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Sekou Mara - Official: Signs for Strasbourg


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1 hour ago, Doctoroncall said:

Jay Lucas was an Australian striker. Not sure if he scored on debut mind. 
 

Also Scott McDonald, but he didn’t score for us. Decent career in Scotland after leaving Saints. 

Unreal strike partnership on Championship Manager 00/01.

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On 29/01/2024 at 13:25, SambaMaverick said:

He was embarrassing yesterday

The only starting forvard who created anything. Not saying he had a good match, but he wasn't more embarrasing than Che or Dibling.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Seems Mara is beginning to show just how good a player he could become. Would be inclined to start him through the middle on Tuesday and stick Che on the bench. Mara must be full of confidence and he suddenly seems to be quite a unit and is using his power.

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2 minutes ago, saintant said:

Seems Mara is beginning to show just how good a player he could become. Would be inclined to start him through the middle on Tuesday and stick Che on the bench. Mara must be full of confidence and he suddenly seems to be quite a unit and is using his power.

Agreed, deserved to start after the Watford game to be honest.

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Changed the game when he came on imo. We really struggled with a focal point today, Adams was horrific (he may have been carrying a knock to be fair) and Armstrong had a real off day.

He just injected something different into us, and pushed Huddersfield back.

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14 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Changed the game when he came on imo. We really struggled with a focal point today, Adams was horrific (he may have been carrying a knock to be fair) and Armstrong had a real off day.

He just injected something different into us, and pushed Huddersfield back.

Yep.

Showed desire, some creativity and a fair bit of strength today.

He's young and developing. I like him more than 'out of window Che'.

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Yeah, Adams wasn't giving us enough movement upfront. A key part of our play these days is when we move the ball from the centre-backs to the striker. However, in the first half, Harwood-Bellis just wasn't able to find Adams and each time he tried to play the ball, it was going to a Huddersfield player. This changed in the second half with Armstrong and then Mara in the middle up top and giving the team options to pass to.

I've been really impressed with Mara recently. He seems to have learnt what he's good at and is certainly making a case for the starting eleven.

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A huge call from Russell to throw on Mara for our top scorer when the game was in the balance. It paid off completely and should give Mara a huge boost of confidence that he had that trust from the manager, and delivered.

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He's an unusual player Mara, but yesterday looked very much like the number nine we've been missing, at 21 he's growing into his trade and now coming up with the goods.  Languid style and seems too casual on occasion, but technically streets apart from Adams.  A player that's hard to pigeonhole - shades of Charlie George / Gabbiadini for us perhaps? 

Great to watch him terrorise and out-think Hudds yesterday and would bet Martin has him start against Bristol City. 

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The lad is as close to a natural finisher as we have. When presented with a chance he often converts and, if not, he usually makes the keeper work. His positioning in and around the penalty area is also good meaning he is usually in the right place at the right time. He's improving fast and deserves a run in the side as our main striker as game time is what will sharpen him even more. Mara is not the finished article but has the potential to become a top notch striker provided he puts the hard yards in.

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2 minutes ago, saintant said:

The lad is as close to a natural finisher as we have. When presented with a chance he often converts and, if not, he usually makes the keeper work. His positioning in and around the penalty area is also good meaning he is usually in the right place at the right time. He's improving fast and deserves a run in the side as our main striker as game time is what will sharpen him even more. Mara is not the finished article but has the potential to become a top notch striker provided he puts the hard yards in.

Yep, I really like him. Think we're 2 or 3 years away from seeing the best of him as well which in all honesty just makes me even more excited to see what he can do. 

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Still very young and has taken a season and a half to find his feet. He is doing nicely and apart from his flair and unpredictability most importantly he is a clean striker of the ball unlike Adams who is a scuffer. All of his goals have been different but again unlike Adams he understands the goal area is the place he has to make for. We've really lacked that for a long time.

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Are we getting another few pages of "I was so wrong about Mara". I hope so, if you could hand out the shite, surely you can eat it when so wrong on players abilities.

How about the early Mara haters reflect on their abilty to judge a football players ability and realise they should just  shut the fuck up!

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A fair number of people further back on this thread seemed far too eager to write him off.

Not saying he hasn't had his fair share of poor performances,  and some of the criticism levelled against him has been valud. But it's always been clear he has ability and It’s really pleasing to see he's worked on his strength and is starting to fulfill his potential.

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7 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

A fair number of people further back on this thread seemed far too eager to write him off.

Not saying he hasn't had his fair share of poor performances,  and some of the criticism levelled against him has been valud. But it's always been clear he has ability and It’s really pleasing to see he's worked on his strength and is starting to fulfill his potential.

It's the way of the modern world unfortunately. No one is given time to get it right, just kneejerk reactions that a player isn't good enough with no thought that they are all different and some require longer than others to get up to speed.

This is followed up by people so entrenched in their original view they find it hard to admit they were wrong.

Mara is doing all he can at the moment, hopefully he can build on this and force his way into the team for a run of games and kick on from there.

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8 hours ago, saintant said:

The lad is as close to a natural finisher as we have. When presented with a chance he often converts and, if not, he usually makes the keeper work. His positioning in and around the penalty area is also good meaning he is usually in the right place at the right time. He's improving fast and deserves a run in the side as our main striker as game time is what will sharpen him even more. Mara is not the finished article but has the potential to become a top notch striker provided he puts the hard yards in.

Chefs kiss

 

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8 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

A fair number of people further back on this thread seemed far too eager to write him off.

Not saying he hasn't had his fair share of poor performances,  and some of the criticism levelled against him has been valud. But it's always been clear he has ability and It’s really pleasing to see he's worked on his strength and is starting to fulfill his potential.


Yeah, I owe him an apology. I didn’t think he had the strength or desire to make it in England. But he was fantastic this weekend. Strong, direct, composed. 
 

Hopefully he keeps building on it.  It would be amazing if he turns out to be the striker we’ve been missing. 

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Since he arrived I always thought he had a bit of technique about him. Hopefully he keeps developing he is our future for sure 👍 

Much better finisher than Adams and better technically. 

 

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17 hours ago, The Cat said:

It's the way of the modern world unfortunately. No one is given time to get it right, just kneejerk reactions that a player isn't good enough with no thought that they are all different and some require longer than others to get up to speed.

This is followed up by people so entrenched in their original view they find it hard to admit they were wrong.

Mara is doing all he can at the moment, hopefully he can build on this and force his way into the team for a run of games and kick on from there.

The same crowd that wanted to get rid of Martin at the end of August ! Without an immediate impact they just cannot cope with the concept of patience 😩

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Still doesn't offer anywhere near enough as a lone number 9 for me, especially when he starts games.

Technically he's brilliant, always has been - He has brilliant ball control, can spot a pass and his finishing. He's pretty quick or at least quick enough, but he offers us no focal point at all, which for someone of his size he should be.

That being said, he's young enough to improve that side of his game. I think we've seen enough of him in very limited spells to suggest he's more than edequate to step in if needed. 

Deserves another chance to start this week. 

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1 hour ago, Dusic said:

Key for him will be whether he can put in a good performance from the start in a league game, when he inevitably gets a chance soon...

I wasn't convinced at the start of the season, when Mara was only getting 15 min. sub appearances, but has looked better in the League Cup games.

Now he's got some goals, he'll be high on confidence and hopefully get a few more important goals.

 

I wouldn't change the start side,  but continue putting him on after the break when the likes of Mara, Edozie and Dibling can run tiring defences ragged. 

Dibling's run leading to Mara's goal v .Watford was cut short by a very crude body check that might have got a yellow card (or worse) had we not  

scored from the move itself.   These lads are all lightweights and a full 90 minute game can leave them open to more violent tackles and potential injury. 

Older players can take a knock and recover quicker, but young bodies can't take heavy punishment (as happened to Edozie some weeks ago).  

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34 minutes ago, Dman said:

Nor does anybody else in the team atm. I think he is a different player now to a while back, more confidence, less languid, works harder, I’d give him a start. I just don’t see anybody in the squad who should start before him, certainly not you-know-who.

edit sorry the quote thing went wrong should say’but he offers us no focal point at all’

Edited by Oldandtired
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Put it this way, Adams has done nothing special to justify his automatic selection as main striker. Sekou Mara deserves his chance, there is a flair about the lad that more than. hints at a star player in the making. Players don't get picked for their national teams at any level if they don't have real potential.

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3 hours ago, Dman said:

Still doesn't offer anywhere near enough as a lone number 9 for me, especially when he starts games.

Technically he's brilliant, always has been - He has brilliant ball control, can spot a pass and his finishing. He's pretty quick or at least quick enough, but he offers us no focal point at all, which for someone of his size he should be.

That being said, he's young enough to improve that side of his game. I think we've seen enough of him in very limited spells to suggest he's more than edequate to step in if needed. 

Deserves another chance to start this week. 

As I have said previously, I like him and the way he played in the Newcastle cup game made me think we had a real talent on our hands. That said, he's got to improve when it comes to playing with his back to goal and holding the ball up. If you're under the cosh, the ball has to stick when it is cleared and goes near to the central striker. When he is given space it's not an issue - the Newcastle cup game at SMS is a good example of that, but when a defender gets tight, he invariably does not protect the ball well enough. It's a weakness in his game. Get that part of his game right and Adams wouldn't get a look in.   

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41 minutes ago, Chez said:

As I have said previously, I like him and the way he played in the Newcastle cup game made me think we had a real talent on our hands. That said, he's got to improve when it comes to playing with his back to goal and holding the ball up. If you're under the cosh, the ball has to stick when it is cleared and goes near to the central striker. When he is given space it's not an issue - the Newcastle cup game at SMS is a good example of that, but when a defender gets tight, he invariably does not protect the ball well enough. It's a weakness in his game. Get that part of his game right and Adams wouldn't get a look in.   

He did pretty well on Saturday when holding off THREE defenders and delicately passing to Edozie, who scored our fifth goal.  He seems to have developed a more bulky physique in the last few months and is now more capable of keeping the ball when under pressure from a CB or other defender.  Give him time; he is coming good.

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On 24/11/2023 at 17:08, hypochondriac said:

No. 

 

On 24/11/2023 at 17:14, gammon cheeks said:

No

 

On 24/11/2023 at 17:16, skintsaint said:

Joaquin Phoenix Thumbs Down GIF

 

On 24/11/2023 at 17:16, lambtiss said:

Non

 

On 24/11/2023 at 18:05, S-Clarke said:

I'll be honest, I've seen nothing in him at all. He struggles to impact the game from the start or as a substitute in whatever league we are in.

For sure he's young and developing, but there comes a point where you just say he's not suited to a country or a style and just cut your losses. He'll be off on loan to a random lower french team in January I think, probably to never return.

 

On 24/11/2023 at 22:29, FarehamSaintJames said:

Four managers don’t deem him more than a bit part player.

Says it all.

 

On 25/11/2023 at 04:50, Lighthouse said:

As useless as they both were, one criticism I can’t aim at them is that they should have played Mara more often. The fact is that nobody who has managed Saints has rated him and he has done little if anything to indicate they’re wrong.

I'd sell him if we get anything like a decent offer, then try and find someone decent to replace him and Adams.

 

On 25/11/2023 at 05:00, Mr X said:

Along with Mara why is aribo still at the club for? Seems a carthorse that constantly looses possession

 

On 25/11/2023 at 05:56, Harry_SFC said:

Personally think he is pretty useless. Whenever he's had an opportunity (albeit limited) he just hasn't taken it. 

Not sure what his attributes are. He isn't very quick, can't hold the ball up, doesn't win headers, isn't very good at pressing. He's got a decent pass in him but I don't think that's enough at this level.

I'd sell.

 

On 25/11/2023 at 06:34, IOWSaintDaz said:

With Stewart nearing full fitness and looking good, A.Armstong playing well and Che playing as sub theres no chance he will be anywhere near the squad, he offers very little when he does play apart from some glimpes hear and there but that is not enough as when he does play he runs around like a headless chicken most of the time, he was hardly prolific for Bordeaux in Ligue 1 so just wish he's piss off back to France on loan or permanently in January

 

On 25/11/2023 at 07:14, Appy said:

No, he’s absolutely shite. 

 

On 25/11/2023 at 12:02, SaintNewForest said:

Get rid. Absolutely woeful player. Doesn't even show he's worth persisting with most of the time.

 

On 25/11/2023 at 12:06, Osvaldorama said:

Bad signing. Don’t know what he offers. 
 

 

On 25/11/2023 at 13:04, ally_uk said:

Shite sell 

 

On 25/11/2023 at 13:23, david in sweden said:

Agreed ..I'd prefer to see Ballard on the bench and then Mara can be.. (a) loaned out  (b) sold .

IF we hold onto him for another season but he needs to improve.  Difficult.... because he is young and looks no better than when he arrived. 

His individual skills may impress some people but we need someone who is " a team player " - THAT - he is not.

Just making sure i got an idea of what the real football telent spotters think of young Mara. Thanks SAINTS SUPPORTERS for your valuable insite.

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16 minutes ago, BERMUDASAINT said:

Just making sure i got an idea of what the real football telent spotters think of young Mara. Thanks SAINTS SUPPORTERS for your valuable insite.

You couldn't add me to that list of foolish naysayers, because I couldn't be arsed to say anything in the first place. Consider it a bit of ennui from last season, but I'll put my hand up and say I felt slightly disappointed we didn't get him out on loan a couple of weeks ago. We've had loads of 'talented' players since we returned to the Prem who ended up contributing very little. Happy to be proven wrong here.

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25 minutes ago, BERMUDASAINT said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just making sure i got an idea of what the real football telent spotters think of young Mara. Thanks SAINTS SUPPORTERS for your valuable insite.

I think some of the criticisms have been justified and it can be a bit of a lottery to predict the successful path of a young player. He certainly improved since the dire start of the season and still a long way to go but I’ve always thought there was a decent player there. I hope he carries on working hard and makes it, which I’m sure the naysayers do as well. 

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On 30/07/2022 at 19:02, The Kraken said:

Ralph’s comments about him after today.

“Sekou, like all the young new players coming to us, they have to get adapted to the intensity of our game so you can see immediately,” Hasenhuttl said.

“Last season with Broja it was the same, it took him minimum three/four weeks until he knew what it was about playing up front here.

“The game doesn’t start when you get the ball, the game starts when the opponent has it. This is the thing he has to learn but it is also not surprising because this is different.”

Hasenhuttl added: “He has some qualities on the ball but it’s not enough, he must work hard for the team and then we will see.”

 

On 13/08/2022 at 17:59, The Kraken said:

He’s definitely got ability. What a through ball that was. The shot was impressive too, barely any backlift and he thumped it.

I think we’ll need to be patient with him, he seems like the type of player who will drift in and out of games. No doubting his talent though, looks like a very useful prospect.

 

On 29/12/2023 at 22:01, The Kraken said:

Agreed, thought he did very well. Clearly has a brilliant touch and also some skills to him, and he’s so young I think previous criticism of him has been very unfair. I think he’ll turn out a very decent player.

😎 come at me bruh

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1 hour ago, BERMUDASAINT said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just making sure i got an idea of what the real football telent spotters think of young Mara. Thanks SAINTS SUPPORTERS for your valuable insite.

We shall see where he is in 12 months.

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5 hours ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

He did pretty well on Saturday when holding off THREE defenders and delicately passing to Edozie, who scored our fifth goal.  He seems to have developed a more bulky physique in the last few months and is now more capable of keeping the ball when under pressure from a CB or other defender.  Give him time; he is coming good.

He certainly did well for that goal, but I honestly don't think his hold up play has improved in recent months. The only thing that has changed is that he has scored goals in the last few weeks, which seems to have the unremarkable effect of bringing fans around to him. 

It hasn't changed my mind about him. As I have said many times, I like him, he has some lovely skills and he strikes the ball well, but to counter that, he can be far too casual and he needs to do the simple and `dirty' stuff better.  He needs the right coaching and time to understand the position.

I'm more than happy to give him that time. I am not sure going up will do him any favours though. Another season at this level playing every week would be ideal and then perhaps he can make a serious impression on the Prem.

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He’s had a really good week, and it’s about time he started showing a bit more consistency.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves like he turned into Prime Messi overnight. 
Che Adams had a good week - once.

Glad to see progress is starting to be made with him and hope he keeps up the consistency, some big opportunities for him this season.

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3 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

He’s had a really good week, and it’s about time he started showing a bit more consistency.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves like he turned into Prime Messi overnight. 
Che Adams had a good week - once.

Glad to see progress is starting to be made with him and hope he keeps up the consistency, some big opportunities for him this season.

To be fair, Che's good week is easily explained by the presence of an open window ;)

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  • 1 month later...

Can you sack a player?

Lazy, ineffective, clearly not interested, clearly not aware of his surroundings, clearly no benefit to being part of a match day squad.

I know above you have to give a player the benefit of the doubt from time to time but this guy is consistently poor. 
The fact that last time this thread was looked at was after the Huddersfield game shows how little impact he has with the team.

At some point reality has to set in - he isn’t going to make it here and isn’t good enough.

Discuss. 😊

Edited by FarehamSaintJames
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He's shown sparks of talent, but today's effort makes me wonder if he is playing to rule, or is effectively playing on protest.  Unless he is ill? He was seriously outpaced by players who had already been running for over an hour. 

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1 minute ago, pingpong said:

He's shown sparks of talent, but today's effort makes me wonder if he is playing to rule, or is effectively playing on protest.  Unless he is ill? He was seriously outpaced by players who had already been running for over an hour. 

Not sure about ill but started limping for a bit 

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  • Lighthouse changed the title to Sekou Mara - Official: Signs for Strasbourg

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