James Maddison (now playing for Tottenham Hotspur)

[lovejoy]

3 minutes ago, St1pe said:

I don’t think he’s anywhere near good enough for that. 

 

his numbers suggest otherwise tbf.

 

[Guest reefatoon]

That move has been shite for Kalvin Phillips. 4 sub appearances so far. Players need to look at that as it isn’t progression at all. 

[Manxst]

4 minutes ago, St1pe said:

I don’t think he’s anywhere near good enough for that. 

Grealish- played 16, 1 goal

Maddison- played 14, 7 goals 

[lovejoy]

Just now, reefatoon said:

That move has been shite for Kalvin Phillips. 4 sub appearances so far. Players need to look at that as it isn’t progression at all. 

 

Phillips isn't the best example given he's been injured tbf, but i agree with the point generally.

 

I don't think it's been a great move for Grealish.

[Nine]

4 minutes ago, Manxst said:

Grealish- played 16, 1 goal

Maddison- played 14, 7 goals 

Not quite as straightforward as that but I get the point

 

Is it only me that felt the Maddison bid felt like a kind of try your luck one? I wonder if the opportunity has passed now.

[madras]

4 minutes ago, lovejoy said:

 

Phillips isn't the best example given he's been injured tbf, but i agree with the point generally.

 

I don't think it's been a great move for Grealish.

Both moves had many people wondering how their styles would fit the way Pep likes to play.

[PauloGeordio]

Thread title change James “Madders” Maddison! 

[Crayola Kid]

3 hours ago, Nine said:

Not quite as straightforward as that but I get the point

 

Is it only me that felt the Maddison bid felt like a kind of try your luck one? I wonder if the opportunity has passed now.

I think it’s possibly the opposite - we could be MORE likely to buy a player of this stature (in terms of his own options) in January because of our continued good form.  At the very least, some potential doubts any players we targeted may have had have started to be addressed.  Our recent winning run is even more impressive than our second half form last season, as the football we play has improved. 

[tomlynnherrington]

If Grealish is to fit in to Man City’s style of play,he needs to release the ball early,which would be the opposite of his style of play at Villa.Maddison’s style of play would also have to change if he signed for Man City.He’s a perfect fit for us.His first thought is to make something happen in a positive fashion,not really the way Man City play,unless they’re on the break.

He’s be a good fit for Liverpool,Chelsea or Man Utd,which is a worry if we’re seriously interested in signing him.

[LFEE]

Think he could end up at Spurs. Arsenal seemed his preference a while ago but think they are going a different direction similar to what I think we are hence why I have doubts we will go in for him now having Isak. Wouldn’t be surprised if he took a contract renewal and become the main man.

 

For those thinking he’s on his way who does he replace and where does he play?

[gbandit]

Spurs would be a good shout if they didn’t already have a surplus of attacking midfielders. They are addicted though so wouldn’t surprise me if they were in for him 

[Rod]

1 hour ago, LFEE said:

Think he could end up at Spurs. Arsenal seemed his preference a while ago but think they are going a different direction similar to what I think we are hence why I have doubts we will go in for him now having Isak. Wouldn’t be surprised if he took a contract renewal and become the main man.

 

For those thinking he’s on his way who does he replace and where does he play?

I personally think his position is the one Willock occupies at the moment.  The improvement in Willock has been immense so I'm not sure if the Maddison transfer is now not that important.  Our ideal reinforcements would be a number 10 and another striker.

[The Butcher]

Maddison is miles better than Willock. He would be a massive upgrade.

[Wilson]

Don't know why but I don't really see us paying massive amounts of money to other Premier League teams for already established players. 

 

I think Ashworth and Co will avoid those sort of transfers unless it's really something special. 

 

Granted we paid over the odds for Wood but that was circumstantial, we were desperate.  Based on nowt other than my own thoughts mind, I just feel like we'll soon become the team plucking untapped talent from elsewhere rather than throwing big money at PL rivals. 

[The Prophet]

You could could comfortably play Maddison in his current position, in the half space on the right. 

[cubaricho]

I’m really curious to see what kind of system Howe comes out of the World Cup break with. Especially that we’ll have some players fit again. It might be a system that fits a Maddison (or a player of his ilk) better than our current one does. 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by cubaricho

[Shak]

I think part of the attraction with Maddison will be that he could play a number of roles in our team. Could see him playing as one of the three midfielders or out wide.

 

Think the role we have Miggy in might ultimately be where he plays a lot of his football if he does sign. It's not really a true wide role as Trippier just has so much license and ability to basically be a winger when we're in possession so Maddison would tuck in and play just off the striker like Miggy does. Guy clearly has an eye for goal and you'd think he'd be lethal picking out passes in that area too. Not that displacing Almiron will be easy.

 

Looking at the two big signings we've made in terms of attackers/midfielders, Bruno can play either as a holder or a more advanced CM, while Isak can lead the line or play just off or out wide. Think we'll see that continue as further players join.

[mighty__mag]

I dont think we need him tbh.

I wouldn't for a second turn my nose up at a player that good, but the cost, the form of Almiron and Isak coming back in could see Howe mix it up. I think theres more value in trying out for Tielemans and Trossard.

 

[Smal]

The thing with Maddison is he would give us even more tactical flexibility, which Howe loves. He could play left or right, as an 8 or 10 depending on the situation, who's in form and who we're playing. It's daft to think of him coming in as a replacement for any one individual because that's just not how we work now. 

 

He'd be well worth £50m to us imo. 

[Rich]

He would, aye. He'd potentially be our best player.

[GWN]

Maybe in the summer he comes , not in Jan

[Coffee_Johnny]

23 hours ago, GWN said:

Maybe in the summer he comes , not in Jan

I’m not so certain. Holders of our purse strings/strategy must be excited and eager to achieve, this season, the kind of progression probably originally envisaged for a couple of season’s time. For the player himself, we are a different prospect now. I’m sure he’d rather be battling for one of the top spots than enduring the frustration of mid-table mediocrity. 

[Nine]

On 02/12/2022 at 20:55, The Butcher said:

Maddison is miles better than Willock. He would be a massive upgrade.

While I agree hes the better player that difference gets balanced out a bit when you consider how well Willock fits into this system, im not sure Maddison would be as useful in the press as Willock and make those same intelligent runs.. I just feel hes a slightly less industrious midfielder than Willock is but obviously has more quality in and around the box. 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Nine

[Kanj]

At this stage I wouldn’t move Bruno out from his 6 role with how Willock/Joelinton and Longstaff have held down their respective sides/roles. 

[Hanshithispantz]

Howe is tactically flexible, I don't think he'll ever be wedded to any particular system. We see that with how different we set up with Maxi in the side or not. Same with Trippier in or out of the side. There would definitely be a role (or roles) for Maddison. Putting him in the side wouldn't automatically drop our ability to press effectively as a team. Longstaff is great pressing without the ball but isn't particularly resistant to being pressed himself so there's an obvious trade-off there.

 

Man City pin teams in and force high turnovers despite not having a particularly industrious midfield and attack on paper.