Transfers, 2024-25 season

[toonotl 3402]

It's an interesting one on the holding midfielder because I tend to agree that getting that position nailed down couldp be transformative. But it feels like a properly world class DM is the hardest position to get right in the transfer market. There's so many intangibles that perhaps are difficult to assess analytically. Then the player also has to perhaps be on the edge of being a liability for being a bit of a mad bastard which brings the hardness to dominate and run the game from the middle. Then there's the question of whether you would want someone with more creativity, perhaps at the expense of defensive solidity. Personally, I'm always a big fan of having a proper asshole in the midfield to ruin nancy-pants AMs day on the regular.

 

Who would you go for, Dave? And what would they cost?

[Dr Gloom 23507]

i'm not sure we're desperate for a "number 6" though if one become available who would improve us then we should consider it. 

 

if we sign maddison i would keep bruno there and play maddison and joelinton as the two "number 8s", rotating with willock and longstaff, depending on form.

 

then you can rotate shelvey with bruno as the number 6 depending on form and whether you would rather play bruno further up the field in certain games.

[Dr Gloom 23507]

14 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

Tripper is so important to the team I'd seriously look at someone who can cover him and both full back positions.  In the ilk of Cancelo.

 

 

 

it's a shame krafth got the injury when he did because he looked a capable understudy last season - another miracle by howe - manquillo yesterday, did not. 

[Holden McGroin 7505]

That goal wouldn't have been conceded if Trippier was on the pitch. Niether would the Fulham goal

[Chaser 1362]

Just buy Bellingham.

[Howay 12496]

1 hour ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

it's a shame krafth got the injury when he did because he looked a capable understudy last season - another miracle by howe - manquillo yesterday, did not. 

Manquillo is and always was one of the worst players in our squad, his positioning is fucking laughable. He got away with it at times to a degree because others around him were unorganized so his failings didn’t stand out but now we are well drilled he’s basically cost us a goal every time he’s stepped on the pitch under Howe. 
 

I agree with Fish on the midfield need tbh, we need Bruno in that 8 role as he’s just so instrumental when he plays there - we only need to improve on Longstaff/Shelvey to improve the 6, someone like Alvarez from Ajax or Sangare from PSV. Maddison could fit in our side over Willock since he tends to operate slightly further forward of Joelinton/Bruno when they play the 8. After that I’d love to see us keep improving the forward 3 with a Trossard/Diaby type signing - while I’ve been among Almirons biggest critics he’s been in sublime form all season and rightfully keeps his spot but that LW position isn’t nailed down - ASM is so injury prone and I’m still not entirely convinced he suits Howe’s set up. 

[Dr Gloom 23507]

1 hour ago, Howay said:

Manquillo is and always was one of the worst players in our squad, his positioning is fucking laughable. He got away with it at times to a degree because others around him were unorganized so his failings didn’t stand out but now we are well drilled he’s basically cost us a goal every time he’s stepped on the pitch under Howe. 
 

I agree with Fish on the midfield need tbh, we need Bruno in that 8 role as he’s just so instrumental when he plays there - we only need to improve on Longstaff/Shelvey to improve the 6, someone like Alvarez from Ajax or Sangare from PSV. Maddison could fit in our side over Willock since he tends to operate slightly further forward of Joelinton/Bruno when they play the 8. After that I’d love to see us keep improving the forward 3 with a Trossard/Diaby type signing - while I’ve been among Almirons biggest critics he’s been in sublime form all season and rightfully keeps his spot but that LW position isn’t nailed down - ASM is so injury prone and I’m still not entirely convinced he suits Howe’s set up. 

 

i think adding another player like bruno is what we need most - another creative midfielder who can dictate play from the middle of the park, which is why i would make signing a player such as maddison the priority. he would be a dream signing as he would give us that creative spark from midfield that we miss when bruno is injured. bruno is a unique player in that he can play both the "number 6" and the "number 8" roles but to see bruno and maddison link up in the same team would just be 

 

 

the other area where we look light is CF. i've yet to see enough of isak to be convinced he can provide like for like cover for wilson and suspect he may end up playing in one of the wide forward roles more often than not. wood, we all know, isn't good enough for where we want to be. 

 

 

[Howay 12496]

52 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

i think adding another player like bruno is what we need most - another creative midfielder who can dictate play from the middle of the park, which is why i would make signing a player such as maddison the priority. he would be a dream signing as he would give us that creative spark from midfield that we miss when bruno is injured. bruno is a unique player in that he can play both the "number 6" and the "number 8" roles but to see bruno and maddison link up in the same team would just be 

 

 

the other area where we look light is CF. i've yet to see enough of isak to be convinced he can provide like for like cover for wilson and suspect he may end up playing in one of the wide forward roles more often than not. wood, we all know, isn't good enough for where we want to be. 

 

 

Aye I’ve got a feeling Isak was bought as a wide forward who can cover the CF rather than primary cover for the CF position. Wilson basically said as much in that podcast he has, as much as I like Wilson I agree we absolutely need cover especially if we do get into Europe as that means at least 6+ games onto our season. 
 

I think re CM we’re kind of at a similar point just slightly prioritizing different - I personally think we should just sign both Maddison and a 6 in January as that would give us an exceptional midfield with plenty depth overnight. Maddison is kind of a no brainer signing for us honestly which is why I really hope it happens, he’s the kind of dynamic creative force we really need and he’s not going to get a move to any of the other sides competing for the top 4 (purely out of arrogance imo as there’s no reason Liverpool shouldn’t be in for him), he also covers so many positions in that he can play wide, behind the forward, or that Willock role just advanced of Bruno. I think going forward Joelinton becomes our Milner type player in that he just covers every position from midfield up and with European football having a player like that in our squad is vital. 
 

If we could sign Diaby/Trossard, Alvarez/Sangare, and Maddison in January I think we’d be a shoe in for CL football, and I think the football world would throw their collective toys out the pram. 

[Christmas Tree 5096]

Should really be the Transfers January 2023 thread.

 

 

 

[Andrew 5124]

I'm only able to catch up with higlights for most games so I'm possibly missing something but whats happening with Burn playing left back rather than Targett?

Our results have been excellent obviously and you can't complain that Targett being out of the side is costing us but he is our only full time left back.

 

If hes being kept out of the side by Burn should we be looking to add a trippier level (big ask) upgrade at LB?

[MMXXVIII 1296]

4 hours ago, Howay said:

Aye I’ve got a feeling Isak was bought as a wide forward who can cover the CF rather than primary cover for the CF position. Wilson basically said as much in that podcast he has, as much as I like Wilson I agree we absolutely need cover especially if we do get into Europe as that means at least 6+ games onto our season. 
 

I think re CM we’re kind of at a similar point just slightly prioritizing different - I personally think we should just sign both Maddison and a 6 in January as that would give us an exceptional midfield with plenty depth overnight. Maddison is kind of a no brainer signing for us honestly which is why I really hope it happens, he’s the kind of dynamic creative force we really need and he’s not going to get a move to any of the other sides competing for the top 4 (purely out of arrogance imo as there’s no reason Liverpool shouldn’t be in for him), he also covers so many positions in that he can play wide, behind the forward, or that Willock role just advanced of Bruno. I think going forward Joelinton becomes our Milner type player in that he just covers every position from midfield up and with European football having a player like that in our squad is vital. 
 

If we could sign Diaby/Trossard, Alvarez/Sangare, and Maddison in January I think we’d be a shoe in for CL football, and I think the football world would throw their collective toys out the pram. 

 

I just wonder... if we beat Chelsea, gan in to the end of December a solidified 3rd, will they scrap the FFP navigating shite and have a tilt at the title? Ordinarily there's opportunity here bit Man City with Haaland is off-putting.

[toonotl 3402]

Mbappe and Neymar in!

[Gemmill 49630]

I think the title is well out of range. We'll be decent double figures points off Man City by the time 38 games have been played. 

 

Even if we went a bit daft in January, it's just not gonna be that easy to win the league. 

[Ayatollah Hermione 14618]

5 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

I think the title is well out of range. We'll be decent double figures points off Man City by the time 38 games have been played. 

 

Even if we went a bit daft in January, it's just not gonna be that easy to win the league. 

It wasn’t going to be easy to stay up and then it wasn’t going to be easy to break into the top 4. I think you’ll find we will make light work of this league and then Europe will follow. It’s a race between us and the Chinese as to who achieves world dominance first 

[Gemmill 49630]

I'm fully on board with this plan. 

[Christmas Tree 5096]

46 minutes ago, Andrew said:

I'm only able to catch up with higlights for most games so I'm possibly missing something but whats happening with Burn playing left back rather than Targett?

Our results have been excellent obviously and you can't complain that Targett being out of the side is costing us but he is our only full time left back.

 

If hes being kept out of the side by Burn should we be looking to add a trippier level (big ask) upgrade at LB?

All this seasons matches are available on fullmatchreplays.com 

 

Im sure someone more footbally will give you an answer  

[wykikitoon 22668]

IMO ASM is on his way out. He prefers Greek games and bandages than grafting and not been top dog. Get trossard and Maddison in

[Chaser 1362]

Top 4 potential is now a reality. The usual contenders are having problems at the moment with consistency through one reason or another and there's the added pressure of a condensed schedule with added European competition. Given the ties of the last 16 however, some of these clubs may find themselves without it soon anyway. 

 

Given the attention to detail and structure we have been putting in place over the last 12 months, I'm sure the club has a fairly clear strategy on targets and budgets for January. This isn't Ashley's trolley dash at half 10 on transfer deadline night anymore. 

 

 

[Christmas Tree 5096]

15 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

IMO ASM is on his way out. He prefers Greek games and bandages than grafting and not been top dog. Get trossard and Maddison in

  

 

Fuck off man. He saved our bacon with a last minute wonder strike against Wolves and fucked his hamstring. Only played a cameo on Sunday but still got an assist.

 

Watch him bag a hat trick on Wednesday. 

[Monkeys Fist 45041]

15 minutes ago, Chaser said:

Ashley's trolley dash at half 10 on transfer deadline night anymore. 

[wykikitoon 22668]

29 minutes ago, Christmas Tree said:

  

 

Fuck off man. He saved our bacon with a last minute wonder strike against Wolves and fucked his hamstring. Only played a cameo on Sunday but still got an assist.

 

Watch him bag a hat trick on Wednesday. 

Reverse psychology 😆

[Kitman 2307]

55 minutes ago, Monkeys Fist said:

Ashleys trolley dash - beautifully put. I still can’t quite believe those days are over, and we’re talking about the likes of Diaby and Maddison. 
 

Edited November 7, 2022 by Kitman

[RobinRobin 12427]

14 hours ago, toonotl said:

It's an interesting one on the holding midfielder because I tend to agree that getting that position nailed down couldp be transformative. But it feels like a properly world class DM is the hardest position to get right in the transfer market. There's so many intangibles that perhaps are difficult to assess analytically. Then the player also has to perhaps be on the edge of being a liability for being a bit of a mad bastard which brings the hardness to dominate and run the game from the middle. Then there's the question of whether you would want someone with more creativity, perhaps at the expense of defensive solidity. Personally, I'm always a big fan of having a proper asshole in the midfield to ruin nancy-pants AMs day on the regular.

 

Who would you go for, Diego? And what would they cost?

FYP

[OTF 8372]

5 hours ago, Andrew said:

I'm only able to catch up with higlights for most games so I'm possibly missing something but whats happening with Burn playing left back rather than Targett?

Our results have been excellent obviously and you can't complain that Targett being out of the side is costing us but he is our only full time left back.

 

If hes being kept out of the side by Burn should we be looking to add a trippier level (big ask) upgrade at LB?

 

Burn has been caught out a few times with how long it takes him to change direction but otherwise he's defensively very good and almost guaranteed to win any headers against wide forwards. He's also actually not bad with the ball at his feet, surprised me on a few occassions, though it always feels risky when he pushes high. My explanation is two fold, he's known to be a great leader so brings that attitude onto the pitch in every game (his urgency has saved our bacon multiple times and only cost us in that game against Everton last season where he was CB) and secondly he's bloody huge so has a massive role to play both in our attacking and defending of set pieces. Howe will keep playing him whilst we don't pay for those occassional moments where he's not as agile as a smaller player is, but at the same time I do believe that he does have full faith in Targett being able to do the job there too when the time comes.

 

Finally what a shocking time to be only able to catch our highlights. What's going on in NZ that you can't watch the entire games?

[Andrew 5124]

45 minutes ago, OTF said:

 

Burn has been caught out a few times with how long it takes him to change direction but otherwise he's defensively very good and almost guaranteed to win any headers against wide forwards. He's also actually not bad with the ball at his feet, surprised me on a few occassions, though it always feels risky when he pushes high. My explanation is two fold, he's known to be a great leader so brings that attitude onto the pitch in every game (his urgency has saved our bacon multiple times and only cost us in that game against Everton last season where he was CB) and secondly he's bloody huge so has a massive role to play both in our attacking and defending of set pieces. Howe will keep playing him whilst we don't pay for those occassional moments where he's not as agile as a smaller player is, but at the same time I do believe that he does have full faith in Targett being able to do the job there too when the time comes.

 

Finally what a shocking time to be only able to catch our highlights. What's going on in NZ that you can't watch the entire games?

 

Mostly us playing at 2 or 3am.

 

I /could/ watch games after the fact but its practically impossible for me to get the two hours+ to find, download and then watch a full match first thing which means I go on here or twitter etc and know the result.

 

So I tend to watch highlights.