TRon

One of those where you get the feeling Howe really likes him since the links have been persistent for a long time now. Given Eddie's success with the transfer policies I'd be happy to go with his judgement no bother.

He has, but Tonali's recovery pace as the deeper midfielder has made such a differences to our defending. And our results.

Great post.

I mean it was pretty much said we weren't going to be making any signings this window a couple of months back so I barely even bother checking in here with any real excitement. I do think we'll buy in the summer though, but a lot depends on where we finish this season.

It's bullshit IMO. Pretty sure this started off at £11m which we were all agog at, right now it's £10m and that's based on a story by Craig Hope, there's no reason to believe that any bid IS actually that much or has been accepted. It will probably turn out they've bid half of that and are trying to persuade him to accept wages of £300/week.

I thought the opposite of both players. They gave the ball away generally because they were trying off the cuff stuff like dummies and feints to throw the defenders. You do lose the ball more, but when it comes off it destroys defences.

Difficult game this. Feels like we are not quite at the same level as a couple of weeks ago, and they are a very difficult prospect under Iraola. Get the feeling it might end up being a ping pong match and the side that takes their chances wins. Which will be us hopefully.

This basically. I suppose it just comes down to whether you want to compete at the top regularly or put more value on tradition.

Agree, the whole point of getting Mitchell on board was to unearth the next Mbuemo, not pay top dollar once he's been discovered. That said, if his contract running down means his price is on a downward trend, then there could be business to be done. I have a feeling there'll be too much competition though.

Hopefully it's a ridiculously OTT amount which the PL is no longer confident of challenging following the rule changes recently.

Keep checking on this thread to see if this deal has gone through yet and we've actually confirmed the funds have reached our accounts.

Know exactly what you mean which is why I'm reluctant to see him as a permanent solution. He can look quite clumsy at times with the ball ricocheting off his feet a yard, but he has got a good right foot and he's capable of doing some damage. He will need upgrading at some point, hopefully his form will hold up for the rest of this season though.

This has always been one of the problems though, he's got the tools to be a much better player. But maybe we have been expecting too much. If you just take him for what he is and accept his football won't always be silky or super visionary, he can still do some damage allied to giving it 100% defensively as well.

I'm sure we did, but until you see someone in English football you can never be really sure how well they will adapt. Especially given the doubts expressed about Italian players coming over here.

Especially since he keeps scoring bangers against Liverpool as well.

Yes, I always felt that Shearer post-op was never quite the same player after Blackburn, but he was such a good player technically he was still a fantastic target man. Obviously Isak is nowhere near as good in that dept, but he provides so much more threat out wide and on the counter. A better comparison really would be Henry.

I wonder if we even realised he was this good? Could it be he's actually designed for the pace of the PL, and once he's got acclimatised he's actually relishing the pace and intensity? With his speed of thought and pace, it suits him down to the ground tbh.

Don't believe the hype.

Yeah there will be lots of caveats, there's now way they would pay £11m plus his wages, but either way, if it gets him off the books and puts some spending money in our coffers....fantastic. I'm not celebrating until the ink is dry though, been here too many times.

Being brushed off the ball is not really an issue for me, he was never the most physical player. But I am concerned how often he gives up possession just through a loose touch or not dealing with the press. He's been fit for a while now, should not look as rusty as he does.

This is me as well. I never wanted him out, he's just too obviously intelligent to be jettisoned that easily, but the balance of the side was off for the first dozen games or so. I feel like switching Tonali into the no 6 position transformed our midfield and our results. Still feel very pissed off that PSR has been set up as an obstacle to stop him building the side he really wants. Would love to see what he could put together if money was no object.

First time in a while I wasn't annoyed when the ball went wide right. He offered us some real balance and width, and he was playing in some pearler crosses from the right even if they didn't always find their man. He was a menace.

I got quite a lot of stick on here when I was a bit critical of Shearer at the time. I remember HTT nearly burst a blood vessel at the temerity. My argument was that a lot of his goals came from dead balls, but looking back, I was probably a bit overcritical as our supply back then was pretty woeful. I used to be envious of players who had the pace to really cause teams which wasn't one of Shearer's attributes. Think of Ian Wright or Henry. Isak is obviously less powerful than Shearer, and doesn't offer the same target man attributes, but that skill on the ball and sheer pace are something else.

It was slightly tongue in cheek, but he is up there.

Dare to dream.