It's Quiet the £250m return

Mad 4 It said:
For me Ake, Stones, Akanji should go this window and if we could get a right back and another CB I would let Lewis and Nunes go. All are either past it, super injury prone or not good enough
Click to expand...
We need another transfer window probably for all that to happen....we are in transition mode at present and i think its another season before we are back to near challenging for the very top spot
 
Berti No Show said:
I think you need to take a step back and look at our options.

At CB we have Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Akanji, Stones, Reis and Khusanov.

Arsenal have Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior and Mosquera

Liverpool have Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez and Rhys Williams.

Chelsea have Tosin, Chalobah, Colwill, Badiashile, Fofana.

We have far more cover than our rivals in my opinion. Playing the likes of Reis and Khusanov more will allow the likes of Stones, Ake and Dias to get a rest and recover. If we let Akanji go, I'd bring in Guehi from Palace (HG option), but I wouldn't bring someone in unless we let one defender go.
Click to expand...
Ffs stop talking sense!!
 
Xhavenjoe said:
Do you think we will have all of Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Akanji, Stones, Reis and Khusanov at the start of the season?
Click to expand...

There's 7 players there. They can't all be injured like last season. Running the players into the ground the last few seasons doesn't help. We almost ran Gvardiol into the ground last season. If Pep can throw in Reis and Khusanov, then the likes of Dias, Stones, Ake will get vital rest.
 
Last edited:
simon23 said:
Ake and Stones are not in the equation - they are rarely fit...both have long standing injury issues

So we have Dias, Gvardiol Akanji and two untried youngsters

I would definitely bring in one more centre half
Click to expand...

The untried youngsters cost us 30m and 33m and were highly rated around the world. It's time to give them a go. We've invested heavily in them, and more so than other clubs have invested in centre backs. Problem is, if we bring another CB in we might end up missing out on a future world star. Reis was touted as the next Thiago Silva by all the popular scouting analysts on social media. Khusanov was highly rated in France. They have to be given a fair run in the side.

Possibly, but we'd have to get rid of one to bring one in. We can't bring in a centre back with the options we already have.
 
simon23 said:
Is Reis in particualr ready to make the step up...is Khusonov as well?
Click to expand...

How do we know if we don't play them? They could be 2 world beaters if given a fair run in the side. Khusanov was given a fair chance and won our player of the month, had 1 bad game and wasn't to be seen again. Players like that need a run of games.

We all know how difficult those Brazilian sides were in the CWC. Brazilian sides beat PSG, Chelsea and Inter Milan in the competition. The Brazilian league is fast, ferocious and physical, and Vitor Reis was Palmeiras main centre back in that side. He is ready right now.
 
Doc_Testosterone said:
Who would you describe being in their prime in this team?
Click to expand...
Haaland, Rodri, Foden, Reijnders, Marmoush, Dias...approaching their prime Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri, Nico G...future stars Cherki, Savinho, Bobb, O'Reilley, Echeverri, Khusonov, Reis and possibly Doku...still viable Bernardo, Kova, Ake, Akanji, Ederson, Ortega...squad players Nunes and Rico...need a move Gundo, Grealish, McAtee, and Stones...What's your point? That we're short on talent? One of the most talented rosters in world football. Need a right back and preferably another back who could play on either side. If Eddie moves on we defo need a new number 1. If we land a RB and remain relatively healthy there's no reason on Earth we can't compete for the league and in Europe...
 
simon23 said:
I get all of that and dont necessarily disagree but its presuming that the cover of Reis and Khusonov are anywhere near the level required...Khusonov looked reasonably decent in his few appearances but we have barely seen Reis and therefore again its a lot to presume he can make the step up (talk of him being loaned suggests not)

Stones was vital to that treble winning defence when he played...MOTM in the CL final playing more as a no.6

Walker was also extremely vital and was playing well - we had a right back which covered the high line like no other defender in the world could - we now dont have that and the two options we do have are poor imitations of defenders. Walker 1 vs 1 was unbeatable until he dropped off a cliff.

Do you think Pep changes his way of playing...Im not so sure he will - this exposes Dias and the rest as they dont have that cover in behind (Walker)

Dias and Akanji also arent that good 1 vs 1 - Dias has incredible leadership qualities but as a 1 vs 1 defender (which Pep requires) he is not the best...neither is Akanji

The number of players we have is not really the issue...its the quality and availability that could be - howmany games will Stones or Ake actually play for instance? Is Reis in particualr ready to make the step up...is Khusonov as well?
Click to expand...
There's some fair points there. We dont know how good Reis and to a much lesser extent khusanov are but the mere fact they're an option helps us, Pep isnt going to play an injured akanji in a game until hes having surgery and out for 10 weeks when khusanov is there to come in. we also have ait-nouri for left back and the o'reilly option there which frees up gvardiol and ake from fullback to give us more options across the back line.

Last season, the number of players was the biggest issue. We've solved it now that should result in a big upturn in performances.

I agree walker was integral to that defence, completely eliminating the counter down his side, thats irreplaceable in the same way kdb is so we'll have to adapt our game to solve those problems. Dont forget, we went in to last season fully expecting walker to be an integral part again, hes had a year of shitting the bed and a summer off to find a way to not expose ourselves so easily.

Im not overly convinced pep will actually change, but he has to, last season showed those tactics dont work. Asking defenders to defend 1v1 is suicide, they lose 1 duel and its costing us a goal, no matter who you lineup with, playing like that is always going to end badly and reflect poorly on the defenders regardless of who they are.
 
ninjamonkey said:
There's some fair points there. We dont know how good Reis and to a much lesser extent khusanov are but the mere fact they're an option helps us, Pep isnt going to play an injured akanji in a game until hes having surgery and out for 10 weeks when khusanov is there to come in. we also have ait-nouri for left back and the o'reilly option there which frees up gvardiol and ake from fullback to give us more options across the back line.

Last season, the number of players was the biggest issue. We've solved it now that should result in a big upturn in performances.

I agree walker was integral to that defence, completely eliminating the counter down his side, thats irreplaceable in the same way kdb is so we'll have to adapt our game to solve those problems. Dont forget, we went in to last season fully expecting walker to be an integral part again, hes had a year of shitting the bed and a summer off to find a way to not expose ourselves so easily.

Im not overly convinced pep will actually change, but he has to, last season showed those tactics dont work. Asking defenders to defend 1v1 is suicide, they lose 1 duel and its costing us a goal, no matter who you lineup with, playing like that is always going to end badly and reflect poorly on the defenders regardless of who they are.
Click to expand...
Unless you take the old toys off Pep he will continue to use them. They have to be sold this window or expect the same as last season.
 
Gvrdiol not in his prime at 23. Think he’s likely several years off which is a good thing for everyone. He’s truly a gem and I hope they don’t play him the same amount of minutes that they did this past year to save injury
 
King Jay said:
They are. Stones doesn’t even make it to the pitch. Dias hasn’t been consistent the last 2 years. 1vs1 ake is on the same level but also injury prone.
Click to expand...
Stones and Ake will manage at least 30 games between them and an on form Dias is as good as anyone. You can’t just bin world class players off just because they have had a poor season - mainly due to the fact EVERYONE has a bad season. Seasons like last season happen to every top team. Because it happened to happen to us, most on here have totally lost their heads. Everyone needs to calm down a bit and remember what we have got - including the best manager ever with new coaching staff giving us new ideas and energy. One crazy half and meaningless defeat in a freak tournament and everyone thinks it will be like last season. It won’t
 
Ratings Out of 10 (by position)

Man City
goalkeeper 6 (Ederson in 25/26?)
RB 4 (we don’t have one Rico? Nunez?)
LB 8
CB 7
CM 9
wingers 6
Striker 9
Manager 10

Liverpool-
goalkeeper 10
RB 8
LB 8
CB 9
CM 8
wingers 8
Striker 7
Manager 8

Arsenal
goalkeeper 9
RB 8
LB 8
CB 9
CM 8
wingers 9
Striker 8
Manager: 8

Both Liverpool and Arsenal are also heavily linked with Rodrygo and Eze too, these are top players too. IMO, we will probably have the 3rd best XI at the start of the season. First time in nearly 15 years we are going into the season as clear 3rd favourites by the bookies to win the league, and not in top 5 to win UCL.
 
Last edited:
wattle said:
So you are saying Konate and Gabriel are world class??? And are better than Dias, Stones and Ake?
Click to expand...

They are better than Dias currently. Stones and Ake have been permanently injured so can’t compare. We would ideally have someone to partner Gvardiol.
 
KDBPLGOAT said:
Ratings Out of 10 (by position)

Man City
goalkeeper 6 (Ederson in 25/26?)
RB 4 (we don’t have one Rico? Nunez?)
LB 8
CB 7
CM 9
wingers 6
Striker 9
Manager 10

Liverpool-
goalkeeper 10
RB 8
LB 8
CB 9
CM 8
wingers 8
Striker 7
Manager 8

Arsenal
goalkeeper 9
RB 8
LB 8
CB 9
CM 8
wingers 9
Striker 8
Manager: 8

Both Liverpool and Arsenal are also heavily linked with Rodrygo and Eze too, these are top players too. IMO, we will probably have the 3rd best XI at the start of the season. First time in nearly 15 years we are going into the season as clear 3rd favourites by the bookies to win the league, and not in top 5 to win UCL.
Click to expand...
So according to your ratings we have the weakest keeper and RB of the three teams
Coincidentally we are heavily linked to players in those two positions
You mention Arsenal and Liverpools links to very good players but not ours
There won’t be much between all three teams at the start of the season
That’s without knocking points of Arsenal for lack of experience and mentality on winning trophies
 
wattle said:
Stones and Ake will manage at least 30 games between them and an on form Dias is as good as anyone. You can’t just bin world class players off just because they have had a poor season - mainly due to the fact EVERYONE has a bad season. Seasons like last season happen to every top team. Because it happened to happen to us, most on here have totally lost their heads. Everyone needs to calm down a bit and remember what we have got - including the best manager ever with new coaching staff giving us new ideas and energy. One crazy half and meaningless defeat in a freak tournament and everyone thinks it will be like last season. It won’t
Click to expand...
Plus, the context of that bad season shouldn't be forgotten either. It wasn't 'just' a bad season out of nowhere, a few things coincided that shouldn't otherwise occur regularly.
 
wattle said:
Stones and Ake will manage at least 30 games between them and an on form Dias is as good as anyone. You can’t just bin world class players off just because they have had a poor season - mainly due to the fact EVERYONE has a bad season. Seasons like last season happen to every top team. Because it happened to happen to us, most on here have totally lost their heads. Everyone needs to calm down a bit and remember what we have got - including the best manager ever with new coaching staff giving us new ideas and energy. One crazy half and meaningless defeat in a freak tournament and everyone thinks it will be like last season. It won’t
Click to expand...
Let’s get more top injury prone players then, because they will manage a certain amount of games between them. No one is taking about a poor season. Ake and Stones are injury prone it’s facts. Stones barely played in the last years. Also i personally don’t rate Dias as much as you seem to do. For me he is weaker than Stones and Ake and has leadership qualities in terms of overall defending he isn’t as good as them and not as good as the starting CB of Liverpool and Arsenal.

Pep refused to change the squad last year which put us in trouble and then barely used the new players who were wanted by other clubs. At this point you need to sell these players so he won’t use them. The club has 7! CB. Most have 4-5 but we have 7. and 2 of those will always start the moment they come back and take the momentum of others. Akanji coming back from injury to play over an inform Nunes literally nearly killed us last season.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top