Sibierski

One positive to end the week, Isak isn’t leaving. Unless head is turned by Al-Ahli.

I would expect a formal offer to come from Liverpool by tomorrow night based on the comments (and how they haven’t bid for Etitike yet), and how we respond and our following actions will determine where we are ambitious our heading as a club.

Weird comments by Howe and just provides media engagement for likes of Romano for next 24 hours now. Not sure if it’s some 4D chess play to the clubs hierarchy? “We could lose Isak, and we’re doing fuck all to address current issues”.

Another reference to Mitchell leaving resulting in turmoil. Like are we going to address what the real reason was that led to him leaving and why we still don’t have a solution in place during the most important time? Really does feel directionless the club with everything from stadium to staff. Howe has done wonders to keep things moving forward and it seem things are progressing all the time, when off the pitch, it feels anything but.

Sensible to send him home. If he was sat there watching that, he’d be on phone to his agent asking for a move

We beat Rangers away same time 2 years ago. Loris Karius (Karl Darlow 46), Kieran Trippier (c) (Javier Manquillo 46), Fabian Schär (Paul Dummett 62), Sven Botman (Dan Burn 46), Matt Targett (Anthony Gordon 46), Sean Longstaff (Lewis Miley 46), Elliot Anderson (Alex Murphy 62), Sandro Tonali (Bruno Guimarães 46), Miguel Almirón (Joe White 62), Jamal Lewis (Harrison Ashby 62), Callum Wilson (Alexander Isak 46) Evidence that Celtic are several levels above that Rangers.

Is it? Likes of Trippier are another year older, and there’s an almighty gap between players we trust and likes of Neave, with likes of Willock in no-man’s land in middle. 14 yea, then we’re scraping.

Only just seen that Christ, good job we want him for another season.

If we don’t get buying after this, then when will we? I know it’s only pre season and they are further into it, but the lack of quality is stark in this squad.

Man City have 20% sell on, so unless they are bidding £50m or waiver it and paying £40m (effectively £50m anyway), then he’s going for £32m.

I’m saying it now, I won’t be surprised if the ‘rest’ hasn’t really sorted out his groin when he should’ve had surgery, and that’s why we’ve been bidding for top end strikers.

I have little confidence that rest of the window will click. Like what’s the difference? It’s the same gaps up stairs, we’re now working down list of targets where the appeal may not be as solid. Then it’s a heavy reliance that the players further down we’ve done a lot of groundwork to date and not starting that now. We’ve seen with Guehi last summer, that it was one or nothing, as others moved on for reasonable fees. The tweets today from local journos suggest GK situation is done. Won’t be signing one. Then it’s now down to CB, CM, ST. At which point, DCL can’t be far off because it’s a direct club to player deal, so easier to get done. If that move happens, then it says a lot. Feels Etitike was a move after Pedro because it was someone we had work done on previously, rather than it being someone new.

Feels I’m the only one that sees the GK situation as major. Of the 4 we have on our books right now, three of them are out of contract next summer and the other is a PSR deal that we’re stuck with till their contract ends. Just because we have the bodies there now doesn’t mean it’s not a priority. We’ve got 4 CBs and Krafth who can cover there, is that a priority? Don’t get one this summer, we have to give two of them a new deal at a minimum. Likely Gillespie as the GK coach role still, then Pope. But would we want to give Pope more than a one year deal at 34 on reasonable wages? Likely not. Would Pope want to accept a one year deal when he could get a final prem deal elsewhere on a 2-3 year deal? Likely not. It’s going to be a massive headache for us as the season goes on into next summer by not getting the keeper done this summer. Can’t see how we can loan out Vlach either now.

I think the club have just been pissy twats over this deal for past 12 months and fucked it now Man City have come in. Man City got 20% sell on, so if they offer £38m, they’re getting him for £30m. GK situation will be parked now for this summer, so got to hope to god Pope does not get injured and we get a full season out of him, even if he’s spooning kicks out. It’s better than Dubravka.

Well Pope contract ends in 2026, so I would say it’s a pressing position to address. Dubs will be off next summer too. So getting a long term keeper this window then deciding whether to extend Pope as a back up or signing a back up next summer is the decision. Don’t get a keeper, we have to extend Pope contract regardless because we probably don’t want to be in a position of having to sign two GKs next summer.

Do we know anything of the bids this summer? We didn’t offer the required amount last summer (believe £20m was the fee needed and we didn’t offer that), then this summer they rightly want more £30m+ and we’re again bidding way below. Is that negotiating in good faith? Burnley probably pissed off as Traffords head isn’t there anymore, so it’s not helping them.

Wouldn’t think Gordon would be as flat “He’s not for sale”. It’ll be a more “Not willing to sell”, a slight shift where if a serious offer came in we’d consider.

In terms of current XI, him and a RCB are last pieces. Rest is then elevating the bench. As wonderful as Etikike / Pedro are, £65m on another attacker that then compromises the other two positions is short sighted. We need a good attacker, but really at £65m?

But there’s also the likes of Tino / Hall who raise the bench bar and can become starters quickly. Trafford is easily that, but there’s others across Europe / UK for the bench too of a similar mould. If we’re being honest, it’s probably just the CB that raises existing XI bar (replacing Schar), rest is depth and variations to how we approach games / during games.

People saying walk away, probably don’t appreciate how good he is as a keeper and near lock in for England number 1 after World Cup for next multiple tournaments. £35m mark for that, more because he’s English, is perfectly fine value. It’s one position you get maximum value out of for games played.

We saw 2nd half of last season how little our bench would contribute in a meaningful way. Ousla only one that by end of season looked like he would, but that was from being an unknown. Take the bench that nearly cost us UCL final game, the lack of game changers on it. Dub, Lascelles, Trippier, Kfrath, Miley, Willock, Longstaff, Osula, Wilson Tragic stuff. That’s the level that needs raising and should be after multiple years into this project now. Shivers thinking about going into a UCL campaign and our 9 man bench ends up looking like: Dubs, Ruddy, Botman, Trippier, Targett, Willock, Miley, Murphy, Osula

But now we’ll lose Trafford, so won’t impact either way. Better to have him through the door then look at other transfers for £10m less, then not to have at all. Shouldn’t need to be in same PSR position after a 2nd UCL season in 3. Commercial deals have to come, or we’ve fucked that too.

We have our own Nunez in Osula.

What is the set up currently? Nickson and Andy Howe doing the negotiating, with Howe taking the lead? Then do they have carte Blanche to sign for whatever price as long it stays within overall total transfer pot? Or do they then have to pass up stairs (to who? Straight to chairman?) who then gets PIF to ok it? Or is the chairman all that’s needed. Feels a big mess, as expected with no CEO.

I have zero confidence in Pope starting 38 league games and 8 UCL games which will be the minimum required, and that’s with Dubs then playing domestic cups. Guy has two fucked shoulders. He’ll be great in certain games, but rolling with him as a desperate need to play every game will be naive. Ending up with still need to play Dubs is just plain dumb.