by FBlue » Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:53 am
Pastore is struggling in France, enormous potential but he's kind of a headcase. He needs to be loved, to have the team to definitely play for him (even if there are better solution). Before Ancelotti came at PSG, he was going through a unbelievable weak form (actually he was always not that great but at the beggining of the season he always had that assist or that goal) where he was clearly ubershit I mean he was clearly playing a level under Darron Gibson in Ligue 1, true story. Can't make a pass or a control to save his life.
When things aren't going his way in and off field he drops off completely, he isn't your true argentinian warrior like Zabs, Sergio or how youknowwho used to be.
As I said before, Hazard is the real deal
This year : 18 starts 8 goals in Ligue 1
Last year : 35 starts 7 goals 10 assists in Ligue 1
2010 : 31 starts 5 goals 8 assists in Ligue 1
And you have to take account that, he never take set piece and Ligue 1 is clearly the most "rough" in Europe after Premiership. Most teams don't play nice football and rather stack midfield with your average "Cheikh Tioté" and "Cabaye" (if you know what I mean) rather than some german hourra football or technical spain players. Yeah we don't have some many greats creators in our league, but we definitely have a great goalkeeping and defending culture.
In France, when a player reach +15 assists in the season it's totally amazing. Last year Marvin Martin (a regular of French NT) did it with 18 assists and Rothen did it with Champions League final level team Monaco in 2003. These both players played in great offensive teams and took set piece. So a player avering 10 assists without set piece or a non-striker making more than 10/12 goals, is a really good record.
I watch him for like 4 four years now, he only had a drop of form in the debut of last season when he was like "i'm the shit" and finally he was put in the right way.
This season he has to be the clear cut main man of Lille as Sow isn't anymore in Lille (and BTW fell off his cloud) and Gervinho went to Arsenal, as well as Cabaye went to Newcastle. He's clearly a level above all of his partner.
I can tell you he's 20 years old, he's the next big thing, he's just waiting for that big club and worldwide attendance to explose. But please don't play that silly "far from impressive stats records" card, as you know our clearly beloved Bosnian striker was unstoppable in Germany while some big guy from Ivory coast playing number 10 was on the bench at Monaco when he was 24 years old and didn't have great stats before going to Barcelona to be a major playor during 2 seasons and being the kind of guy who win you the F.A. Cup. However, any football with a brain could already see he was a world class talent, that big ivorien.
Plus in City he will have a lot of french speaker and his NT captain. He's coming from la Louviere and played since 15 at Lille (which is a pretty big city BTW), so believe me living in Manchester will not be like coming from Gran Canaria or Madrid ;) Everything in place for life adaptation not being a huge factor.
