Shak

I mean, in terms of how much fun to watch they are ASM is clearly of higher quality. But I'm not sure how you can look at how productive they've been in their careers and come to the conclusion that Barnes is a drop off from Maxi.

If the Barnes reporting is true I'll be very interested to see if that's the only winger we bring in. Reports were that we wanted a versatile forward and he's really not that. My gut says it's gonna be ASM out and Barnes in, straight swap of out and out LW players that opens up some wiggle room this season in terms of FFP. However, we really don't know. Still holding out hope for Chiesa at RW.

Feels like it we wanted to do that then Maddison would have made more sense.

I'll be shocked if this isn't Barnes in, ASM out. We're desperately short of players to play RW, signing Barnes doesn't change that. Maybe they see Gordon as a RW and it's Gordon and Miggy on the right and ASM and Barnes on the left though.

With the way Isak plays as a CF, dropping off the front and linking play, I could see Gordon being used as a replacement for him for sure. Assuming this Barnes thing is a goer, I'm quite interested to see who we bring in at RW. I've been expecting our wing additions to be more creative types who can pick a pass... but with Barnes coming in I do wonder if Eddie wants the wide forwards to be more goalscorer types with Isak bordering on playing as a false nine.

This is the real issue with Maxi in terms of fitting into the team IMO. For a player with his pace it's shocking how infrequently you see him on the receiving end of passes in dangerous positions. He's clearly been putting effort in to improve what he does when he has the ball but the bigger issue has always been his movement without it for me.

I love what a bunch of bargain hunting fucks we are domestically. Going after Gordon when he was getting hassled by Everton fans. Getting Pope from a relegated team, maybe Barnes now too. All players that would have gone for a fair bit more had their circumstances been less favourable for us.

Nah just do it in a 4-3-3. Feels like playing through Isak as much as possible would probably be a good idea

We could sign Barnes and Diaby and play Isak as a false nine.

There's a desperate lack of goals in our wide options. Barnes isn't anyone's dream signing but double figures first team goals for a PL club the last three seasons running is really good and gives us something we desperately need.

I mean if it were me I'd hold a bit back and go balls out for Kvaratskhelia next summer but I can see the play here.

Yeah but we're not that team anymore, surely? I think anyone who doesn't have a soft spot for Maxi is a bit weird and I'd be sad to see him go... but we shouldn't keep a player who doesn't fit into the current team style around just because he was good when we were shit.

I mean, isn't that the point? Having two quality players for the LW position to cope with being a high energy pressing team competing in Europe every season.

I'd go Chiesa, I think. Much higher potential and Diaby comes with plenty of question marks too.

It's possible that Howe has decided to build the team to continue with this philosophy of concentrating most of our attacking play down the right hand side. If so, a player like Barnes on the left makes a lot of sense as he'd be less expected to be involved in the build up play but would be a real goal threat from that side. Will be interesting to see if Howe goes that way, the moves at LB will tell us a lot. The added advantage of having a LB that doesn't really push on is it will give us more freedom to push both Tonali and Bruno into advanced positions, knowing there's a bit more cover behind.

Not sure how reliable they are but his transfermarkt profile is interesting. Seems he's played more on the left since joining Juventus. However, he's been more productive from the right on the few occasions he's played there. More goals from the right in less than half the appearances there. Going back to his time at Fiorentina, that was where he played mostly. Again, far more productive from the right side. Christ, the thought of him and Trippier linking up is mega

Sign Chiesa for the right and Barnes for the left? Seems being right footed we'd want Chiesa for the left but looking at his stats on transfermarkt he actually seems to be more productive as a RW. The potential interplay between him, Trippier and Tonali/Bruno is quite the thought.

Chiesa is a risk but that's why he's available to us at all. Would be fucking class.

I mean there's a fair point in there but words like "destroyed" and "suicidal" make it very hard to discuss it seriously Much like we saw with ASM, I'd be pretty confident that in time Howe could develop Diaby into someone who wasn't a liability out of possession. I doubt we'd spend 50+ million on him without having done some very extensive research on what type of prospect we'd be getting, both going forward and defending from the front. My guess is that if we do sign Diaby it'll take him quite a while to start regularly, it is a very important part of how we play and he does seem to need work on his pressing.

Destroyed

Aye Gordon is competition for ASM on the left and Diaby competition for Almiron the right, I assume.

Diaby would make a lot of sense, clear we've been keen on him for a long while and a left footed right winger other than Almiron does seem the biggest hole in the squad right now along with LB. One thing I do like about Diaby is that he's scored plenty of goals the last few years. Obviously there's the worry that the Bundesliga is easier but given our current wide men I do feel someone with some goalscoring pedigree would be a wise addition.

I mean, the only way Isak will ever not be in the team is if he's suspended, injured or being rested.

No it wasn't.