Ndombele (signed for Spurs)

Watched a couple Lyon games last season, and he's like a carbon copy of Fernandinho at Shakhtar. A little more offensive than Dinho is today, but could easily be a very good DM. He's got loads of pace and physicality, he's one hell of a dribbler and he also defends well and showed his great passing ability yesterday. Would be my first choice signing, I even prefer him over De Jong
Give over. Nigel's getting on a bit now, so it's hardly a fair comparison.
 
Neves has an advantage he is a good player with good potential that knows the league
De Jong is a good player with huge potential
Ndombele is a good player with great potential but he has the pace we need, no one else in the city squad who plays central has pace, a prime requisite for a team that close players down or want to win the ball back quickly
 
I have only seen this lad in the odd game on TV before, but having seen him live I was really impressed.
I'm a fair bit older than the average poster on here so am not totally aware of the players out there, but this lad seemed to play with great maturity.
Oh and the blonde lad who played for Holland against France last week looked like he could play, particularly as he was up against Matuidi, Pogba and Kante.
I'm reliably informed that was De Jong!
 
Oh and the blonde lad who played for Holland against France last week looked like he could play, particularly as he was up against Matuidi, Pogba and Kante.
I'm reliably informed that was De Jong!

It was,he's fucking ace.If Barca get him I can see him being amongst their greats.
 
Oh and the blonde lad who played for Holland against France last week looked like he could play, particularly as he was up against Matuidi, Pogba and Kante.
I'm reliably informed that was De Jong!

It was,he's fucking ace.If Barca get him I can see him being amongst their greats.
 
Watched a couple Lyon games last season, and he's like a carbon copy of Fernandinho at Shakhtar. A little more offensive than Dinho is today, but could easily be a very good DM. He's got loads of pace and physicality, he's one hell of a dribbler and he also defends well and showed his great passing ability yesterday. Would be my first choice signing, I even prefer him over De Jong
Blasphemy!!!
 
They need to have the aggression, pace and physicality to recover when we're against the counter. The first and foremost job of a DM is to break up their attacks and give it back to our attacking players. You can beat the press as much as you like, but their defenders inevitably will hoof the ball up on the break and we suffer.
Like Busquet and Xabi Alonso? Oh wait...
 
I hope Pep/Txiki make this guy our #1 target next summer. I think he is worth breaking our transfer record again.
 
So how many world class DM's are available that we can realistically get that fit that mould?
I'm simply pointing out that there is no one mold fit. We can go the athletic route with someone like Dihno or the possession route with someone like Busquet. Both have been successful under Pep. So the notion that the player MUST have "aggresion pace and physicality" is a nisnomer.

From our past links, Fred & Jorghino, it's clear Management see both prototypes as viable options.

Whether it's Ndombele/Lemina ( Dihno prototypes) or De Jong /Neves (Busquet/Xabi prototypes) there are options.

And they don't need to be WC DM's either: Dihno wasn't before we got him.
 
Arguable.His ability was well known.

The 'problem' - He was on a brilliant contract in the Ukraine and they did not need to sell.

Yes I would argue he was very much a class act prior to joining us. His ability on the ball and reading of the game was clear to see from various CL performances for Shakhtar. Notably at Chelsea I believe.

I thought this lad was unreal against us. I have seen Liverpool press and outrun our midfield numerous times but without composure. Purely reliant on athletisism and overrunning Fernandinho and our other options. Not many out class our midfield with the technical and passing brilliance as well as athleticism. He was the difference between the sides with Fernandinho as well as others being below par. Imagine the control we would have in tough away games with him and Fernandinho in the middle or him sat with De Bruyne. We would slice through any press and have our front four right at the opposition.

Pep is all about technique because he values keeping the ball and knowing positions above anything else. We have seen that even at our best we can make errors when pressed with intensity though and it always helps to have someone with pace in the middle to recover ground. Pep knows better than I do though! I cannot see our team winning at Anfield with De Bruyne injured purely because of their significantly more mobile central trio.
 
I'm simply pointing out that there is no one mold fit. We can go the athletic route with someone like Dihno or the possession route with someone like Busquet. Both have been successful under Pep. So the notion that the player MUST have "aggresion pace and physicality" is a nisnomer.

From our past links, Fred & Jorghino, it's clear Management see both prototypes as viable options.

Whether it's Ndombele/Lemina ( Dihno prototypes) or De Jong /Neves (Busquet/Xabi prototypes) there are options.

And they don't need to be WC DM's either: Dihno wasn't before we got him.
You're right, but I think a quicker and more aggressive DM would work better for us due to the number of quick breaks in the Premier League. It's typically our strikers, AMs or wingers who lose the ball in the opponents box, rather than our DMs, which is why pace and recovery is so important. That being said, I have full confidence in Pep.
 

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