Sarabia

[Perton Wolf]

I like how he works hard off the ball and his positional discipline is sound but he strikes me as yet another nothing player from the Mendes cartel who can look good on the eye occasionally while largely contributing absolutely nothing in terms of end product.

Do we need better or am I being a bit too harsh?

 

[CelebrityWolf]

Random suggestion but maybe just give him time? He has already shown he is good enough in his career.

 

[Perton Wolf]

Random suggestion but maybe just give him time? He has already shown he is good enough in his career.

Maybe, he's obviously got ability, just giving me big Trincao vibes at times.

 

[Matt]

I think he’s been really disappointing so far, to be honest. Although still early days for him, I suppose. I think he’s too slow to play out wide, he doesn’t get into enough goal scoring positions and his final ball has been poor too. Can’t fault his effort but at the minute he’s not really contributing anything.

He was bought in to create and score goals, and so far he’s not really done it. He’ll be 31 next month too.

 

[manchesterwolf17]

Hard not to be impatient given the stench of Trincao/Guedes still lingering, but I'd like to see him play as a number 10. I don't think he has the required pace and directness to be an effective winger in this league, but he does have ability.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Hard not to be impatient given the stench of Trincao/Guedes still lingering, but I'd like to see him play as a number 10. I don't think he has the required pace and directness to be an effective winger in this league, but he does have ability.

Conga is quite rightly the number 10

You could make a case for playing Cunha and Sarabia up front when costa gets subbed but the sub has to be for an attacker not moutinho

 

[manchesterwolf17]

Conga is quite rightly the number 10

You could make a case for playing Cunha and Sarabia up front when costa gets subbed but the sub has to be for an attacker not moutinho

Agreed

 

[dennison11]

Wasn't his transfer fee something like £5m? What were we expecting?

 

[SA Wolf]

Wasn't his transfer fee something like £5m? What were we expecting?

He has a good pedigree, playing at PSG, Real Madrid and Sevilla as well as 26 times for the national side. Personally, I was expecting a player.

 

[Wolf316]

Wasn't his transfer fee something like £5m? What were we expecting?

Moutinho cost £5m

 

[JadeWolf]

Maybe I’m wrong but I’ve been quietly impressed? Seems a very intelligent player, very positive on the ball. I think he’s a better version of Podence.

 

[MikeH68]

Maybe I’m wrong but I’ve been quietly impressed? Seems a very intelligent player, very positive on the ball. I think he’s a better version of Podence.

I like him, but maybe a little light weight when you are chasing a game.

 

[JadeWolf]

I like him, but maybe a little light weight when you are chasing a game.

You could say that about a lot of our players. We’re great when we’re winning but I don’t see too many who can drag us back into a game when we’re losing.

 

[Evthewolf]

Most games, he seems anonymous to me. He might be better in a team that sets up differently but I don’t think he’s contributed much so far. A bit of a nothing player.

 

[captain chaos]

Have we had a player so scared of tackling? He seems to pull out of making a challenge

 

[Evthewolf]

Have we had a player so scared of tackling? He seems to pull out of making a challenge

Yes, Trincao. They are quite similar in many aspects. Trincao got pelters on here many times (some of it justified) but for me, he brought more to the table than Sarabia.

 

[LincolnWolf]

It’s no secret that we look better as a team when he’s playing vs not. Big factor in our January business Cunha, Dawson, Lemina, Sarabia and Joao Gomes is at time they don’t stand out as individually fantastic but all make the team better when they play vs not. With all our wide players if they can’t dribble 50 yards up the pitch and beat 3 men like Adama we can be too quick to write them off.

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

He’s obviously got something about him or he wouldn’t have played for the clubs he has but he is used to playing continental football not English football. Not many foreign players hit the ground running when they transfer to England so he needs time to adapt. Minutes in this relegation battle will benefit him but unfortunately we need more in our situation so personally I would use him sparingly until we’re safe then give him 90 minutes each time. A full pre-season and the threat of relegation removed with new players incoming should hopefully give us and Sarabia the time to get up to speed and establish a position in the team.

 

[WISAW]

He's really surprised me and not in a good way. Came on the back of some amazing stats last season in the Portuguese league but just seems powderpuff to me.

 

[OLDGOLD]

Most games, he seems anonymous to me. He might be better in a team that sets up differently but I don’t think he’s contributed much so far. A bit of a nothing player.

My thoughts exactly

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I'm amazed at the Trincao comparison, I think Lopetegui likes him because he works his socks off. He had a very brief spell in one game playing in the 10, I thought he looked good there, but he doesn't really have the attacking attributes to play wide. Wonder if he could have come inside yesterday and played behind Cunha when we changed formation. He gives his all and does what he's asked to though, so I'll back him.

 

[Stourwolf]

Very disappointed in him.clearly has ability but gives possession away so much with simple passes.

 

[Contrarian]

Maybe, he's obviously got ability, just giving me big Trincao vibes at times.

Not much of a goal scorer is the main problem. Especially for a team that has needed exactly that for ages. Scored a few for Spain, but when you look into it, mostly against the likes of Latvia/Andorra/Iceland which flatters his rate. We've seen in numerous times already. When the opportunities are there, lacks composure, has a weak shot.

I don't doubt that he is an excellent footballer, but it's a team game and I do doubt that we need what he brings to our team. Based on what we've seen so far, of course. And he's much older than Trincao so the "wait to see how he develops" argument doesn't hold.

 

[Wolfmeister75]

Talented player but too lightweight & hasn’t stood out in any game so far. Think the premier league is too much for him. We can’t afford to carry any passengers.

 

[Gazebowolf]

My biggest issue/concern is that when Lopetegui was appointed as manager of Sevilla, Sarabia was the first player to be shown the door. And prior to that when manager of Spain not once did he call him up. He is also 31 in a couple of weeks time so is past the peak of career so all in all it was a very strange signing.

 

[Pengwern]

Give him a full English preseason

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

I think he’s been really disappointing so far, to be honest. Although still early days for him, I suppose. I think he’s too slow to play out wide, he doesn’t get into enough goal scoring positions and his final ball has been poor too. Can’t fault his effort but at the minute he’s not really contributing anything.

He was bought in to create and score goals, and so far he’s not really done it. He’ll be 31 next month too.

I'm struggling to imagine you being disappointed by anything. You're always so upbeat!

 

[tamwolf]

I think he gets a bit of unfair criticism and alot of stuff he does goes unnoticed. I think he is a big reason why we get the ball into the front two more now. He regularly plays passes that move us up the pitch or get a forward into a channel. You rarely see him turning backwards or slowing the tempo of a move like our other wide players have done the past few seasons.

Has struggled a bit more in the final third, but we really need to start giving players time to settle, rather than writing them of after a few months.

 

[Scallywolf]

Most games, he seems anonymous to me. He might be better in a team that sets up differently but I don’t think he’s contributed much so far. A bit of a nothing player.

I’m Just glad he scored our goal in the 1-1 draw away at Fulham!

Good goal as well.

 

[Evthewolf]

I’m Just glad he scored our goal in the 1-1 draw away at Fulham!

Good goal as well.

Yes it was but that aside, can you pick another moment he’s had that sticks in your mind?

I am not saying he is a bad player, I am sure he isn’t but I also think he’s being given a lot more grace than Trincao got and he is much more experienced.

Imo we were too quick to write off Trincao. Okay, he may have never adapted to the Prem, but you could see he had technical ability.

I am also wondering why Neto hasn’t been given much game time? I know he’s coming back from injury but I would have expected him to be given 25 minutes here and there.

 

[Norway Wolves]

Moutinho cost £5m

Which is probably about right when you consider he has given us 1 brilliant season, 1, decent one, and 3 bang average to poor seasons.

 

[Fenrir_]

Think if he's going to end up being good it'll be next season, bit annoying as we could do with him this. But he's come to a new league half way through a season in a side struggling for any kind of consistency, I'm willing to cut him some slack for a while

 

[Dan G WWFC]

He's never been a player that can beat players. I say this because I've seen people judge him on the idea of him being an out-and-out winger.

He's clearly a very smart player, works hard and understands what's asked for him. Lacks physically and I think he's struggling getting to grips with the higher tempo. While Trinaco looked like he was scared to get shoulder to shoulder with players and hide away from contact. Sarabia actually gets involved. I think the issue is it's all new to him. Spent a career in Spain, best team in France and then top team in Portugal. He's used to time and being able to use his vision and intelligence to hurt teams.

Maybe he'll adapt in time, maybe he's just not cut out for the league. For £5m I don't think we can really moan about him. He was great in the 3-0 Liverpool win let's not forget and been no worse any anybody else we have right now!

 

[Matt]

I'm struggling to imagine you being disappointed by anything. You're always so upbeat!

I know mate, but I can’t be so positive all of the time!

 

[Ian]

He's really surprised me and not in a good way. Came on the back of some amazing stats last season in the Portuguese league but just seems powderpuff to me.

Yes with the career he’s had I was expecting more …. Bit of a nothing player.

I predict he won’t be here long.

 

[SA Wolf]

Give him a full English preseason

Give him a full English breakfast.

 

[Willywolf]

Hard not to be impatient given the stench of Trincao/Guedes still lingering, but I'd like to see him play as a number 10. I don't think he has the required pace and directness to be an effective winger in this league, but he does have ability.

This is exactly my thought on Sarabia. Pressing from the front without the ball, but festive in the hole with it. Whether it suits him or not and whether JL fancies him in that position remains to be seen though I guess.

 

[Hawkguy]

I think he gets a bit of unfair criticism and alot of stuff he does goes unnoticed. I think he is a big reason why we get the ball into the front two more now. He regularly plays passes that move us up the pitch or get a forward into a channel. You rarely see him turning backwards or slowing the tempo of a move like our other wide players have done the past few seasons.

Has struggled a bit more in the final third, but we really need to start giving players time to settle, rather than writing them of after a few months.

He does a lot of the stuff Hwang does and Hwang is almost universally hated here for some reason. Sarabia is a tireless worker who doesn't stop.

He's never been a fantastic winger because he doesn't have the pace. He's much better somewhere in the middle. He's also adapting to a new league after getting limited minutes for the first half of the season for arguably the best team in the world.

The first few games he played here he used to send a lot more balls into the area, but we don't really have players who try to get on those, so he's kind of slowed that type of delivery down.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Played well away at Fulham and few games here and there better from the bench whereas podence is better when he starts weird

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Tidy footballer, good in possession, but doesn't do enough and fallen below expectations most had.

At £5m it doesn't really matter, but he's undoubtedly one of our top earners, so not delivering on that front.