Marc Cucurella

[Holcombe bloo]

I personally don’t rate him. Bang average for Wolves. Need at least one more season at Wolves before he moves to a top 6 club

I’d love cucurell, only alternative I can think of is Gayá

 

[simon23]

I’m hoping…because I don’t think City or Brighton budge and Cucurella is burning his bridges while Bloom makes an example of him.

Think you are correct....dont think either us or Bloom will budge...dont think it will get done

 

[Cobwebcat]

I personally don’t rate him. Bang average for Wolves. Need at least one more season at Wolves before he moves to a top 6 club

Interesting. I prefer him to Cucu who is also fairly new to the PL.

 

[JewelZee]

I`ve said it before but I`ll say it again.Anyone who thinks Cancelo is our answer to a left back needs to think again.
Excellent on the offensive but an absolute beginner defensively. Time and time again he was anywhere but out on that left flank and Salah had a fucking field day.God knows why Cancelo has too constantly find himself in the middle of the defence where he marks no fucker.
Not been yelling too much about Txiki and getting Cucoo signed, but by fuck after yesterday this proves beyond doubt we need a natural left sided full back.

You are spot on about his positioning. He drifted inside for no good reason basically marking no one and allowing Liverpool to actually switch the field directly across the box to Salah who then had miles of space. His earlier attempt to mark Salah was what's known in some youth training sessions as the orange cone technique.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

I think this situation has got to the stage where it’s now more important for our Club long-term not to pay what Brighton are asking for the player, so I struggle to see this one happening now.

Shame, because I think he’d have been a good fit for our team, and he’s clearly damaged his relationship with Brighton (far from irreparably, so this isn’t is a biggie) to try and push the move through - but our Club are nothing if not strategic planners, and I don’t think they have the appetite to prioritise short-term benefit for long-term damage.

There are a number of factors at play here, of which the need of the team is clearly significant but not the only consideration.

The example we set on how our Club is run is very important to our board and owners. We’ve worked hard to shift the perception that we can easily be pushed beyond our valuation for a player - which was undoubtedly the picture during those first couple of post-takeover years.

I know we care less about all that stuff as fans - we just want the best team possible out there - but we have to accept that perception in some cases takes precedent over the immediate needs of the first team.

I think you’ll see us move on from this deal next week, and bring in an alternative target.

Part of me hopes I’m wrong - but I do support our board in what they’re trying to do for our Club.

 

[Cobwebcat]

I think this situation has got to the stage where it’s now more important for our Club long-term not to pay what Brighton are asking for the player, so I struggle to see this one happening now.

Shame, because I think he’d have been a good fit for our team, and he’s clearly damaged his relationship with Brighton (far from irreparably, so this isn’t is a biggie) to try and push the move through - but our Club are nothing if not strategic planners, and I don’t think they have the appetite to prioritise short-term benefit for long-term damage.

There are a number of factors at play here, of which the need of the team is clearly significant but not the only consideration.

The example we set on how our Club is run is very important to our board and owners. We’ve worked hard to shift the perception that we can easily be pushed beyond our valuation for a player - which was undoubtedly the picture during those first couple of post-takeover years.

I know we care less about all that stuff as fans - we just want the best team possible out there - but we have to accept that perception in some cases takes precedent over the immediate needs of the first team.

I think you’ll see us move on from this deal next week, and bring in an alternative target.

Part of me hopes I’m wrong - but I do support our board in what they’re trying to do for our Club.

That is what is going on. Why City have spent so long to reach this point, where Brighton won’t negotiate at all, is another question. Whatever our tactic it worked on Leeds and didn’t on Brighton.

 

[nmc]

Arsenal overpaid. Brighton got very lucky there. If Brighton think everyone is as daft as Arsenal they will get a shock!

Look at Pepe - what a joke Arsenals recent transfer dealing has been. But we are the bad guys ruining football.

 

[Bluewonder]

The whole premise that our behaviour in securing a new player acts as a principle for future selling clubs is nonsense.

Tony Bloom isn't looking at us walking away from the Kane deal and thinking he'd better lower his price anymore than he's looking at our Grealish deal and thinking he needs to raise it.

Every selling club has a price, and if they don't want to lose their player we will have to pay a premium.

Each transfer is down to individual circumstance and nothing more. We are not making a 'rod for our back' anymore than we are 'sending a message'.

If we want Cucurella we pay what Brighton want, with room for a bit of strategic negotiation.

 

[JewelZee]

Just a thought… maybe Pep played him on the left yesterday to send a message to get Cucurella signed? It was clear to anyone watching that we need someone there. Just possibly this was Pep saying look, get this signing over the line so we can stop fucking about.

I think Pep had no choice. Look at the bench. Foden and Alvarez in reserve for up top (both of whom looked sharp after entering BTW). Gundo available behind KDB and Bernardo. Phillips behind Rodri. And Stones backing up Dias and Ake. Who was backing up Walker and Cancelo? JWE. I really like this kid, but he has all of 3 or 4 appearances over the past two seasons. If that didn't highlight our deficienies at outside back, especially on the left, nothing will.

 

[Dribble]

Maybe I'm naive but I didn't see anything from Grealish yesterday. Offensively or defensively. He simply doesn't work hard like Jesus/Sterling and the first goal could very well have been avoided if he could close down Trent.

To be fair, I noticed our pressing effervescence wasn't up to its usual standards, but that could be down to squad changes, lack of match sharpness, or a combination of the two which is more in-line with my thinking.

It'll be interesting to see how these big changes affect us this season & how long it takes for things to settle down before we hopefully move forward...