Toni Kroos

[taleofbluehalves]

Personally I see it as unrealistic to expect us to suddenly overhaul Barca & Real Madrid. It could happen, but imo that would be a bonus rather than an expectation.

If Pep had a full pre season & there were a couple of huge players available to bring in I could imagine it, but even then, it's such a big change for the whole team, I'm expecting a transitional period & I get the impression that's actually the plan.

I also think Pep is here for more than 3 years unless it goes tits up. I didn't before he arrived, I was pretty convinced it would be 3, but ti all points to more & I think this plan is to stabilise the club for the future as well as the short term trophy hunt.

I agree about Nolito btw. If you compare the highlights of his performances on youtube for example, to the best of Sané, he is absolutely miles ahead. People are dismissing him as a squad player & Sané as the 'star'. Nolito is currently way ahead of him.

I think Nolito will be superb. He scores and creates goals from wide, which is what we really lacked last season.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I think Nolito will be superb. He scores and creates goals from wide, which is what we really lacked last season.

He has an end product much better than the other players we have used in that position.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

If someone like Kroos comes, we have to get 4 players out to accomodate just the new 'senior' players coming in. People talking about just not registering players to play if we can't offload them, well I'm no fan of Kolarov for example, but he's a title winner who has been here some years & I would never treat him like that. It was very bad we did it with Zucculini imo.

I don't think it's a huge issue tbh. If we can't sell them, there are plenty of (probably Italian) clubs that would take the likes of Kolarov or Bony on loan for a season, possibly with an agreement to buy or first refusal deal at the end of it.

 

[domalino]

I don't think it's a huge issue tbh. If we can't sell them, there are plenty of (probably Italian) clubs that would take the likes of Kolarov or Bony on loan for a season, possibly with an agreement to buy or first refusal deal at the end of it.

It's not as big an issue as people are making it out to be. We're trying to get them out nicely and profitably now, but if push comes to shove we will be able to flog them off to someone.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

Personally I see it as unrealistic to expect us to suddenly overhaul Barca & Real Madrid. It could happen, but imo that would be a bonus rather than an expectation.

If Pep had a full pre season & there were a couple of huge players available to bring in I could imagine it, but even then, it's such a big change for the whole team, I'm expecting a transitional period & I get the impression that's actually the plan.

I also think Pep is here for more than 3 years unless it goes tits up. I didn't before he arrived, I was pretty convinced it would be 3, but ti all points to more & I think this plan is to stabilise the club for the future as well as the short term trophy hunt.

I agree about Nolito btw. If you compare the highlights of his performances on youtube for example, to the best of Sané, he is absolutely miles ahead. People are dismissing him as a squad player & Sané as the 'star'. Nolito is currently way ahead of him.

I hope you are right about Pep being here long term. If that is the case then what you are suggesting would definitely make sense. From how disappointed Khaldoon was with our champs league semi final performance and with the club openly seeking progression in the Champions League over the last few years I didn't think that would change for Pep. Although perhaps they are thinking along the lines of a one year transition period, which hopefully will be successful and then kick on there.

On topic - I'd love to see Kroos sign for us. His distribution is fantastic, and would allow us to dominate possession but with incisive passing as well. Rumours of his agent wanting to secure a better deal at Madrid is a concern though.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I hope you are right about Pep being here long term. If that is the case then what you are suggesting would definitely make sense. From how disappointed Khaldoon was with our champs league semi final performance and with the club openly seeking progression in the Champions League over the last few years I didn't think that would change for Pep. Although perhaps they are thinking along the lines of a one year transition period, which hopefully will be successful and then kick on there.

On topic - I'd love to see Kroos sign for us. His distribution is fantastic, and would allow us to dominate possession but with incisive passing as well. Rumours of his agent wanting to secure a better deal at Madrid is a concern though.

If I had to guess I'd say that's what's happening.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It's not as big an issue as people are making it out to be. We're trying to get them out nicely and profitably now, but if push comes to shove we will be able to flog them off to someone.

If we have to get rid of players in a hurry:

1 the buying/loaning clubs have us by the balls
2 the player does not have to go & may refuse. In fact this could be exactly what has happened already.

 

[domalino]

If we have to get rid of players in a hurry:

1 the buying/loaning clubs have us by the balls
2 the player does not have to go & may refuse. In fact this could be exactly what has happened already.

And in that case we'll take the comparatively small financial hit if we need to.

I'm not sure why people are acting like this is new? Jovetic and Dzeko wouldn't fuck off last year, but we still got them out of the door eventually. It's just a matter of time.

 

[Neville Kneville]

And in that case we'll take the comparatively small financial hit if we need to.

I'm not sure why people are acting like this is new? Jovetic and Dzeko wouldn't fuck off last year, but we still got them out of the door eventually. It's just a matter of time.

Jovetic & Dzeko were two highly sought after players.

But it doesn't matter about us 'taking a hit' if the player won't go.

 

[Dax777]

Jovetic & Dzeko were two highly sought after players.

But it doesn't matter about us 'taking a hit' if the player won't go.

Good point. It's harder to get rid of older players I presume. As sitting on the bench doesn't really hurt them as much as it would a younger player. Younger players trying to guarantee their national team aspirations are much more sensitive to being benched than a guy who'snational team time has passed, or who has retired from international football.