Coffee_Johnny

Shouldn’t laugh, but have to admit that I did!

Are you from Glasgow? Do Celtic or Rangers have any forwards or versatile midfielders who we could sign? ?

He sauntered into Greggs, in an overly tight fitting Shane McGowan drinking suit, pockets bulging with 500 riyal notes. Cautiously checking he wasn’t overheard, he leaned over the counter. ”Psst! I’ll give you 89p for that ham and pease pudding stottie. Waddaya say?” The bemused looking youth scratched under his Castore sponsored cap, before uttering. “They’re £2.55 sir.” ”Hadaway and shite!” Whispered Ashworth, in a surprisingly convincing regional accent, before shouldering through the panicked placard waving Tyneside public who’d gathered outside in hope of a successful purchase. Their heavily furrowed brows were eased slightly when he shouted: “I’ll be back before closing time. Be a shame to chuck it oot, like!”.

Yep, I get the difference. Just wonder whether we know we need another body in there, but who we go for and the brief then given to the other midfielders may vary according to who we get. We are lucky in that Bruno can play any role in the middle. Also conscious that the whole ‘double pivot’ preference has been discussed regarding how best to use Bruno. Here‘s some blurb re Onana’s playing style: ‘Onana is a central midfield player. The Belgian can play in a number of positions in the centre of the park but has mainly been used on either the left of a double-pivot or else as a single pivot… The right-footer is also quite solid as an ‘8’, playing in a more advanced role in a midfield three or potentially even a diamond depending on the team’s choice of formation.“ https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/amadou-onana-at-lille-2021-22-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics

Hope you get your sample size, kidda ? And enough data to come to balanced sensible conclusions.

Plays anywhere in midfield, I think. 6’5” promising young Belgian, who played full championship winning (?) season with Botman last year. He’s not a goal scorer/creator, but then Bruno obviously can be.

Amadou Onana as a genuine Maddison alternative or (and) to angle/‘motivate’ Leicester and Maddison? West Ham and us after him and Cornet it seems.

The disparity in salaries, on and off the pitch is quite disgusting when seen in such harsh light. I totally get the argument that there is so much money in Premier League football that inevitably clubs are going to pay the ridiculous salaries we see for players. Should there not be the same argument and some trickledown down to all employees? That is, if you are exceptional at ‘marketing’ or whatever, should there not be a Premier League club weighting added to that?

The impact of formally bidding, however close or far from expected value, of confirming your commitment to purchase a player shouldn’t be underestimated. It can set all sorts of hares running. It also serves all sorts of purposes; some direct/obvious, some more indirect/sneaky; including indirect communication to other targets/clubs. Don’t get me wrong, gone are the days of tipping our cap towards a player and then bemoaning the failure with an ‘at least we tried’. I choose to believe, and see no firm evidence to contradict, that they know what they are doing. And that however frustrating and inexact buying players is, we will have our required positions filled by 1st September. I hope it is with Howe’s strongly favoured targets, rather than the he’ll have to do variety. However much of an emotional rollercoaster this window has been, we’ll only be able to validly judge the approach taken when it closes.

Got to be one of the most influential. Given the fact that we—thanks to him—managed to lose a game we dominated, was effectively the difference between us and Man Utd winning the league.

On balance of relative benefit to the team, I would certainly be happy to let Dubs go (expected him to chuck the dummy anyway, when we signed Pope) and have Darlow on the bench, if it swung the Maddison deal.

Where did it say that as an inclusion criteria? Must have missed it.

‘Cleaning up’ their act.

Ah! Ok. Thanks. Maybe we need to sign Abraham and someone from Lincoln if I am going to roll with this setting a ‘president’ joke.

Iheanacho, who’s still only 25, as a teenager with City, looked like he had everything. What he didn’t have was game time and, hard to capture what I mean, but that sense of being relied upon. Knowing it is all on your shoulders when it comes to goal scoring and forward threat. Personally, I think it shouldn’t be underestimated how that sense of responsibility can bring the best out of the right kind of player/personality. (Probably doesn’t help that they are all set for life after their first big transfer).

Thought he was their best/most dangerous looking player against us tbf.

Woodrow Wilson our favoured presidential trend setter:

Would need to be two and a half thousand of them on the roof.

Can’t get past the thought that this happens this week or doesn’t happen. Get the sense we need to get the big £££ purchase sorted before we move on to allocating and spending the rest of our pennies.

Really enjoyed and admired Cabaye’s style of play.

Good point. Not as much team spirit, all they’ve had is a very meh looking preseason, and not as much drive to prove that they are good enough.

Like what you did there. But more like 9 miles into a 282 mile journey, which could end up at many places, including into the sea, Wembley is just one of many destinations it seems and other travellers apparently closer. Christ, I’ve depressed myself now ?

It’s great. But not sure it is legitimate (as in able to be defended by logic or valid justification ?)

Let the scrapping commence!

Personally, I’d take that, if it led to a panicked almighty loosening of the purse strings. But I think we are too well organised to lose this at home (I know…).