Ibrahima Konate

[Andresito]

They aren't selling more players than they're able to replace.

Of course they aren't lol, that's not what I meant either. Most of the talents choose to leave France to progress/achieve more elsewhere compared to staying there.

They qualified for the round of 16 for the first time since the 11/12 season. That is progression.

Progression on paper yes. A lot of teams have won the Champions League without being considered the best team in the world.

- Huh? Lyon is lead by Anthony Lopes(28), Nabil Fekir(25), Memphis Depay(24), and Marcelo(31). They have a lot of young players as well but I don't consider 22-23 year old players to be youngsters.

Not good enough to be considered a title contender in Ligue 1.

- They're as much a selling club as Dortmund, Napoli, or Tottenham(or most clubs in the world outside of Spain's big two, EPL's top four, or PSG and Bayern). They sell to the very best clubs in the world, but never to such an extent that they hurt their own ambitions, and they always demand a respectable fee.

- I wouldn't speak so soon. One or both could land in Pairs.

- Despite the leagues selling positionality there's still more talent in France than in Italy or Germany.


As I mentioned above, all but a handful of clubs are selling clubs. That includes top clubs like Atletico and Dortmund.

The discussion wasn't about Lyon compared to other teams. But rather the quality of the league.

So to summarize: I agree with you, Ligue 1 has a lot of promising talents, definitely one of the most in Europe.
But these talents don't want to stay in Ligue 1, hence the league not progressing at the rate it could progress. Instead, new talents come up and replace the ones that left and overall, the quality of the league stays the same.
Simply a development league.

 

[Porque]

- I'm referring to their European form. They're better built for success today than they were when they were being carried by Lacazette.

- Their qualifying is proof that Lyon has progressed from where they were a few seasons ago. At least in Europe.



Lyon has stronger finances than these clubs(they own their stadium, aren't in trouble with FFP, and don't have huge debts), on top of having a more talented team(imo). They also qualified for the round of 16 of the UCL, which only Roma was able to accomplish.



Youth competitions don't define the strength of a generation though, but growing into first team footballers. In that respect British academies have a long way to go.

We need a bigger sample size to say that. Lyon could very well sell Aouar and Ndombele this summer and be at their habitual re-building phase. They could even keep them, get a tougher group and not progress.

The City games were encouraging results but no more so than other teams who achieved good group stage results one year and returned to mediocrity another.

Strong finances is one thing, but it depends on the project. I Aulas can keep buying low and selling high then that may be the project going forward- but on Jetfuel with transfers out of Ligue1 sky rocketing. Arsenal have great finances but do not invest on the squad because it is not their business model to. Napoli on the otherhand has a strong sporting project meaning their sporting investments are bigger relative to income.

Lastly about the English academies. You can see the start of the trend with the amount of key English players across the Premier League clubs now. The EPL academies have little to envy compared to continental europe now.

Their youth category performances wont indicate making it at the top level, but it does show how their production has vastly improved.

 

[Leo_Messi]

Konaté just scored a marvelous goal against Fortuna Düsseldorf away showing great technical skill. Worthy of a top class striker.

So much for being the next Yerry Mina according to idiotic trolls like [MENTION=23569]VN10[/MENTION] who have never watched Konaté for even a second.

As talented as de Ligt is, Konaté is the better fit. Bossing it in a much superior league too for a top club like Leipzig. BEAST.

 

[Jombi]

Brilliant goal. We should definitely look in Bundesliga for central defenders.

 

[raki]

Physique, speed, build up, head game. He has it all. A beast. And way cheaper than others like De Ligt.

 

[Sorin]

Physique, speed, build up, head game. He has it all. A beast. And way cheaper than others like De Ligt.

Way cheaper? He'll cost 50+ for sure. Unless you think De Ligt will go for around 100m.

 

[raki]

Way cheaper? He'll cost 50+ for sure. Unless you think De Ligt will go for around 100m.

Nobody knows. For De Ligt we know it´s a ridiculous fee + ridiculous Raiola´s fees.

 

[Leo_Messi]

Not many CB's can do what this beast did the other night.

https://streamja.com/veVG



Suffice to say that he received the highest rating (8.4) by Whoscored once again as well.

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1...19-Fortuna-Duesseldorf-RasenBallsport-Leipzig

De Ligt is the inferior and much more hyped player IMO but I don't see a more talented CB out there than Konaté so that is not saying much and it is unfair on de Ligt. What is crazy about him is that he is lightening quick as well and a more of physical beast than de Ligt which is saying much.

Not only that he has been proving himself for 1.5 season in the Bundesliga (vastly superior league to the Eresdivisie) and for a top club like Leipzig as well. It is unfair to judge him based on him not being called up for the French national team given that they have an absolutely insane CB depth. However it is just a question of time before he receives his debut for France. If he was Dutch he would have been playing for the Netherlands already.

Has it all. Called it the second I saw him play and instantly jumped on the for now very small bandwagon.

 

[Xaviniesta]

damn this guy is 6'4 (pique's height) and he did that. impressive stuff

he looks fast too

guess i'm going to start watching him

 

[snowy]

and he made it look so easy too.

ok on this clip alone, I'm hoping on the bw as well. Let's sign the dude while he's still cheap. With Umtiti, Lenglet, Todibo & him, we'd be set for a good while on the CB deptm

 

[Respekt_III]

Leo you've connived me, sign him up
I'll try to keep an eye on him from now on as well.

 

[Leo_Messi]

damn this guy is 6'4 (pique's height) and he did that. impressive stuff

he looks fast too

guess i'm going to start watching him

and he made it look so easy too.

ok on this clip alone, I'm hoping on the bw as well. Let's sign the dude while he's still cheap. With Umtiti, Lenglet, Todibo & him, we'd be set for a good while on the CB deptm

Leo you've connived me, sign him up
I'll try to keep an eye on him from now on as well.

Welcome on board guys.

BTW [MENTION=21486]snowy[/MENTION] are you Ethiopian? Say hello to all the beautiful Habesha chicks from me.

 

[soul24rage]

Holy crap, if I didn't know anything about him and just watched that clip alone, I would have thought he was a midfielder. Impressive ball control and pace for a guy of his size and playing position. Will keep an eye for him.

 

[snowy]

Welcome on board guys.

BTW [MENTION=21486]snowy[/MENTION] are you Ethiopian? Say hello to all the beautiful Habesha chicks from me.

aw, yes indeed those striking habesha beauties can take you to cloud9 in hypersonic mode Just gotta make sure to pack a chute on the way down

gotta have escape artist skill levels though... my 3 kunama wives keep me on a tight watch + the warlord of the village cross the river placed a bounty on my scalp ever since I offered an apricot to his sister
during the last red supermoon ⚠️

 

[Alik]

aw, yes indeed those striking habesha beauties can take you to cloud9 in hypersonic mode Just gotta make sure to pack a chute on the way down

gotta have escape artist skill levels though... my 3 kunama wives keep me on a tight watch + the warlord of the village cross the river placed a bounty on my scalp ever since I offered an apricot to his sister
during the last red supermoon ⚠️

Just wanted to say you have the most "interesting" writing style out of all the members of the forum.