The College Dropout

I don't think he's ever suited Emery's system. He's not a natural fit. I agree that he's similar in profile to Willock. Ideal position is LCM of a midfield 3. He can be shoehorned into AM or LW but it's a poor fit. Agree it's hard to say what the injuries have done. Personally, I think he's a bad fit for Emery. Median level yeh Gallagher is better. But at their best I think Ramsey is better. I think Ramsey's ceiling was higher for sure. Ramsey is a big risk aye.

Think Ramsey has a higher ceiling than Gallagher imo. I don't feel he has the fitness to be an Eddie lynchpin player. Won't have to be this season mind.

We haven't had a massive ceiling raiser since summer 2023. But tbh it's harder to raise the ceiling on Joelinton and even Murphy in terms of output than Longstaff or Dan Burn. No offence to either and Burn was my player of the season.

Of the 2 I think he's more a Howe player. My gut is Howe would trust Ramsey a lot more than Bilal form the start. I like them both as players. Split thoughts about a preference. Both would be good.

I like Ramsey and I think he's misprofiled at Villa. Injury record is a concern. A step above Willock with a ceiling higher than JL's imo about a long way to get there.

One of the most exciting players in the sport I sometimes do wonder if people enjoy the game. People that disliked Neymar baffle me. He was a joy to watch.

2 assists at the weekend from set plays.

Played most of his games at 10.

I can’t think of an example under Howe where he’s given a young player lots of minutes when he has the option not too. At least not consistently or in the players first season. Tino was further ahead in his development and couldn’t get a look in ahead of a recently separated and poor form Trippier and an exposed Dan Burn. Like the look of this lad a lot. But hes not even the same profile as Big Joe or the wingers. I struggle to see Howe sliding lots of minutes his way by choice - and even avoiding him with less choice. If El Khannous is our 4th choice CM and Howe will trust him early - it’s a great evolutionary point. Hope I’m wrong. Think it’s a smart pickup and offers us something we don’t have.

I would consider Ederson/Gallagher a role we don't have. Rotate with the 3 starters. El Khannous a peg down. Loan out Miley. Willock just there to round off the numbers.

That's why I think we need a more like for like option. Maybe Howe will change but I can't see him playing that kid instead of Joelinton due to injury. Maybe he's so hot on him he would.

Neither does Joelinton tbf

I assume we would still sign a Gallagher/Ederson type player. if El Khannous was the 4th choice CM I would be disappointed. That player needs to be a rotation option. I think Eddie would play a 80% Joelinton over El Khannous.

Agreed. Lad needs to go and play football. Miley needs a proper development plan too.

The only drawback with him is that he needs game time to develop. Is Howe going to give it to him? Spending more money on a more developed player like the French lad that I like, feel like they would get a lot more minutes... partly down to price tag. At £20m, 21 years old, El Khannouss might ride the bench the entire season

Best view of contract is what reputable sources quote when signing or announcing an extension e.g. The Athletic, BBC, Telegraph etc.

I shant. But if you want to create a manual view of PSR costs, you need a view of wages otherwise you are missing 40-60% of the costs.

We should include rumoured wages.

El Khannous? He's a talent, not sure about him but the ceiling is high. Definite baller mould.

He's the one I want.

Literally not a marquee signing.

Yeh a replacement is a Samu-like player or Watkins. We could panic into a Jackson though.

Kicker for Palace. With a bit of luck, Palace could see themselves in the CL next season and that's gone now. Winning the EL and then going to CL would be amazing for them. The Conference is a major drop off as a competition just because of that. And it's not that much easier to win imo. As someone said, Europa has a greater depth of quality but the quality at the highest end is about the same.

Johnson is Harvey Barnes-esque in some ways then? In the 90s a smaller poacher type striker. Not do much else but score?

Straight into my FPL team.