James Maddison (now playing for Tottenham Hotspur)

[TheBrownBottle]

I think too many had already signed this lad in their own heads tbh.

 

He’s good footballer, but the idea that there isn’t anyone else that we’d be able to sign who is better?  Christ almighty.  Let’s wait and see. 

[madras]

3 hours ago, Mountain said:

 

You'd be surprised, a lot of people of all ages just self censor. There's a lot of topics that seem to have full agreement but the other 50+% that disagree just don't say anything as they don't want the aggro.

You're right in general, I've done it myself, but on this particular subject, claiming he's not committed because he's not married,  I'm going to throw my blullshit card on the table and I'm saying that as someone in a 30year relationship who enjoyed our Silver wedding anniversary in March.

[TheBrownBottle]

8 minutes ago, madras said:

You're right in general, I've done it myself, but on this particular subject, claiming he's not committed because he's not married,  I'm going to throw my blullshit card on the table and I'm saying that as someone in a 30year relationship who enjoyed our Silver wedding anniversary in March.

Yep.  I've been with my better half for a decade and a half - but we're 'living in sin'.  We own properties together, have insurances paying out at 100% to the other half should the worst happen, have wills etc made out to each other, spend just about every minute we can in each other's company - we just don't agree with the notion of marriage.  This isn't a criticism of those who are married of course - it just isn't 'for us'.  (Or as the old joke goes - marriage is a great institution; but who wants to live in an institution? ) 

[nemtizz]

Would have been happy if we signed him but there are absolutely better players with higher potential for lower wages out there.

[Yorkie]

This time last year I'd have been disappointed to see him go to Spurs but the Tonali signing strengthens our midfield (in theory) and I've never envisaged Maddison playing on the wing for us. I'm also very pleased we're not wildly deviating from our wage structure just to get him; let the ESL wanks continue playing their game of obscenely inflated wages relative to talent. 

 

I'll be glad when the whole saga is over. It's become tedious, as they all do, meanwhile it's been clear for two or three weeks that we're no longer really in the race. 

[Mike]

1 hour ago, Shak said:

Will be nice for him not having to work midweek very often next season.

 

[Zero]

I simply don’t understand why would we play him on the wing. 
 

and everyone in the world would agree Tonali is a much better player, except for some of the people here who are really crazy about Maddison

[Guest]

I think we've missed a trick by not getting him, but I trust we've got something lined up. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Zero said:

I simply don’t understand why would we play him on the wing. 
 

and everyone in the world would agree Tonali is a much better player, except for some of the people here who are really crazy about Maddison

 

I reckon we'd have played Bruno and Tonali with Maddison ahead of these two. 

[Zero]

8 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

I reckon we'd have played Bruno and Tonali with Maddison ahead of these two. 

and then leave our player of the season big Joe, Willock and Longstaff on the bench, while Anderson getting 0 minutes and later on getting questions like why he didn’t got a loan somewhere?

 

we got a better player (Tonali) on that position and we have finished our business there. I doubt we have been following Maddison for that long anyway. It’s not Ashworths style to break the salary structure for just one player. Even Tonali  is just getting close to Bruno G salary, and Maddison’s reported salary in Spurs is much higher than that. We likely have contacted his agent early in the window, enquired about his expected salary and, just walk away and move on to our other targets I.e. Barella, Tonali.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Zero

[Erikse]

11 minutes ago, Zero said:

and then leave our player of the season big Joe, Willock and Longstaff on the bench, while Anderson getting 0 minutes and later on getting questions like why he didn’t got a loan somewhere?

 

we got a better player (Tonali) on that position and we have finished our business there. 

 

I still wonder if big Joe will play on the left next season. My guess is that he will, unless Gordon plays much better or we sign a left winger (latter is unlikely). I guess ASM could be in that mix aswell? Not sure if Howe rates him as much as big Joe on the wing though.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Erikse

[Guest]

I just think Maddison turns a lot of those unlucky draws from last season into wins that's all. With Chelsea and Liverpool likely to come back stronger next year, Man Utd and Arsenal looking like they'll spend big and Man City still way out in front, we need all of the difference makers we can get to keep up nevermind push higher. Maddison would have been an easy win.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Optimistic Nut

[Zero]

2 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

I still wonder if big Joe will play on the left next season. My guess is that he will, unless Gordon plays much better or we sign a left winger (latter is unlikely). I guess ASM could be in that mix aswell? Not sure if Howe rates him as much as big Joe on the wing though.

 

 

 

In fact we have a lot of players who can play on the left, say ASM, Gordon, Big Joe and also Isak (who actually plays the best among all). It is the right side that we need upgrade and covers (Almiron and Murphy). We also need a cover for ST if Miley is not ready. 
 

I would welcome one more quality natural right wing, but we desperately need new left back and successor of Schar as Schar and Burn are aging. And, all these positions, to me, looks much more important than adding Maddison to the midfield mix. I would go that far to say we have the best midfield in EPL other than Man City already (unless Rice really go to Arsenal). It doesn’t make sense to spend another 40m and 190K ppw here.

[Erikse]

Just now, Zero said:

In fact we have a lot of players who can play on the left, say ASM, Gordon, Big Joe and also Isak (who actually plays the best among all). It is the right side that we need upgrade and covers (Almiron and Murphy). We also need a cover for ST if Miley is not ready. 
 

I would welcome one more quality natural right wing, but we desperately need new left back and successor of Schar as Schar and Burn are aging. And, all these positions, to me, looks much more important than adding Maddison to the midfield mix. I would go that far to say we have the best midfield in EPL other than Man City already (unless Rice really go to Arsenal). It doesn’t make sense to spend another 40m and 190K ppw here.

 

Yes, but I was talking about which player that Howe prefers on the left. It seems to be Joelinton as long as we have a strong midfield available.

[Zero]

3 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

I just think Maddison turns a lot of those unlucky draws from last season into wins that's all. With Chelsea and Liverpool like to come back stronger next year, Man Utd and Arsenal looking like they'll spend big and Man City still way out in front, we need all of the difference makers we can get to keep up nevermind push higher. Maddison would have been an easy win.

I would choose Tonali over Maddison any day. This is a huge win. We aren’t getting both. The club has chosen Tonali and the whole world is asking why they didn’t ask Milan the availability beforehand 

[Guest]

Tonali seems more like an elite Longstaff replacement/upgrade doesn't he? Still think we need another attacking midfielder personally. 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Optimistic Nut

[Zero]

1 minute ago, Erikse said:

 

Yes, but I was talking about which player that Howe prefers on the left. It seems to be Joelinton as long as we have a strong midfield available.

I think he personally prefers Gordon to do the job. However Big Joe is much more reliable and consistent, especially on the defence side. If Gordon still cannot fit in then yes I expect Big Joe to start on the left.
 

I want ASM to be the starter though.

[Zero]

3 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Tonali seems more like an elite Longstaff replacement/upgrade doesn't he? Still think we need another attacking midfielder personally. 

 

 

 

hmm unless we really play Big Joe on the left, if we bring in a new attacking midfielder Willock and Big Joe will warm the bench. Looks too luxury to me lol

 

what I expect is (in order)

holding midfielder: Bruno, Tonali, Longstaff

box to box: Tonali, Longstaff, Big Joe

attacking midfielder: Willock, Big Joe, Anderson

 

Bruno and Tonali will start most of the games. Longstaff Big Joe Willock already need to compete for the last spot. 
 

if we really bring in a new attacking midfielder, Big joe will be assigned as our first choice left wing. Would that be something we want? I really doubt 
 

 

[ExiledGeordie]

7 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Tonali seems more like an elite Longstaff replacement/upgrade doesn't he? Still think we need another attacking midfielder personally. 

 

 

 

Tonali is a proper signing and will help Bruno out as well as a myriad of other benefits but yes I agree we still need that attacking, cutting edge. I’m sure the transfer committee at nufc discussed Maddison long and hard and there’ll be reasons why they haven’t gone for him if as it seems he ends up at Spurs. I would’ve liked to see us sign him and I agree on the impact he’d have on right games at homes. That said they may have decided they want a slightly different player (more out and out winger?). I’ve also read the Hungarian lad can play in multiple positions, maybe that’s a factor? Maybe Maddison’s injury record was more of a concern? They probably have other targets and options which don’t equate to breaking their wage structure too. Or  maybe they’ve just never rated him as highly as we thought they did. 
 

A midfielder, attacking player and left back seems like the key positions wanted and I’m pretty sure they’ll all be filled with the right signings.

[TheBrownBottle]

I'm going to switch my brain off entirely here and ask a daft question.  Howe plays a 4-3-3 generally (or 4-5-1 or 4-3-2-1 etc etc).  Three midfielders including a deep lying playmaker, two inverted wingers and a centre forward.  Where does Maddison play in that set-up?  Tonali makes perfect sense as a Longstaff upgrade (I like Longstaff, but I'm all for adding quality).  Does Maddison replace Willock / Joelinton on the left of the midfield three?  That really doesn't look ideally suited for him - they're both superb athletes.  We don't play with a 'no. 10'

[Whitley mag]

Thank fuck for that there’s a reason the real top teams aren’t after him. He’s not a bargain on those reported wages, whatever the fee is.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Whitley mag

[Matt1892]

 

[LiquidAK]

Great player, but if he's picking Spurs over us then I don't want him. Move on, find someone who wants to be here and be part of what we're building. Onto the next one.

[gazza ladra]

The argument for Maddison is that we need to have creativity in midfield to unlock defenses that sit deep. We dropped too many points to sides that sat back and dared us to break them down.

 

should have the versatility to play different formations to tackle different opponents.

 

I was absolutely convinced that we needed Maddison up to the WC, but watching LC the second half of last season makes me think that we should look elsewhere. 

[BeloEmre]

4 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

Thank fuck for that there’s a reason the real top teams aren’t after him. He’s not a bargain on those reported wages, whatever the fee is.

 

 

 

You could say the same about Tonali? ?‍♂️