Dušan Vlahović

[Bloodbather]

The analytics community do not seem to be convinced by him.

You watch the lad play and you get what the hype is all about. It's not just the skills, it's the personality, the charisma and the enthusiasm. He looks dominant and plays a dominant brand of football. Reminds me of Haaland a bit in that sense.

 

[The_Playmaker]

You watch the lad play and you get what the hype is all about. It's not just the skills, it's the personality, the charisma and the enthusiasm. He looks dominant and plays a dominant brand of football. Reminds me of Haaland a bit in that sense.

Is Dusan Vlahovic worth €80m to Arsenal?

Hey Arsenal. It's us. Yeah, that's right, we're the folks who warned you about overpaying for Nicola...

smarterscout.com

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Wow the analytical community warned us about Pepe also. But the statistical perverts(not experts... ffs) on AM fancy him?

 

[Bloodbather]

Is Dusan Vlahovic worth €80m to Arsenal?

Hey Arsenal. It's us. Yeah, that's right, we're the folks who warned you about overpaying for Nicola...

smarterscout.com

I appreciate well-informed analysis, so that was a good read.

As anyone who is interested in analytics would tell you, though, context matters. Fiorentina don't exactly have an abundance of creative prowess in the team. Indeed, their attack is pretty much based entirely on Vlahovic hunting for goals around the box.

What Vlahovic's data suggests is that he's not much of a link-up man or a creator, but an excellent finisher who gets himself into scoring opportunities. That's not news to anyone who has watched him play. His abilities and personality are top notch, however, and he has a lot of room to grow. That's why I wouldn't be hesitant about paying a hefty fee for him.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Wow the analytical community warned us about Pepe also. But the statistical perverts(not experts... ffs) on AM fancy him?

The analytics community also said Naby Keita would be a hit for Liverpool. Analytics is just a tool and not gospel. You need to look at the context of the statistics.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

The analytics community also said Naby Keita would be a hit for Liverpool. Analytics is just a tool and not gospel. You need to look at the context of the statistics.

Please don't mind me mate! I only watch football to get my brain down on the lowest level of efficiency! Got to rest the machinery once in a while!

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I just don't see him signing for us in our current state.

 

[The_Playmaker]

I appreciate well-informed analysis, so that was a good read.

As anyone who is interested in analytics would tell you, though, context matters. Fiorentina don't exactly have an abundance of creative prowess in the team. Indeed, their attack is pretty much based entirely on Vlahovic hunting for goals around the box.

What Vlahovic's data suggests is that he's not much of a link-up man or a creator, but an excellent finisher who gets himself into scoring opportunities. That's not news to anyone who has watched him play. His abilities and personality are top notch, however, and he has a lot of room to grow. That's why I wouldn't be hesitant about paying a hefty fee for him.

Well XG wise Auba doesn't really get more chances than Vlahovic. However, I think Vlahovic has attributes that would see him have higher XG at Arsenal. Mainly his physicality and aerial prowess.

I'd go for him based on his durability, finishing and physicality. I like Isak, but he is fragile. There isn't really anyone else. David is on form, but he loses the ball a lot when it's played into him. He looks much slower than he was in Belgium. Looks a bit heavy too. He is too similar to Lacazette for my liking.

 

[Barry]

Is Dusan Vlahovic worth €80m to Arsenal?

Hey Arsenal. It's us. Yeah, that's right, we're the folks who warned you about overpaying for Nicola...

smarterscout.com

That's a good read, pretty much supports my concerns about Vlahovic. The counter argument with him always seems to be looking at his overall contribution for Fiorentina so it would be good to see how many chances he is getting compared to our current options.

The thing is though that - unobtainable Haaland aside - there are few if any risk free striker options out there. Gouiri, Isak, Toney, Vlahovic, DCL etc... They've all got some gamble going on. I can see the appeal with Vlahovic, he's got something about him that suggest's that he could be really special if he keeps developing. £70m though...

 

[dashsnow17]

That's a good read, pretty much supports my concerns about Vlahovic. The counter argument with him always seems to be looking at his overall contribution for Fiorentina so it would be good to see how many chances he is getting compared to our current options.

The thing is though that - unobtainable Haaland aside - there are few if any risk free striker options out there. Gouiri, Isak, Toney, Vlahovic, DCL etc... They've all got some gamble going on. I can see the appeal with Vlahovic, he's got something about him that suggest's that he could be really special if he keeps developing. £70m though...

Agree, saying Vlahovic is running hot and is overpriced is slightly pointless cos every young striker out there is way overpriced, Haaland has warped the gravity of everyone around him.

Analytics community loves Isak, and he’s cool, but he could just as easily flop in the PL, some PL centre-halves would eat him for breakfast.

I think about when Martinelli put Laca through on goal yesterday and he ended up trying to square it. All I really want in a striker is someone who’s quick enough not to be caught in that situation, strong enough to hold off the defender, and brave enough to take the shot on.

If they have the talent to put it away most times then that’s a bonus. But right now we don’t even have a striker who can run and shoot with confidence. Vlahovic would have taken the shot yesterday.

 

[samshere]

Agree, saying Vlahovic is running hot and is overpriced is slightly pointless cos every young striker out there is way overpriced, Haaland has warped the gravity of everyone around him.

Analytics community loves Isak, and he’s cool, but he could just as easily flop in the PL, some PL centre-halves would eat him for breakfast.

I think about when Martinelli put Laca through on goal yesterday and he ended up trying to square it. All I really want in a striker is someone who’s quick enough not to be caught in that situation, strong enough to hold off the defender, and brave enough to take the shot on.

If they have the talent to put it away most times then that’s a bonus. But right now we don’t even have a striker who can run and shoot with confidence. Vlahovic would have taken the shot yesterday.

That was weird from Laca, would have expected him to take that shot 9 times out of 10. He's never been one to shy off shooting at the goal. And his confidence would've already been high having put one in earlier.

 

[Barry]

Agree, saying Vlahovic is running hot and is overpriced is slightly pointless cos every young striker out there is way overpriced, Haaland has warped the gravity of everyone around him.

Analytics community loves Isak, and he’s cool, but he could just as easily flop in the PL, some PL centre-halves would eat him for breakfast.

Isak was having an average season when I last checked as well. I totally agree with you here - they all seem like over priced options at the moment. I'm not convinced that spending £70m on Vlahovic is a good investment - that's the sort of money we should be spending on proven PL top talent really... But then we also badly need a goal scorer.

Vlahovic wouldn't be my absolute top pick, but he's got the tools to be amazing if it comes together. Whoever they go for, there's going to be a massive amount riding on our next striker signing.

 

[Sebastes]

I appreciate well-informed analysis, so that was a good read.

As anyone who is interested in analytics would tell you, though, context matters. Fiorentina don't exactly have an abundance of creative prowess in the team. Indeed, their attack is pretty much based entirely on Vlahovic hunting for goals around the box.

What Vlahovic's data suggests is that he's not much of a link-up man or a creator, but an excellent finisher who gets himself into scoring opportunities. That's not news to anyone who has watched him play. His abilities and personality are top notch, however, and he has a lot of room to grow. That's why I wouldn't be hesitant about paying a hefty fee for him.

Context does indeed matter and a key matter the article highlights is that 1) Auba and Laca link up play more than Vlahovic does this season and 2) Vlahovic is performing far worse this season when actually being asked to link up play more than before.

I’ve been questioning his touch and link up skill before and I think the above is as big of a red flag you can get if we look at the fee quoted.

 

[dashsnow17]

That was weird from Laca, would have expected him to take that shot 9 times out of 10. He's never been one to shy off shooting at the goal. And his confidence would've already been high having put one in earlier.

I think it was pretty standard from Laca, for all his qualities running through on goal with the ball at his feet isn’t one of them, I’d actually say he’s the worst striker I can remember at that.

 

[Bloodbather]

Context does indeed matter and a key matter the article highlights is that 1) Auba and Laca link up play more than Vlahovic does this season and 2) Vlahovic is performing far worse this season when actually being asked to link up play more than before.

I’ve been questioning his touch and link up skill before and I think the above is as big of a red flag you can get if we look at the fee quoted.

I think the reason why I favor signing Vlahovic so heavily is because I think we really, really need someone who can bang in goals for fun and has the enthusiastic, dominant personality to carry our attack. Vlahovic is the only young striker not named Erling Haaland that has elite potential in that regard, so I'm more willing to overlook his lack of link-up play.

 

[Sebastes]

I think the reason why I favor signing Vlahovic so heavily is because I think we really, really need someone who can bang in goals for fun and has the enthusiastic, dominant personality to carry our attack. Vlahovic is the only young striker not named Erling Haaland that has elite potential in that regard, so I'm more willing to overlook his lack of link-up play.

I agree with the sentiment of having someone who can bang in goals and carry the attack. My argument is he wouldn’t be allowed to do so given what Arteta is asking of our forwards and how bad Vlahovic is at it. He’s also not as prolific of a scorer as everybody thinks. His goal tally has a far higher ratio of penalty goals than pretty much any other attacker we could go for and without penalties he’s on par with other options

 

[Dutch D]

I agree with the sentiment of having someone who can bang in goals and carry the attack. My argument is he wouldn’t be allowed to do so given what Arteta is asking of our forwards and how bad Vlahovic is at it. He’s also not as prolific of a scorer as everybody thinks. His goal tally has a far higher ratio of penalty goals than pretty much any other attacker we could go for and without penalties he’s on par with other options

I think I'm in your camp at the moment. His stats without penalties don't look that great, bit like Lacazette at Lyon in that regard. I do understand the excitement of a high scoring 21 y.o. striker with the confidence of Ibrahimovic, but the €80 pricetag seems too big of a risk to me.

 

[Rasmi]

I think I'm in your camp at the moment. His stats without penalties don't look that great, bit like Lacazette at Lyon in that regard. I do understand the excitement of a high scoring 21 y.o. striker with the confidence of Ibrahimovic, but the €80 pricetag seems too big of a risk to me.

Every stat that shows a great striker he is lacking in. His goal ratio is unsustainable. He has something like 58% conversion rate which he either is the greatest finisher ever or he is going through a crazy purple patch

 

[Sebastes]

Every stat that shows a great striker he is lacking in. His goal ratio is unsustainable. He has something like 58% conversion rate which he either is the greatest finisher ever or he is going through a crazy purple patch

This. Great finishers are ofc expected to outperform their npxG (non-penalty xG), but Vlahovic does so to a greater extent than Salah and Mbappe last two seasons, Kane and Messi previous two seasons (excl this one since they've both been out of form) and Auba in his first two high-scoring seasons here.

He could ofc be a better finishers than these guys, but...

The only two strikers I caan find that are performing better than Vlahovic in relation to their npxG are Lewandowski and Haaland.

Yeah, it's a no from me

 

[The_Playmaker]

Agree, saying Vlahovic is running hot and is overpriced is slightly pointless cos every young striker out there is way overpriced, Haaland has warped the gravity of everyone around him.

Analytics community loves Isak, and he’s cool, but he could just as easily flop in the PL, some PL centre-halves would eat him for breakfast.

I think about when Martinelli put Laca through on goal yesterday and he ended up trying to square it. All I really want in a striker is someone who’s quick enough not to be caught in that situation, strong enough to hold off the defender, and brave enough to take the shot on.

If they have the talent to put it away most times then that’s a bonus. But right now we don’t even have a striker who can run and shoot with confidence. Vlahovic would have taken the shot yesterday.

The thing is. I think it is a case of trusting the scouting.

Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Lokonga and Tavares. Relatively cheap signings that every scoffed at, yet seem to be solid purchases.

Do we go that route with a striker and central midfielder? Or do we try and make a statement and land one of the hottest young strikers on the market.

It's difficult. There are risks and under the radar signings we could make like Arthur Cabral. It's really hard when we are looking for a CF that has literally everything. Pace, power, finishing, aerial ability, movement and link up play.

The factors that we really need for me are strength, durability, aerial ability (not amazing but competent, but above all else, flawless technique and touch. I really want a striker who can bring in a 60 yard pass, body feint and make space to get us up the pitch. We need a magnet up front.

I don't like the idea of looking for the next brute even though I would take it. I want a more rounded, technical striker that has class in tight spaces or under pressure.

Scamacca looks interesting.