Been with us for 18 months now and I still don’t know what his ceiling is. I like him as a player because of his work rate, but there are definitely games he goes missing along with ones where can produce magic. Interested to know what other people think? For example is he someone who has premier league potential or just a solid championship winger forever?
How good is Sakamoto? (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter jto123
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CoventryUSA
Well-Known Member
I think Premier League future is the wrong way to think of him.
The best version of Sakamoto would be on a team that plays in continental competition but dominates the ball in their overmatched domestic leagues. His dribbling skill and ability to create space in close quarters is at an elite level. Really think he would excel best with those clubs that constantly need to unlock a low block.
The best version of Sakamoto would be on a team that plays in continental competition but dominates the ball in their overmatched domestic leagues. His dribbling skill and ability to create space in close quarters is at an elite level. Really think he would excel best with those clubs that constantly need to unlock a low block.
True, he just always seems like 6/10 in every match, but maybe I’m deluding myself that there’s a better performing player in there?
hill83
Well-Known Member
I don’t rate him myself. Especially post injury. I’ll leave it there.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
The stats just don’t back that up at all. In reality, he struggled to take players on. Compare EMC to Sakamoto below:
Sakamoto - Tatsuhiro Sakamoto Scouting Report for Last 365 Days Men's Next 14 Competitions | FBref.com
EMC - Ephron Mason-Clark Scouting Report for Last 365 Days Men's Next 14 Competitions | FBref.com
Sakamoto has a lot of good attributes, but if we’re being brutally honest, a lot of games you barely notice he’s playing. He won’t be a starter when everyone is back because he simply isn’t one of our best 11 players.
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COVKIDSNEVERQUIT
Well-Known Member
Teams can see he's potential look how they double up on him and sometimes have three players marking him.
They can see if you give him the space he will deliver a decent cross or a killer pass.
thezunigadream
Active Member
He has one position where he excels and that’s right side of the three up top. He’s an effective top half championship player there. Anything more central or deeper and he’s lost (though I think his collecting it deep with back to goal has improved).
His impact in that position up top has absolutely dulled since he got the injury though. It’s a shame, it’s pretty hard for anyone to truly comprehend the full impact of that injury mentally and physically. Must have been absolutely savage those weeks after.
His impact in that position up top has absolutely dulled since he got the injury though. It’s a shame, it’s pretty hard for anyone to truly comprehend the full impact of that injury mentally and physically. Must have been absolutely savage those weeks after.
I think he’s a good championship player end of. He was an unknown last year and teams have worked him out - still think he’s a good player to have.
After all the debate last year about where he should play, it’s very obvious now he should be playing on the right of a 3. Doesn’t seem to quite fit at the moment but he is the sort of nuisance that can make things happen.
After all the debate last year about where he should play, it’s very obvious now he should be playing on the right of a 3. Doesn’t seem to quite fit at the moment but he is the sort of nuisance that can make things happen.
Major Tom
Well-Known Member
We'll find out when we go up in the playoffs that season
stupot07
Well-Known Member
You're not comparing like for like, as EMCs stats include him playing in league one. This is this season in the championship. They are different types of wingers. EMC has green in some areas and Sakamoto in other areas.
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Telfer85
Well-Known Member
I’m not even sure before his injury he was a top winger in this division. Hes a good player and can be great on his day but think there is potential we could get better for that position.
That being said I would like to keep him as he can create something out of nothing at times and to be fair he’s good at arriving in the box in good positions. Work rate is good and he has slightly improved his defensive work but gets caught out of position a lot. Just don’t think he will get any better and this is his peak but hope he proves me wrong.
That being said I would like to keep him as he can create something out of nothing at times and to be fair he’s good at arriving in the box in good positions. Work rate is good and he has slightly improved his defensive work but gets caught out of position a lot. Just don’t think he will get any better and this is his peak but hope he proves me wrong.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
EMCs stats is for 2024-25 Championship only. FBRef only provides a summary for L1 and below as far as I can tell. Whereas Sakamoto’s stats are from 23/24 also, which skews the numbers in Sakamoto’s favour because he had a better 23/24 than 24/25.
I like Sakamoto as a player, he’s a solid rotation option. Let’s not kid ourselves into believing he’s a top end Championship RW when he’s nowhere near. You’re not starting him ahead of Wright, Simms, Rudoni or EMC unless it’s plainly obvious something isn’t working out.
stupot07
Well-Known Member
He's a better RW than EMC, Simms and Wright, no idea about Rudoni as we've never seen him there. Unless Lampard brings in a replacement Sakamoto will play RW if we are playing 4231.
Matt smith
Well-Known Member
Ideally he’d be back up next year.
Hes a great backup, think we need more from our first choice right winger to be honest, probably a bit harsh.
As I do like him as a player and never shirks out of anything on the pitch
Hes a great backup, think we need more from our first choice right winger to be honest, probably a bit harsh.
As I do like him as a player and never shirks out of anything on the pitch
Saddlebrains
Well-Known Member
Can't figure him out
One thing that has frustrated me all season however is last year we had the best right hand side in the league with Milan and Tats
The overlaps, the threading of passes between each other, the incisive movement, leaving players on there arse 2 or 3 times a game, they were almost telepathic
Now? Well I think we've all seen, both have been nowhere near last years levels, ponderous, slow, sideways and backwards etc
Can only assume it's on instruction
One thing that has frustrated me all season however is last year we had the best right hand side in the league with Milan and Tats
The overlaps, the threading of passes between each other, the incisive movement, leaving players on there arse 2 or 3 times a game, they were almost telepathic
Now? Well I think we've all seen, both have been nowhere near last years levels, ponderous, slow, sideways and backwards etc
Can only assume it's on instruction
Sky Blue Wozza
Well-Known Member
Agree with this.
MVE has been half the player he was without Sakamoto. Our shape on the right has been all over the shop. MVE has definitely looked at more attacking threat, however, since Sakamoto has returned to the starting 11.
His crossing, and long range passing, is conversely far better with his left foot than his right.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
Combined, I don’t think Haji and EMC have 90m between them at RW. Let alone under Lampard. Thats not an informed decision. Ironically, Rudoni has probably had more game time at RW than EMC this season…
Why you wouldn’t at least try that trio for a few games is beyond me. Lampard will almost definitely try to play those players because it’s only one player who may have to adapt to a new position.
CovValleyBoy
Well-Known Member
For me Saka is a tough little player in addition to his silky skills. Pound for pound he is one of the best tacklers in the club. Never shirks a challenge. If only Simms & BTA would actually commit the way Sakamoto does instead of mostly posing & chasing shadows when closing down.
ProfessorbyGrace
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think Tatsu played his most attractive and productive football under Robins, pre-injury, where he had a bit more freedom to attack more aggressively and link up with MVE.
Truth be told, I haven’t seen many games this season, but it appears they’re under some kind of tactical constraint?
Truth be told, I haven’t seen many games this season, but it appears they’re under some kind of tactical constraint?
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
I said this last season, there was the possibility that his run of form was just a flash in the pan. When a player has a ridiculously high shot conversion rate and a lot higher xG than their output (on single digit goals), it’s typically an anomaly.
EMC as soon as he came on, was sprinting behind the defensive line which nearly lead to a goal or two. We have Haji to come back which I expect to do similar things. If that isn’t enough to join the dots, the clue was in the January window when we nearly signed Matondo. We want pant pacy players in the wide channels and someone like Grimes and Rudoni to put the ball behind defences.
Heck, even Simms got in behind QPR’s defence a few times last night. How often did Sakamoto?
Earlsdon_Skyblue1
Well-Known Member
I thought he looked a menace until his injury. Offered something different and made a lot of defenders look silly. He was adding more goal contributions too.
This season he's just looked pretty ineffective in general. I don't feel confident in him beating a man like before, and his end product has looked suspect.
I hope he can get back on course because I really like him, but what we've seen this season so far hasn't really been good enough unfortunately. He obviously has a lot of talent so fingers crossed he can bounce back.
This season he's just looked pretty ineffective in general. I don't feel confident in him beating a man like before, and his end product has looked suspect.
I hope he can get back on course because I really like him, but what we've seen this season so far hasn't really been good enough unfortunately. He obviously has a lot of talent so fingers crossed he can bounce back.
Agree with much of this. One thing I would say is when he’s playing on the right of a front three he can deliver a good through ball / cross. Last night he put EMC through with a lovely sweeping ball from the side line near the halfway line.
He may have lost something with the injury (in terms of sharpness) - hoping only temporary and he can return to his pre injury best.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
Nope. As a team we’re a lot more aggressive in our build up play under Lampard.
It’s like QPR’s LW yesterday who was right footed, used a lot of footwork, nearly made MVE look silly a few times but the output in terms of shots and crosses was lacking. It didn’t matter how much he danced over the ball, you knew all he wanted to do was get back into his right foot. Dribbling wise, I felt he was similar to how Sakamoto liked to play last season.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
I actually think Sakamoto would make a good LW his cross for Rudoni’s goal v Sunderland was a cracking cross.
He’s a good crosses of the ball when he gets on his left foot, which he’s demonstrated many times, hos assist for EMC’s goal v Cardiff being another deft example.
Despite that, he’s not a better player than Rudoni, Wright or EMC and I’ve never brought into the binary that EMC or Haji ‘can’t’ play wing. If we try it for 5-10 games and it doesn’t work, then we can revisit that idea. This trope is another example of fans writing off certain ideas and players based on what they can and can’t do.
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Kilclines curly mullet
Well-Known Member
Amazing how we can all see different things.
For me, I’d sell in the summer.
Didnt get into the first team until November 2023 then went on a run until January where he played well and scored about 6 goals.
in the month up to his injury he was poor and that has continued this season.
All in all about 10-15 decent games in my opinion.
Problem is our fans love him because he runs around, similar to Bassett but that only gets you so far if you have genuine ambitions to get out of this league
He is not alone in my thoughts, add Eccles, Allen, Binks to that list
For me, I’d sell in the summer.
Didnt get into the first team until November 2023 then went on a run until January where he played well and scored about 6 goals.
in the month up to his injury he was poor and that has continued this season.
All in all about 10-15 decent games in my opinion.
Problem is our fans love him because he runs around, similar to Bassett but that only gets you so far if you have genuine ambitions to get out of this league
He is not alone in my thoughts, add Eccles, Allen, Binks to that list
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stupot07
Well-Known Member
The Peterborough fans said EMC can't play right wing. And he played there a lot at the begining of the season when he was coming off the bench. The only time he got a run in the side on the left was when Wright was injured.
There's even several comments in the EMC appreciation thread at the time about him having to play on the right. Mason-Clark Appreciation Thread
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Chicken Mcgraw
Well-Known Member
Really wasn’t a fan at first but he then had a purple patch before fading and getting injured.
Even in his quiet games he has a moment of magic in him, like the pass to EMC last night. I’m willing to give him another run in a 4-3-3, he looks very lost in the 5 back system. He has to be furthest wide and doesn’t want to be an inside forward like Wright or EMC.
My reservation is his numbers weren’t great in Belgium and that patch he had may have been an anomaly.
Even in his quiet games he has a moment of magic in him, like the pass to EMC last night. I’m willing to give him another run in a 4-3-3, he looks very lost in the 5 back system. He has to be furthest wide and doesn’t want to be an inside forward like Wright or EMC.
My reservation is his numbers weren’t great in Belgium and that patch he had may have been an anomaly.
AFCCOVENTRY
Well-Known Member
We will see the best of him in a 4-3-3
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
So because that’s what Peterborough fans said, it must be try and always will be. I’m sure if you asked Barnet fans the same question, they’d say he was a fine RW.
It’s true that he played his best football playing LW for Peterborough. Different club, different manager and different tactical role for the player.
Bearing in mind Haji and Simms were starting to hit form in the new year period of 2023, do you seriously think we were willing to sign a winger for £5m to sit them on the bench behind Haji Wright? There was always going to be a plan to get Haji, Simms and EMC in the same team.
Unless we play 4-4-2, Haji or EMC will end up playing RW.