Joao Carvalho

[ozzyten10]

I do believe He will come good. The villa game was his best by a mile. Lolley and grabban got the plaudits that night but he conducted the game and ripped them apart at times. However, he was also a reason that crazy night we conceded too - he went MIA for two spells of about 15 minutes each. I’ve seen enough but he doesn’t quite fit O’Neill’s system at the moment which I feel is much like how united played last night!

[Duncan Mckenzie]

Gentlemen ENOUGH.

This forum will NOT become like other forums.

There is a PM system which can be used for disagreements, NOT on the main forum.

[Frochy1977]

Gentlemen ENOUGH.

This forum will NOT become like other forums.

There is a PM system which can be used for disagreements, NOT on the main forum.

Let me at em Dunc  :@

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Gentlemen ENOUGH.

This forum will NOT become like other forums.

There is a PM system which can be used for disagreements, NOT on the main forum.

Let me at em Dunc  :@

This would make a good poll  :)

[Strawberry Avenger]

I'm not saying that makes him worse than those players, or that he can't develop to outshine them all, but it shows that in almost every aspect of his game there needs to be improvement.

I'd like him to make it, but you have to accept the clock is ticking, surely?

You have an asset that will depreciate over time, unless his potential is realised to a certain degree over the same period of time.

We have taken 5 players from Benfica, in recent times, Diogo Gonçalves, João Carvalho, Hildeberto Pereira, João Teixeira & Nélson Oliveira.

Aside from the more senior & experienced Nélson Oliveira none of the other 4 have shown themselves developed & ready enough for the championship, upon arrival.

Hildeberto Pereira still isn't nailed down in one particular position, people are still trying to work out what he is & I'd argue the same for João Carvalho, I'm not fully convinced #10 is his position.

We obviously like shopping at Benfica, but it's clear Benfica develop players in a very different way from ours & that a lot of their players stay longer in development & so are less battle ready until a much later age.

For all the good it's done 'us.'  It's shame we didn't reach for Nelson during the last window.  He might have been the kind of forward to get more out of Car'.

Martin has shown a more discerning eye for a player who is robust, has quality and it up for the rigorous demands of the Championship.

SA.

[Alf]

He's not played well in months, he sealed the loss at Stoke, and without Grabban in the side he's got 2 assists. If Osborn got dropped folk wouldn't bat an eyelid, yet he's 1 goal & 1 assist behind Carvalho from more defensive positions.

Personally I don't care either way if Carvalho plays or not, as it's been a long time since he was winning games for us. If he comes good great, but the clamour from him by some section of the fans is just funny.

[wassy04]

The problem for carvalho is that he is being judged on his price tag and not his actual ability. Spending £13m on an investment signing was obviously weird transfer policy given our bang average squad but that aside we shouldn’t take this out on the player.

As mentioned above by NG3 if he’d come from the academy he’d be rooting for him much more. Whilst understandable, now he is out player we need to look at him like this. He does need to take a big step next season and is unlikely to get much game time now this season but I think we can’t judge him properly until end of next season.

He did briefly look good against stoke when he came on too...

[zicorice]

You take the rough with the smooth with young players. (Happy birthday Carva-we are meant to give presents to you, but thanks anyway for today's treat).

Last week cost us a goal (but probably not any points) today has put us in front and provided the magic we had been missing. Hopefully, Carvalhos goal will pick his confidence up and we will see some more of the best of him. He can definitely be a game changer for us.
1 goal and 1 assist I think today and in not very many minutes. 
The run out for the U23s has obviously had the desired effect. Well done to MON great management and substitutions. Please let us follow up in midweek. We know better than most, one swallow doesn't make a summer, individually and collectively.

As an aside, IF MON can get Carvalho to produce like this more consistently (7 or 8 more this season would be a great place to start) I suspect the price tag will not seem so exorbitant. Truthfully, he was a class apart today  long may it continue.

[Alf]

The problem for carvalho is that he is being judged on his price tag and not his actual ability.

That's football & why I say he's a "victim" of his price tag.

£13m is £13m & it can't be ignored

Had he come through the academy, or cost 20p or £2m his whole world would be different, but it is what it is, £13m is tied up in him, so it's what he'll be judged against.

Exactly.

Chuffed to bits for him & us today, but at 13m he should be doing the same week in, week out.

Is that a lot of pressure for a 21 y/o? Yep. But that expectancy comes with the price tag.

[JWJW]

When it comes to price tags...…..look at Brereton...….

8 million pounds and has not even scored a goal, some would say we had Blackburn's pants down and others screamed we should have sold him for 15m. But in reality, if BB is worth 8m then for sure Carv is worth 13m. There is a price for raw potential, its a gamble but if you make it work, you reap the rewards.

[Redgirl]

Maybe he is MONs secret weapon, very pleased for him he certainly needed that touch of magic and so did we!

[TheGreenMan]

That’s why he must at least feature in every game because he can conjure something up like that!

Yep we probably did play over the odds for him, but it not our money so we don’t need to worry about that and he’s certainly one of the most talented players in this division.

Absolutely delighted for the lad and on his birthday aswell!!