Abdul Fatawu

[Bourbon Fox]

19 hours ago, The Doctor said:

yep. If he's set up 1 v 1 he rinses any full back in the division. 1 v 2 or 3 is a difficult one but it means there should be one or two free runners from us. But there aren't, because this system isolates our threats and makes them easy to nullify 

This is one of the biggest crimes of Marti, somehow contriving to have Abdul doubled or tripled up on but also no apparent overload anywhere else.

 

So many times this season we’ve looked like we’ve had fewer players on the pitch with and without the ball.

Edited 28 November 2025 by Bourbon Fox

[Chelmofox]

12 minutes ago, Bourbon Fox said:

This is one of the biggest crimes of Marti, somehow contriving to have Abdul doubled or tripled up on but also no apparent overload anywhere else.

 

So many times this season we’ve looked like we’ve had fewer players on the pitch with and without the ball.

It often seems like we got bored of attacking quickly. Seems we invite the teams to regroup to give ourselves a better challenge.

[Chrysalis]

I seen a post that said we would struggle to play counter, but Fatawa is a pure counter player, the way we playing hurts him.  If he was with us when we played counter 10 or so years back he would be a 60 mill player after a season of it.

Edited 28 November 2025 by Chrysalis

[Bert]

10 hours ago, Bourbon Fox said:

This is one of the biggest crimes of Marti, somehow contriving to have Abdul doubled or tripled up on but also no apparent overload anywhere else.

 

So many times this season we’ve looked like we’ve had fewer players on the pitch with and without the ball.

Even more so when you consider how close JJ plays to Fatawu. 

[cropstonfox]

9 minutes ago, Chrysalis said:

I seen a post that said we would struggle to play counter, but Fatawa is a pure counter player, the way we playing hurts him.  If he was with us when we played counter 10 or so years back he would be a 60 mill player after a season of it.

He wouldn't have made the bench

[It'sblueupnorth]

55 minutes ago, Chrysalis said:

I seen a post that said we would struggle to play counter, but Fatawa is a pure counter player, the way we playing hurts him.  If he was with us when we played counter 10 or so years back he would be a 60 mill player after a season of it.

The problem is the squad is the result of rudkin having no contacts in football, there’s no joined up thinking with any of the players. Daka and fatawu would thrive in a counter attacking team, possibly vestegaard. Winks absolutely wouldn’t, neither would mavididi. I don’t think any of the midfielders in the team bar James would suit a counter team. Then you’ve got a lot of players that I don’t think would be much good in any system, faes soumare, skipp, thomas, ayew. There’s no ‘identity’ (to coin a phrase) and that’s a byproduct of ownership that hasn’t got a plan

[jayfox26]

1 hour ago, Chrysalis said:

I seen a post that said we would struggle to play counter, but Fatawa is a pure counter player, the way we playing hurts him.  If he was with us when we played counter 10 or so years back he would be a 60 mill player after a season of it.

We didn't exactly counter under Enzo when Fatawu was fantastic. We just had a better tactical system to work with as well as a few better players around him like Vardy and Dewsbury Hall

[Nods]

16 minutes ago, jayfox26 said:

We didn't exactly counter under Enzo when Fatawu was fantastic. We just had a better tactical system to work with as well as a few better players around him like Vardy and Dewsbury Hall

We won the Premier League doing it, so NPCs will call for its reintroduction 'til the end of time. It's the rules.

[Chrysalis]

9 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

We didn't exactly counter under Enzo when Fatawu was fantastic. We just had a better tactical system to work with as well as a few better players around him like Vardy and Dewsbury Hall

We countered in a few games and he shined in those matches.

One also only has to look at his strengths, slow laboured play doesnt bring out the best in him.  The fans of slow build up are really looking for scraps if they cant recognise what a player is suited for.

Edited 29 November 2025 by Chrysalis

[adejo92]

Its one thing when the likes of Thomas are having poor games - its what you expect from poor players.

 

Its much more frustrating when players like Fatawu are churning out sh1t week in week out because you know hes capable of so much more.

 

Its probably the only reason he keeps getting game time, 'just in case' he pulls off one of the '1 in 100' wonder goals.

 

Besides those goals, hes been absolutely woeful lately.

[CornwallFox]

10 hours ago, It'sblueupnorth said:

The problem is the squad is the result of rudkin having no contacts in football, there’s no joined up thinking with any of the players. Daka and fatawu would thrive in a counter attacking team, possibly vestegaard. Winks absolutely wouldn’t, neither would mavididi. I don’t think any of the midfielders in the team bar James would suit a counter team. Then you’ve got a lot of players that I don’t think would be much good in any system, faes soumare, skipp, thomas, ayew. There’s no ‘identity’ (to coin a phrase) and that’s a byproduct of ownership that hasn’t got a plan

Mavididi was at his best under Enzo on the occasions we ignored instructions and counter attacked quickly. Just needs to be told to stop pratting about and run forwards very directly.

[CornwallFox]

18 minutes ago, adejo92 said:

Its one thing when the likes of Thomas are having poor games - its what you expect from poor players.

 

Its much more frustrating when players like Fatawu are churning out sh1t week in week out because you know hes capable of so much more.

 

Its probably the only reason he keeps getting game time, 'just in case' he pulls off one of the '1 in 100' wonder goals.

 

Besides those goals, hes been absolutely woeful lately.

Tbf imagine you're a winger that's being doubled or tripled up on, and have a choice of playing back to Choudhury, inside top skipp or forward to Daka. 

[Edingleyfox]

I’d like Abdul to concentrate on getting behind the full backs rather than cutting in looking for wonder goals. In addition there is a lack of discipline which we saw in midweek. Essential today that Leicester keep 11 players on the pitch and don’t pick up bookings early on. 

[jayfox26]

40 minutes ago, Chrysalis said:

We countered in a few games and he shined in those matches.

One also only has to look at his strengths, slow laboured play doesnt bring out the best in him.  The fans of slow build up are really looking for scraps if they cant recognise what a player is suited for.

I'm not suggesting we play slow, laboured football but I'm also not sure how counter attacking would work for us in the championship given the vast majority of teams just park the bus against us

[adejo92]

29 minutes ago, CornwallFox said:

Tbf imagine you're a winger that's being doubled or tripled up on, and have a choice of playing back to Choudhury, inside top skipp or forward to Daka. 

It goes far beyond that.

 

He plays suicide balls, he makes silly challenges, he makes bad choices 1v1 with defenders.

 

Can't blame being doubled up on. If thats the case, him & the manager should adapt style of play,  not just continue to attempt to cut in and shoot on every single occasion.

 

If the whole stadium can predict thats what your going to do, then im sure a professional manager & defenders can....

[shen]

55 minutes ago, adejo92 said:

Its one thing when the likes of Thomas are having poor games - its what you expect from poor players.

 

Its much more frustrating when players like Fatawu are churning out sh1t week in week out because you know hes capable of so much more.

 

Its probably the only reason he keeps getting game time, 'just in case' he pulls off one of the '1 in 100' wonder goals.

 

Besides those goals, hes been absolutely woeful lately.

Played a perfect assist for Daka, so he"s still productive despite his "awfulness".

[whoareyaaa]

He has been crossing with his right a lot more than the first few games, so must have been told this by the manager ?

[Richmondfox]

50 minutes ago, CornwallFox said:

Mavididi was at his best under Enzo on the occasions we ignored instructions and counter attacked quickly. Just needs to be told to stop pratting about and run forwards very directly.

He was good when KDH would slot balls into space for him to run at, then cut inside to shoot. Like his goal against Chelsea last season. 
 

He isn’t great when we play slow with his back to goal on the halfway line with no support.  He also doesn’t help himself when there finally is support he plays like Ayew, trying to do everything but does so little. 

[Kierzz]

22 hours ago, Bourbon Fox said:

This is one of the biggest crimes of Marti, somehow contriving to have Abdul doubled or tripled up on but also no apparent overload anywhere else.

 

So many times this season we’ve looked like we’ve had fewer players on the pitch with and without the ball.

Yep exactly this - this has been my constant moan this season.

 

We don't be able to identify where the space is when attacking under Marti. If they are trippling up on Abdul, there has to be space to exploit somewhere else, whether that's through the middle (but we don't make runs through the middle into the box...) or on the other side (but we don't seem to overload here when it's on and leave madvidi isolated also)

[Richmondfox]

At 2 mins sums this team up. Slow, greedy and over playing. 
 

Mav gets slow ball from JV who is so high up the pitch. Aluko stands watching when there is so much space. Mav stands still and twists, Skipp half arsed run. Pass in a busy area and Mav gets the ball again. Ignores Aluko who has actually offered support. He does get a cross off but he could’ve got into a great shooting position if they played a 1-2. 
 

More times than not they overplay and we get hit in the break, with JV dead in the water. 

[Gloria]

Pardon if this has mentioned before (I imagine it has), but reading an old version of the Guardian promising youngsters list it features Abdul whilst he was at Steadfast I think.

 

I'm pretty sure it suggested he was a no. 10 at that time? With him being continually double marked on the wing, I wonder if it's ever considered to move him inside? Boy, could we do with some creativity there.

 

Not sure if I misremember. Anyway...

[Chrysalis]

10 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

I'm not suggesting we play slow, laboured football but I'm also not sure how counter attacking would work for us in the championship given the vast majority of teams just park the bus against us

It doesnt need to be counter to not be slow laboured passing.  Counter is just one means of playing it forward quickly.

 

As an example, I see our keeper today did a pass to a defender which he fumbled, but that would have only reached the defender, Kasper used to pass it to someone already in the opponents half and was more accurate.

 

We used to have defenders passing to strikers or midfielders instead of to themselves.   

 

That sort of quick movement benefits players like Fatawa as rapid play is harder to defend against vs slow laboured build up passing play.  But for counter attacking would be his forte.

 

There will be counter attacking opportunities every single game, we are not good enough to prevent an opposition to never have a go at us. 

[jayfox26]

15 minutes ago, Chrysalis said:

It doesnt need to be counter to not be slow laboured passing.  Counter is just one means of playing it forward quickly.

 

As an example, I see our keeper today did a pass to a defender which he fumbled, but that would have only reached the defender, Kasper used to pass it to someone already in the opponents half and was more accurate.

 

We used to have defenders passing to strikers or midfielders instead of to themselves.   

 

That sort of quick movement benefits players like Fatawa as rapid play is harder to defend against vs slow laboured build up passing play.  But for counter attacking would be his forte.

 

There will be counter attacking opportunities every single game, we are not good enough to prevent an opposition to never have a go at us. 

I was originally responding to someone who said we should play counter attacking football. My point is, you can't counter attack teams that park the bus. I agree we need to improve our attacking play and play faster, but the original comment suggested that Fatawu is only successful in a counter attacking team which is utter nonsense 

[Collymore]

Should have been dropped 10 games a go just like Marti should have been sacked 10 games ago. 

 

Unpopular opinion at the time but I've been proven right. 

 

He's absolutely garbage.

 

 

[splinterdream]

He doesn't make runs, he needs to stand 10 yds back from the line of defendes and run inside, keep the full back guessing, but he just stands there. Not sure if he needs coaching or whether he has the 'too good to be here' attitude