Kanj

^ this

faaaa, i love this bloke.

I'd much prefer not wasting my brain power and emotion on hating MA and wishing for all this shit to burn down for 2-3 seasons to get rid of him, to then build it back up for 2-3 seasons. Just want to carry on talking actual football tactics, players, rumors etc. with you lot, having some hope we could win something and/or build something under Rafa and be in the PL.

If he gets iron clad assurances that he can sign more Almiron type priced players, he will stay IMO. As much as I have my burn it all to get rid of MA feeling, if they finally made Rafa happy I'd say long may it continue in the top flight.

Feel like if Almiron settles the way we hope, it’ll really be great to see how Muto and Ayoze get on playing in a side with him - even if they end up playing the sole striker role to spell Or rest Rondon. Almiron is big on playing a ball into a striker and taking a lay-off and sprinting through midfield and defensive lines at pace

Shit that’s a good point

It’s funded via a Barclays overdraft facility that will then be paid off with PL money. Chronicle wrote an article about it.

I think he's simply played as good as Ki has for us in the few matches he's played and better than anything Shelvey has done for us this season. Diame has covered so much damn ground, he's still our best holding player when fit. So on just simple form alone for Longstaff and Diame is a better all around holding player than Hayden.

He's also a boyhood fan of ours too. Hope he comes back and is a success.

Sort of looking like the Hayden we thought would be our main DM a season ago during the beginning of the season.

kasper, you're a legend.

He's not just a counter attacking player man, he runs at people with the ball and he creates for himself or for his team mates. His best highlight stuff has been the long runs because they are brilliant to watch but if you see just regular matches he's good overall game.

He featured for Monaco until Henry benched him. If Ritchie didn't smack that penalty in and we ended up drawing vs Man City I suspect most would want to see Barreca starting ASAP to provide the same attacking threat of PACE that we have on the right side with Yedlin.

This formation we're currently playing has been the making of Perez. IMO Almiron will displace Atsu. He and Ayoze will drop wide when in defense. If we go back to the 4-2-3-1 then Almiron will go back to being the #10 and I could def see Ayoze going out and playing wide.

really hope we have a deal or two to finish up the window

Seriously hope we have a winger deal lined up.

i hope!

I think Rafa sees the best 11 now the 3-4-3 or whatever it is now. Dummett probably becoming more of a CB now IMO. He just simply can't be trusted to stay fit over an entire season.

I'm pretty damn excited right now. I think he's exactly what we've lacked for far too long.

If agent driven I could see his reps worried that Barreca and Almiron really push him out of the side.

Agree. He’s so committed to the club. His performance versus city is a reason I don’t want him leaving.

So he’d essentially have to displace Ritchie as a wing back then right?

This is got to be the one. Even prior to the Almiron news too. Absolutely nothing to look forward to. Then full time. Wow.

16 or 28

Agree. Would personally love to see how Longstaff kicks on. He's got the tools to be a fucking great player.