NUFC Transfer Rumours

[Cronky]

8 hours ago, Geordie Ahmed said:

Henderson still gets picked even though he's playing in a dead league

 

If Phillips goes to Juve there's no risk to him losing his England spot 

 

I do hope we can push for it because I think he would be ideal for us 

 

 

There's a rumour that City are holding out for a loan with an obligation to buy in the summer, which makes the decision a lot more tricky.

 

With the potential size of the transfer fee and wages, that would obviously restrict us in the summer. A question mark for me would be how well he would combine with Bruno, who is doing well in that anchor role despite not being a defensive midfielder. I guess that's a potential problem with whoever we might look to slot in alongside - and that includes Tonali.

Obviously it's been difficult for Phillips to get into that City side, with Rodri for competition, but there has been a hint that Pep is dubious about the player's general attitude. My money would be on Eddie's ability to motivate him though.

[Coffee_Johnny]

35 minutes ago, Cronky said:

 

There's a rumour that City are holding out for a loan with an obligation to buy in the summer, which makes the decision a lot more tricky.

 

With the potential size of the transfer fee and wages, that would obviously restrict us in the summer. A question mark for me would be how well he would combine with Bruno, who is doing well in that anchor role despite not being a defensive midfielder. I guess that's a potential problem with whoever we might look to slot in alongside - and that includes Tonali.

Obviously it's been difficult for Phillips to get into that City side, with Rodri for competition, but there has been a hint that Pep is dubious about the player's general attitude. My money would be on Eddie's ability to motivate him though.

If Phillips is ‘forced’ to stay there and play bit parts (though, dawns on me, willingness to take a massive pay cut might be the only thing creating the force) I wonder whether, in time, the shiny medals will seem more mocking than satisfying to him.
Players have such a short time in the sun and such talent. Seems a shame to not ever be really relied upon and a fully active participant in whatever challenge your team faces. 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Coffee_Johnny

[loki679]

We desperately need a right winger.  Bearing in mind we might have to pay £30m for Hall in the summer I wouldn't take Phillips if it means we can't replace the RW position.

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

If Phillips is ‘forced’ to stay there and play bit parts (though, dawns on me, willingness to take a massive pay cut might be the only thing creating the force) I wonder whether, in time, the shiny medals will seem more mocking than satisfying to him.
Players have such a short time in the sun and such talent. Seems a shame to not ever be really relied upon and a fully active participant in whatever challenge your team faces. 

 

 

 

He should embrace it and go full-on David May

 

[TheBrownBottle]

57 minutes ago, loki679 said:

We desperately need a right winger.  Bearing in mind we might have to pay £30m for Hall in the summer I wouldn't take Phillips if it means we can't replace the RW position.

Why would signing Phillips on loan prevent us signing a RW?

[loki679]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Why would signing Phillips on loan prevent us signing a RW?

 

1 hour ago, Cronky said:

 

There's a rumour that City are holding out for a loan with an obligation to buy in the summer, which makes the decision a lot more tricky.

 

 

[madras]

1 hour ago, loki679 said:

We desperately need a right winger.  Bearing in mind we might have to pay £30m for Hall in the summer I wouldn't take Phillips if it means we can't replace the RW position.

We've got Almiron, Murphy, Gordon. We don't have anyone to replace or play alongside Bruno. CM and CF are more priorities IMO.

[TheBrownBottle]

37 minutes ago, loki679 said:

 

 

Aye, fair enough.  I think I’d probably stay well clear of a permanent move.  

[Whitley mag]

34 minutes ago, madras said:

We've got Almiron, Murphy, Gordon. We don't have anyone to replace or play alongside Bruno. CM and CF are more priorities IMO.

Get the impression Howe’s not keen on a right footed right winger, so basically that leaves us with Murphy and Almiron who are nowhere near good enough.

[Coffee_Johnny]

Just now, Whitley mag said:

Get the impression Howe’s not keen on a right footed right winger, so basically that leaves us with Murphy and Almiron who are nowhere near good enough.

Take your point, in that both look like they could be improved upon and can frustrate at times. To be fair, they both have also changed games, helped us to good victories,  against top sides. I suppose it is just about finding someone who is likely to be consistently better. Not that easy a task.
However, having an option there (other than playing Barnes and Gordon on either wing—or add Willock to the mix) is an important gap to fill. How much it is seen as a priority is obviously determined by those with the say so. 

[madras]

14 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

Get the impression Howe’s not keen on a right footed right winger, so basically that leaves us with Murphy and Almiron who are nowhere near good enough.

They are better than Bruno's replacement (nobody) or option to play alongside him in a 2 (nobody).

 

Edit.....Gordon has been played on the right a few times out of choice.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by madras

[Shak]

45 minutes ago, madras said:

We've got Almiron, Murphy, Gordon. We don't have anyone to replace or play alongside Bruno. CM and CF are more priorities IMO.

 

I think Gordon and Barnes rotating at LW is the plan for the future. Think that'll be quality too, frankly.

 

RW is by far the weakest position in our strongest eleven. We've got two options there in Almiron and Murphy who are both decent backups for a top half team, we desperately need someone better.

 

Raphinha or Olise would be my top options, though not sure either of those are realistic. But that type of player would add so much to us.

[madras]

3 minutes ago, Shak said:

 

I think Gordon and Barnes rotating at LW is the plan for the future. Think that'll be quality too, frankly.

 

RW is by far the weakest position in our strongest eleven. We've got two options there in Almiron and Murphy who are both decent backups for a top half team, we desperately need someone better.

 

Raphinha or Olise would be my top options, though not sure either of those are realistic. But that type of player would add so much to us.

See my above.

[Shak]

7 minutes ago, madras said:

They are better than Bruno's replacement (nobody) or option to play alongside him in a 2 (nobody).

 

Edit.....Gordon has been played on the right a few times out of choice.

 

 

Miley looked well able to play in Bruno's position away to Dortmund and could play alongside him too.

 

Joelinton has also played alongside Bruno in a two man midfield when we've gone 4-2-3-1 and looked good there.

 

Think it's a bit bizarre to be focused on bringing in a backup option to our best player rather than trying to improve the weakest parts of the first team.

[Shak]

2 minutes ago, madras said:

See my above.

 

See mine!

[madras]

8 minutes ago, Shak said:

 

Miley looked well able to play in Bruno's position away to Dortmund and could play alongside him too.

 

Joelinton has also played alongside Bruno in a two man midfield when we've gone 4-2-3-1 and looked good there.

 

Think it's a bit bizarre to be focused on bringing in a backup option to our best player rather than trying to improve the weakest parts of the first team.

Not a chance have they looked good in a 2. Miley is nowhere near good enough off the ball (yet( and Joelinton vice versa.

 

It wouldn't be just a back up but the option to go in a 2 which creates so many options.

 

It seems bizarre to me to go after a position which is well stocked if weak, not disastrously so and the manager seems happy to play Gordon there, if that wasn't the plan all along. I wouldn't be against getting Joao Pedro type who can play across the line.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by madras

[Shak]

2 minutes ago, madras said:

Not a chance have they looked good in a 2. Miley is nowhere near good enough off the ball (yet( and Joelinton vice versa.

 

It wouldn't be just a back up but tge optiin to go in a 2 which creates so many options.

 

It seems bizarre to me to go after a position which is well stocked if weak, not disastrously so and tge manager seems happy to play Gordon there, if that wasn't the plan all along. I wouldn't be against getting Joao Pedro type who can play across the line.

 

Away to Brentford last year we went 4-2-3-1 after half time and Bruno and Joelinton absolutely bossed it and we turned that game around.

 

I'm also not sure why Miley, who has consistently risen to every challenge that's come his way, is such a guarantee to fail as part of a two man midfield either.

 

All seems pretty irrelevant anyway. The last month has shown us that Eddie isn't going away from 4-3-3 even in a crisis.

 

If our whole squad gets and stays fit then we probably have enough on the wings to get by for the rest of the season but long term only Gordon and Barnes are good enough IMO, whereas in midfield I think we've plenty of players who are going to be here and play a lot in the coming seasons.

 

I'd agree that the ideal signing for us would be someone who can play all across the front line, though.

[Fezzle]

13 minutes ago, madras said:

I wouldn't be against getting Joao Pedro type who can play across the line.

 

 

 

This for me, covers inevitable injuries up top and gives us better options on the right. That and a keeper assuming we can convince city to loan Phillips without an obligation. Wonder what Valencia would ask for, nothing season and not great financially 

[madras]

Perhaps sticking to the 433 was because there's no alternative  while Tonali is out.

 

Plus I was only talking about the 2nd half of this season as I don't think was brought in Tonali merely as a Longstaff upgrade.

 

Re Miley, he's not guaranteed to fail, far from it but the off the ball side to his game isn't there yet, young players often have a drop off when they need bringing out so I wouldn't want to rely too heavily on him yet.

 

Anyway, we'll see in January who's read the runes right.

[SUPERTOON]

23 minutes ago, madras said:

Not a chance have they looked good in a 2. Miley is nowhere near good enough off the ball (yet( and Joelinton vice versa.

 

It wouldn't be just a back up but the option to go in a 2 which creates so many options.

 

It seems bizarre to me to go after a position which is well stocked if weak, not disastrously so and the manager seems happy to play Gordon there, if that wasn't the plan all along. I wouldn't be against getting Joao Pedro type who can play across the line.

 

 

 

Mbuemo would have been ideal if he wasn’t injured 

[Fezzle]

3 minutes ago, madras said:

Perhaps sticking to the 433 was because there's no alternative  while Tonali is out.

 

Plus I was only talking about the 2nd half of this season as I don't think was brought in Tonali merely as a Longstaff upgrade.

 

Re Miley, he's not guaranteed to fail, far from it but the off the ball side to his game isn't there yet, young players often have a drop off when they need bringing out so I wouldn't want to rely too heavily on him yet.

 

Anyway, we'll see in January who's read the runes right.

Can't wait to see the meltdowns on deadline night here

[SUPERTOON]

Linked with Guehi from Palice in the mail.

[Whitley mag]

22 minutes ago, madras said:

Perhaps sticking to the 433 was because there's no alternative  while Tonali is out.

 

Plus I was only talking about the 2nd half of this season as I don't think was brought in Tonali merely as a Longstaff upgrade.

 

Re Miley, he's not guaranteed to fail, far from it but the off the ball side to his game isn't there yet, young players often have a drop off when they need bringing out so I wouldn't want to rely too heavily on him yet.

 

Anyway, we'll see in January who's read the runes right.

I think you’ll be right and it’ll be Phillips as Howe clearly wants him.

 

Just hope the board stay strong though and don’t buckle to an obligation, or we should absolutely walk away.

 

For me we’re crying out for a creative spark up front as we look stale and predictable going forward.

[Ikon]

Ageee. Thats why i didn’t get the Barnes signing with Gordon here already. None of them are creative really and both at their best on the left even if Gordon can play right. 

[The Prophet]

Don't think we'll do loads in January. One on loan and perhaps another.

 

Can see a right winger and/or striker being on the agenda in the summer.