It's Quiet 18 - Wanna ring the bell?

[wolviedinho]

RE Gaughan’s piece. I’ll likely get shit but not signing a midfielder unless one goes is a bit short-sighted IMO. Bernie wants to go, has done for years, so the succession plan needs to start at some point.

Signing a player depending on him staying or leaving doesn’t sit right with me (like that matters) for some reason.

Jack was supposed to be Bernardo’s replacement.

 

[skillman]

Gaughans piece also suggested that now that Rice deal didnt work out, theyll keep Bernardo

Until a suitable offer arrives or he carries on pushing to leave. He won’t sign a new deal and is basically waiting for an offer that lets him leave. Love the bloke but that situation needs sorting/replacing ASAP. IMO anyway.

 

[bmfc95]

Just a thought, Kovacic is the Gundogan replacement. What if the next midfielder is the long term KDB replacement? Like Rodri was for Fernandinho

too optimistic to say foden could be that player?

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

Foden would have won the Ballon D'Or already if he played in red.

 

[FatedBlue77]

Yet, some people in the Veiga thread are negative about the player. He represents the sort of player that goes to Brighton and is worth 100m+ after one season. Right now, it's 35m quid...

I'd agree but im talking about those even more obscure and discreet signings. Like the Caiceido example I referenced. Veiga is more known and a bit "out there". There's already international recognition around the world for him.

I'm just saying our club loves to talk about the CFG, Scouting networks etc etc.. I'd like if we can back our Scouts and leverage all the data and expertise we have accumulated to snatch up lesser known gems before mid-table or even big clubs get wind of them. Essentially what difference was there between us and brighton that they were able to identify a big talent like caiceido and bring him in for a laughably cheap sum?

 

[ono]

It's incredible some people here have convinced themselves pep is "saving" the day. we have the best team in the world, the best players in the world. this doesn't happen by accident.

absolutely no respect.

He sort of is though. We still don’t have a left back. We have one senior right back. We have limited options out wide. We have just lost our captain.

Our bench is topped up with players Pep does not trust to play meaningful minutes - 1 of those players being a £40m signing. KDB is now 32 and cannot play 90 mins in a game of any intensity.

In addition, we laugh at Arsenal bottling the league, but had they not dropped stupid points, the sales of Jesus and Zinchenko would have looked horrific. We won the league despite spending just a couple of weeks at the top. There’s not a chance in the world we planned for that.

Every team around us is significantly strengthening this summer and they are doing it quickly so the gap is likely going to close. Waiting on outgoings is so risky and a bit baffling after we have publicly tried to sign Bellingham and Rice for fees in excess of £100m. So on one hand, our need in midfield is so great that we need to spend £100m, yet on the other, we can also get by without doing anything? It makes as little sense as the Kane fiasco did two years ago. Some people will point out that that turned out OK, which it did, but for me it’s closer to fortune than it is to good planning. And fortune doesn’t last forever.

 

[Blue tiger]

Kovacic 25 million is going to be signing of the summer.

I like Kovacic, and think at £25m is a decent enough signing, but if he is solely gundo's replacement it worries me. He's scored 4 goals in the league in his time at Chelsea, don't know what his assist stats are, but we've probably just lost best part of 12/15 goals and assists in Gundo. Rice wasn't the answer for me, but we do need more in the middle of the park IMO.

 

[FatedBlue77]

This is my concern, the club are operating with a remarkably small squad and we are relying on Pep to perform miracles.

For me the fact the club went out to try and Bellingham and Rice shows that they know they need a CM. I've made my feelings clear on Kovacic and how little he moves the needle, they do need more.

If the plan is for Foden to move centrally, then a winger has to be signed.

There is still time to bring in another, but they also need to cognisant that other clubs are stronger. Arsenal will be an even bigger threat next season.

Lets see. Longgg window ahead of us.

 

[ono]

Phillips? stones?

If City are keeping Phillips, very likely it seems now, he has to play & be trusted, at least that has to be the idea.

Why would this season be any different though?

 

[Danamy]

Foden would have won the Ballon D'Or already if he played in red.

Ronnie has more chance of winning it than he has