Allan Saint-Maximin (now playing for Fenerbahce, on loan from Al-Ahli)

[David Edgar]

And yet Bruce has sanctioned every single transfer

[Guest godzilla]

Think it's a bit unfair to label him Lua Lua based on 20 minutes mind 

 

Honestly don't know where we are going to play him and Almiron together unless we go to a 4-4-2 and we don't have a right winger of standard to make that work. Could go 5-2-2-1 but not sure that would work either. Have we solved the lack of creativity in the midfield area based on yesterday that's a big fat no. Think Joelington and Carroll (if/when fit) will require crosses coming in from both wings and that's a bit of a weakness and has been for a while. Honestly think this year is going to be a big struggle to stay up.

[tinoasprilla]

Lua lua was decent it's not like saying hes like Wayne fereday or Glynn Hodges

 

We could play the same formation rafa played. Almiron left and billy headband on the right or 4 3 3

[morla84]

I was expecting something along the lines of:

 

                        Dubravka

          Schar Lascelles Lejeune

Manquillo Longstaff Hayden Willems

        Maximin Joelinton Almiron

 

When everyone is fit obviously

[Guest godzilla]

Lua lua was decent it's not like saying hes like Wayne fereday or Glynn Hodges

 

We could play the same formation rafa played. Almiron left and billy headband on the right or 4 3 3

 

Not really mind thought he was poor in general but get you're point. Don't think leaving Joelington alone up front would work to be honest. Maybe 3-2-5 but do we have the wing backs to make that work also?

[Guest godzilla]

I was expecting something along the lines of:

 

                        Dubravka

          Schar Lascelles Lejeune

Manquillo Longstaff Hayden Willems

        Maximin Joelinton Almiron

 

When everyone is fit obviously

 

Wing backs are a concern and still not convinced by that central midfield either to supply the front line (or with Shelvey mind). Probably the way to go though with the players we have, but just think we are in for a torrid season.

[Conjo]

Was expecting same formation as Benitez used, only with Almiron in Perez' role, ASM in Almirons role and Linton instead of Rondon. How silly of me.

[loki679]

Was expecting same formation as Benitez used, only with Almiron in Perez' role, ASM in Almirons role and Linton instead of Rondon. How silly of me.

 

Aye, same here.  Worked well and made a lot of space and movement for Longstaff to capitalise on.

 

Almiron and ASM in a kind of dual #10 role off Joelinton could work but i'm not sure he's got quite the same capabilities as Rondon brought to the table.

[LionOfGosforth]

I'd have every confidence that Rafa, even if this was a signing made "for" him rather than one he personally sanctioned, would have this fella and his strengths and weaknesses analyzed and he'd have been properly integrated into the team already, with a high chance of effective performances.

 

With the cushion faced berk we have in the dugout instead, ASM has virtually no chance of being a success here, it will just take too long for him to work out how to use him properly and he'll give up.

[OverThere]

Hmmm, we seem to play a narrow formation. Not sure where he would play.

[midds]

I think quite a few people are overthinking things about this lad. He wasn’t bought to fulfil a role in the team and squad, he was bought purely as an investment. His abilities and strengths wouldn’t have even been considered, he was bought to be sold in he next year or 2. It’s clear as day that the cunts running the circus got very scared when Rafa was attempting to take back a bit of control of things and they’ve reacted by reverting to type. They’ve employed a spineless doormat, scouted players most likely to increase in value and thrown them in, crossing their fingers and just hoping it’ll work.

 

I actually feel genuinely sorry for this lad and Joelinton as they probably don’t realise they’re merely club assets, absolutely nothing more. They’ll be moved on soon enough though and they can pick up their careers again at a proper club in due course.

[LionOfGosforth]

I think quite a few people are overthinking things about this lad. He wasn’t bought to fulfil a role in the team and squad, he was bought purely as an investment. His abilities and strengths wouldn’t have even been considered, he was bought to be sold in he next year or 2. It’s clear as day that the cunts running the circus got very scared when Rafa was attempting to take back a bit of control of things and they’ve reacted by reverting to type. They’ve employed a spineless doormat, scouted players most likely to increase in value and thrown them in, crossing their fingers and just hoping it’ll work.

 

I actually feel genuinely sorry for this lad and Joelinton as they probably don’t realise they’re merely club assets, absolutely nothing more. They’ll be moved on soon enough though and they can pick up their careers again at a proper club in due course.

 

Spot on but it makes the decision to bin (or at least make no effort to keep) Rafa even more stupid. All Rafa pretty much ever did on the playing side was improve, in every way, just about every player he spent time coaching. He was actually in most ways Ashley's dream manager, except the fat man weighed up the aggravation of continuing to "support" Rafa and gave up on it in favor of the pastie/patsy.

 

Now we've got an utter clown coaching them, spending the amount we did was asinine, their value will almost certainly drop, not rise. It was different when we were spending relative buttons on the likes of Sissoko and Wijnaldum, even Mclaren couldn't ruin their sell-on. Bruce hasn't a hope in hell of improving these players or their value which is already at it's peak. I suppose on reflection, Rafa would have simply sped up (and maximized the value) the sale of these players.

[Guest covmag]

Most clubs do this at our level, I think some folk need to get real, we have been a selling club all my time since 1976.

If this lad turns out to be a talent and I believe he will be he will attract offers,that's football , over thinking everything with a conspiracy theory is getting beyond a joke now.

 

It's our model ,its how football has gone unless you are super rich like the top 4 it's all about gambles on players to sesy in this league and make owners more money.

The PL is a cesspool of money ,always will be and I for one have fallen out of love with it.

I even think some Man City fans looked fucking bored of it.

[Guest covmag]

Most clubs do this at our level, I think some folk need to get real, we have been a selling club all my time since 1976.

If this lad turns out to be a talent and I believe he will be he will attract offers,that's football , over thinking everything with a conspiracy theory is getting beyond a joke now.

 

It's our model ,its how football has gone unless you are super rich like the top 4 it's all about gambles on players to stay in this league and make owners more money.

The PL is a cesspool of money ,always will be and I for one have fallen out of love with it.

I even think some Man City fans looked fucking bored of it.

[loki679]

No, there's a difference between buying players to improve and strengthen the team then selling them if they do well and their value increases and what we do.

 

For other teams, improving the side is the priority in signing players with any profit from a future sale being a bonus. Vice versa for us.

[mrmojorisin75]

Was expecting same formation as Benitez used, only with Almiron in Perez' role, ASM in Almirons role and Linton instead of Rondon. How silly of me.

 

This, but Bruce is too much of a cowardly PFM to play something like that.

 

In fairness let's see how he sets up against weaker teams, I suspect he'll do the same and keep the midfield 3 but anyone watching that at the weekend should know it's not going to work.

[Zero]

I think he is a LW rather than a RW.

[Guest covmag]

No, there's a difference between buying players to improve and strengthen the team then selling them if they do well and their value increases and what we do.

 

For other teams, improving the side is the priority in signing players with any profit from a future sale being a bonus. Vice versa for us.

 

So why is Lascelles still here?

So why is Legeune still here?

So why is Schar still here?

 

Anyone of them could have been sold , these fit your model,still here though? Maybe one or two have been like you say but dont subscribe to this myth.

 

[Conjo]

To be sold you need interest, and I doubt many clubs would look at Lascelles as a good investment. He's a decent player, maybe a bit protected by Rafas system so we'll see how he performs this season, but any club above us 7th - 16th would probably not think paying the English premium for the return he gives is worth it. 1st - 6th would probably not see him as good enough.

 

Lejeune is struggling too much with injuries.

 

Schar has had one season.

[Chris_R]

Just because our aim is to sell players for as profit doesn't mean that every player will be sold every year. Even our idiots will know that you can't do that and continue to function.

[Shearergol]

So he’s already injured. That extra running starting to pay off already.

[Conjo]

Expect him to be included in the squad, get put on at the end of the match when Bruce is desperate for some magic, and then for his hamstring to get torn so we lose him for longer than what we'd do if he was rested for this match.

[John P]

So he’s already injured. That extra running starting to pay off already.

 

It's almost as if Rafa Benitez knew what he was doing regarding pre-season conditioning.

[Guest reefatoon]

Bruce will start him but have 7 wingers on the bench just in case he doesn’t last.

[hakka]

So he’s already injured. That extra running starting to pay off already.

 

It's almost as if Rafa Benitez knew what he was doing regarding pre-season conditioning.

 

On top of players regressing, injuries will definitely stack up again. Remember during Pardew days when we would have several first team players injured nearly at all times? (or so it felt like, it was defo bad and we often had worst amount of injuries).