Raconteur

@Neil I posted in the transfer rumours thread that we should raid Everton because you’re hamstrung FFP wise - someone contemptuously asked “Like who?” before the conversation moved on. Digne is an obvious one, Doucoure given our circumstances. I was wondering if you fear being raided in January, and who might be most likely to be pinched?

The issue was that it fucked with the COVID testing, he might have been back to train, but he hadn’t been COVID-cleared

Dont Liverpool get a pen every week? Lewis-Salah in a repeat of this weekend’s Lascelles-Maddison

He rested eight players when they beat Milan away - Alisson, Mane and Salah were the only first team regulars to start.

The tifo vid posted a few pages ago suggests we have the capacity to spend more than we (sensibly) could this January without falling foul of FFP rules. And as someone else suggested - if we’re paying £25m for Trippier, then our budget certainly isn’t £50m. If we can get two and a half solid seasons out of Tripper, and he helps take us from relegation candidates to the brink of the top six in that time, then £25m is an absolute steal - at which time, we can just buy the best right back in the world

Alternatively, Everton’s FFP woes means we should raid them if possible

Don’t know about that - we’ve shifted players, formation and tactics in his five (?) games. He’s changed formation in-game and tried different players in a variety of roles. Is that not flexible and adaptable? The problem is that no matter what formation we play, there are at least three glaring holes where we have to play substandard players, or players out of position…

Just think his (undeniable) quality on the ball covers up the fact he’s a pretty ordinary defender.

Don’t understand why this guy is apparently immune to criticism. Thought he was beaten too easily for the fourth, and have a distinct memory of him trying to maraud and losing it more than once. Lascelles has been shite, but Schar has been pretty poor too. If we persist with four at the back, then I’d try Lascelles-Fernandez before Schar-Fernandez, especially against Liverpool…

Just watched the goals again - criminal how statuesque and utterly oblivious he was for the second goal.

Any two of those four centre mids would be incredible - can see Kamara waiting until summer though

Is Jefferson Lerma still a solid centre midfielder? Worked with Eddie so can slot straight in, one of our desperate holes filled, shouldn't be too expensive or reluctant to come...?

So much of the post Leicester chat turned to what needs to happen at Anfield, I figured I’d start the thread while you’re all sleeping. To be honest, I’ve no idea how Eddie is going to respond to that disaster, but I see a lot of people suggesting three at the back - thus keeping Captain Rick and the Swiss Deceiver. I’d go for greater solidity in midfield, a 4-3-3/4-5-1 like this: Dubravka Manquillo Fernandez Lascelles Lewis Murphy Shelvey Hayden Joelinton ASM Wilson Three CMs in Joelinton, Shelvey and Hayden is the best I could come up with

I feel like we should start a Liverpool match thread, but TAA v ASM is asking for a five goal thrashing

That team at Anfield would lose eleventy nil

I’ve been thinking that the best way to accomodate ASM might be in a 4-3-3/4-5-1 - that way there are three centre mids and a left back down that side. (Mind, in that shape I’d drop Almiron for Murphy on the right, with Joelinton, Shelvey and Hayden in the middle)

I feel ready to jump off the Almiron bus full time - he has some very good qualities, but we’re just not getting enough out of him. Too often the headless chicken, and he shoots like an U-10 defender getting forward for the first time.

I’d like to see him in a midfield three with Shelvey and Hayden, but it would require a lot of jiggery-pokery…

It certainly was - but there were about four people in Australia saying “Neill shouldn’t have dived in”, and I was one of them. Silly bastard gave Grosso the chance to cheat/be professional

The defender dived in, the attacker fell over his legs. It’s not a debate because the defender was stupid enough to have his legs there to trip over. 2006 and Fabio Grosso fell over Lucas Neill’s legs to knock Australia out of the World Cup in almost identical circumstances. The world said “That’s football” - so, for me, that penalty has to be given or I’m filthy

You’re right, it’s pretty funny - until you remember they’ll look to make up the lost squillions with another crackpot scheme

I always thought Shelvey was the top earner on £80k pw but that was before Wilson, Joelinton and ASM joined

It me There’s a vid channel I watch (tifo?) that exclusively refers to them as Manchester UFC (or Man UFC for short). Don’t know why, but it warms my heart.

You can’t argue with a player who says to his agent “my coach is shit, can you find me some help?”

I'm not really fussed how they attack January, as long as there is a clear decision making process. Loans is an obvious one - if they're looking at them, then Howe should have a lot of, if not total, authority to make six month deals. Loans to buy are great in theory, but it adds an extra layer of complexity in making a decision and it might be an ace when trying to get players: "Nah, you can have him back if you just want him to get some game time and reassess" or something. Permanent signings don't require a DoF/SD, but we're assuming we want the consortium to have a broad and long-term vision established, and acquire players on that basis. Rumours of Staveley and Mehrdad approaching players agents are a bit concerning if true. It's important we get footballing acumen in decision-making positions - but I'm pretty comfortable giving Howe licence to manage January and get someone above him in February. Tell him he's free to arrange a couple of blue ribbon loan signings and a few permanent signings in the top Championship/lower PL/fringe CL market - then someone else comes in to prepare for a big summer.