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Jonathan David


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Just now, dyslexic nam said:

This would be a crazy-positive outcome but I see no chance of it happening.  As much as we all root for David and really delve deep to find the reasons why the goals haven’t been coming, the reality is that he hasn’t been delivering and he hasn’t done his marketability any favours.  I just don’t see a top club coming in for him when by most metrics he really hasn’t performed well in France.  

I assure you, if Liverpool want him, the last four months will have no effect on their interest. They play the long game with their transfer targets and really do their homework on their targets. In fact, if they were interested in David from Gent, they'd look at the opportunity to buy him while wider interest in him has been somewhat depressed as a positive. 

Now, there are 2 big IFs in that last paragraph. We don't know if Liverpool were seriously looking at him. However, a Canadian Red can dream, can't he?

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3 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

I assure you, if Liverpool want him, the last four months will have no effect on their interest. They play the long game with their transfer targets and really do their homework on their targets. In fact, if they were interested in David from Gent, they'd look at the opportunity to buy him while wider interest in him has been somewhat depressed as a positive. 

Now, there are 2 big IFs in that last paragraph. We don't know if Liverpool were seriously looking at him. However, a Canadian Red can dream, can't he?

I get that, but I am still skeptical.  To most observers, France looks like it may have been a step too far for David.  The EPL would be yet another step up with less space and faster defenders.  
 

I hope someone can quote this down the road and we can laugh at how wrong I was.  

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32 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

I get that, but I am still skeptical.  To most observers, France looks like it may have been a step too far for David.  The EPL would be yet another step up with less space and faster defenders.  
 

I hope someone can quote this down the road and we can laugh at how wrong I was.  

I guess it depends on how much you buy into that narrative versus the prevailing narrative around here, which is that he is good enough, but is just not a great fit / not being used properly. I lean towards that story, but I also underestimated the defenders in Ligue 1, so I think it is a bit of both. Even the weakest teams have better than average defenders compared to Belgium.

If a bigger club in a better league were to scoop him up, he would be a project. There’d be less playing time, but less pressure as well. Hard to say if that would be better for him. 

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We were foolish to believe he would put the same numbers in France as Belgium from the get go. I think be has the talent to do so, but the transition clearly hasn't been as seamless as most of us here hoped for. I see it this way, a team like PSG (who lets not forget was just in a UCL final) well nets 3-4 goals on a team from Belgium today, even without all their stars, but they clearly can't do so against another Ligue 1 team. The gap in the level of defenders between both leagues is clear. 

Edited by LeoH037
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IF I were David now,

I would concentrate to try doing all the others things right if not  perfect except score. Let teammates and the coach see the difference between the time I was on and off the pitch.

It's not easy to improve my situation in a team that has been long used to having two talented ball hoggers doing things at will. However, the difference will appear when a dark time comes to this team......eventually.

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3 hours ago, Aird25 said:

Some of these comments make me think people are only watching the scoresheets and not the games. Baffling

David adapted to this level in my opinion, just need more frequent and better service while improving his touch and finishing. He's not over his head in France but Galtier can see what we all see, David in scoring position not getting service and the club playing better football when he's on the pitch.

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1 hour ago, Ansem said:

David adapted to this level in my opinion, just need more frequent and better service while improving his touch and finishing. He's not over his head in France but Galtier can see what we all see, David in scoring position not getting service and the club playing better football when he's on the pitch.

He’s not a scoring right now but Lille are still better with him on the pitch. Their record shows that. He was given clear instructions yesterday to press, stretch the defence and get in behind. In 30 minutes he nabbed the ball in and around the box twice creating half chances, and would have been clear through twice with better vision from his teammates. Lille were under pressure before the subs and he helped to turn the tide somewhat. Against PSG btw
 

I think people had unrealistic expectations due to his 2019 season and the success of Davies. He’s in a completely different role than at Gent but he’s adapted and he’s now become an important part of a very strong team. A few goals and his value will sky rocket.

Edited by Aird25
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44 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

I think people had unrealistic expectations due to his 2019 season and the success of Davies. He’s in a completely different role than at Gent but he’s adapted and he’s now become an important part of a very strong team. A few goals and his value will sky rocket.

I agree with most of that.  He makes the team better, something beyond moments of selfish brilliance. 

I will say though that neutral commentators (I think BT has missed maybe 2 or 3 of Lille's games so far this season) do mention his price tag and the lack of goals every game they cover.  His move was handled badly by his camp and he has suffered for it, in my opinion.  He has to finish some of the chances that have come his way. 

As frustrating as his team can be, Lille's coach has been very decent to David, keeping him on to get goals, starting him when other people might not have.  Deserves a bit of credit when David comes good, which I think he will.   

 

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And to be clear, I am not saying he has been playing poorly.  I just question the idea that one of the top teams in the world would swoop in at this particular time.  And for everyone saying that Galtier and others recognize his contribution, I am sure that is correct.  But it is also telling that in the biggest game of the Ligue 1 season so far, he started on the bench.  That sort of thing matters and shows that he hasn’t won everyone over quite yet.  

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10 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

And to be clear, I am not saying he has been playing poorly.  I just question the idea that one of the top teams in the world would swoop in at this particular time.  And for everyone saying that Galtier and others recognize his contribution, I am sure that is correct.  But it is also telling that in the biggest game of the Ligue 1 season so far, he started on the bench.  That sort of thing matters and shows that he hasn’t won everyone over quite yet.  

Yet, the team looked so much better in the last 30 minutes, after he came on.

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1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said:

 But it is also telling that in the biggest game of the Ligue 1 season so far, he started on the bench.  That sort of thing matters and shows that he hasn’t won everyone over quite yet.  

It seemed like a tactical decision to me, but also it would have been his 5th start in two weeks. 

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It's clear after watching several matches now that the team is better with him on the pitch. Most of his teammates want the glory of scoring so much that they are wiling to do it individually. David clearly is a team player and has modified his game a bit to be more of a CAM where he is holding up the ball, eluding defenders, drawing fouls and putting through balls into open space for the 4 or 5 guys that just want to score. Lille is actually very lucky to have him because he is one of the only players on the team that has the patience and the ability do do this through the middle of the park. 

Plenty of players have pace and the nose for scoring goals but can not bring the ball forward from halfway to the opposition's box. Something needs to give for the team to gel and not be 11 individuals trying to show their worth. They clearly needs some more unselfish players with more technical talent to be patience hold and look for the right opportunity instead of just tear-assing down the pitch and hope for the best.

Most of the players on this team remind me of a highschool team full of track athletes. I think David has had a standout year as he has shown that he is growing in his role, abilities and the mental maturity to not just do what everyone else is doing. He has found a void in the team and is relishing the opportunity.

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3 minutes ago, hodgkiss said:

For the record, I hope his value drops and Bayern swoop in to steal him away. He could learn a lot from Muller. And Muller appears to be a good teacher/mentor to some of the younger guys. I'm sure he will be moving aside within the next couple of years and would fit really well in his role.

Liverpool were interested in him. Would be a perfect understudy to Bobby firmino. 

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While I agree the defending is better in Ligue 1, thats not why David is not scoring. He should have at least 6 goals (vs 2) and probably more. He shanked 2 over the crossbar from close range, hit a post and missed a penalty. The David at Ghent would have put those away and we would be feeling a lot better notwithstanding  he is still not getting service from his teamates.  In all games, I can recall 2 good interceptions by defenders that probably negated a certain or a good opportunity at goal, but that's it. Its normal for fans to look for goals from their striker who set a Lille transfer record but David is playing well, running smart routes, creating space for his teamates, making good passes, holding the ball up well, pressing effectively and getting into goal scoring positions. The goals will come. He won the golden boot at GC 2019 (over a pretty good striker from Wolves), was the joint leading scorer in Belgium last season despite missing games due to the death of his mother. He has scored in Europa vs Roma.... Its not a coincidence.  Some players need a period of adjustment when they move leagues. He will get back his clinical finishing.  David's vision and soccer IQ is very high and as @hodgkisshas stated he is adapting his game. I think we will see the old David in the New Year. Did I mention he is only 20?

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1 hour ago, Kadenge said:

While I agree the defending is better in Ligue 1, thats not why David is not scoring. He should have at least 6 goals (vs 2) and probably more. He shanked 2 over the crossbar from close range, hit a post and missed a penalty. The David at Ghent would have put those away and we would be feeling a lot better notwithstanding  he is still not getting service from his teamates.  In all games, I can recall 2 good interceptions by defenders that probably negated a certain or a good opportunity at goal, but that's it. Its normal for fans to look for goals from their striker who set a Lille transfer record but David is playing well, running smart routes, creating space for his teamates, making good passes, holding the ball up well, pressing effectively and getting into goal scoring positions. The goals will come. He won the golden boot at GC 2019 (over a pretty good striker from Wolves), was the joint leading scorer in Belgium last season despite missing games due to the death of his mother. He has scored in Europa vs Roma.... Its not a coincidence.  Some players need a period of adjustment when they move leagues. He will get back his clinical finishing.  David's vision and soccer IQ is very high and as @hodgkisshas stated he is adapting his game. I think we will see the old David in the New Year. Did I mention he is only 20?

He also had a goal harshly taken away and ruled an OG fairly early on in the season. Getting that goal under his belt probably gives him a confidence boost and maybe we don't see as many glaring misses in subsequent games, and his Celtic nightmare likely doesn't happen.

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