Rabbi Matondo to Stoke

[blue lewj]

Yep. When he has played for Wales you can see the pace but no end product. Would love to be wrong as we need as many young players as possible to come through but I just don’t see any ability there.

His pace is ridiculous (quicker than Sane and Sterling at Man City apparently) but it only serves to highlight his shortcomings all the more. He has that much longer to make decisions but still seems to take that extra touch, make the wrong choice and ultimately fails to create chances or score regularly.

The best way I heard him described at Schalke was that he was a gamble and if he was anywhere near the finished article he wouldn't be there. His pace cannot be questioned. I think they thought they could bring him up to a level where the £11 million they paid for him would have been considered a steal. As it is they have realised that they can't bring his game outside of his pace up to the required level and seem to have drawn a line under it. If he fails at Stoke it isn't very likely he will feature for a Schalke team that will be in rebuild mode and looking to get deadwood off the books either.

You compare him to another talent from the same Man City academy (and they could well have played together) in Jadon Sancho and you see the gulf in class.

[blue lewj]

When you think it was reported that Matondo went to Schalke a year later than Sancho for a higher fee it really highlights how their careers have gone on ridiculously different trajectories since.

Sancho is being touted for a move in the £90 to £100m mark to clubs such as Man United while Matondo can't get in a team that are bottom of the Bundesliga, is considered surpless to requirements at Schalke and is turning in below par performances on loan at Stoke. Mad to think they could go in such different directions in such a short space of time.

[life on mars]

When you think it was reported that Matondo went to Schalke a year later than Sancho for a higher fee it really highlights how their careers have gone on ridiculously different trajectories since.

Sancho is being touted for a move in the £90 to £100m mark to clubs such as Man United while Matondo can't get in a team that are bottom of the Bundesliga, is considered surpless to requirements at Schalke and is turning in below par performances on loan at Stoke. Mad to think they could go in such different directions in such a short space of time.

Perhaps overrated, badly scouted , got into bad behaviours or attitude not right or simply stopped developing, all I can recall as a positive from his Man City time was about his speed over a short distance.

[blue lewj]

Perhaps overrated, badly scouted , got into bad behaviours or attitude not right or simply stopped developing, all I can recall as a positive from his Man City time was about his speed over a short distance.

Think it is a combination of those things.

At Man City it is difficult to break through. Off the top of my head I can only think of Foden who has broken through and featured with any regularity for their first team so there is no shame in that.

I think the move to Germany was a good one for him but for whatever reason he just hasn't developed. Sancho has done well at Dortmund and Bellingham is now getting first team exposure there too and seems to be doing well. The Germans are not afraid to blood youngsters but it also very much sink and swim. If you don't seize your chance or multiple chances then it bypasses you and seems to have done so with Matondo.

He needs the loan move at Stoke to work. If it doesn't then what Championship club or higher will take a gamble on him? When he goes back to Schalke they will either have stayed up in Bundesliga by the skin of their teeth or have been relegated, either way there will be big changes in playing personnel and I can see him frozen out there too. He is at a critical stage of his career and I hope for his sake he finds something because he is on downward spiral at the moment and failing at Stoke will not do much to halt that.

[delmbox]

Think it is a combination of those things.

At Man City it is difficult to break through. Off the top of my head I can only think of Foden who has broken through and featured with any regularity for their first team so there is no shame in that.

I think the move to Germany was a good one for him but for whatever reason he just hasn't developed. Sancho has done well at Dortmund and Bellingham is now getting first team exposure there too and seems to be doing well. The Germans are not afraid to blood youngsters but it also very much sink and swim. If you don't seize your chance or multiple chances then it bypasses you and seems to have done so with Matondo.

He needs the loan move at Stoke to work. If it doesn't then what Championship club or higher will take a gamble on him? When he goes back to Schalke they will either have stayed up in Bundesliga by the skin of their teeth or have been relegated, either way there will be big changes in playing personnel and I can see him frozen out there too. He is at a critical stage of his career and I hope for his sake he finds something because he is on downward spiral at the moment and failing at Stoke will not do much to halt that.

Sancho and Bellingham are going to be world class footballers, Matondo from what I've seen is probably League 1. Hopefully he'll develop into a Championship player but I can't see any more realistic aspirations than that for him

[PhyllisStant]

I don't think any of us have really seen enough of him yet. He's played the equivalent of just over 20 games of 90 minute first team football in his career to date.

[Rjk]

I don't think any of us have really seen enough of him yet. He's played the equivalent of just over 20 games of 90 minute first team football in his career to date.

most of those minutes were in a completely awful schalke team as well

[Croesy Blue]

most of those minutes were in a completely awful schalke team as well

Plus how often do you see a young winger described as just fast with no end product, then a run of football and some decent coaching improves them.

Obviously not on the same level but it wasn’t that long people were saying it about Daniel Sturridge and Raven Sterling.

He might not make it but he must have something to have been signed by those sides, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come good.

[blue lewj]

Obviously not on the same level but it wasn’t that long people were saying it about Daniel Sturridge and Raven Sterling.

Plenty of people were crowing about those two.

[Croesy Blue]

Plenty of people were crowing about those two.

I didn’t say they weren’t, plenty of people were crowing about Matondo when Man City signed him and when he went from Man City to Schalke too.

[blue lewj]

I didn’t say they weren’t, plenty of people were crowing about Matondo when Man City signed him and when he went from Man City to Schalke too.

I meant the lad you mentioned mainly.

Raven Sterling.

[Croesy Blue]

I meant the lad you mentioned mainly.

Raven Sterling.

Doh

[blue lewj]

I guess we'll have to wait a while longer to judge Matondo. He can't even get in the Stoke team now.

[splott parker]

I meant the lad you mentioned mainly.

Raven Sterling.

There’s a comic book memory. Raven On The Wing

[blue lewj]

Can safely say we dodged a bullet here.

Would have been a waste of money we didn't have.

[Rjk]

Can safely say we dodged a bullet here.

Would have been a waste of money we didn't have.

I don't know why people are still so quick to write him off.
he's still only 20 - that's younger than Sang or Harris, still plenty of time to fulfill his potential. people being legitimate top level players at that age are still the exception Esther than the rule.
I've seen enough of him for Wales to suggest that there is a player in there, it'll probably just take the right team for him to be able to shine.

[the other bob wilson]

I don't know why people are still so quick to write him off.
he's still only 20 - that's younger than Sang or Harris, still plenty of time to fulfill his potential. people being legitimate top level players at that age are still the exception Esther than the rule.
I've seen enough of him for Wales to suggest that there is a player in there, it'll probably just take the right team for him to be able to shine.

I'd agree with that.

[blue lewj]

I don't know why people are still so quick to write him off.
he's still only 20 - that's younger than Sang or Harris, still plenty of time to fulfill his potential. people being legitimate top level players at that age are still the exception Esther than the rule.
I've seen enough of him for Wales to suggest that there is a player in there, it'll probably just take the right team for him to be able to shine.

I'm not sure I have seen the same things.

I see much the same as I do when he plays for Schalke.
Bags of pace but footballing sense and ability to utilise that pace when he gets into dangerous positions is sadly lacking.

[Rjk]

I'm not sure I have seen the same things.

I see much the same as I do when he plays for Schalke.
Bags of pace but footballing sense and ability to utilise that pace when he gets into dangerous positions is sadly lacking.

I've seen him looking comfortable on the ball, when under pressure, pressing really well himself, working very hard and he is very quick.
could possibly do with a bit more physical strength but that may still come.
of course we all want to see him terrorising the opposing defence every time he gets the ball, and some greater physical strength would probably help with that, if you watch the way someone like Adama Traore or Mo Salah shrug off players but it's worth remembering that neither of those players were anything like they are today at the age of 20. salah's uninspiring time at Chelsea was when he was 22-24 and at 20 Traore joined Aston Villa and did basically nothing.

for every Erling Haaland, Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney who are legit players as teenagers there are many many more who don't fully develop until early to mid 20s .

[City123]

I've seen him looking comfortable on the ball, when under pressure, pressing really well himself, working very hard and he is very quick.
could possibly do with a bit more physical strength but that may still come.
of course we all want to see him terrorising the opposing defence every time he gets the ball, and some greater physical strength would probably help with that, if you watch the way someone like Adama Traore or Mo Salah shrug off players but it's worth remembering that neither of those players were anything like they are today at the age of 20. salah's uninspiring time at Chelsea was when he was 22-24 and at 20 Traore joined Aston Villa and did basically nothing.

for every Erling Haaland, Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney who are legit players as teenagers there are many many more who don't fully develop until early to mid 20s .

Gareth Bale was still a cursed left back when he was 20

[blue lewj]

I've seen him looking comfortable on the ball, when under pressure, pressing really well himself, working very hard and he is very quick.
could possibly do with a bit more physical strength but that may still come.
of course we all want to see him terrorising the opposing defence every time he gets the ball, and some greater physical strength would probably help with that, if you watch the way someone like Adama Traore or Mo Salah shrug off players but it's worth remembering that neither of those players were anything like they are today at the age of 20. salah's uninspiring time at Chelsea was when he was 22-24 and at 20 Traore joined Aston Villa and did basically nothing.

for every Erling Haaland, Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney who are legit players as teenagers there are many many more who don't fully develop until early to mid 20s .

Totally agree with you. Some players develop later than others.

Let's not lose sight of the fact though that this thread was discussing the issue of taking him on loan this season though. He can't get in the Stoke team.

[Rjk]

started and scored today for stoke

[BLUETIT]

started and scored today for stoke

Possible own goal according to Sky

[Rjk]

Possible own goal according to Sky

everywhere I've seen has given it to Matondo. and stoke fans seem to be saying his performance in general was the only real positive from today. attacked his full back throughout apparently