Sekou Mara - Official: Signs for Strasbourg

[SuperSAINT]

#Saintsy

 

[trousers]

Maybe Sport Republic should kill two birds with one stone and buy Bordeaux at the same time....

[Saint Fan CaM]

10 minutes ago, trousers said:

Maybe Sport Republic should kill two birds with one stone and buy Bordeaux at the same time....

#saintsy 😉

[Saint Fan CaM]

17 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

#Saintsy

 

If that’s true looks like we did an extremely generous bit of business given the players value was near €3m!

[SNSUN]

10 minutes ago, trousers said:

Maybe Sport Republic should kill two birds with one stone and buy Bordeaux at the same time....

#beatmetoit 

 

It definitely has echoes of "We scratch your back..."! Have we ever signed anyone from Bordeaux? I feel like we have...

[Dman]

Never heard of him, looks promising by all accounts. Seems a sensible, good deal. 
 

hope it’s not the only one though. And I hope 14m isn’t ‘significant funds’ to SR.

[SuperSAINT]

Just now, Dman said:

Never heard of him, looks promising by all accounts. Seems a sensible, good deal. 
 

hope it’s not the only one though. And I hope 14m isn’t ‘significant funds’ to SR.

£11m total

[Midfield_General]

 

[Chez]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

Maybe Sport Republic should kill two birds with one stone and buy Bordeaux at the same time....

Was thinking the same thing, but relegation followed by them being kicked into the national League due to financial issues, currently being appealed, will no doubt be an issue.

[Pilchards]

Sorry guys but he’s no better than some of the crap we are trying to offload.

100% need a quality striker otherwise we will struggle for goals this season.

[Give it to Ron]

5 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

Sorry guys but he’s no better than some of the crap we are trying to offload.

100% need a quality striker otherwise we will struggle for goals this season.

What are his weaknesses? How many times have you seen him play?

What striker are we offloading?

[Matthew Le God]

7 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

Sorry guys but he’s no better than some of the crap we are trying to offload.

Have you been scouting him?

[wild-saint]

1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

Have you been scouting him?

and how do you know he is wrong? 

[FarehamSaintJames]

I’ve never heard of him.

Very Saintsy in the sense of it’s another child we’re pinning Premier League survival on.

Would rather see us out a bit more money down for someone with more experience around the big leagues/teams.

Have many people on here heard of him?

[S-Clarke]

4 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

and how do you know he is wrong? 

How do you know he is right?

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

Guys this is the new model, like it or loathe it. I'm excited to see anyone come in at this stage. Still hoping for another striker in and move Armstrong on

[Matthew Le God]

3 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

and how do you know he is wrong? 

I didn't say he was wrong, I asked him why we should think he is right. There is a significant difference between those two things.

[Nolan]

prescient:

 

 

[Turkish]

i hope the canteen at Staplewood is well stocked with all these young, hungry players we keep signing

[SNSUN]

We're going to boss the Championship in 2023-24.  😈

[Dman]

Is ‘saintsy’ just the new young, hungry and therefore guaranteed to improve?

[S-Clarke]

4 minutes ago, Nolan said:

prescient:

 

 

Just saw that article myself, this stood out:

When comparing him with his Ligue 1 peers, Mara is up there with the top forwards in the league. In terms of shots per 90, only Kylian Mbappe ranks higher than him.  

That is a good read though, he reads perfect for what we'd want in an attacker. Mobile, can play between the lines, across the front, defends well in terms of the counter press/tracking back etc. Ticks many boxes for our style, much the same way as Bella-Kotchap and Bazunu did.

[Give it to Ron]

8 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I’ve never heard of him.

Very Saintsy in the sense of it’s another child we’re pinning Premier League survival on.

Would rather see us out a bit more money down for someone with more experience around the big leagues/teams.

Have many people on here heard of him?

Why do you think we won’t sign someone else and relying on him?

[Turkish]

Just now, Dman said:

Is ‘saintsy’ just the new young, hungry and therefore guaranteed to improve?

Yep. Rather than spending £10-15m on championship and foreign players, we're spending £10-£15m on teenagers

[Dellman]

Glad our policy is clear, unlike some clubs with money to flash on anyone. We go for upcoming talent with a lot to prove, good luck Sekou, better than Lingard types on the way down. Happy with that--but one more please!

[S-Clarke]

10 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I’ve never heard of him.

Very Saintsy in the sense of it’s another child we’re pinning Premier League survival on.

Would rather see us out a bit more money down for someone with more experience around the big leagues/teams.

Have many people on here heard of him?

i'd argue we need two attackers, I'm sure I've read articles to suggest the club think the same. I think this is the 'mobile' attacker we're going for, but I do believe we'll get more of a focal point/target man type as well. (Possibly where Delap comes in)

[SNSUN]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Just saw that article myself, this stood out:

When comparing him with his Ligue 1 peers, Mara is up there with the top forwards in the league. In terms of shots per 90, only Kylian Mbappe ranks higher than him.  

That is a good read though, he reads perfect for what we'd want in an attacker. Mobile, can play between the lines, across the front, defends well in terms of the counter press/tracking back etc. Ticks many boxes for our style, much the same way as Bella-Kotchap and Bazunu did.

Mara and Mbappe in the same sentence - that's all I'm reading there. 

[Dman]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Just saw that article myself, this stood out:

When comparing him with his Ligue 1 peers, Mara is up there with the top forwards in the league. In terms of shots per 90, only Kylian Mbappe ranks higher than him.  

That is a good read though, he reads perfect for what we'd want in an attacker. Mobile, can play between the lines, across the front, defends well in terms of the counter press/tracking back etc. Ticks many boxes for our style, much the same way as Bella-Kotchap and Bazunu did.

That article may compare him to Mbappe, but having only scored 6 goals, I’d say he’s probably more comparable to Shane Long? 

[The Kraken]

1 minute ago, Dellman said:

Glad our policy is clear, unlike some clubs with money to flash on anyone. We go for upcoming talent with a lot to prove, good luck Sekou, better than Lingard types on the way down. Happy with that--but one more please!

That’s all well and good, but I’m not sure you’ve used the best example there. Lingard scored 9 goals in 16 for West Ham. That’s an incredible strike rate, albeit over a short duration.

[HarvSFC]

Never heard of him, like I hadn't heard of Broja last summer. So, I reckon he's going to be the next Thierry Henry.

[Dman]

Just now, The Kraken said:

That’s all well and good, but I’m not sure you’ve used the best example there. Lingard scored 9 goals in 16 for West Ham. That’s an incredible strike rate, albeit over a short duration.

Could you not also argue, lavia, Banzunu are also on their way down (after leaving city for us..?)

 

Funny how some people spin things, isn’t it. 
 

FWIW neither are on their way down and someone like Lingaard would massively improve us (not saying we should pay 180k a week for him btw)

[Greenridge]

20 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

and how do you know he is wrong? 

He didn't say he was wrong. He asked a simple question. Calm down fella.

[Matthew Le God]

2 hours ago, The Kraken said:

That’s all well and good, but I’m not sure you’ve used the best example there. Lingard scored 9 goals in 16 for West Ham. That’s an incredible strike rate, albeit over a short duration.

 

2 hours ago, Dman said:

Could you not also argue, lavia, Banzunu are also on their way down (after leaving city for us..?)

Funny how some people spin things, isn’t it. 

FWIW neither are on their way down and someone like Lingaard would massively improve us

Lingard was a 29 year old fringe first team player for Man Utd, leaving them for newly promoted Nottingham Forest is a slide downwards in his career.

Bazunu and Lavia were not first team players at Man City, they have left Man City's academy and loan system in order to be in a Premier League 1st team. That is an upwards trajectory in their careers.

Edited 21 July, 2022 by Matthew Le God

[redkeith]

Saw Bordeaux play once this season, they were dreadful, but then their worst player in that game,  Adli, has just signed for AC Milan, so probably best not to judge anyone on the basis of that. ( just checked, and he was not in the squad that day)

Bordeaux are up at the appeal court today to see if they can avoid the L3 equivalent League . One of the factors was being able to raise €14 Million in players sales. Looks like we have helped them to achieve that. 

If Bordeaux do avoid an extra relegation because of this, I will definitely ware  a Saints shirt next time I go to watch them. We may have saved their bacon. 

 

Edited 21 July, 2022 by redkeith

[S-Clarke]

8 minutes ago, Dman said:

That article may compare him to Mbappe, but having only scored 6 goals, I’d say he’s probably more comparable to Shane Long? 

Or Hugu Ekitike, who scored a similar amount and is now at PSG.

[macca155]

2 minutes ago, redkeith said:

Saw Bordeaux play once this season, they were dreadful, but then their worst player in that game,  Adli, has just signed for AC Milan, so probably best not to judge anyone on the basis of that.

Bordeaux are up at the appeal court today to see if they can avoid the L3 equivalent League . One of the factors was being able to raise €14 Million in players sales. Looks like we have helped them to achieve that. 

If Bordeaux do avoid an extra relegation because of this, I will definitely ware  a Saints shirt next time I go to watch them. We may have saved their bacon. 

 

I saw the Wales Euro match there. Fabulous stadium, do you reckon we could buy that?

[trousers]

4 minutes ago, redkeith said:

Bordeaux are up at the appeal court today to see if they can avoid the L3 equivalent League . One of the factors was being able to raise €14 Million in players sales. Looks like we have helped them to achieve that. 

Definitely feels there might be more to this transfer than meets the eye.... #MeansToAnEnd

Edited 21 July, 2022 by trousers

[Fitzhugh Fella]

What odds can be obtained on a relegation and lifting the FA Youth Cup double? Asking for a friend obviously. 

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

What odds can be obtained on a relegation and lifting the FA Youth Cup double? Asking for a friend obviously. 

Mara, Bazunu, Aribo, Bella-Kotchap and Lavia are all too old for the FA Youth Cup in 2022/23.

[tajjuk]

More top flight experience at 19 than Broja has, just saying.

Also kind of knew we'd have something come out leftfield. 

6 goals for a bottom club from the equivalent of about 10 full games (minutes wise) is not bad to be fair. 

[Dman]

Just now, tajjuk said:

More top flight experience at 19 than Broja has, just saying.

Also kind of knew we'd have something come out leftfield. 

6 goals for a bottom club from the equivalent of about 10 full games (minutes wise) is not bad to be fair. 

I remember someone made the assessment last season, when comparing Broja to Armstrong… what ever happened to him 

[SuperSAINT]

 

[redkeith]

8 minutes ago, macca155 said:

I saw the Wales Euro match there. Fabulous stadium, do you reckon we could buy that?

I was volunteering in the press box for that one. Sat right in line with the Bale free kick and thought, blimey that keepers got his angles all wrong for that one. 

The Stadium is owned by Bordeaux council, and they are prepared to waive the €5M a year rent to help the club survive this year. Apparently the running costs were one of the reasons they lost so much money. 

They had a great team, and won L1 at the old ground, but by the time they moved to the new ground, the team had been sold, and they never really invested in a new team to fill the new ground.   If they do survive this year, they will only open the lower tier . 

[saintrich]

For those worried about his goal return, his minutes to goals ratio looks quite good, especially recent form - 5 of his 6 league goals came in the last 7 matches of the season for Bordeaux and he was also top scorer in the Toulon tournament last month (5 goals). 

 

[Sheaf Saint]

51 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

 

With the obvious caveat that a YouTube compilation made even Steve de Ridder look good...

I had never heard of him before today but this looks like a decent signing. He's quite obviously got a good first touch and can finish. That instantly makes him far better than Shane Long ever was.

[Black Sea Saint]

He recently starred for France at the Maurice Revello (old Toulon) tournament here in the South of France, banging in 5 goals. Looks good 

 

[beatlesaint]

31 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Never heard of him, like I hadn't heard of Broja last summer. So, I reckon he's going to be the next Thierry Henry.

No, that’s Nathan Redmond 😁 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

45 minutes ago, Turkish said:

i hope the canteen at Staplewood is well stocked with all these young, hungry players we keep signing

And kids options on the menus. 🙂

[Saint Garrett]

I think this is another very exciting signing, completely unknown and I've never heard of him. But I like the fact he could be a gem and we can flog him for massive money in a few years. Issue I have is the here and now. I feel like I've said for the last few seasons, "if we can just get through this season in the premier league with this squad, we should be able to build on all these young impressive players".  My gut feeling is we'll bring in another striker as well as Mara, who has a bit more experience, whether thats to buy or on loan. But we have to accept this is the model we're going for. Trying to build a team of some of the best young (18-22) players in europe

[Daft Kerplunk]

Looks very promising. Let’s hope he follows in the footsteps of previous Toulon Tournament top scorers like Thierry Henry, Jean-Pierre Papin, Alan Shearer and so on.