KaKa

26 minutes ago, Mikky said:

 

Chelsea also sold a couple of more players - I reckon they have pocketed 45-50m this summer - plus they have at least 3/4 other players (Bakayoko, Alonso/Emerson, Zouma, Barkley, RLC) that will fetch them a lot of money - they are incredibly canny in the market tbf

Yeah, it's pretty impressive. Ultimately that Lukaku fee will end up being a fraction of what it is.

2 hours ago, joeyt said:

Roma agreed a £34 million deal for Tammy Abraham

Wew ... not bad at all. So that essentially knocks £34 million off the Lukaku fee they paid as Tuchel did not use Tammy at all really. Good business.

Hope Tammy does well there under Mourinho. I could see it happen. I like Tammy's potential a lot.

Hard to believe how badly Barcelona have messed things up.

1 minute ago, joeyt said:

I think the money is about right for a 21 year old English player who impressed last season

Yeah, think it's a good deal and maybe even a steal at that age. There's a lot of attributes there to work with. His pace, ability to carry the ball, general passing and knack for finishing already look pretty good, and he has a lot of room to grow still.

At some point this season I have a strong feeling someone decent, so a top Championship club or one of the smaller Prem ones, will come in for Jones as manager especially off the back of his work with Southgate and England this summer which was pretty well documented.

And then we will be well and truly done for.

Just now, Kanji said:

“Not suited to Arsenal’s tactical approach”    I’ve a lot of time for Arteta and rather he manage us but don’t make Willock out to be some stupid player who only relies on physical attributes that’s really an odd and unfounded way to criticize him IMO. 

No, not at all. It's not that he's thick, it's more about the space he is afforded and the freedom he has to vacate the midfield and get into the box.

Arsenal press high up the pitch and play a patient possession game to open up teams, and so he isn't afforded the space as much to stretch his legs and run with the ball in space in the centre of the pitch, which he can do more in our setup where we defend deeper and can break on teams more.

Also in Arsenal's more possession heavy setup the midfield has to keep the ball more and they try to play through the middle more often and aren't as direct, and also don't cross the ball from wide areas as much. So I don't think he has the same freedom to break position and try to get in the box to score.

18 minutes ago, McCormick said:

Yup, he’s definitely very underdeveloped tactically but at 21 that’s to be expected, really.

 

Needs to release the ball quicker and bring teammates into the game more to really excel at a top team. For us though, since we usually get the ball back in our own half (seeing as we have no discernible pressing), his ball carrying ability is so important.
 

As we rely on players like Almiron and Murphy who, as soon as they get the ball, just charge up the field and run out of ideas in the final third, his pace and ability to get into the box late will get him a few goals.

Yes, absolutely agree. 

There are deals to be had with Arsenal. I think a lot of their players get top class training and development but aren't always as well suited for their tactical approach. I think the likes of Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah would be clever signings for where we are and could similarly look much better in out setup just like Willock did. Even Maitland-Niles wouldn't be a bad shout as I like him at right-wing back, but it seems he is intent on wanting to play in central midfield going forward. 

11 minutes ago, sempuki said:

Armstrong to Southampton. 

Fascinated to see how he gets on there. As they play two upfront I presume he's coming in to partner Che Adams upfront? Going to be interesting.

38 minutes ago, Ben said:

TBF their fans don't rate him either 

Yeah, one of my really good friends is a proper Arsenal fan and he doesn't rate him and most of their fans are not fussed about him at all. He has never really performed when in the team for them. Same with Reiss Nelson.

I think Willock is one that benefits from a simpler set of instructions and more freedom on the pitch as he got under Bruce at Newcastle. Arsenal tend to be far more specific and detailed tactically and I think he struggles with that.

17 minutes ago, St1pe said:

I honestly thought this would be like previous seasons where we let another player slip away. I’m pleasantly surprised we’re actually trying to buy him rather than a last minute loan. 
 

I know there’s time for it to fall through but this would be a big boost going into the season. 

Yeah, it's a pleasant surprise. Even I'm somewhat encouraged by it and I can't stand anything with Newcastle at the minute.

It was a perfect storm really he came in and did well at the club already and is still so young and has some pedigree having been at Arsenal.

It's the kind of player Mike Ashley seemingly relishes bringing in. You'd hope the manager would now be smart enough to start looking for more of these types of players with a similar profile and try to take advantage. There's more than enough out there.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Man City are all increasingly prone to letting similar players slip through nowadays as they are just more likely to spend on bringing players in and not developing their youth unless they are very obviously top tier talents.

Okay, so seemingly the club will spend decent money on players in this age range as they have now shown with Joelinton, ASM, Willock and Lewis.

Why is it seemingly so hard to identify more players in this range that the club can go for and in positions where we are in need, and why does it always take so bloody long. It's so infuriating honestly.

1 hour ago, SEMTEX said:

 

I mean, obviously we're a shithole club, but he knows what he's getting. Theory will be 1-2 years of first team football, then sold to Everton/Tottenham/Chelsea for 50m quid, with zero chance the club stands in you way when you ask to leave.

100%, at just 21 years old he will know it's an opportunity for him to showcase himself and get a much better move, or if it goes badly he'll still be young enough to get out and get back on track in a couple of seasons.

Rafa will not like or trust Pickford as he is way too erratic and will eventually drop him and that is going to be another stick to beat him with by the media.

PSG 

2 minutes ago, Miggys First Goal said:

I'd love for us to be like Leicester. Nothing crazy, just progressing every season.

I know right. Just really smart decent signings that the manager gets the most out of and improves.

3 minutes ago, HTT II said:

Leicester man, get the fuck in, fuck City, Pep and their billion spend…

 I always root against Man City. Always.

Nice win for Leicester.

Daka and Soumare look like they will be very useful additions for depth and rotation and can provide some of the things Vardy and Tieleman's do when those two are out. 

46 minutes ago, mrmojorisin75 said:

 

I agree with your assessment of Lukaku but read something where Tuchel said he wanted a striker to play with their back to goal now Giroud has gone

Ah, interesting. In any case he can do that too, but ideally not in situations where he is too isolated, but instead has players close by he can link with quickly rather than battling two centre-backs and waiting for a deeper midfield to catch up to play.

Chelsea's formation will suit him down to a tee I think, with the two attacking midfielders close by. All those chances Werner was fluffing will be gobbled up by Lukaku this season.

They're just excited to be back watching games live. 

Rest assured reality will soon hit like a sledge hammer and they'll turn on him very quickly.

Lukaku's deal to Chelsea is almost done.

Think he will be devastating in Tuchel's setup, as the striker has loads of support from the two attacking midfielders playing off the front man, and gets to make runs in behind and into the channels more, which I think Lukaku is fantastic at. He won't have to hold the ball up while isolated as much where his touch can sometimes then let him down.

Could see him being top scorer in the prem this season.

They are so gross man

What is the point in even supporting such a team. It's all so empty. So dumb.

5 hours ago, hakka said:

That graph of our players almost represents our formation if you assume the dotted line is the half way line.

8 minutes ago, rgk_lfc said:

 

Oh my goodness

Mbappe needs to get out of that club. He is already stuck in a situation where he isn't being challenged enough playing at a club that is so much better than all the others in the league, and now you add Messi to the mix? Going to stunt his growth even further.

2 hours ago, Jaqen said:

 

No idea how reliable this is but claims were Villa offered him more. 

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/1423180968781811715

My goodness. If true that incredible. He'd then have been on at least 3 times as much as the next highest paid player I imagine.