Coffee_Johnny

Some of the forwards we’ve been linked with, in one place (most recent cheaper updates…): Strikers Barbosa, 25yrs. 88 in 137 for Flamengo. 5 in 18 caps for Brazil. Market value £23.4m (probs add 10-15% to all estimates). Calvert-Lewin, 25yrs. 45 in 164 for Everton. 4 in 11 for England. Market value £36m. Broja, 20yrs. 6 in 32 for Southampton, previous 10 in 30 for Vitesse. 4 in 14 for Albania. Market value £19.8m. Osimhen, 22yrs. 24 in 51 for Napoli, previous 13 in 27 for Lille. 15 in 22 for Nigeria. Market value £55.8m. Ekitike, 20yrs. 10 in 26 for Reims, also 3 in 11 Vejle BK (loan). 0 in 6 France U20. Isak, 22yrs. 32 in 103 for Real Sociedad, previous 18 in 33 (in Germany mainly 2nd tier). 9 in 37 for Sweden. Market value £27m. Gabriel, 17 yrs. 0 in 54 Santos. 1 in 12 (Brazil u15 and u17). Market value £9m. Kalimuendo, 20yrs. 19 in 60 for Lens, previous 0 in 3 for PSG. 13 in 24 for France u17/u21. Market value £16.2m. de Tomás, 27 yrs. 44 in 85 for Espanyol, previous 82 in 128 in three Spanish loan deals from Real Madrid. 0 in 4 for Spain. Market value £22.5m. Zapata, 31 yrs. 66 in 126 for Atalanta. Previous 40 in 141 (various Serie A). 4 in 34 Colombia. Market value £25.2m. Scamacca, 23yrs. 16 in 39 for Sassuolo, previous 18 in 81 (various loans). 0 in 7 for Italy (9 in 15 at u21). Market value £27m. Gouiri, 22yrs. 22 in 72 for Nice. 10 in 21 for France u21. Market value £37.8m. Dennis, 24 yrs. 10 in 33 for Watford, previous 19 in 85 for Club Brugge. 1 in 7 for Nigeria. Market value £12.6m. (Has played both wings as well). Wingers Gordon, 21yrs. 4 in 49 for Everton. 4 in 7 caps for England U21. Market value £18m. Diaby, 22yrs. 22 in 92 for Leverkusen, previous 2 in 25 for PSG. 0 in 8 caps for France. Market value £54m. Paquetá, 25yrs. 18 in 65 for Lyon, previous 1 in 37 for Milan. 7 in 33 caps for Brazil. Market value £31.5m. Danjuma, 25 yrs. 10 in 23 for Villarreal, previous 15 in 47 for Bournemouth. 2 in 6 caps for Netherlands. Market value £45m. Hudson-Odoi, 21yrs. 4 in 72 for Chelsea. 0 in 3 full caps for England; 4 in 9 U21. Market value £22.8m. Harrison, 25yrs. 26 in 154 for Leeds. 0 in 2 for England U21. Market value £16.2m. Sarr, 24yrs. 23 in 89 for Watford, previous 13 in 59 for Rennes. 10 in 47 for Senegal. Market value £24.3m. Asensio, 26 yrs. 28 in 160 for Real Madrid, previous 11 in 90 (Mallorca & Espanyol). 1 in 28 for Spain. Market value £36m. Cornet, 25 yrs. 9 in 26 for Burnley, previous 31 in 184 for Lyon. 6 in 29 for Ivory Coast. Market value £13.5m.

I love Shola.

Some creepy ‘late night DJ’ commentating on BBC at the mo. Purring like Alan Robson on heat at times.

It seems to have been all getting a bit frantic and frustrated in my daily lurk , sorry I mean the More Transfer Rumours thread… . Thought I’d come in here and quietly revel in the fact we have a game THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY WATCH on tomorrow (…apologies if you can’t wangle, or wag it from, work around the kick off time). Really looking forward to it!

That looks a strong side ? Basically got two additional forwards and an all round genius in midfield.

? re above! ? anyhoo… is the match tomorrow on the club website or do I have to buy a VPN?!

Yes, I think they have. They’ve got Alvarez as well and Phillips is an improvement on recent Fernandinho. Not sure about defence, though doubt they’ll leave themselves light.

Very, ahem, specific…

Well he’s 23 and only really had one good/consistent season and plenty of loans prior to that. One of many risky big (ish) money bets out there. Plus he looks like a wrong un, which doesn’t instil much confidence!

Might get it by 2030, after reading about deferred payments in baseball!

He/most might have a better chance of sustaining that level if they arrive in their mid twenties. Having first been more relied upon in a tier or two below the very best clubs.

Looks like we’ve had the biggest percentage increase: the 78%, 2019-2021, rather than 55%, 2018-19 (wages as percentage of turnover) represents a 42% increase on the 2018-19 proportion. What the hell was going on for Sheffield United in 2018-19? Wages nearly twice the annual turnover!

Still haven’t got my head around FFP, though doubt I need to to honest.

29 days of the transfer window gone (feels like a thousand), 42 days left. Though only 23 days until we kick-off the season. Howay man, get cracking!

Is this genuine?

Why do they fail in a two man pairing? Genuinely curious. You might want to check out the defensive performance/overall results, relative to the rest of the Premier League, for the most recent 19 games before answering.

Hence the emphasis on the ‘f’ word in the post you first felt moved to reply to. Which was basically saying flexibility in the midfield roles is my preference over having a designated ‘water carrier’ alongside other specialist roles. And your ‘30yrs ago =bad/fucked when sussed’ idea, doesn’t fit with my current understanding or past recollection. The ‘modern’ teams who are too reliant on slow build-up seeking the perfect moment, even Man City at times, struggle more against certain formations because they can lack the flexibility of having a whole host of unpredictable potential sources and methods of attack which can come from having more free flowing flexible all rounders in the team. Coached and supported to be exactly that. A style of play/philosophy which is also exponentially more entertaining to watch.

Then I think we’re saying the same thing. We’d both prefer to see a bit more of that in all midfield roles. Which is how I remember your implied criticism of the game 30 years ago. Players with the attributes and flexibility to do everything well. It makes a difference. Not least in terms of how enjoyable it is to watch.

Looks like it. Man’s a competitor and knows he’s under threat, bet he’s been working his arse off.

Perhaps I am, and perhaps I always will. However, are you assuming that a metronomic, death by a thousand cuts, style of football is proven to be better than a more fluid flexible approach with all rounders (like Bruno) in the lynchpin/engine room positions? Theories and approaches come in and out of fashion. It only takes one ‘rule breaking’ side to break the mould and get coaches scrabbling to re-write the, usually over certain, coaching manuals.

Personally I think it is about flexibility. It can be soul destroying to watch a Ray Wilkins, Deschamps (two better versions of ‘our three’ mentioned) style midfield which over relies on possession and passing opponents to death. I’d prefer to watch a player who intelligently uses the ball, whether it be to pause and play the short pass awaiting an opportunity to materialise or to crack a long penetrating pass into the channels. I think Wijnaldum was our best recent example of this. And he went on to show what such flexibility, and willingness to follow-up, can produce when surrounded by well coached equally good players. I’m not knocking ‘specialist’ roles in midfield, I just think we need everyone to be able to do everything pretty well, and not be a predicable one trick pony, in order to progress. That said, I acknowledge that I have a bias. I absolutely loved the fluidity and flexibility of our attack under Keegan. Even in the 1st division (championship) and first premiership season, before the arrival of more expensive players.

Level flipping 5! Christ, I know nowt.

Yah! Get him a go-kart.

Also, eats healthily, even on the move. Not to be underrated ?