Kalidou Koulibaly

[ZanteWeatherman]

He's not nearly 30. He turned 29 at the end of June. He won't be 30 until we're playing the 21/22 season.

Look at this way.
20/21 - 29 all season
21/22 - 30 all season
22/23 - 31 all season
23/24 - 32 all season
24/25 - 33 all season
25/26 - 34 all season

Terry was 35 and starting regularly for Chelsea. Vinnie left at 33 (and we all know that was because of injuries really and Anderlecht's draw, not cos he wasn't good enough still). Ramos is 34 and still key for Real Madrid. Ferdinand left United at 34 etc etc.

It's genuinely reasonable to presume that as long KK has no severe injuries, he's got 4/5 seasons at a very high level left. Defenders are very fit these days and can play into their early mid 30s no problem.

Maybe he'll turn out to be a good buy (if we complete the move for him). I didn't watch the ECL match where he wasn't the best, but the Prem is not the same as Serie A which has a slower pace and is arguably easier for defenders to be able to read the game.
The bottom line is that it is Pep and Cheeky's decision so I'm sure they have done their homework on the lad. I, on the other hand am just a football kfa who hopes that whatever decision comes to fruition, it is the right one.

 

[eastmanc]

125k a week? calling BS on that alone, I am sure he would want considerably more!

Yeah, because he’d be struggling only getting that every week, but you are right if he signs it would probably be quite a lot more.

 

[domalino]

We let in two more than their brilliant defence

You tell them Kaz, I have been going on about to anyone that will listen.

I like to take the piss out of the dippers as much as anyone, and I have definitely wound them up about our defences being so close at the end, but the fact is that when it mattered, they had a much, much better defence.

They let in 15 goals in the first 26 games of the season (we'd let in 29) and built up a 22 point lead.

Yes, they let in 18 in the next 12 (compared to our 6) but it didn't matter, the league was over, they had won the only thing they set out to win.

This is a lot like the goals debate. Yes we scored more goals overall, but at the vital moments, 0-0 and 1-0, were we as clinical in front of goal as them? No.

 

[adeinchessy]

if he's as good as Upamecano was last night he'll be worth it. He looks tailor-made for Pep

 

[skyblues]

if he's as good as Upamecano was last night he'll be worth it. He looks tailor-made for Pep

People need to calm down a bit about this hype – so reactionary over one good game. I can probably count the number of times Upamecano played against top teams/forwards on one hand. Koulibaly, along with Chiellini and Bonucci, have been the best centrebacks in Italy over the past five years and played at the highest level in UCL for many years.

Upamecano looks exciting but Koulibaly is complete and I can’t see him declining already. He has at least 3-4 years on top top level, perhaps even more. Upamecano could turn out a Maldini or a John Stones, either way it’s taking a chance and we need experience.

 

[Marvin]

I'd be surprised if this goes smoothly.

 

[Neville Kneville]

It doesn't actually matter how many goals we let in over a season, so long as we're not stupid about it.

What does matter, is when we let them in, within context of the game we are playing.

If a 29 year old, fast, cb can make the difference of us not conceding 1 goal, at the crucially wrong time, particularly when we are bossing games, we will win most of the games we lose ir draw.

That's all Vinny did. He didn't play ten times better than Stones or Otamendi, he was just a bit better, often.

 

[blueparrot]

It doesn't actually matter how many goals we let in over a season, so long as we're not stupid about it.

What does matter, is when we let them in, within context of the game we are playing.

If a 29 year old, fast, cb can make the difference of us not conceding 1 goal, at the crucially wrong time, particularly when we are bossing games, we will win most of the games we lose ir draw.

That's all Vinny did. He didn't play ten times better than Stones or Otamendi, he was just a bit better, often.

Fast is good, but concentration, awareness, and stepping up in high pressure moments are what Vinny had that Stones doesn't.

 

[01cravend]

125k a week? calling BS on that alone, I am sure he would want considerably more!

That would make him our highest paid defender..(Laporte 120k current highest)

 

[Neville Kneville]

Fast is good, but concentration, awareness, and stepping up in high pressure moments are what Vinny had that Stones doesn't.

Fast is most important if you have equality in the other attributes of cb play, compared to the alternatives.

I don't see any consistent perfection in any of the other likely signing candidates, nor in Van Dijk for that matter. There is no certainty that the new toy, Upmecano, would be more reliable in that aspect, over a full season.

Van Dijk tends to lurk around sweeping up, when the others fail & using his size & pace to stop danger. Vinny tended to do similar, by using his physique, brain & the dark arts. He would have stopped Traore the other night, long before he started his run & I believe a fully focussed Koulibaly would too.