Cyle Larin

[Corazon]

For a team that probably would have loved to push this to penalties.  That wasn’t good enough by Mallorca.  Still have to proud of this Copa run though.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Mallorca host Real Madrid tomorrow Saturday at 6.30 local time.

After Abdon sat out the entire Cup, which upset some fans, and Muriqi played 120 minutes, we could see Cyle and Abdón. Or else just Abdón, or some mix of possibilities. While it would make sense to play one striker vs. Madrid, I think Aguirre has seen the team actually plays better, including defensively, with two.

[Unnamed Trialist]

He was subbed in with about 6-7 minutes to go yesterday, played left wing, far from Abdón and Muriqi up high. Did not get a chance to do much vs. a Madrid who were there for the taking if Mallorca had been able to make a half-decent push, ended 0-1.

That was clearly a message from the coach, as Muriqi, who played 120 in the cup and penalties, last weekend, played 90 again this fixture. 

They next play Sevilla away on Monday the 22nd.

[Unnamed Trialist]

 

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

They play away to Sevilla this evening, think it's 8:30 local time. 

His two league goals is quite a bad season, after last year, although his fellow strikers have not done that much better. I suppose if they stay away from relegation they won't mind terribly, but Mallorca could be rethinking their signing. His only way to redeem himself is to get 2-3, maybe a key winner, to the end of the season.

One scenario I've been musing about: Valladolid is charging up the table in a very tight 2nd division, two points off the lead with 6 games to go; if they promote, being loaned back could be an option he'd accept. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

He's on the bench vs Sevilla, as they start Muriqi up top with Radonjic, who's a fast attacking wing they got on loan from Serie A.

Trying things, and clearly sending messages to Larin. Though really, Muriqi has been poor as well this year. To be fair, a lot of signings have not worked great this year (Darder) and overall, Mallorca is above relegation because of a strong collective effort.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Subs on m. 60, almost immediately Sevilla break the deadlock with En Nesyri for a header. Cyle hasn't even touched it yet.

[Unnamed Trialist]

They lost 2-1, as Abdón scored with a couple minutes of stoppage left.

Cyle was offside on a lot of plays mostly because his teammates are experts at dicking around. So slow to make the passes, no urgency, and dull thinking; they had a chance for a final play and let it die at their feet instead of sending it into the box. The worst of mannered, overthought Spanish football. 

[InglewoodJack]

For the second year in a row, Larin is second in La Liga in times called offside (27 this year, 29 last season, both after ~16 90s played). Granted, Muriqi is not far behind him this year, indicating the issue isn't all him, but one of his biggest flaws is how often he finds himself offside. In fact, he's ranked 5th in all top 5 leagues combined in times found offside this year.

[Obinna]

Just now, InglewoodJack said:

For the second year in a row, Larin is second in La Liga in times called offside (27 this year, 29 last season, both after ~16 90s played). Granted, Muriqi is not far behind him this year, indicating the issue isn't all him, but one of his biggest flaws is how often he finds himself offside. In fact, he's ranked 5th in all top 5 leagues combined in times found offside this year.

Interesting stat, although I don't see it as a flaw necessarily, or a defect. 

[InglewoodJack]

7 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Interesting stat, although I don't see it as a flaw necessarily, or a defect. 

How so? I think offside stats during one game or a string of games isn’t all that relevant, but a trend over several seasons does paint a picture of a player whose positioning often kills scoring chances. Having watched quite a bit of him at RV and Mallorca, you’re guaranteed one or two beautiful Larin runs that get called down because he was out of position.

[costarg]

So, considering Valladolid is looking like they might get back into La Liga next year.  Anyone think he shoulda stuck with them in La Liga 2?  It was a really great fit style wise.

[Obinna]

2 hours ago, costarg said:

So, considering Valladolid is looking like they might get back into La Liga next year.  Anyone think he shoulda stuck with them in La Liga 2?  It was a really great fit style wise.

I made the argument it could have been 1 step back, 2 steps forward. 

[Shway]

3 hours ago, Obinna said:

Interesting stat, although I don't see it as a flaw necessarily, or a defect. 

Definitely is a flaw. Means he isn't timing his runs right. Where with Canada, he actually likes to collect short rather than in behind.

[Obinna]

15 minutes ago, Shway said:

Definitely is a flaw. Means he isn't timing his runs right. Where with Canada, he actually likes to collect short rather than in behind.

It could just be that he's attempting a lot of those kind of runs. And the fact that Muriqi is not far behind suggests it could be how the team play and what they want from their strikers.

Moreover, the fact he was the same at Valladolid but scored 8 in 19 (or whatever it was) makes it hard to use the word "flaw", though I get what you are saying. If he's consistently being offside but scoring tons of goals you kinda take that, IMO.

[Unnamed Trialist]

14 hours ago, costarg said:

So, considering Valladolid is looking like they might get back into La Liga next year.  Anyone think he shoulda stuck with them in La Liga 2?  It was a really great fit style wise.

A few posts above I suggested if they promote it could be a loan option, just a few days ago.

[Unnamed Trialist]

11 hours ago, Obinna said:

It could just be that he's attempting a lot of those kind of runs. And the fact that Muriqi is not far behind suggests it could be how the team play and what they want from their strikers.

Moreover, the fact he was the same at Valladolid but scored 8 in 19 (or whatever it was) makes it hard to use the word "flaw", though I get what you are saying. If he's consistently being offside but scoring tons of goals you kinda take that, IMO.

At Valladolid, they swung in the crosses and he found them in all kinds of places. They also put the ball over the top and let him run on. He was mostly alone up top, and scored. In fact, when Darwin Machis who was a good crosser went down injured, his goal scoring went dry last spring.

If you look at the other day, they were chasing the game from the minute he came on, no fault of his, and he's asking for a ball and expecting it. But the mids always had an excuse to wipe their dicks on the ball to check the temperature before moving it. Then they score m. 92, have four more left, and they discovered it made for perfect alternate toilet paper. Especially Darder, who is a precise passer, but dicks around or butts around or whatever sort of toilet trope is à la mode these days. We have an expert at Barça like this, Frenkie de Jong, can never choose the first option, has to play curly cue.

I don't know, maybe it is having watched NFL, the pass goes before the move if the play is clear and the receiver appears free after it is in the air, not before. It's always bewildered me how few players are able to read this and execute it, even when they know they have the speed up high. And it is not so irrelevant, because back in early Feb Aguirre said they'd spoken about the Super Bowl--great coach, but how about encouraging the long passing game if you love that pointy ball?

Edited April 23 by Unnamed Trialist

[InglewoodJack]

42 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

At Valladolid, they swung in the crosses and he found them in all kinds of places. They also put the ball over the top and let him run on. He was mostly alone up top, and scored. In fact, when Darwin Machis who was a good crosser went down injured, his goal scoring went dry last spring.

Looking back at Larin tape from last year and seeing this, I think a good cross-sport comp for him would be Zach Hyman. Finished second or third in goals in the highest offense season in like 35 years, but about 95% of his goals were nearly identical- crash the net or parks himself near a post and McDavid feeds him a perfect pass right on the tape for an easy tap in. Like Hyman, when Larin isn't tied to a very strong playmaker, his faults are highlighted and he starts making a ton of mistakes.

 

 

[costarg]

14 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Looking back at Larin tape from last year and seeing this, I think a good cross-sport comp for him would be Zach Hyman. Finished second or third in goals in the highest offense season in like 35 years, but about 95% of his goals were nearly identical- crash the net or parks himself near a post and McDavid feeds him a perfect pass right on the tape for an easy tap in. Like Hyman, when Larin isn't tied to a very strong playmaker, his faults are highlighted and he starts making a ton of mistakes.

This was also Larins bread and butter while with Orlando.  He seemed to reinvent himself in Turkey and was doing a lot of different kind of work.  I wouldn't label him a one trick pony, he's shown he can adapt, but he seems to do better with a clear system and expectations.

[InglewoodJack]

18 minutes ago, costarg said:

This was also Larins bread and butter while with Orlando.  He seemed to reinvent himself in Turkey and was doing a lot of different kind of work.  I wouldn't label him a one trick pony, he's shown he can adapt, but he seems to do better with a clear system and expectations.

He’s not a one trick pony, I think that’s just the limitations of a striker of his quality Vs a truly world class player who can give you 15+ goals a year in a top league across several seasons. I think Victor Osimhen has similar offsides numbers to Larin, but he obviously has so much more in his toolbox and he can still go offsides twice a game and still score enough goals to be considered one of the very best on the planet. 
 

Funny enough, I’ve always thought that Larin could play the Choupo-Moting role- decent striker who can score in buckets at elite clubs with a world class roster. I think Bayern may have been better served at signing Larin over Kane last season and spending that €100M elsewhere. Their goals per game with ECM were identical to theirs with Lewy, and clearly acquiring the best striker in the world didn’t exactly make them better. 

[narduch]

On the bench v Cadiz

[Unnamed Trialist]

58 minutes ago, narduch said:

On the bench v Cadiz

Two league goals in 30 games is not a good calling card, it is fine for him to be given the wake-up calls. 

Mallorca, with a win, go a long way to ensuring they stay in top flight.

[dyslexic nam]

Looks like he isn’t getting on - or at least just garbage minutes.  I will write this off as tactical though - it t is more important to prevent Cadiz from getting 3 points than it is to try and get a win and risk gifting them 3 points.   Maybe…? 

[Unnamed Trialist]

4 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

Looks like he isn’t getting on - or at least just garbage minutes.  I will write this off as tactical though - it t is more important to prevent Cadiz from getting 3 points than it is to try and get a win and risk gifting them 3 points.   Maybe…? 

A player needs to respond to the demands of his team. He's not scoring, even Abdón got one in a losing cause last week, Muriqi scored in a draw today. 

Was listening to commentators of the Villareal game today and they were saying Sorloth the Norwegian was publicly berated by the coach Marcelino early February because in 45 minutes he hadn't had a shot vs a low level team. For not shooting, not for not scoring. He was then benched a game. But since mid Feb, in 8 games he has 8 goals, one today with another called back by VAR. Probably a lot of people are saying "who?", he's second to Haaland on the national team, not famous, a veteran who's bounced around a lot, just puts his head down and responds to criticism by doing the job.

As I write m. 76 vs. Rayo he scored another, 9 in 8 games since a public reprimand.