Albanians abroad

[RedFootballs]

Been very good from 'open play'

You know that's not true.

If you were to watch match highlights of him (like the Muci video above) it would be mainly Manaj losing the ball nearly all the time. Sofascore confirms his performances.

His goals and especially game don't translate to higher levels. Even Cikalleshi doesn't lose the ball so easily.

Depends... what do you mean open play... does that discount all the goals scored?

If so, then I would say yes you're right, he is not very good from open play, if we discount all goals scored.

But as a striker the goals count and he is scoring many of them. If he were to stop scoring he would become a problem.

Sofascore doesnt 'confirm' his bad performances, he has the highest avg sofascore rating in his team and one of the highest averages in the league amongst all players. Notably, there is a 8.0 against Besiktas, 9.0 against Trabzonspor and a 7.6 against Fenerbahce, the three top teams in the league (he could not play Gala due to suspension). I know you have said many times that the top teams are the only relevant ones so there you go... sofascore thinks he did very well against them.

His level has decreased in games recently as he is getting more greedy and not passing to his teammates, but it is an issue he can solve if he wills it. The performance against Trabzonspor especially was amazing in all aspects.

I consider that he'll succeed at a good club later. He didnt develop his game properly and made stupid moves like going to Barca B/Barca or going to Italian relegation clubs and he needed to prove and develop himself at a lower step (now in Turkey?) Its easier to succeed at a good club when they trust and bet on you compared to going to an Italian relegation club as a backup and having to earn a spot. I can see him establishing himself in midtable top5 or alternatively in a top Turkish club if he continues to improve and develop his game, again, he must address his greediness which doesn't suit his game as a player and one of his biggest flaws. This will be the barrier to him playing at a top level because a player like him should really be hustling and letting his teammates hog the ball, but it can be fixed.

[artan]

There are definitely some "fat" to trim from the roster like Cikaleshi, Seferi, veseli, etc. Guys like Cikaleshi or Seferi will not be able to cope against Spain and any pundit or fan who believes they can is straight out delusional. Especially Cikaleshi who is a Superliga quality striker. A guy like Asani deserves a spot and probably starting. You just don't score goals like that in the campaign and not get a chance to prove yourself in the Euros.

Daku seems mediocre but he has the size and physicality to give some issues. It will be a touch choice for the manager to either field a team of technical quality (Broja, etc) or a team of physical goons who works hard (Daku, etc)

[RedFootballs]

There are definitely some "fat" to trim from the roster like Cikaleshi, Seferi, veseli, etc. Guys like Cikaleshi or Seferi will not be able to cope against Spain and any pundit or fan who believes they can is straight out delusional. Especially Cikaleshi who is a Superliga quality striker. A guy like Asani deserves a spot and probably starting. You just don't score goals like that in the campaign and not get a chance to prove yourself in the Euros.

Daku seems mediocre but he has the size and physicality to give some issues. It will be a touch choice for the manager to either field a team of technical quality (Broja, etc) or a team of physical goons who works hard (Daku, etc)

Cika and Seferi wont be playing against Spain. Maybe Seferi will, maybe. But the truth is to score on those teams you need some individual aspects and those two are players who can only play if their teammates work for them.

For me it doesn't matter who Asani plays for or what he does at club level because clearly he adds characteristics to our team that make a difference. His left foot is great, he can dribble decently and he has an amazing long shot which is more than Cika will ever add to the team. In particular when you play off the counter players with these individual aspects become very important, we are hardly going to keep much possession so his flaws as a player will not be too important.

[Dallku]

If so, then I would say yes you're right, he is not very good from open play, if we discount all goals scored.

But as a striker the goals count and he is scoring many of them. If he were to stop scoring he would become a problem.

You just described why he plays for Sivaspor and failed everywhere else.

Same with Vrioni, Kapllani, Salihi, etc. Overall game matters way more than situational goals.

Vrioni had the same amount of league goals as Karim Adeyemi that one year but guess how both ended up and why?

[RedFootballs]

If so, then I would say yes you're right, he is not very good from open play, if we discount all goals scored.

But as a striker the goals count and he is scoring many of them. If he were to stop scoring he would become a problem.

You just described why he plays for Sivaspor and failed everywhere else.

Same with Vrioni, Kapllani, Salihi, etc. Overall game matters way more than situational goals.

Vrioni had the same amount of league goals as Karim Adeyemi that one year but guess how both ended up and why?

Adeyemi is also doing poorly at Dortmund. He ended up there because he's much younger and has speed so got hyped.

The problem there for both of them is that the Austrian league is very weak and definitely weaker than Turkey. Their top scorers every year are nobodies who do poorly elsewhere. Even the MLS is a big jump, in spite of not being a top league, its a heavily funded league with a very high physical level amongst the teams and their domestic talent is getting a lot better. Austrian league became somewhat credible in mainstream eyes due to Salzburg and Mane/Haaland but in reality its comparable to like League 1 or 2 England.

However the Turkish league does have a lot of good players and some history of successful transfers from there to top leagues. Especially playing for Sivasspor, you say it as if its a bad thing but their team isn't very good and they don't create many chances, so scoring a lot of goals there is much harder than in Fenerbahce or Galatasaray where they walk over all teams in the league and create 5 or 6 chances for their striker per match. Manaj is on the same number of goals as Icardi...

Lets see if I'm wrong about this but I think as long as Manaj isnt greedy with the ball like he is now when it comes to playing at the top level again and starts passing and moving I think he will secure a place in a good club. What you said applies if his goals dont translate but I believe they can as he has recorded high amounts of xG everywhere, his finishing has just been below par, that's the difference between him then and now is the finishing seems much better.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Idk how long we can keep ignoring Manaj tbh. He's on par with Icardi with goals atm. A guy who played for PSG and Inter and was a lethal finisher.

Even if what Dallku says is true, if he can bang in those goals against top tier opposition (if), it's worth it.

[Princ]

Elvis Rexhbecaj may be joining Kosovo, who just hired Franco Foda as head coach. 57 year old Foda coached Austria from 2018-22, and famously won EURO 2020 when Arnautovic put it past Donnarumma at Wembley!

Better late than never for Elvis. Big addition if true!

[Plako]

Idk how long we can keep ignoring Manaj tbh. He's on par with Icardi with goals atm. A guy who played for PSG and Inter and was a lethal finisher.

Even if what Dallku says is true, if he can bang in those goals against top tier opposition (if), it's worth it.

Yeah I don't understand why we keep dissecting Manaj's game as if we were loaded up at striker position. All of our strikers, bar Manaj are struggling right now. We can't afford to drop a strike who's in form.

[Dallku]

We can't afford to drop a strike who's in form.

Bekim Balaj has 12 goals this season. Call him up too because he's in form right?

[RedFootballs]

We can't afford to drop a strike who's in form.

Bekim Balaj has 12 goals this season. Call him up too because he's in form right?

You're just arguing against points that aren't made, it must already be obvious to you that Turkey is a respectable league and Superiore isnt and that would be the first reply given to you.

When he says "in form" hes obviously noting the fact its in a decent league and I dont think anybody values the form of Balaj with Vllaznia.