It's Quiet Thread 15 - Txiki Blinders

[Keeper!]

Motivation of individuals. The league is a 38 game slog interdispersed with Cup and international games makes it very demanding for individuals both physically and mentally.

Expecting players to maintain hunger and motivation season after season is imo unrealistic, so bringing in fresh, hungry players is good for the club to keep advancing.

I could not agree more, but apart from not winning anything , and quite rightly as you have said, Kane has been there and got the tshirt, so he is hardly a fresh young thing.

Again a reason I am not convinced about Kane is the hunger, I am not utterly convinced about that, although with Grealish I would agree if he wants to leave Villa and joins us , that would be a good sign.

 

[bluesince76]

Tbf, Delap is quite literally a record breaker at youth level. A ridiculously good finisher. I get the cynicism, but I honestly believe he's worth the hype.

So was Paul Moulden...

From the bits I've seen of Delap, having not being able to watch the youth games for quite a while, he does look as if he could make it at PL level. Whether that's our level or mid-table remains to be seen and there's always a risk with young players not achieving their potential. What I would say is I wouldn't want to go into next season with him as the 2nd striker just yet. A season on loan against seasoned pros will do him the world of good

 

[Keeper!]

There's usually a C, D and E, also.

Thank goodness there was though, otherwise Dias would not be here now, and we could have had bloody Maguire, Jones and Koulibaly!!

At least Slabhead could have taken penalties lol

 

[Bluesince1979]

Whilst that's obviously turned out for the best I still think the Pogba we see now would be a completely different Pogba had he come here and likely be lauded as one of the best in the business.
Thankfully utd have done what utd do so well and ruined another top player.

Quite. Pogba under a top class coach would be world class.
thankfully that wont happen at the swamp

 

[nmc]

I am not doubting that, always improve , never get complacent.

It's just the two players we look to be signing I worry about.

If it was 250m for Felix and Haaland I would cream my pants with excitement, but not Arry and Greasy Jack.

All about opinions, that's what the game is about and what makes it such a great game.

Totally respect your opinion but, both Grealish and Kane have performed in the PL - so Pep knows pretty much what he’s getting and he clearly sees lots of upside with Grealish. Haaland represents something of a risk - early doors he realistically would take time to settle etc but I’m sure he’d be a great signing although he may come here on a 3 year deal - a la Mbappe run it down and fuck off. Who knows. Felix I like as a player but he’s a massive risk and he could be brilliant but equally he could flop too - so I get you point about the lack of excitement but I guess we are spending big (potentially) and we are buying a level of predictability and certainty. If I was in Peps shoes being judged on immediate results - that’s what I’d do.

 

[GOULDYBOBS]

This very much reminds of the saga around another Mino client - Pogba. I remember some absolute hysteria on here when we signed Gundo and United signed Pogba because apparently Pogba was a game changer and United had signed a young Yaya whilst we'd signed an average player with injury problems.

Pretty much me that ha ha. Thank god I know fuck all!

 

[nmc]

City very dismissive of the Lewandowski stuff and they think someone is just playing games.

Been same with Greizmann.

That’s a relief… particularly the Griezmann nonsense.

 

[Del_Bosque]

I think Grealish can play with the intensity we need. Overall though the squad is evolving and changing. We can't time machine ourselves back 3 years to have younger versions of the players we have, so some change is inevitable. Personally I think we should've made at least one of these changes last summer but accept that covid and Messi put a spanner in the works.

I'm genuinely shocked at how divisive Harry Kane. He's an absolute no brainer for me.

It’s crazy

we’re going for Kane and Grealish as they are as much as you can get as a guaranteed top pl performer for the next couple of seasons, which is funnily enough lines up with Pep’s time here.

There are absolutely no guarantees with Haaland

 

[nmc]

There's usually a C, D and E, also.

Thank goodness there was though, otherwise Dias would not be here now, and we could have had bloody Maguire, Jones and Koulibaly!!

I think you mean “£80m Harry (convicted criminal) Maguire” as he’d be known if he’d signed for us : )

 

[nmc]

so the ship has capsized on Haaland?

Edited!