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Cool. Isak will still start 95% of league games and all CL games when fit. This is the case for ALL top players. Kane, Son, Haaland, Rodri, Saka, Rice, Palmer, Fernandes, Salah, Mane etc. If we sign JP for £50m+ the intention will be to start him with Isak 80% of the time.

I'm thinking Isak and Pedro could be rotated quite a bit. Even CL games depending upon the opposition. There is no reason 2 forwards cannot be rotated to a large degree, so long as the drop off between the two isn't extreme. If we are playing 60 games, then 30 games each is plenty.

How many times did we lose or drop points to a legit low block last season? And how many times did we drop points or lose for other reasons (didn’t take chances, errors, etc)?

This is what we need, more no nonsense posters like @Mahoneys Tache willing to stick their neck out.

Madueke style over substance tekkers. Elanga is a better finisher, crosser, set piece taker.

It's his salary. Big problem in a PSR world. Not that many clubs could afford him before... I'd imagine that City will find it difficult to find a buyer for Grealish.

Fair enough. I think Madueke offers a lot more by being less limited. He’s better technically and in general play. His output can get better rather easily. Can’t teach Elanga natural ability on the ball imo. Madueke can be effective in both transitions as well as against a low block.

Definitely prefer Madueke in terms of style and technique. But if we prefer Elanga then I guess the usual trust the process applies.

Yeah I would think/hope so. Maybe a change of system is the long-term plan, especially in some games against the lesser teams. I'm not against signing him by the way - just would seem odd on the face of it for £50/60m. But the only explanation would be maybe to go to the formation we played a few times in the back end of 22/23 with Isak just behind Wilson. Would be nice if we mixed it up against certain teams at home, for sure.

Think i would prefer Elanga to Madueke tbh (assuming same price for both).

We don’t know, we might move towards a 4-2-3-1 at times. IF we sign Pedro he will start most games. Otherwise we wouldn’t spend this much and he definitely wouldn’t come. It also would solve the issue of having more depth in the striker area. As well as allowing us to play one CM less to rotate or for tactical reasons. As well as giving us a link between midfield and Isak which I’ve wanted for a long time personally. So I hope it’s true and we get him.

If we're paying £60 million for him, it's fair to assume he'll be playing regularly.

Probably have one of those foreign types lined up

Gutted is probably the wrong word but I'd ask questions if we are paying £60m for Pedro when there isn't a clear place for him in the XI. Completely understand we need to have a squad but for us, the £50/60m players have to be the ones that are the ones playing week in, week out surely? Good player and we definitely need another versatile forward, but at the prices quoted I'm not sure. But I was sure £40m for Gordon was an overpay too, and despite last season he's been worth every penny. So we have to trust the club, it just seems a lot for the type of player he is vs what we actually need.

I live in Co Durham and genuinely didn't know that was their anthem, I thought it was that Red Flag song.

See Chelsea signed (another) centre-back yesterday. On (another) 8-year contract. Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg for £12m.

Fucking hell

Chris Wood?

Do we not fancy looking at these types first before loaning out? Get a gauge of where they are or even if they might be useful for us even now? N'Zogbia hadn't even played senior football when we signed him, and was a regular in the squad within 3-4 months

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/chris-rigg-v-lamine-yamal.1657940/ Saw this thread this morning over on RTG, dunno if its a piss take or serious

Offer Chelsea a 25m loan fee for Madueke with a 25m obligation to buy next year. If not acceptable then say around 45 something for a permanent now. Think he’d become class under Eddie in a more settled environment as well as being a key player. His output will go up quickly imo.

Its going to be very interesting to see who Brentford go for, and how they go next season. Frank has done wonders at that club, and he's going to be hard to follow.

Frank (Thomas, not Fat) to Tottenham verbally done according to a few of the rags. Going to stick my neck out early and say that he'll improve on Ange's bin fire, but ultimately be absolutely nowt special and probably get them scratching around 8th-10th.

Use wash bags as well.

If they're coming from abroad they do, but we've had quite a few drawn out sagas with Gordon, Tino, Barnes, etc. It's more that even when we pay, we usually look for value. Who knows we might see £60 million for Pedro as good value, but it'll take a fair chunk out the budget, with other positions still in need of strengthening.