It bugs me how you put players in one same mold. That they should be this and that at this age.
Wrong. Each player have their own development trajectory and they don't follow any other player's trajectory because they are not that other player. This is Esposito's path what we're seeing now. It's irrelevant what has happened in the past. Relevant is what is happening now, in the current season and what is going to happen in the future. Only relevant thing from the past is what the player has learnt from the past if everything hasn't gone well (and it hasn't for Esposito).
Past year (calendar one) has been very good for Seba. He was one of the trusted guys in Bari when they almost made it to Serie A. Now he's basically a starter for his team, trusted guy for his coach, with 5+3 stats and he's not even a pure striker. 4+1 stats in December. All this at the age of 21 in Serie B, which is very tough league for young players.
I would say it's been very impressive for the guy given what has happened in the previous years.
You tell me the past doesn't matter and then in the same post tell me it's great considering his past
There's obviously wiggle room and exceptions, but if you look at our first team you see many people on pretty similar tracjectories. They get into the first team at a young age - no matter the level - and generally stay there and keep soaring. Step backwards etc are pretty rare. Not to say that having to take a step backward means you won't make it, but just that it's a bit harder. Seba has wasted a couple of years, so the question is can his hard work now and raw talent make up for lost time
Part of the point as well is with pro football the expectations are ever increasing. If he makes his true potential, which imho waa immense, he's competing against people now like Garnacho, who are younger and more experienced than he is.
The 80s/90s/00s where you could be a footballer on sheer talent alone with a shitty attitude is long gone. To make it at the top of this sport you need to be in like the top 10% of players in your league by the time you're 19 or 20, and then sustain at that level.
If you look at any of our first team members, it's only Dimarco imho who is even close to Esposito's track, everyone else was far more established than he was at the same age. Doesn't make it impossible, but just less likely.
And to be clear I do agree with you, if he can sustain what we've seen so far at Samp, it is decent, mostly back on track, and impressive "considering his past"
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