Transfer thread

[Gutter Boy]

For me, I'm happy with these outfield players

Porro, JPvH, VDV, Udogie, Tonali, Fernandez, Bentancur, Gray, Savio, Marmoush, Kudus, Solanke

I don't have massively high confidence on the squad fillers of Davies, Robbo, Tosin, Gallagher, Richi, Tel in the same way I would for a fit Simons, Madds or Kulu. I'm still feeling Senesi, Mudryk and Bergval are 3 that could go either way. Perhaps Odobert as well when he's back. I might be being generous on Solanke but in my head he will be a key player moving forward. I would really love Tel to get going as well. He's a great lad.

Let's be honest, it's not the greatest squad but it does have a makings of a very good team. Reminds me a little of the Poch middle years where you just knew it was about keeping that first eleven fit. The more they played together under Poch, the better they become. I think the same will apply to Roberto with his main players.

The big question is how do we keep our best players available for team selection every week? In game 1 of the PL I only counted 3 "best eleven" first teamers. In game 2 I counted 6 or 7 with one playing out of position. Roberto will be desperate to get one of these 2 elevens out on the pitch soon

Kinsky
Porro, JPvH, VDV, Udogie
Tonali, Fernandez
Kudus, Marmoush, Savio
Solanke

Or

Kinsky
Porro, JPvH, VDV, Udogie
Tonali, Fernandez, Bents
Kudus, Marmoush, Savio

I still don't think either of those two quite work. The top one doesn't have a goalscorer and the bottom one doesn't have a playmaker. We are just one quality player missing in either the 10 or 9 (basically whichever Marmoush doesn't play in)

Kinsky
Porro, JPvH, VDV, Udogie
Tonali, Fernandez
Kudus, Kulu, Savio
Marmoush

Is what we need to see sooner rather than later to really start flying

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Chelsea get blown out on the Camara deal.

 

[Muttley]

I still don't think either of those two quite work. The top one doesn't have a goalscorer and the bottom one doesn't have a playmaker. We are just one quality player missing in either the 10 or 9 (basically whichever Marmoush doesn't play in)

Kinsky
Porro, JPvH, VDV, Udogie
Tonali, Fernandez
Kudus, Kulu, Savio
Marmoush

Is what we need to see sooner rather than later to really start flying

I think most would have questioned Poch in getting Kane, Son, Dele and Eriksen in the same line-up to be fair. No natural right forward so he tucked Eriksen in on the right. Son clearly played further forward on the left than we had on the right. Poch started with a pretty rigid 3 in the 4-2-3-1. He let it evolve to very loose and lateral 3 by letting them all build their understanding.

This was my point about the importance of getting a stable core together as quickly as possible and getting them to gel. If Kulu was fit then and back to former levels then he could become important. I don't think he is there yet. Hopefully he just becomes a nice luxury to have at some point.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I think most would have questioned Poch in getting Kane, Son, Dele and Eriksen in the same line-up to be fair. No natural right forward so he tucked Eriksen in on the right. Son clearly played further forward on the left than we had on the right. Poch started with a pretty rigid 3 in the 4-2-3-1. He let it evolve to very loose and lateral 3 by letting them all build their understanding.

This was my point about the importance of getting a stable core together as quickly as possible and getting them to gel. If Kulu was fit then and back to former levels then he could become important. I don't think he is there yet. Hopefully he just becomes a nice luxury to have at some point.

I think the puzzle would have been really intriguing with Ndiaye, and how that would have all come together. But now be are down to 3 top level players for the front 4, it will always leave us a bit under par offensively. I do think Kulu and/or Simons will fix this in due course, but I can just see things not gelling till that happens