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The transfer window thread.

Im curious about the Fernandes talk.

Seemed to me it was either/or with him and Lo Celso in the summer - and Poch made his preference clear.

How do we fit Kane/Son/Alli/Lamela/Moura/Lo Celso AND Fernandes into the team? Seems off balance to me.
The same way that we fit those same lot minus Fernandes and plus Eriksen into the team now I guess?

I would imagine something like the following if a 4-2-3-1....

------------Sissoko--------NDombele
----Lo Celso------Fernandes---------Son
-----------------------Kane

Or with the diamond

---------------------Sissoko
-----Lo Celso-------------------NDombele
--------------------Fernandes
--------------Kane------------Son

Both formations only need Sissoko replaced with a player of equivalent ability to the rest of them to be very good indeed.

The likes of Moura, Dele, Lamela, Winks and Sissoko (when replaced) are then good rotation options to allow us to compete across multiple competitions and it's very rare that everyone is fit anyway.
 
Well I still dont think it works great with Eriksen to be honest, all feels a bit "too many cooks" to me.

I understand strength of squad is important, but so is balance - and getting in Fernandes would throw it off for me.
 
I thought that was very clear too. Fernandes was very much available all summer. I think this is just lazy journalism.
Don't think Fernandes plays as a deep lying midfielder like Lo Celso. He was being brought in to replace Eriksen I thought. Then we couldn't sell Eriksen.
 
Don't think Fernandes plays as a deep lying midfielder like Lo Celso. He was being bought in to replace Eriksen I thought. Then we couldn't sell Eriksen.

I don't think Lo Celso plays as a deep lying midfielder (though he can; but really that's Ndombele). Lo Celso was bought in to replace Eriksen I thought
 
I don't think Lo Celso plays as a deep lying midfielder (though he can; but really that's Ndombele). Lo Celso was bought in to replace Eriksen I thought
Lo Celso was said to be able to play both as a genuine CM (his time at PSG) and as an attacker midfielder but more in the VDV ie. a direct threat and goal scorer rather than a playmaker and creator ala Eriksen.

Fernandes is much closer in playing style to Eriksen, it would essentially be a like for like replacement. We really should have signed him if we felt he was of the required quality and let Eriksen go for a reasonable price considering his deal.

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Lo Celso was said to be able to play both as a genuine CM (his time at PSG) and as an attacker midfielder but more in the VDV ie. a direct threat and goal scorer rather than a playmaker and creator ala Eriksen.

Fernandes is much closer in playing style to Eriksen, it would essentially be a like for like replacement. We really should have signed him if we felt he was of the required quality and let Eriksen go for a reasonable price considering his deal.

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But there was also the Dybala factor, who is three times the player Fernandes is.
 
Does anyone think we will actually do anything in Jan? There’s not be a lot of activity even by doped teams in recent years.

Well it all depends on what fans believe, some lap up newspaper comments, flimflam from ITK's and then go ballistic when it does not happen. Other fans are more realistic and take ALL newspaper links with a huge dollop of salt and accept that Jan is not usually a busy time for major players moving.

So i guess it depends on what type of fan they are.
 
Well it all depends on what fans believe, some lap up newspaper comments, flimflam from ITK's and then go ballistic when it does not happen. Other fans are more realistic and take ALL newspaper links with a huge dollop of salt and accept that Jan is not usually a busy time for major players moving.

So i guess it depends on what type of fan they are.
Why are you in the flimflam from ITK's thread?
 
Well I still dont think it works great with Eriksen to be honest, all feels a bit "too many cooks" to me.
I disagree. I think we need a bigger squad if we want to be able to challenge properly across multiple competitions.

I understand strength of squad is important, but so is balance - and getting in Fernandes would throw it off for me

Rotation options of Son, Lo Celo, Dele, Fernandes, Moura and Lamela is the right number IMO (especially considering Lamela's injury history and the fact that Son is the sole cover to Kane up front).

I thought that was very clear too. Fernandes was very much available all summer. I think this is just lazy journalism.
I don't think Levy had the money to buy him and/or wanted to spend that money.
 
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Maybe, but Dybala is an SS not an ACM. I wonder what shape we were intending to play considering Poch's loyalty to Dele who Dybala would be directly competing against.

This is kind of my point - the balance is off right now, its not clear what we were/are trying to achieve.

I thought we were leaning to a 4-3-3, then Poch goes with a diamond, and now back to more a 4-2-3-1, and at no point does it look (to me) that theres a plan at play here.

In years past players we were linked to, or who we seemed to be trying to get, it was obvious what they were for.

Now?
 
This is kind of my point - the balance is off right now, its not clear what we were/are trying to achieve.

I thought we were leaning to a 4-3-3, then Poch goes with a diamond, and now back to more a 4-2-3-1, and at no point does it look (to me) that theres a plan at play here.

In years past players we were linked to, or who we seemed to be trying to get, it was obvious what they were for.

Now?
I agree 100%. The summer interest in Lo Celso and Ndombele suggested the 433 like you say and I was more than happy to go down that route. Finally a player even two players in the centre of the park who could actually pick a pass. I was in joyous heaven in anticipation.

Instead we've played the diamond and he has selected Winks and Sissoko ahead of them while not compensating with a passer further up the pitch. It's like my worst kind of turgid hell.

I don't know where Dybala would have fitted, he seemed a transfer Muppet signing because he made no sense considering the other players we had already signed/signing and Poch previous shapes and systems.

I'd understand if we were starting afresh and throwing what hadn't worked previously away but hasn't even done that. It's almost as if he wanted to, but then has gotten scared halfway through the process and now we have the worst of bother world's.

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I'd understand if we were starting afresh and throwing what hadn't worked previously away but hasn't even done that. It's almost as if he wanted to, but then has gotten scared halfway through the process and now we have the worst of bother world's.

Sort of looks that way, but if thats the case - what does it say about the management?

What top teams throw out half a side, and replace them, in one go? Its a disaster waiting to happen. I find it hard to believe Poch or Levy came up with that as a plan and thought it was a good idea.
 
Sort of looks that way, but if thats the case - what does it say about the management?

What top teams throw out half a side, and replace them, in one go? Its a disaster waiting to happen. I find it hard to believe Poch or Levy came up with that as a plan and thought it was a good idea.

I doubt they thought that they'd need to replace half the team in one go, at the outset.

And also are you guys now complaining that he decided to scrap the diamond having spent so long on here tearing it to pieces?
 
Maybe, but Dybala is an SS not an ACM. I wonder what shape we were intending to play considering Poch's loyalty to Dele who Dybala would be directly competing against.

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Alli and Eriksen have operated in the same area of the pitch as each other for the last 4/5 years. That's been one of our greatest strengths.

I'm sure different combinations of Dybala, Alli, Lo Celso, Son, Moura and Lamela operating in the 3 spots behind Kane would be real riches.
 
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