I wouldn’t have two unproven youngsters as 3rd or 4th choice centre backs. If we have injuries we can’t rely on them. I don’t think that would be fair either.I know pep won’t and will see it as a risk but he needs to invest into Khusanov and Reis this season. Ake and stones are luckily homegrown but I wouldn’t mind Khusanov and Reis as number 3& 4. The game allows more younger players to start due to a „ weaker generation“
Between the 25-30 year olds“ .
Reis and Khusanov are too talented to go waste.
I know pep won’t and will see it as a risk but he needs to invest into Khusanov and Reis this season. Ake and stones are luckily homegrown but I wouldn’t mind Khusanov and Reis as number 3& 4. The game allows more younger players to start due to a „ weaker generation“
Between the 25-30 year olds“ .
Reis and Khusanov are too talented to go waste.
yet we bought them for 30-40M each. Madrid wanted both. PSG was interested in Khusanov too. I don’t mind Ake either. But 2 of the CB like stones and akanji could leave. Akanji doesn’t offer anything special for a long time and also doesn’t have a build-up play.I wouldn’t have two unproven youngsters as 3rd or 4th choice centre backs. If we have injuries we can’t rely on them. I don’t think that would be fair either.
A lot of posters seem to just be writing off players like Akanji, who’s been integral to us winning so much.
I wouldn’t have two unproven youngsters as 3rd or 4th choice centre backs. If we have injuries we can’t rely on them. I don’t think that would be fair either.
A lot of posters seem to just be writing off players like Akanji, who’s been integral to us winning so much.
I wouldn’t have two unproven youngsters as 3rd or 4th choice centre backs. If we have injuries we can’t rely on them. I don’t think that would be fair either.
A lot of posters seem to just be writing off players like Akanji, who’s been integral to us winning so much.
Price tag is kind of irrelevant for those two. Most of the squad cost 30 or 40m+.yet we bought them for 30-40M each. Madrid wanted both. PSG was interested in Khusanov too. I don’t mind Ake either. But 2 of the CB like stones and akanji could leave. Akanji doesn’t offer anything special for a long time and also doesn’t have a build-up play.
Stones is always injured anyways.
if we tried for Huijsen. Would you say the same?
Why pay 70M for 2 talents if u don’t play them
In that 9 game run when most of our Senior guys were out and Khusanov was Motm in half those games. Which guy would you have played ahead of him?I wouldn’t have two unproven youngsters as 3rd or 4th choice centre backs. If we have injuries we can’t rely on them. I don’t think that would be fair either.
A lot of posters seem to just be writing off players like Akanji, who’s been integral to us winning so much.
Price tag is kind of irrelevant for those two. Most of the squad cost 30 or 40m+.
We paid what 40/50 m for Philips. A high price tag doesn’t mean you’re going to play.
Maybe some of the more senior players will leave, but what if they don’t?
For me those two aren’t better than any of our other centre backs. They’d be getting in because of injury.
One of them might get a chance at best and that’s probably just cup games to start with
That’s one of them. I reckon khusanov might get a chance and play certain games, but do you honestly think pep is going to play two unproven youngsters together or as 3/4 choice? So any injuries they’d be starting.In that 9 game run when most of our Senior guys were out and Khusanov was Motm in half those games. Which guy would you have played ahead of him?
Frankly, i think we overrate experience. On recent performance Khusa especially, looks a straight up better Center back than Akanji.
Stones and Ake will both stay coz they are home grown. I think we can survive with 6 Center backs. And yes, i'd have both ahead of Stones and Ake, if for nothing else but to save those guys for big games.
I want Khusa, Reis and Gvardiol to be the 3 starting CBs in 26/27 with Dias and Bah as the experienced and inexperienced backups.
That's not gonna happen if we keep pretending they are too young.
Stones and ake are both fantastic players. It’s not nostalgia to say that. Of course the team needs a refresh, but I’d argue some posters are going the extreme the other way. As in there now writing off pretty much the entire team and wanting youngsters who’ve barely played to be starting or 3rd choice.Respectfully I think most of us have a hard time letting go of nostalgia.
But facts are the team we loved.. peaked in the 2nd game vs Real Madrid and has/ had been on a slow decline since then.
We didn't have a win vs a top 5 side in forever in the 4th in a row season, and last season it all fell apart. Yes it's accurate to say some players were integral in us winning so much but they're now 2-3 years older, slower and in the PL and CL.. that half a step loss is huge.
It might not be as bad or as pronounced as Walker's decline but still there is a decline. IMO we need to allow the younger signings to gel in rather than block their path by sending them on loans!
So, the above assumes all 4 guys get injured.That’s one of them. I reckon khusanov might get a chance and play certain games, but do you honestly think pep is going to play two unproven youngsters together or as 3/4 choice? So any injuries they’d be starting.
A big if, but if stones and ake are fit they will start ahead of them. There better players and they aren’t over the hill yet, despite what some posters say
Got to agree . You could never start both together in big matches as you can see with both the inexperience but I do believe we have 2 cracking defenders who will be mainstays in this future team .So, the above assumes all 4 guys get injured.
If Dias is injured, I'll start Khusanov.
If Gvardiol is injured on needs a rest, ill move Dias to LCB and Start Khusanov.
If both Dias and Gvardiol couldn't play, I'd start Ake plus one of them.
If Ake, Dias and Gvardiol were injured, I'd start, Stones and one of them.
In short, wed need 4 CBs to all be injured to start both.
But suppose one of Khisa or Reis gets injured. I'd simply move the other to the #3 spot.
And yes, in early cup games ( FA and Carling) I am starting both. All the time.
That's how id play it personally. But that's because i don't believe they are weaker CBs. Just less experienced.
some posters are going the extreme the other way
As 4 and 5 would be okay. I‘d keep Ake out of Stones, Akanji and him. But then again maybe you can loan him to Bournemouth if they can’t find a good CB since they might need to overpay. Easier than said but maybe a thoughtTrue that.
Regarding Reis, he seems highly rated at the club, maybe more than Khusa.
Anyway, we ain't going with them as our 3rd and 4th choice, nobody at the club is that crazy.
Hopefully this is true, as I think he’s good enough to be part of the squad.