King Kante

Do you know what is really interesting. I was reading an article about Brentford and how they use their moneyball analytics to determine player performance rather than pure outcome. Essentially, to not bore everyone, they look at a players xG rather than their pure stats as they believe that is the real determining factor in ascertaining whether a player is good or not as it shows that they're doing the more difficult part of the job. Anyway, if you go on that, then Werner has had a brilliant season for us.

Well his agent wants €20m and he wants €250k a week so he isn't as cheap as he first appears. As for Sancho, we have bigger needs than a AM atm.

I have seen Lukaku and I am not sold that he has improved much. I think a lot of it is to do with the competition level he is playing against and how that benefits his style of play. Personally, I am not a fan of looking purely at stats, as this typically takes away the context around them. However, my stance on Lukaku is that he is a bit fit for us as his ball work in close quarters isn't good enough and he will quickly find himself back in the same situation he did at Utd when teams dropped off on them. Couple of other points: 1) No players aren't poor if they play in other leagues. For instance, I said I wanted Cavani last year and was essentially laughed at. Again, it is about looking at the player and trying to ascertain how his skill set will suit the way we play. 2) Zlatan is a great player no doubt and I wasn't particularly surprised when he came into Utd and did the business. However, he is nearly 40 now and on one knee, that is a bit of a difference. Yeah, fee and wages is what does it. If he was day 25/26 and £50m on £100k I would probably be ok with it. However, €100m at 28 and €200k+, nah I am alright thanks. Yeah, Håland is a no go. To be honest, I am still annoyed we didn't get Cavani last year, he would be a good option for this team. Surely the club don't think they're getting €20m for Emerson?

Mate, Lukaku failed at Utd because his first touch was awful so teams that low blocked Utd would dispossess him easily. His touch is still the same, so the problems he had at Utd will be the same here. Just because he he has been banging them in, in Serie A doesn't change this fact as Serie A is a poor league these days. As for Silva, I don't think anyone is saying we must go out and buy Silva or even that he is a great player. What they are saying is that Lukaku isn't a good player and vastly overpriced at €100m and if the option is buy Lukaku at €100m or buy Silva at €35m then they would rather take the Silva deal as they do not think Lukaku is worth it.

I haven't seen Vlahovic other than a YouTube video. Is he actually a prospect or is he just benefitting from a purple patch/the standard of Serie A like Piatek did?

But Lukaku wouldn't win us the league. People keep saying his first touch has got better but it hasn't the reason it looks better is because of the standard of Serie A and the pace of the league. Feck me, but even Zlatan with one knee is still cracking in 17 goals a season and looking like one of the best players in the league. I get why you don't want Silva, I am not sold on him either however Lukaku is not the answer. If I had to choose between them I got Silva unless you can get Lukaku for £40-£50m (which you cannot.)

But if it is €35m for Silva or €100m for Lukaku what do you do? Silva, I agree, isn't good enough to be a CF1 for a top 4 side, however, he probably does get 15 league goals for one. Lukaku however is completely overrated and overpriced. Furthermore, he is 28 so you only get one full sub-30 season out of him.

Most of the people that beat up on him on here only do so because they didn't rate him when he came in and/or because they were hyping up people like RLC and Kepa and cannot be seen to backtrack too much.

He is the low risk option. Personally, if our only option is Lukaku at over £60m, I would take Silva. At worst he doesn't do well and becomes a CF2 / gets sold on. However, with a €35m buyout he isn't a big risk.

Does the little kid on Roman's right only hear the sound of silence?

Personally I would prefer to give Timo another crack than buy Lukaku. As for CR7 pretty sure he is on record saying he wouldn't play a English side not named Man Utd.

So, annoying that he is off to the ACoN. Going to need a real GK2

Depends on who you're pairing the pacey person with, if it is Silva or AC then fine, if it is with Rudi or Zouma not so great. In a back 3 it would be fine so long as the CCB is a Silva/AC type. People really need to remember how we defended in a 4 since the title winning season in 2015. Every season since then, we have suffered real keystone cop moments when trying to defend in a 4. This I think is mostly due to us not having a CB who can read the game properly (Cahil could but was done by 2017, and was always slow), AC is still a very young CB and obviously had confidence issues. So, anyway, pace is important but not as important as having someone who can hold the line and read the game properly.

Depends if those players have markets elsewhere. Kane with his ankles would worry me.

How do you pronounce his surname?

Problem is, he wouldn't just have to lower his wages a bit but by a massive amount. By all accounts we gave him somewhere around £170k a week for 7 years. He won't go to another PL side and no top team in Europe will want him. He would probably have to accept something like £20k a week. Then we get to the matter of the fee we paid for him. It is a disaster all round. At best we get a loan where someone covers £30k of his wages.

Indeed. This forum does seem to unfortunately have a habit of slagging off certain players for bewildering reasons.

Was always going to happen.

Tammy will be sold unless he agrees to sign an extension and go on loan. At this moment in time we could probably get £35-£40m for him, as Watkins went for £35m last Summer and their are always teams desperate for CF's.

I agree Ziyech should be sold but lets be real. Baka is a Championship grade player Cuadrado looked like a child playing in the PL Salah, was the one that should've been given a chance.

For sure, Alaba reduces the need for a extra squad player. Only problem is that he is 29, one bad injury and he could be done and Real are on the hook for €125m.

Does not have to be a silky playmaker, just someone who can trap the ball properly. People seem to be forgetting that Lukaku had trouble at Utd because he was having to play against low block teams all the time and his first touch meant he was losing the ball a lot in important positions. He would have the exact same problem here but worse as virtually every teams wants to low block us now. The Dippers were just unlucky, also I would argue that we have better depth than them. First VvD's injury was a bad one that could've happened to anyone. The Gomez one is a bit on them as he has had a lot of injuries so they should've protected themselves a little more. However, for us, none of our CB's have a injury record (Rudiger, is the worst with his knee injuries.) For me, we should stick we a back 3 but I think we only need 9 players in total to cover the CB and WB roles. Personally I would be quite comfortable with this: RCB: Dave*, James* CCB: Silva, AC LCB: Rudi, Guehi/Ampadu RWB: Hakimi, James* LWB: Chilwell, Alonso The important thing here is Dave and James who can play two-four positions; James (RCB, RWB), Dave (RCB, RWB, LCB (probably), LWB.) For me, Zouma is a disaster on the ball and with his positioning so it isn't a surprise to me we haven't seen much of him recently. I think the FA Cup final, where James switch to RCB, told us he will go this Summer. Lastly, if we do get someone like Rice rather than SMS, then they can also drop back. For me, CB has fallen down the order of needs significantly, which is something I thought I would never have said 8 months ago. Mbappe if he is clever will stay at PSG this year, then leave. I mean, his options are; 2021: €100m+ fee to PSG, €750k+ a week wages 2022: €70m+ signing on fee, €750k+ a week wages. For me, he would be insane to do anything other than see his contract out as he is only 22. It is not like Kane with him. Camavinga I am not sure about, only produces in flashes but I think we need more proven players at this point, rather than constantly pick very young players. Additionally, at CM, I am starting to come off the idea of a pure DMF and would now like to see a more progressive CMF (but one that isn't funsized and can tackle.) My choices there would be: SMS: Although slightly worried he would struggle with the pace of the league Gravenberch: If the club insist on going for a young player. However, concerned about the transition from Dutch football to PL. Neves: If for some reason the club insists on wanting a PL player.

See Napoli only wanting him on loan. Oh well, at least at the end of next season we should be able to see the back of: Batsh*t, Baka, Zappa, Emerson and Drinky. As for Alonso, he is fine for the domestic cup games and bottom half if the league when we have the ball. Even against decent sides, as long as they aren't too fast he is serviceable so I do not see any need to mess about with LWB (unless TT is planning to move to a back 4.)

I hope we don't get Lukaku, people are just looking at his stats. His first touch is still as bad as Jimmy Saville's. As for positions. I would say; CF, CM, RWB and GK2 in that order.