Dries Mertens

BerkeleyBernie

Senior Member
One of my favorite attacking players. Plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie, and for the Belgian national team. Great on the dribble, excellent dead ball kicker, good playmaker, good defensive contribution. I have a feeling he'd shine if surrounded by players of similar tactical awareness. Maybe a top Bundesliga team.
 

Catorce

Cruijff's Heir
Do you really watch many PSV games or do you know him from the national team? My local favorite club is PSV and I have to say, he is good but not that good. He does have a good shot and a good free kick. But he isn't that great of a dribbler; he almost always goes to his right foot and moves inside. No action on the sideline and he isn't giving lots of balls to the CF/Striker. He is becoming quite predictable after a season, and it seems Dick Advocaat(coach PSV) isn't overly impressed by his contributions here and there. Finally, the worst thing is something you call good! His defensive contribution is awful, rarely covers for other players and is used to not marking his man. That really needs to improve if he wants to move to a bigger club in a bigger league. I think in a year, Memphis Depay has overtaken his spot in the first XI, he has greater speed, better technique and a better dribbling action. So much talent!
 

Edman

New member
He really is a great player, and I don't usually say this about PSV players. Had great season-start last season, then he lost his form a bit. But last game for PSV and for belgian NT he seems to be back on track.
 

Wouterinho

New member
Do you really watch many PSV games or do you know him from the national team? My local favorite club is PSV and I have to say, he is good but not that good. He does have a good shot and a good free kick. But he isn't that great of a dribbler; he almost always goes to his right foot and moves inside. No action on the sideline and he isn't giving lots of balls to the CF/Striker. He is becoming quite predictable after a season, and it seems Dick Advocaat(coach PSV) isn't overly impressed by his contributions here and there. Finally, the worst thing is something you call good! His defensive contribution is awful, rarely covers for other players and is used to not marking his man. That really needs to improve if he wants to move to a bigger club in a bigger league. I think in a year, Memphis Depay has overtaken his spot in the first XI, he has greater speed, better technique and a better dribbling action. So much talent!
I think when Mertens loses his spot, it'll be because he gets a transfer. As long as that doens't happen, he's definitely a first XI player for me.
 

Catorce

Cruijff's Heir
Great form yeah, but would love to see him really hit it off against big opponents. To me he is still one of the first, together with Wijnaldum, who fails to perform in big matches. But his stats are incredible: 2012/2013 32 matches 13 goals and 21 assists. 2011/2012 54 matches 27 goals and 25 assists!
 

Jesse1509

Detalles, detalles, siempre detalles
Great player for PSV. I'm not sure how good he'll become, but he's definitely ready for a better team.
 

BerkeleyBernie

Senior Member
Mertens FTW. Scores from open play against Slovakia with a nice left to right run at the top of the box and curling to the back post.

 

89Norcal

New member
CF4 1899, would you rate Mertens higher than Jeremain Lens?

Newcastle were targeting both of them for a while so Im curious who is better.
 

BerkeleyBernie

Senior Member
CF4 1899, would you rate Mertens higher than Jeremain Lens?

Newcastle were targeting both of them for a while so Im curious who is better.

Mertens will light it up when he joins a team with more technical smart players (I hope a team like Dortmund; he'd fit it great with Barça if there was any room on the side, far better than Alexis). I was watching him in the last PSV game, and he was doing the Xavi swivelhead. It's clear that he is developing himself to be an attacking playmaker working quick triangles and looking for key passes and assists. He's just far too isolated on the left wing at PSV, and the attack often goes down the right side with PSV's less creative players. PSV always looks more dangerous when the ball gets on Merten's feet.

Lens is a pretty dull player, relying on pace and aggressiveness- so probably a better fit for the EPL.
 

xboogiex

New member
Mertens will light it up when he joins a team with more technical smart players (I hope a team like Dortmund; he'd fit it great with Barça if there was any room on the side, far better than Alexis). I was watching him in the last PSV game, and he was doing the Xavi swivelhead. It's clear that he is developing himself to be an attacking playmaker working quick triangles and looking for key passes and assists. He's just far too isolated on the left wing at PSV, and the attack often goes down the right side with PSV's less creative players. PSV always looks more dangerous when the ball gets on Merten's feet.

Lens is a pretty dull player, relying on pace and aggressiveness- so probably a better fit for the EPL.

Mertens is a great player but he is'nt consistent enough
 

Wouterinho

New member
Mertens will light it up when he joins a team with more technical smart players (I hope a team like Dortmund; he'd fit it great with Barça if there was any room on the side, far better than Alexis). I was watching him in the last PSV game, and he was doing the Xavi swivelhead. It's clear that he is developing himself to be an attacking playmaker working quick triangles and looking for key passes and assists. He's just far too isolated on the left wing at PSV, and the attack often goes down the right side with PSV's less creative players. PSV always looks more dangerous when the ball gets on Merten's feet.

Lens is a pretty dull player, relying on pace and aggressiveness- so probably a better fit for the EPL.
I really like Mertens but you're clearly a bit too much of a fan. Sanchez is having a bad season, but he's way better than Mertens. Mertens wouldn't stand a chance in Barcelona. His creativity can be disappointing, he almost always does exactly the same thing. However, I do think he is ready for 'the next step'. When comparing him to Lens, I agree Lens is probably a better fit for the EPL, but I don't really consider him a dull player.
 

BerkeleyBernie

Senior Member
I really like Mertens but you're clearly a bit too much of a fan. Sanchez is having a bad season, but he's way better than Mertens. Mertens wouldn't stand a chance in Barcelona. His creativity can be disappointing, he almost always does exactly the same thing. However, I do think he is ready for 'the next step'. When comparing him to Lens, I agree Lens is probably a better fit for the EPL, but I don't really consider him a dull player.

We'll see. ;) Mertens is limited to what he can do, because he plays his position as instructed, hugging the touchline to widen the game. It's the same as Iniesta when he is deployed wide on the left- he simply has less creative options than when he is more central. Mertens has even less because his teammates aren't as positionally adept as Barça, and make fewer smart off-ball runs, are less accurate on 1-2s, etc. Even so, as Mertens cuts in from the side of the box, he always has an eye for a far post runner or someone overlapping (like Alba) for a sharp cut through pass (and not to mention his excellent curling shots). I think you are interpreting PSV's limitations as Mertens'; I see it the other way around.
 

Catorce

Cruijff's Heir
I'd personally say Mertens is better than Lens. And in a sense BerkeleyBernie is right that Mertens is developing himself. Would love to see Advocaat change things up and try Mertens (or Depay!) on 10 to replace Wijnaldum.

Anyway, in somewhat more than half an hour the big game against Vitesse (away) will start. Who knows, maybe Mertens will continue his great form and be important for PSV again. Let's hope so :)
 

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