Lotus

Am I getting this wrong? I thought it unlikely Ashworth will be scouting any players. He’ll tasked with identifying and employing the scouts who found the likes of Mahrez and Kante. He will set up those depts and they will report to him. It will be up to him, I would imagine to got those players signed on at the club once the scout has actually tapped them up (joke/ prolly not joke….).

Wonder if Howe will try and play Joelinton closer to Wood. Either as a AM or RWF. If Willock is training well then maybe JL goes to RWF to get our better players on the pitch. If not maybe JL as an AM and Muggy at RW/F. I know JL has been great in MF but with Bruno arriving perhaps we can try him closer to goal.

Targett would hopefully relieve ASM of some defensive duties he may have needed to do with Ritchie of Lewis behind him.

Could go: Trippier Jamal Burns Targett Bruno JoeL Ekitike Willock ASM Wood

Saw a stat where Schar didn’t do very well on aerial duels and didn’t play many progressive passes either (surprisingly). At least Lascelles is normally good in the air.

Might see a situation where Joelinton plays as more of wide attacking mid/ deep lying forward off the front man. Think that’s where he played at Hoffenheim. Having Bruno in the middle behind him might allow him to return to his previous position. If Eddie can coax that out of him anyway…

It’s a place In Portugal and there it’s pronounced Gimahreish. Might be a bit different in a Brasilian accent though. Think they don’t tend to do the SH sounds. More like S over there as I understand it.

If Badiashile is back running or even light training I’m sure all the clubs know. If and when he is and if we’re genuinely interested I would think our policy might change re: Carlos.

My point is that I’m surprised we haven’t found some targets from smaller leagues or the Championship. Leagues where by you’d think our offers couldn’t really be refused. it’s great aiming high but there must be lots of non elite CBs who would certainly improve our back 4.

I have to say our choice of apparent CB targets is a little odd. They’re all very good players but they seem to be at clubs who have a very strong interest in retaining them and we don’t appear to able to get them to agree to a price where they would actually let them go.

Tbf, going off YT only Milenkovic looks stupidly agile for a big guy. Like, basketball agile. Good touch on the ball too. I don’t know all the subtle things a scout looks for but from my position of relative ignorance, that doesn’t seem a bad price, like…

Perhaps Lille are trying to get a replacement lined up and we’re checking on their progress…

Great positioning in one on ones. Very much knows which way the attacker wants to go and puts himself where he needs to be to limit that. Good recovery pace too. Only thing I don't understand is why someone else hasn't signed him already tbh.

I 've always watched a lot of Bundesliga. Schick had a surprisingly good Euros considering how very ordinary he was for Leipzig. He does seem to have come alive since though.

This guy and ASM playing off someone like Cabral would really offer something in my totally amateur opinion.

He has looked quality when I’ve seen him. I’ve been wanting us to look at this guy since we were bought!

Pretty sure I remember him being well rattled by Dortmund. Didn't handle the physical nature of it well at all iirc. Not the be all and end all of litmus tests like as Haaland does knock defenders over. It was more how Carlos reacted I think. Lost his head rather than trying to be clever.

I very much think we need a high energy DM. I think that's absolutely crucial.

Kind of surprised we aren't bidding for Benoît Badiashile if (no one know's nowt...) Botman is a no go. Similar players I'd of thought. Both young, tall, athletic and good on the ball. Would've imagined Badiashile would be attracting interest from better placed clubs than us so that could be it.

I think Porto's Fabio Vieira (21yr old attacking midfielder) will turn out to be a cracking player. Kind of player could go to Man City and and turn into a star.

Schar looked to me like he will need a rest for soft tissue issues. Also, as the aerial threat of Burnley will be more apparent than Norwich’s I would’ve thought a CB pairing Fede and Lasc would be more sensible. Wouldn’t be surprised if Hayden starts instead of Willock. Not an endorsement of Hayden just I think Willock looked very off the pace.

Lacroix from Wolfsburg would be attainable I would’ve thought.

I really hope we build from the back. However sometimes I guess you just have to pick the best player available.

Fair point. I’m certain he would be an improvement. Apart from the first 6 months at Dortmund he, thereafter, showed some serious limitations but sometimes a coach and a squad don’t quite gel the way everyone wants. His stubbornness to use a sub optimal set of tactics left me and many Dortmund fans with PTSD! You’re right of course, he’s no mug and he would help the younger players. He seemed especially good at that.

Take it you didn’t watch any of Dortmund while he was there then? Tactically naive would be an understatement. He’d constantly encourage about 7 players to play in little triangles all in about a 5 metre square. Once the ball was lost, one pass would put through absolutely ANY player who ran from midfield and give them a direct attack on the Dortmund goal. It was a never ending theme. And he just dug his heels in and tried even more players playing in a tiny space with intricate passes. The kind of stuff that can only come off if they are no opposition players at all. Alas, in Germany there are 2 sides involved in a football match so it failed.