2018/19 Season Report Card - Joe Gomez

[tlw content]

Difficult one this because the injury disrupted Joe's season and he only featured sporadically after his return (usually at right back) so he was never able to get back into any kind of groove. It would be unfair to judge him based on that though so instead I’m rating him based on his form pre-injury, which was sensational. 

 

His partnership with Big Virg (with Alisson behind them) was almost impregnable and it felt like we only conceded about three goals in the first three months. I know that’s not the case, it’s just how it felt to me. They never even really got to play with Fabinho shielding them either. Joel Matip was brilliant in the second half of the season, but the prospect of Gomez again linking up with Van Dijk, and with Fabinho destroying souls in front of them... well it’s mouth watering.

 

Going into the season I didn’t expect that level of performance from Gomez. I know some probably did, as there have been calls for him to be given a run at centre back for a while. Not from me though. I'll freely admit that I’d have kept Ragnar Klavan (don't really have much of a choice seeing as I wrote it at the time!) as I felt like we were leaving ourselves a little short with just the four centre halves, especially as three of them have a history of missing a lot of games.

 

As it turned out, I was half right as we did end up in a situation where Van Dijk was our only fit centre back and we had to use Fabinho there. That being said, Fabinho was brilliant when we had to cover there, so allowing Ragnar to go was the right call, especially as it gave Gomez his opportunity.

 

 

I’ve always felt that Gomez looks like someone who could go on to be a superstar, but I didn't see it happening this season. You could see it though. Some players just stand out from the rest, and he did. He just looks smooth. He’s quick, strong, good on the ball and right from the very first game he played (at left back) you could see he had that something about him that great players have.

 

Would I have put as much faith in him this season as Jurgen did? Nope. Two reasons for that. Firstly, the injuries. He’s missed so many games it was difficult to know if he was the same player he was before. Not only that, even if he was the same player he was before, he basically missed two whole seasons of development and gaining experience. So even though he was only 20 going into the season, he was an inexperienced 20 playing a position where experience is one of the main requirements to being successful.

 

 

This is just a teaser, click to view the full article

 

Please note, 'Season Report Cards' are only be available to TLW subscribers. Subscriptions are just £2 per month and can be purchased here.

[deiseach]

You're going to make everyone wait for the Big Virg report card, you fucking tease you.

[Pureblood]

38 minutes ago, deiseach said:

You're going to make everyone wait for the Big Virg report card, you fucking tease you.

Definite trolling going on.  Does all the midfielders, then goes back to defenders.  

 

We'll have seven European Cups before he gets round to Hendo.

[s(k)aturation]

43 minutes ago, deiseach said:

You're going to make everyone wait for the Big Virg report card, you fucking tease you.

 

A boring 10.

[Anubis]

Don’t agree about the Burnley challenge. It was a shithouse challenge given the dangerous conditions.

[Mark M]

I was at Arsenal away a couple of years back when he played left back and thought straight away he was quality he has fantastic composure for a player so young.

Matip has been really good for the last few months of the season but I'd like to see us go again with Virgil and Gomez for next season.  

[dave u]

3 hours ago, Anubis said:

Don’t agree about the Burnley challenge. It was a shithouse challenge given the dangerous conditions.

State of this.

 

These Sky generation fans eh?

[aws]

We had the three best central defenders in the league last season.  Plus one of the best in the world. 

[Tj hooker]

100% agree with that if he can stay injury free he's going to be sensational one of his best moments was away at Chelsea when he out paced Van Dijk which is no mean feat at all .

[dave u]

5 hours ago, aws said:

We had the three best central defenders in the league last season.  Plus one of the best in the world. 

I see what you did there.

[The Midnight Rambler]

If Harry Maguire is worth 80m then this kid is worth 120m + 

 

and you can shove your De Ligt up yer arse too.