Souleymane Coulibaly

yeah i agree with you!

i am just voicing mild concern that couli seems to be behind where people thought he would be in his development.

thats all

he;s not bulked up yet.

he's built like a skinnier stephen pienaar, but with a big head which makes him look a bit bigger than he is.

i think tottenboi confirms that he's not ready and why he wasnt involved in the states :

"Coulibaly though, obviously as we're all interested is in my opinion miles away. Poor first touch, can see him getting nothing against top defenders. He does look a natural finisher though and you can see flashes of excellence. Championship loan maybe?"

JPB

he's built like a skinnier stephen pienaar, but with a big head which makes him look a bit bigger than he is.
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So he's a skelington? A bit like that old one of the Scotch tape adverts who also had a bigger head ("re-record not fade away" )?

So we've established he's not the next Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney.. maybe he really is the Baby Drogba after all

Players that are ripping it up at 17/18 are an exception, and in the case of Fowler and Owen have ended up well washed-out before they are 30.

17 is a baby for f's sake - why do people expect them to compete with fully grown men at such a tender age? I weighed about 8st until I was 18+ and had no meat on me whatsoever - a child essentially. They reckon you don't stop growing until you are 21. Let youngsters grow organically instead of expecting too much

From tottenhambois' report :

"Coulibaly cut an isolated figure up top, feeding off scraps. However when he did get the ball, his touch let him down"

So, someone else saying what I and others have been saying since last November. Getting this flaw ironed out means he will be a great prospect.

Players that are ripping it up at 17/18 are an exception, and in the case of Fowler and Owen have ended up well washed-out before they are 30.

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True. Giggsy retired early too remember

Your argument is absolutely unfounded and not true at all. Obviously there are players that do and there are players that dont. The simple fact is that as someone approaches adult age they should be getting at least tasters of first team football if they are meant to be a superstar. Everyone says drogba was a late bloomer - he was still in senior football from his late teens. He just wasnt yet the sensation he went on to be

Drogba didn't make his league debut until he was 20. Gerrard until after his 18th, same as Shearer. Without looking any more up, I'd bet that if you took ANY top team in Europe, you'd find more than half of their players didn't play top-flight football until past their 18th birthday.

Not every player develops the body for men's football early enough - if he doesn't make a breakthrough by 20ish then you'll have a point. Right now you have diddly squat i'm afraid.

Giggsy - an exception, not the rule. I do remember him having a big lull the mid-90s though, a few years after he burst on the scene. Injuries (and dip in form). Much like Wilshere in the present day. Owen and Fowler had them too.

We can't write anyone off at his age, players that "make it" as a teenager at the top level are exceptional. There's no scientific formula for what makes a good player though. If we have to wait till he's 20 before he scores 20 a season then so be it