On the chatachter bit we will have to agree to disagree....players, managers pundits etc live in a different world than the average person.Yes,you can't get the ball off the lad,and his ability to find space and pick a pass is the equal of anyone's.
Ive heard managers,pundits and current players talk him up,they can't all be wrong.
I think the calls for a big lad upfront often come about as we occasionally struggle with packed defences and dont have the option of an aerial threat....however it's not something I think we need anyway.. kun has done pretty well over the years!You make some good points, which is helpful to my thinking, and I’m with you re Kane.
My angle is that I’m baffled by the voracious calls for ’a big lad up front’ which is why I’m asking the question
I can’t see how players with the frame size of Lukaku or Haaland can ever fit into our system so would suppose that either we intend to change the system to accommodate a big ‘un or we polish up what’s already proving to be a winning formula for us, by bringing in a forward who can slot in, play the high press, keep and move the ball on a sixpence but add that bit of clinical finishing that seems to elude Jesus and especially Sterling this season.
I’ve got plenty of faith in the management so I’m not concerned about the situation, more interested in considering the possibilities.
I think the calls for a big lad upfront often come about as we occasionally struggle with packed defences and dont have the option of an aerial threat....however it's not something I think we need anyway.. kun has done pretty well over the years!
I think someone like haaland is a lot more mobile than lukaku and kane (though his link up play is good ). Haaland maybe becable to link up play and teams pressing high on him will leave space for him to run into so they wont want to do that. Anyone can be taught to press high so I'm sure haaland can...its willingness and lack of mobility that will stop a player foing it (for an extreme example, Peter crouch wouldn't be able to do it as he simply doesn't have the mobility to do so). Haaland is certainly more clinical than sterling and jesus
I think for a big lad he is also very good int he tight spaces that Pep always talks about...he is technically very good from what ive seen .....I get that Simon, Haaland is very mobile for a big lad but he’s got some filling out to do yet so he won’t be pressing all game like our current front line do and he won’t be dribbling in tight spaces like them either.
I can see that he’d clearly be fantastic in games where we’re a goal up and the opposition are forced to come out leaving the space that Haaland thrives on.
But if that were to be his role then £150M and blowing our wage structure out of the water, or what have you, seems a bit much for a player who doesn’t cone into his own until we’re already leading.
IMO what we need is a player who’s clinical in those small spaces that we’re forced to work in against the 10 man defences we have to score through every week.
Pep may indeed think differently and, as he’s Pep, he’ll be quite right if he does.
I think for a big lad he is also very good int he tight spaces that Pep always talks about...he is technically very good from what ive seen .....
The chances we create that the likes of sterling and Jesus often miss he will tuck away more often than those two do...he is also better shooting from distance - somethig both sterling and jesus are poor at and we lose when Kun isnt playing and having that against those tight defences is also something we miss when Kun aint playing....defenders have to defend the edge of the area and beyond against kun....they dont have to do it so much against jesus and sterlign as their shooting from distance is generally lacking.
I think what you are saying about him not coming into his own until they are leading is a bit unfair...it was him who helped set up the goal that Dortmund scored against us iirc
I think Grelish may cost more than you think.....esp whenyou add tot he fact htat he is an English player coming from an English club in the same division....add £20m right there.....plus city tax!I’m not discounting your view, we could get him and find that he can play keepy-uppy on a washing line in a force 8 Gale, but I must say that when he played against us he played against a side that plays a high line, which is what he’s particularly suited to.
He didn’t score against us because we’ve got great defenders, had a bit of luck, and managed to keep him out of the game for the most part.
But I’ve never seen him playing in a way that would compliment our usual mode of play, that’s to say possession football in a high line up against a packed defence, because Dortmund don’t play like that, they play very open football and don’t press particularly well.
Hence their forwards have space to run into, it suits his frame & his game, he looks fantastic because of that and he and they score lots . . but they also concede lots.
Conversely, I think Grealish would slot right in. No what if’s or maybe’s, no £100M fee with huge bungs to his agent and dad, no ridiculous salary torpedoing our wage structure.
If the deal hangs in the balance/depends on outgoings, does it maybe suggest that the plan was to sell Mahrez this summer while he still holds value, but his remarkable upturn in form has thrown things into doubt?Possibly, but I don't think anybody should be in any doubt how much Pep and Txiki rate this guy?
I think the truth lies somewhere in between. Grealish has his heart set on City but do we actually push the button?
real asked about mahrez months ago and city said no if grealish was already target that means noIf the deal hangs in the balance/depends on outgoings, does it maybe suggest that the plan was to sell Mahrez this summer while he still holds value, but his remarkable upturn in form has thrown things into doubt?
I think Grelish may cost more than you think.....esp whenyou add tot he fact htat he is an English player coming from an English club in the same division....add £20m right there.....plus city tax!
i think we are def after bothMy not very reliable gut instinct is telling me that we’d get Grealish for circa £70M + say £10M in add-on, and that Haaland would cost circa £100M + say £40M in bungs to split between his dad and his fat agent.
When you factor in Haaland’s massive wage expectations versus what Grealish would be delighted with and Grealish would have an annual cost of less than half of Haaland and without letting the Raiola circus through the door or blowing our wage structure to smitherines.
But I’m just scratching my bonce, making ill-informed best guesses and chewing the fat until reality squares it all up for us all to have a look at in due course.
You never know, we could get both eh?
People vilify Raiola so much that they forget he gets along with Txiki better than with anyone st Madrid, United or Barcelona, for instanceAnd I agree with you about the circus that Raiola brings if we get Haaland
Hes English so it shouldn't be a problem as I believe we only have 22 registered for 25 pl squadThe question is how are we making a squad spot for him this summer ?
I recon we will only sign two players this summer one being Grealish the other being Haaland.
I think we already have 5 for the 4 association trained squad places- Stones, Walker, Sterling, Ake, Carson(could be let go next season).Hes English so it shouldn't be a problem as I believe we only have 22 registered for 25 pl squad
But has called our manager a dog in the past....the guy maybe good at his job but he is a leech, scum and everything that is wrong in humans in the modern world today.People vilify Raiola so much that they forget he gets along with Txiki better than with anyone st Madrid, United or Barcelona, for instance
I don’t disagree he is awful. But so are most agents, many of which we do business with regularly. And so are many footballers and managers, it should be noted. It’s a tough world and we navigate in itBut has called our manager a dog in the past....the guy maybe good at his job but he is a leech, scum and everything that is wrong in humans in the modern world today.
But if we are talking about money going out of football, this is one area that can be addressed......regulate the leeechesI don’t disagree he is awful. But so are most agents, many of which we do business with regularly. And so are many footballers and managers, it should be noted. It’s a tough world and we navigate in it
Don’t disagree with you!But if we are talking about money going out of football, this is one area that can be addressed......regulate the leeeches