KaKa

2 hours ago, Emotic said:

That tweet doesn't make much sense though - a  player we really wanted, but he wants to play two Conference Leagues games first, so we immediately lost interest? Why? 

Think it just meant we ended interest in doing a permanent deal for the time being.

I imagine we'd still be open to it provided he comes through both matches without any injury.

4 hours ago, Kanji said:

 

Aye, love these kind of signings me. Obscure-ish 10m +/- players with good technical ability who could develop into a good squad player. 

From what I've seen of him (just from highlights to be fair) and also read he's a lot better than that.

He's been compared to that Vitinha that joined PSG from Porto, for around £40 million, and there's been speculation he would be off to Porto to replace him. Think his price is lower because his contract is running down, as it's going into it's final  year.

Ability wise, looks like he slots into that RCM spot in our starting 11 ahead of Longstaff or Willock.

3 hours ago, The Prophet said:

 

Interesting link. From his highlights, looks a dynamic central midfielder. Terrific pace and dribbling through the centre, and pays in that RCM position in a 4-3-3.

From reading up on him seems highly rated. Interestingly his contract is up in 2023 and he's apparently available for £8.5 million.

If the twitter post is accurate the two legs of the Europa Conference qualifiers are in the next week, with the second leg taking place on the 28th of July. Maybe we look to do the deal after the second leg next Thursday, provided he comes through unscathed.

4 minutes ago, Holmesy said:

Let's be honest, none of the signings we've made so far have been sexy - a keeper, a loan player we already know and another CB.

The ones we all get excited about are offensive players and we haven't seen any yet, after 6 months of anticipation or 12 years depending on how you want to look at it. I imagine the frustration would've been tempered if the world cup was on, but there's so little decent sport on that it's difficult not to obsess a bit.

 

Would have been so nice having the World Cup on right now. Such a shame it's at the end of the year.

4 minutes ago, Nine said:

Some of us are already wetting the bed I see, can you imagine if someone else signs Paqueta before the end of the window 

It's getting to the point I actually wish it would happen. Just so they stop going on about the guy.

7 minutes ago, Tiresias said:

We keep Bruno by achieving Champions League. We do that by using Bruno and Botman to show we are a good destination for players and compete for European places. I am doubtful we will actually make Champions League before Bruno decides he needs to be playing it but maybe we can get get £100m off real madrid for him then and sign 2 more Brunos. That is the business model we are going by as I understand it, we do not want to spend silly wages to get the Neymars of the world as it likely wouldn't work, would be a struggle with FFP and destabalise the squad. We have no real depth of quality in squad, to get that it takes time. Bruno gets injured? We are in trouble. We want to compete with Spurs for 4th we will need more than we will likely have for next few seasons unless the FFP limitations go and the owners just decide to splurge. Nothing they have said or done indicates that is on the table though.

 

People need to stop panicing though. Personally I am looking forward for a season without the stress of relegation hanging over us and having a good go at the cups. I want us to compete for europe but I fear there are going to be some toys thrown out pram by some when we finish 8th or 9th. THe form of the last end of season was driven by fear of relegation and probably not totally sustainable.

I'm telling you right now, by this time next year people will actively be having a go at the owners.

Imagine coming from what we had under MA and already bitching and moaning merely half a year into things.

That label of 'the richest owners' is the most unfortunate thing for the folks that bought us, because it has made people crazy in the head. They think we should be Man City by tomorrow now. It's actually sickening.

19 minutes ago, OverThere said:

6 months in and we are starting to behave like spoiled brats, didn't take long did it?

 

We could really use 1 more signing, of course the most difficult one to broker, to cover for Wilson. Its tricky because when fit wouldn't Wilson play or is he to be the back up to someone else? Or is Howe going to adopt a rotation policy with 2 players......

It's so fucking pathetic man

Especially when you consider the window isn't even closed yet, and most other clubs have hardly done anything. Everytime other clubs are linked to a player it's taken as gospel and over reacted to, as if they are making all of these signings ... and then the bed wetting ensues.

18 minutes ago, Dr Jinx said:

Pretty poor stuff overall. We never at any point had our strongest side out but a lot of performances that will (or should) set some minor alarm bells.

 

I think at this point Anderson has shown he’s capable, he looked a level above ASM to be honest? On what we have currently he deserves a start.. ship Maxi over the right.

 

Longstaff wasn’t great, Murphy was shit, Fraser was non existent and Almiron looked incapable of creating anything. I thought we might have enough as back up to Wilson but I was way off, we desperately need some reinforcements.

 

Midfield and up front. We need 3 players.

6 minutes ago, The Butcher said:

Where did he play? 

LCM position.

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

@KaKafair enough, but that's not the point I was addressing. It was that you can acknowledge that Shelvey has come a long way, whilst still not being good enough, there's no need for the hyperbole.

 

As for Bruno, at Lyon he played as a number six, at a Newcastle he's being played as a number eight. 

 

 

 

I think Shelvey is good enough to back up Bruno for this coming season at least. I don't see him in the starting 11 still, going forward, and wouldn't be particularly keen on that.

Bruno has played at both the number 6 and the number 8 since he's joined, and has continued to produce both goals and assists in either role.

Our best performance of the season against Arsenal, he played as a number 6, with Joe and Longstaff playing as number 8s. He was central to all of our play, and also scored in that game.

4 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

I'm not just making a point 

Fair enough

I just have no doubts we will get the payers the manager wants in. Worst case scenario, we will loan someone in.

There are a lot of players that will be available on loan towards the close of the window.

3 minutes ago, Super Duper Branko Strupar said:

I know Shelvey got injured towards the end of last season and he'd been playing before that, but I do feel there was a huge chuck of "continuity" about Shelvey playing. Obviously distinct lack of options, Willock not being in form etc too. But as Shelvey was out and not coming back in, Willock started to show more of what I think he's capable of (still limited, clearly) and he was the one making those forward runs from midfield. I do think it's the better option to drop Shelvey from those starting line ups and move Willock in. I think that's what Howe will do, personally, if we dont get another midfielder in. I think it's the best option too. It will obviously depend on Willock, though. 

 

 

 

This is a good point too. Even if no one comes in, I think it's more likely we actually push Willock or even Longstaff into the first 11 ahead of keeping Shelvey in there.

5 minutes ago, LV said:

I’d like Bruno to stay in the position he played last season. He was great. Scored goals and broke up play and made pinpoint passes.

 

Think we’d lose a lot restricting him as purely defensive midfielder 

1 minute ago, Jaqen said:

Was Bruno not more of a double pivot at Lyon? Unless we bring in a really good CM I feel he's a bit wasted as the single pivot in a three. 

 

 

 

 

Have you guys not been seeing him rack up goals and assists from that exact position? He's not restricted in that role at all.

Think it's more likely we get another athletic runner in the RCM position that can get in the box and also help cover the winger and right back if needed, similar to what Joe does on the left.

Bruno will then be central to all the play in the middle, where he will also still have some freedom to move about with two athletic number 8s to either side that can cover for him when needed.

That's what I see happening. Might be wrong, but that's what I anticipate going forward.

Just now, Nine said:

We 100% sign a CM, just to light there going into a new season which is why we played Bruno out of his natural position during our run it. (Not saying he cant play there he was great, just that is real position is where Shelvey plays). Point being to the 'Shelvey is a weak link' posters is that signing a new CM still means that Shelvey will keep his position of second choice going forward, it doesnt matter if he started last season or not. 

This is exactly how I see things too.

1 minute ago, et tu brute said:

And if we don't get that midfielder in?

Well, why would you obsess about that at this stage for goodness sake?!

12 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

Based on the team selection at the end of last season, he won't be far away.

That was last season. Midfield is a position we are looking for a player in, and so I don't think it's likely he starts this season.

Can't see West Ham signing both Scammacca and Broja. 

1 minute ago, Rich said:

Not this again

You know ... I wish Paqueta and Bruno hated each other's guts and there's no chance he would ever join us  

1 minute ago, et tu brute said:

He just slows the game too much and his lack of mobility is highly noticeable also. As I keep saying we need another midfielder in there. Personally I think Paqueta is a no brainer. We really do need that position, right winger and striker to really move forward. Just have to wait and see what happens 

I don't anticipate Shelvey starting this year.

Think another midfielder comes in to play alongside Joe and Bruno, and Shelvey will play a back up role to Bruno in that deeper position.

1 minute ago, Jaqen said:

It's basically a pre season training excercise in ridiculous heat with a lineup that would never be fielded in the league. 

 

Sometime I wish pre season friendlies just weren't televised, people always read too much into them. 

 

 

Such a good point. Actually beginning to think it's a bad idea. 

Just now, The Prophet said:

 

Or they can acknowledge and appreciate their improvement whilst also observing that they should be replaced in the starting eleven?

And how do you know he's going to be in the starting 11?

1 minute ago, Jack27 said:

Replace him with Florian Grillitsch on a free, happy days.

What a joke man. This isn't FM man. Grillitsch is not coming here to play a backup role.

1 minute ago, SUPERTOON said:

Didn’t really learn much we didn’t already know, season will be decided on if we can bring in attacking players, if we don’t we will be between 10th-12th imo

We haven't even seen our strongest 11 play together yet, so not sure how people are drawing these sorts of conclusions.

They're clearly mixing the teams up, to force certain players to try and bring more out of some of the lesser players, and challenge them more.

5 minutes ago, Jack27 said:

To get players in we also need to create space, Shelvey is out of contract next year and our midfield options ahead of him are solid. Wouldn't be missed.

He's looking like he will be backup to Bruno, which would be the perfect role for him, dictating play in that deeper position.

Please tell me who on Earth you see in the team that will fulfil that role if Shelvey leaves?