Richmond "Richie" Laryea

[Free kick]

And yet,  it doesnt look like they are acquiring anyone who can actually help them stay up.  Last week i dug a little on their top acquisition, 20.5 mill for a Nigerian fwd from Union Berlin.  The same guy, less than 12 months ago, moved from Liverpool to Union Berlin for 5 Mill.  He has 4 Caps for Nigeria when i looked at his production (this past year)in Bundesliga for mid table Union Berlin,  his output looked very very average.  Perhaps, I dont have the full picture, but when i checked that, it was the same day that DeKetelaer moved from Brugges to Milan for 30 mill.  Yes, i know, not the same roles and not the same club circumstances.  But quality is quality and you pay for quality.  So i Dont get this/these move at all.  

Its the same for their other moves,  again maybe there more than meets the eye here,  but it seems like a collection of cast off’s or over payments.   For those who read Soccernomics,  there is a lot here to digest or critique with all these NF acquisitions.   Its seems like they are out to spend the new found money without checking the price or value.   Like the working stiff who wins the lottery and decides to spend it all on a gold platted hammer.  

Edited August 15, 2022 by Free kick

[kacbru]

46 minutes ago, Stryker911 said:

Nottingham just drooped another 45 million on 3 new players today. Noone that really effects Karyea positional, but this transfer window is rediculous. That's now 15 new players with a transfer balance of -115,000,000. This team building method can't possibly be successful.

Guardian article before the recent signings asking that same question:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2022/aug/13/nottingham-forest-sudden-success-too-many-changes 

edit: actually it includes those players.

Edited August 15, 2022 by kacbru

[Free kick]

One more thing i dont get.   All that money that they spend to upgrade (supposedly upgrade) their Goal keeping.   They moved out two of their goal keepers, who got them promoted, for 35 year old Wayne Hennessy!.   The Welsh NT keeper.   Really?   Was this really necessary,  how is a Goal keep gonna keep you up?  Much less Wayne Hennessy?   Even G Buffon in his prime cant save a mediocre team.  How is GK such a priority.  When you have this new found money,  there are other areas of need.  No one wants bad GOal keeping,  but wouldnt an adequate GK suffice?

Edited August 15, 2022 by Free kick

[CanadaFan123]

3 minutes ago, Free kick said:

One more thing i dont get.   All that money that they spend to upgrade (supposedly upgrade) their Goal keeping.   They moved out two of their goal keepers, who got them promoted, for 35 year old Wayne Hennessy!.   The Welsh NT keeper.   Really?   Was this really necessary,  how is a Goal keep gonna keep you up?  Much less Wayne Hennessy?   Even G Buffon in his prime cant save a mediocre team.  How is GK such a priority.  When you have this new found money,  there are other areas of need.  No one wants bad GOal keeping,  but wouldnt an adequate GK suffice?

Hennessy is their backup. Dean Henderson is their starter.

[SthMelbRed]

14 minutes ago, Free kick said:

And yet,  it doesnt look like they are acquiring anyone who can actually help them stay up.  Last week i dug a little on their top acquisition, 20.5 mill for a Nigerian fwd from Union Berlin.  The same guy, less than 12 months ago, moved from Liverpool to Union Berlin for 5 Mill.  He has 4 Caps for Nigeria when i looked at his production (this past year)in Bundesliga for mid table Union Berlin,  his output looked very very average.  Perhaps, I dont have the full picture, but when i checked that, it was the same day that DeKetelaer moved from Brugges to Milan for 30 mill.  Yes, i know, not the same roles and not the same club circumstances.  But quality is quality and you pay for quality.  So i Dont get this/these move at all.  

Its the same for their other moves,  again maybe there more than meets the eye here,  but it seems like a collection of cast off’s or over payments.   For those who read Soccernomics,  there is a lot here to digest or critique with all these NF acquisitions.   Its seems like they are out to spend the new found money without checking the price or value.   Like the working stiff who wins the lottery and decides to spend it all on a gold platted hammer.  

By all accounts, Liverpool were generally pretty high on Taiwo's potential, but they could never get his work permit application over the line. Something must have been triggered by his time at Union so he qualified for a permit for Forest, or it could be something to do with Brexit. Who knows.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Am I wrong or in the highlights from the last match don't we see on two occasions Richie caught up too high and defending on the wrong side of the ball in two successive rival attacks?

I appreciate his play going forward is strong, but this is the problem that has been identified elsewhere (Forest): some unreliable defending. 

I don't think this is unfair because for Canada, it is a bit of the same. No one thinks Laryea is the guy to cover for Johnston, he has to be further up. He's quite far from Adekugbe's level defending. He's a mid in a 3-5-2, he may be the outside back in a 4-4-2 but is he capable of holding back when Canada needs him to hold back?

I'm just trying to temper the hype here: Laryea is a specific player for Canada, but he is not a sure starter and is not anywhere near as positionally reliable as our habitual starters.

[TOcanadafan]

8 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Am I wrong or in the highlights from the last match don't we see on two occasions Richie caught up too high and defending on the wrong side of the ball in two successive rival attacks?

I appreciate his play going forward is strong, but this is the problem that has been identified elsewhere (Forest): some unreliable defending. 

I don't think this is unfair because for Canada, it is a bit of the same. No one thinks Laryea is the guy to cover for Johnston, he has to be further up. He's quite far from Adekugbe's level defending. He's a mid in a 3-5-2, he may be the outside back in a 4-4-2 but is he capable of holding back when Canada needs him to hold back?

I'm just trying to temper the hype here: Laryea is a specific player for Canada, but he is not a sure starter and is not anywhere near as positionally reliable as our habitual starters.

I completely agree that if he starts, it’d only be in a wing-back system.  Would he start over Buchanan is probably the question… how do you compare their defensive games?  I do find that he is quite a reliable defender when Canada is holding a lead near the end of the game... but this also points to more of a sub role.  But it’s amazing we’re at a level to have someone of his quality coming off the bench.

Edited August 15, 2022 by TOcanadafan

[Cicero]

8 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Am I wrong or in the highlights from the last match don't we see on two occasions Richie caught up too high and defending on the wrong side of the ball in two successive rival attacks?

I appreciate his play going forward is strong, but this is the problem that has been identified elsewhere (Forest): some unreliable defending. 

I don't think this is unfair because for Canada, it is a bit of the same. No one thinks Laryea is the guy to cover for Johnston, he has to be further up. He's quite far from Adekugbe's level defending. He's a mid in a 3-5-2, he may be the outside back in a 4-4-2 but is he capable of holding back when Canada needs him to hold back?

I'm just trying to temper the hype here: Laryea is a specific player for Canada, but he is not a sure starter and is not anywhere near as positionally reliable as our habitual starters.

Both plays were multiple defender failures which has been pretty typical of TFC this season. On the first play I assume you're referring to, MacNaughton doesn't stay tight to his man who is stepping into a central position with the ball at the top of the eighteen. Richie gets caught in two minds and ends up not stepping up to cover the ball-carrier or dropping to cover the eventual receiver of the pass. Should have done better one way or the other, but was put in a position a better CB would not have put him in. The other on their goal, I'm assuming, MacNaughton (again) steps up to challenge for the aerial ball when there is no one covering the Portland left wing because Richie's upfield. It's unclear what had been happening immediately beforehand. So Mavinga steps out to his right to cover the winger, and Criscito moves centrally to cover, but no one on TFC's left side drops to take the Portland right winger. Richie recovers centrally and ultimately doesn't really play a role in the goal. There is a wide-open player on Richie's side when the goal is scored, but he doesn't factor into the play, but could have on a rebound had there been one. Should he have been back? I don't know, maybe, if Bob Bradley didn't want him aggressively getting up the pitch. Seems risky given how poor TFC's overall defence has been, but that's Laryea's game. Should he have moved to the centre. That's not totally obvious either, as him moving centrally could have allowed Criscito to move back to his side, and he may have assumed Mavinga would continue tracking back on Laryea's wing. But ultimately it didn't work out. Again, poor team defending, but I'm not sure I'd say Laryea's defending was poor on that play.

Unfortunately, we shouldn't overlook MacNaughton's negative role in both plays.

Edited August 15, 2022 by Cicero

[Cicero]

TFC really has no defensive midfielders. They're going to have to win with offence with the lineup they're putting out. Maybe regretting letting Delgado go now, even if he was an offensive black-hole.

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 hours ago, Cicero said:

Both plays were multiple defender failures which has been pretty typical of TFC this season. On the first play I assume you're referring to, MacNaughton doesn't stay tight to his man who is stepping into a central position with the ball at the top of the eighteen. Richie gets caught in two minds and ends up not stepping up to cover the ball-carrier or dropping to cover the eventual receiver of the pass. Should have done better one way or the other, but was put in a position a better CB would not have put him in. The other on their goal, I'm assuming, MacNaughton (again) steps up to challenge for the aerial ball when there is no one covering the Portland left wing because Richie's upfield. It's unclear what had been happening immediately beforehand. So Mavinga steps out to his right to cover the winger, and Criscito moves centrally to cover, but no one on TFC's left side drops to take the Portland right winger. Richie recovers centrally and ultimately doesn't really play a role in the goal. There is a wide-open player on Richie's side when the goal is scored, but he doesn't factor into the play, but could have on a rebound had there been one. Should he have been back? I don't know, maybe, if Bob Bradley didn't want him aggressively getting up the pitch. Seems risky given how poor TFC's overall defence has been, but that's Laryea's game. Should he have moved to the centre. That's not totally obvious either, as him moving centrally could have allowed Criscito to move back to his side, and he may have assumed Mavinga would continue tracking back on Laryea's wing. But ultimately it didn't work out. Again, poor team defending, but I'm not sure I'd say Laryea's defending was poor on that play.

Unfortunately, we shouldn't overlook MacNaughton's negative role in both plays.

Very well analyzed. Point is, in a short set of highlights there he is twice in desperate recovery mode, on the wrong side of the ball. 

Your point about DMs: true, if you have a guy who'll cover for a back going forward, or drop into the central defense, then the system does not suffer. 

[narduch]

On MLS team of the week 

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[shorty]

God Steve Cooper is an unattractive man....

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

Doesn't look out of place alongside players like Criscito, Bernardeschi, Insigne and Bradley in Canada but a game against Hull City will be a good test for him over in the UK because the Championship is such a demanding league. So demanding in fact that their squad apparently needed a complete makeover after promotion given the gulf in standards between the two levels of play.

Have lived in and followed the sport closely in both countries and I know which part of that equation I think is out of tune with present day realities and who missed out on a player who probably had more to offer them in a backup role this season than they realized. That would mean risking being second guessed later though so safer to reach for the chequebook and sign someone with more name recognition to sit on their bench instead. That shows ambition or whatever.

The English premiership is such a bloated mess nowadays compared to what the old First Division used to be like back in the day:

 

[InglewoodJack]

I have just found out that forest have also purchased myself too, to go serve on their message boards. £2.5M fee too. They approached me, said they had a bit of cash to throw around 

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 minutes ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Doesn't look out of place alongside players like Criscito, Bernardeschi, Insigne and Bradley in Canada but a game against Hull City will be a good test for him over in the UK because the Championship is such a demanding league. So demanding in fact that their squad apparently needed a complete makeover after promotion given the gulf in standards between the two levels of play.

Have lived in and followed the sport closely in both countries and I know which part of that equation I think is out of tune with present day realities and who missed out on a player who probably had more to offer them in a backup role this season than they realized. That would mean risking being second guessed later though so safer to reach for the chequebook and sign someone with more name recognition to sit on their bench instead. That shows ambition or whatever.

The English premiership is such a bloated mess nowadays compared to what the old First Division used to be like back in the day:

 

There is no evidence that points to completely redoing a roster after promoting, spending massively, being better than redoing a part of the roster and spending judiciously. Because that is what we are talking about. 

My view is that any team that promotes out of a strong 2nd tier, like Championship, has to have quality that is close to the lower end of the EPL. Same would be said about scenarios in Spain, Germany.

I also think a coach who does not believe in the key guys who got him where they are should not be believed in by his club. Apart from it being a terrible message to the team's academy players.

A team in direct promotion is stronger, as it has been consistent over an entire season; a team getting through a promotion playoff maybe with less depth and just promoting due to a fortunate set of circumstances or a final push getting them past a playoff round. But still, there is a core that can handle the superior level.

But regardless: I accept that promoting 2nd tier roster will have to change a chunk. There are journeymen you don't feel can handle the higher level, some guys will get picked up by stronger top flight teams, you may feel you need better bench CBs, DMs; you can't have a big dropoff from starters to 2nd group in EPL or La Liga, that will kill you. Older guys who you have to say thanks to and bye.

So I am not being sentimental, but maybe a bit ethical: if you can't take your winning core and turn them into higher tier players there is something wrong. Many have already played in higher tier, they are not all going to be novices. You also have guys who know the locker room, you trust as a coach and club, who will stay with you on relatively lower salaries. You have captains ffs, are you just going to chuck them out?

I look at Girona, who came 6th and promoted through the playoffs to top flight. They've had a few Liga seasons previously. Half the starting core in La Liga, or say 5-7, are from the 2nd tier group.  They have promoted two kids from the 2nd team, gotten 4 guys on loan from City Group, two who were with them previously, they bought one player from Real Madrid. Another loan of a talented kid from Atlético, Riquelme. 8 new signings in total, on purchase at 4 million euros, short roster over all.

They know that certain players, like the Uruguayan Stuani, are capable, even if older (he scored 22 goals last year). They picked up that guy Castellanos from NYCFC (same group, Man City group). Samu Sáiz was always said to have a bad relationship with the coach, but he has a strong character, he gives you grit and edge. They are committed to the city and the fans and the team, and that will serve you well in the new endeavour. 

And if it is not going well, same with Forest, then fix things in January. 

[GasPed]

1 hour ago, InglewoodJack said:

I have just found out that forest have also purchased myself too, to go serve on their message boards. £2.5M fee too. They approached me, said they had a bit of cash to throw around 

I imagine though that once the board admin finds out you're from Canada, you'll be assigned password resets, told you can only post in the My Favourite Animal forum, and shut out of team activities.  Then you'll be told you lack quality and they'll gladly pay your wages if you just come back here.  I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying that if on your first day you're approached by a balding gap-toothed Welshman with a hint of arrogance and liquor on his breath, remember this post.

[InglewoodJack]

15 hours ago, GasPed said:

I imagine though that once the board admin finds out you're from Canada, you'll be assigned password resets, told you can only post in the My Favourite Animal forum, and shut out of team activities.  Then you'll be told you lack quality and they'll gladly pay your wages if you just come back here.  I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying that if on your first day you're approached by a balding gap-toothed Welshman with a hint of arrogance and liquor on his breath, remember this post.

They just loaned me to a 7th division message board hosted on geocities

[Sal333]

18 hours ago, shorty said:

God Steve Cooper is an unattractive man....

Haven't you heard? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[RJB]

I'm really disappointed with how Laryea was treated at Forest, but I'm also really put off by their abundance of signings. 

Should I root for them for Laryea's sake, it can I root against them?  I'm torn!

[CanadaFan123]

2 hours ago, RJB said:

I'm really disappointed with how Laryea was treated at Forest, but I'm also really put off by their abundance of signings. 

Should I root for them for Laryea's sake, it can I root against them?  I'm torn!

Them succeeding will do Laryea no good. If he’s to play for the club it will have to be post relegation or if they fire Cooper and recall him in January. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Even the Spanish press is half mocking, half questioning, the NF spendfest. 

They'll still be behind Brentford and B&H, who should be more modest rivals. 

[MauditYvon]

Brentford has one of the best scouting department, worldwide.

[Unnamed Trialist]

49 minutes ago, MauditYvon said:

Brentford has one of the best scouting department, worldwide.

Link an article if you can find one. I like hearing about these cases.

The best scouting in Spain is from Monchi at Sevilla. Real Sociedad is very good, as is Villareal. But Monchi, Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, has been the best TD/scout in Spain and one of the world's best for over 20 years. Equally impressive, he started just when his playing career ended, in his early 30s.

[rkomar]

There's no point in scouting for diamonds in the rough if the manager's position is that they can't possibly be good enough to play in the league.