KaKa

15 minutes ago, Nine said:

Ughh gonna drag til midnight on the 31st this 

At which point he will sign for Spurs ..

4 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Gosens is off to Inter, not that it was ever a goer.

Think Atalanta used us to get the deal they wanted from Inter. Not sure we were ever in for him.

Seen a rumour we may be considering Dan Burn from Brighton.

I imagine that £38 million is how much they are wanting upfront.

That offer of 55 million Euros, likely came with a bunch of clauses and caveats and was probably just £25 million upfront.

Sorry, but if the guy has ability and anywhere near the kind of work ethic his uncle does, and they are already familiar with each other and have a previous working relationship that was fruitful then yes, get him in.

Southampton's recruitment is so good they will have names ready to bring in as replacements I imagine. If we're offering the sums we are for Diego Carlos I could see them selling.

I think we'll probably make all the 5-6 signings we are aiming for this week, and they'll likely come in thick and fast. I get the impression we will probably now move for the targets that are more 'realistic'. Think they'll still be talented players, but slightly less heralded. Some of the names that fit this mould have started popping up in the last few weeks, like Mitchel Bakker, Marcos Senesi, Attila Szalai, Duje Caleta-Car, Pape Abou Cisse etc.

20 minutes ago, HawK said:

Anyone else think that since Joe has come into the middle, he looks so, so strong? I mean, he shrugs people off the ball with absolute ease, people can't take it off him easily. He's a huge presence. He must have something drilled into him from a young age about playing for fouls and free-kicks in the attacking third, because he looked weak as piss up top. If he had used half the strength he's showing now in midfield, he'd have been a handful at least, even if he can't score to save his life.

Think he's just less adept at playing with his back to the goal, and with centre backs pushing right up on him. It just wasn't his thing. Different kind of strength and balance required for that, as you're going up against bigger more physical defenders in those instances and in the prem especially they're given a lot more leeway to be really physical in those situations.

3 minutes ago, joeyt said:

Why are Leverkusen so open to selling Bakker?

Probably just happy to make a quick profit on the guy and they maybe have other alternatives in that position in the team that they rate, or perhaps their recruitment team have other left backs on their list that they're happy to bring in that will still leave them with a decent profit. 

In any case the deal seems very fair and I really like what I've seen and read up on the guy, and so I hope we can get a deal done. 

6 hours ago, Segun Oluwaniyi said:

What did Nigeria do to you? Rubbish performance out of nowhere from every player beside Ndidi. Tunisia spoiled the game after taking the lead, which is their specialty, credit to them. There are crucial WC qualifiers in two months and another AFCON in 18, so it does not hurt much. For those interested, Comoros do not have a keeper for today's match and will have an outfield player in goal against host and favourite Cameroon, sounds unfavourable.

 

Speaking of the qualifiers, the draw is out for the final round and they will be a bloodbath:

 

Algeria vs Cameroon, Senegal vs Egypt, Morocco vs DR Congo, Tunisia vs Mali, and Nigeria vs Ghana.

 

People will die over these Ghana matches, I am sure of it. This format of sending every team through a two match playoff is mad, tbh. Hard to understand that only one of two the best players in Africa, Salah or Mane, will be in Qatar, despite both sides dominating their groups.

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as Tunisia scored first I just knew we were out. Never feel confident when we go behind in important matches. Shocking performance.

Just now, Manxst said:

Still might? There have been plenty of links/rumours. 

Yeah, perhaps. At the price he's available for I'm just surprised no one's snapped him up sooner.

49 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

For 12 million I’d be all over this deal for Cabral.

 

https://www.westhamzone.com/news/west-ham-yet-to-reach-basel-asking-price-for-striker-arthur-cabral/

Really baffled that no one in any of the bigger leagues has gone in for him. Absolutely wish we would have.

1 minute ago, Manxst said:

He’s had multiple chances to repeat the Kane/Son triumvirate under every manager though, and always failed to deliver. It’s as though he just can’t be arsed these days. Mourinho stated as much when he said he was a lazy player/trainer. It’s nothing to do with choice of manager, but if it is, he’s bang out of luck- if he needs a perfect fit as manager to get anything out of him then he’s currently even worse than I presume. Managers come and go (as they have done for him)- it’s going to be impossible for him unless Poch keeps signing him every time he moves as manager. 

 

Did I say he could only play for Poch? I said it is down to the style of football. This kind of thing happens all the time. It was no different to Mourinho's treatment of Pogba at Man Utd.

But I can see we are not going to agree on this so fair enough. Be interesting to see how it plays out for him.

10 minutes ago, Manxst said:

I just can’t see him as you describe- his figure for goals/assists against his approaches in the last four season suggest he’s certainly not ‘lethal in the final third’ at all. You’re judging him on past performance nearly half a decade ago, and under a specific manager. Under three decent/world class managers since, he’s failed dismally. He had the chance to have a fresh start under Conte and has just reverted to type as opposed to regaining any semblance of form or ability/attitude.

 

 

Every player is not suited to every type of manager. It's as simple as that for me really.

Dele is what people would typically describe as a luxury player. If it's a more attack minded team and setup, and the rest of the team can cover for his weaknesses he is fantastic in the final third. I mean you just have to have watched him over the years in Poch's team linking up with Son and Kane. That trio was brilliant together. He was averaging double figures in both goals and assists every season under Poch.

Mourinho, Nuno and Conte do not play the same type of football Poch played and he has suffered for it. He is a very limited player in that respect as he cannot really adapt to a more highly disciplined, defence first style of football. Guy is still just 25 years old and it will be interesting to see what comes of him  in the next few years. He really needs to be careful where he goes next and who he chooses to play for, as it needs to be a manager that is not as rigid.

1 minute ago, Manxst said:

My original post? Not me, I don’t think? They should’ve sold him a year or two back imo. His stock has fallen so badly they won’t be getting true market value right now. In respect of him being ‘mismanaged’- that’s nothing to do with being sold or not in my opinion. He’s been shite due to his own attitude and hence had limited appearances. That’s not mismanagement. It’s management that’s been perceived the right thing for the team/club. 

Ah, it was the post I originally responded to from SUPERTOON. 

Dele was a huge asset at one point. People always tend to focus on his weaknesses i.e. defensive contribution, but he is lethal in the final third both scoring goals and creating them. Poch was clever enough to find a way to accommodate him in a team that went all the way to the Champions League final, and he was a key contributor.

Spurs have gone for a certain type of manager since Poch, and they are all types that would not really find a place for a player like Dele and so in the first instance once Mourinho came in and started ostracising him, they had to make a tough call at that point. If they were going to back Mourinho to the hilt then they should have moved him on when there was still pretty decent interest in him. Poch wanted him at PSG and I imagine they could have got a decent fee for him from them.

5 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Solid defensively ?

Harder to say from youtube clips, but he does look like he's got decent pace and strength, and is physical when going after the ball. Think he'd be a very interesting signing.

3 minutes ago, Manxst said:

Mismanaged? By Mourinho, Nuno AND Conte? It screams lack of application by the player to get picked rather than mismanagement, imo. His performances when he DOES get picked back this up too- he hardly busts a gut and makes it impossible to drop him. 

I said he has been badly mismanaged at Spurs and he has been. In the sense that they should have sold him much sooner, before he completely fell out of the picture. They will be in no kind of position to be tough in negotiations for him like your original post stated. Interest in him has completely dried up.

Was watching some clips of that Mitchel Bakker kid and he looks like he would be a fantastic signing. Gets forward well and looks like he has a really good delivery into the box. 

3 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Can’t imagine levy being easy to negotiate with for this.

Dele has been brutally mismanaged at Spurs, and his value has plummeted. They'll be glad to get something for him at this point. He's not beign used by Conte now either and so his value will only continue to fall further and further.

18 minutes ago, POOT 2.0 said:

Has there been a clearer pen than the one today against ASM?

 

 

Short clips are legal, right? Classed as educational/for discussion/critique. 

 

 

 

ASM does such a bad job selling that. The two arms raised and flailing was too dramatic. Think the histrionics makes the ref think he's being conned, so he ignores it.

However, there was clearly contact there and so yet again, why is VAR not reviewing that and making the right call? No idea what the point of VAR is anymore.

6 minutes ago, Menace said:

Most of my mates support Arsenal too, Leno gets beaten near post far too often. He's better than Dubravka though 

Yeah, Leno can be very shaky. Dean Henderson is who we should be aiming for, even if it means waiting till the summer.

1 hour ago, MarkyMark said:

I know it hasn’t been seen as a priority, but if the rumour mill is correct (ha!), I reckon Leno would be a cracking signing.  I don’t think it can be understated just how much our piss poor goalkeepers are making our piss poor back line even more nervous than they would be otherwise.

 

Probably just the usual paper talk - but for me it would sit alongside our centre halves and centre mids in terms of an obvious area to strengthen.  The team’s spine is shite 

As someone who follows Arsenal quite closely due to having a ton of friends that support them, I'm really not sure about Leno at all.

10 minutes ago, Clockwork Cheese said:

Think he's 10 years too late at Spurs - he would have loved playing for Redknapp.

 

"MK Don's, National Team. BANG!" At some point he's taken his foot of the gas, and doesn't have that killing hunger that forced Poch to throw him straight in and saw him through the first few seasons of his career.

 

Towards Pochettino's end he eventually pissed him off, and his form tanked. Mourinho became at his whits end with him, and now it seems Conte has given a limited chance he hasn't taken. 

 

Poch, Mourinho, Conte - three managers that all share a core tenant that you need to sweat and eat grass to play for them. I'm in Mourinho's camp on this one.... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, Redknapp is the exact sort of manager that would have got the best out of him.

He comes across as being a bit cocky, but it's all a front. The guy isn't that confident I don't think, and needs a manager that can cajole a performance out of him.

39 minutes ago, Clockwork Cheese said:

 

Love this whole conversation.

On a day to day basis though, I think Dele is one of those that needs a manager that is more positive and upbeat with their encouragement of him, which isn't really Mourinho's forte when the season gets up and running and things start getting tough.

Think he'd be a good fit with Howe.

https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/mitchel-bakker-who-is-bayer-leverkusen-s-dutch-left-back-signed-from-psg-16537

Can apparently play left back, left wing-back and left side centre back in a back three. Really like this guy's profile. Hope this one can be done quickly and doesn't turn into another saga.