 than have pretty good players at every position, honestly.
Alexander Isak to Liverpool: Transfer Challenges
00:20:28
Chuku
but then who would you, so who is the striker you assigned? Because if we're not getting ISAC,
00:20:31
Chino Onwuka
so So that's what I'm saying. I think it's all about expectations, right? What I'm seeing from Yoker is now is about what I expected, like a 6.5 signing when people were seeing it as a 9 or 10.
00:20:47
Chino Onwuka
but I think he's good.
00:20:48
Chuku
I think that's not fair though.
00:20:49
Chino Onwuka
don't know.
00:20:50
Chuku
That's not fair.
00:20:50
Chino Onwuka
i just I just think that there were words to his game that maybe not you, but some people, like, i remember every time I tried to say, oh, but this, but that, and people would be like, oh, bro, you're overdoing it.
00:20:50
Chuku
because
00:21:01
Chino Onwuka
You're thinking too much. I just watched. and And so I'm, and I think we're spending a lot of of time on this. Again, I'll just say my, and this is probably just my thing. I wanted a superstar or a potential superstar.
00:21:15
Chino Onwuka
Jokeresk is a good player, like you said, a good squad depth signing, and I didn't think that was what we needed to do at striker. At other positions, yeah, we can do that because we already have the superstar.
00:21:25
Chuku
Okay.
00:21:29
Chino Onwuka
You sign Amadweke, that's cool because we already have Saka there. We sign, you know, Hincapié, that's cool because we already have Gabriel. Eze, you know me, like, as...
00:21:42
Chino Onwuka
When do we signed him, was like, cool. But initially, I was like, if it was my first choice, wouldn't be to sign Eze for those same reasons that you mentioned, even though I love the player. So i'm not I'm not shifting pillars. I've been consistent in that. I wanted a superstar or potential superstar. And Eze is a star because, and I think he's different because he's done it in the prep.
00:22:02
Chino Onwuka
So we know what he can do in the prep. Right, so, but I still think anyway, we're not here to talk about Eze, but that that's just my thing. And so moving on from Yookarez, now there were lots of other options there. and So the next two we're gonna move into are the guy who we all originally wanted at Strike. And I think I remember asking some questions about Izak versus Yookarez on this pod. And some of the answers were, anyway.
00:22:35
Chino Onwuka
But Alexander Isak was
Isak's Impact and Tactical Integration at Liverpool
00:22:40
Chino Onwuka
the golden child. He was the one everyone wanted. We had seemingly been linked with him for a year and a half, previously linked with him when he was associated with Odegaard. And it seemed like after Newcastle made the Champions League, you know, that was a no-go. But then shockingly...
00:22:58
Chino Onwuka
towards the end of of the of the window, after Arsenal had already and other clubs had already made their striker decisions, he all of a sudden came out with transfer request, which turned into a long public drawn-out holdout and strike, which eventually led to him eventually moving from Newcastle to Liverpool for a transfer a record fee.
00:23:26
Chino Onwuka
of well over a hundred million pounds. So Chukwu again, we'll go to you. What are your thoughts on EZAC so far?
00:23:37
Chuku
I mean, yeah I mean, it's early, right? It's too early. I know people want to clown on him, and no he hasn't lived up to the kind of money that Liverpool has shelled out to get him.
00:23:48
Chuku
But quite frankly, I mean, we all know Isak's quality is only going to be a matter of time before he starts to get a run of games and starts to show he's...
00:23:59
Chuku
but why is why it was so heavily touted you know by all the major clubs in the league. Yeah, I mean, I just think with Liverpool, like right now, it may take a little bit longer for and for things to get going over there just because i just I don't know what's going on with the manager.
00:24:23
Chuku
But I just think Liverpool struggling to find their best 11 and best formation. with the current players they have, and that's a whole different problem that they're going have to figure out. But at the end of the day, you know a guy of Eastside's quality, at some point, is going to know shine through. and like i says all Like I said, it's only a matter of time before he starts putting the ball the back in the net.
00:24:46
Chuku
And, yeah, he's he's a quality signing for Liverpool. Now, I guess the biggest concern, if I was a Liverpool fan right now, is how do we get the best out of this top signing ISAC when signing who in that you know and of itself like was already a big signing in form of Ekotiki, he's looked the part.
00:25:12
Chuku
And I kind of want to hear about, we're going have a concert we'renna have conversation about him. But I just think, yeah, I just think, you know from the house outside looking in, I just don't know how
00:25:18
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, he'll be he'll be will be next.
00:25:27
Chuku
you don't find a way to utilize both him and Isak, as that's Ekotiki and Isak, because they have a...
00:25:38
Chuku
Eketiki has just looked too good to not be able to be accounted for in the starting 11. And I just think, you know, whether it means switching to a three at the back, you know, three, four, three, or three, four, two, one, or three, four, one, two, I don't know.
00:25:57
Chuku
But you just got to figure it out, in my opinion. and And trying to use him at the left wing is, in my humble opinion, a waste of his ability because he needs to be in those –
00:26:02
Chino Onwuka
And you know what?
00:26:08
Chuku
you know, in those middle areas of the