Pizy

We’ve been burned badly with young French CB’s from Ligue 1 repeatedly and we’re now going to go get another one, huh? For big money, too.

Briefing going out again about a CB. But the descriptions of what we apparently want are pretty contradictory. ”Chelsea want a starting level, top class CB.” In other words a plug and play option. But then they link us to a 20 year old who plays for a small French club where he has made less than 1 whole season’s worth of appearances in his whole career thus far. I don’t care how highly rated Jérémy Jacquet may be, we don’t need another kid, ffs. We need a seasoned veteran who comes in and instantly elevates us.

Ehh, maybe. Diaz is their general on the pitch and Pep absoutely loves Gvardiol. I guess maybe he could move Gvardiol permanently to LB. But I don’t even think it matters since Pep rotates so much anyways so he’d keep everyone happy.

They continue to buy players that turn out better than the ones we do for far less money. Yes, they offer wages that are probably double what we do, but still. Guehi for £20m, Cherki for £35m…

We think the club is run poorly now but this is how we’re operating WITH the huge revenue boost from the CWC & UCL football. What are things going to be like without those things? And STILL with no main shirt sponsor FOUR YEARS into this new ownership. Or any plan whatsoever for the stadium situation. Meanwhile, Todd Boehly’s Los Angeles Dodgers over here in America are going absolutely crazy buying ready made superstar after ready made superstar and creating a dynastic juggernaut. They’re a well oiled machine from top to bottom which again reinforces that it’s Eghbali who is running this club into the ground here and not Boehly.

They’re a team who are serious about winning not only in the future but also right now. Whereas our club hierarchy with their signings and managerial appointments continuously say “just trust us, everyone, we’ll be a great team 5 years from now.” And in the meantime we are wildly inconsistent and nowhere near competitive at the top of the league. What these jokers don’t seem to grasp is that while they sign 50 teenagers and young players it severely risks UCL qualification that we desperately need whilst they learn on the job. You would think they’d be looking at our current situation and thinking “oh, shit…we’re at serious risk of missing out on UCL revenue for next season. We need to go out and get some experienced, ready made quality to see us over the line the rest of the way.” But nah, instead we’re linked with yet more unproven kids that could be great 5 years from now.

City are signing the age profile of player we should be but actually have serious people in charge. Similarly to us who are also linked with a new attacker and new CB, they’ll get 25/26 year old Semenyo and 25/26 year old Guehi whilst we’ll probably go and get some 19 year old CB from France who is a complete gamble. After we’ve already got 2 promising teenaged CB out on loan + one currently playing in Acheampong.

I still don’t see future “top player” when I watch Elliot Anderson. He looks solid but doesn’t scream Premier League contender/Champions League club level starter to my eyes. And as someone else here recently, I wish so badly that these silly Kobbie Mainoo rumors would die. He had a short purple patch of good form where he looked super promising but has done nothing since. United have had a shocking midfield for ages and he can’t even lock down a place there. So why the hell would we even consider him? He’s not better than our backup midfielders currently. If we go big for a midfielder it has to be someone that’s a genuine level raiser. Not yet another good but not great player just so we have another body to rotate.

Senesi would be the short term best option if all we’re looking for is an immediate upgrade to help us achieve 5th place for UCL footy and as a bridge to when Colwill returns. Murillo would be the best long term option for me but feels impossible because he’s so important for Forest and just signed a new deal. They’d probably demand £80m+ for him in the coming summer and turn down any offers this month. Then you have to take into account that multiple big PL clubs will be after both him and Elliot Anderson in the summer which will make dealing with Forest a massive pain in the ass. So unless we tap him up ASAP right now and he asks to come here and only here I don’t think it can happen. I know Estevão is mates with him… 👀

I see Senesi’s name being mentioned on Twitter. He has really impressed me this season including against us. He’d probably be the best possible profile for a midseason CB. Perfect age in that he’s late 20’s so highly experienced but not too old, he’s fully settled and used to the PL so could slot straight into the team with minimal adjustment, and there probably wouldn’t be an issue once Levi returns because he’s not a youngster. As a short to medium term signing I think he’d be great. Maybe get a solid 3 seasons out of him. Great with the ball at his feet, good passing range, aggressive and assertive. Probably wouldn’t cost too much either.

At his best he’s a fantastic player for sure. But he’s also a total liability in transition and defensively. Situations he’ll constantly be put into in this league. Having someone with great mobility in there instead of him would make us a better team I feel but it has to be someone of high quality like Wharton. Would’ve said Baleba as well but I haven’t really heard his name at all this season after he was awesome last year. When Palmer is finally fully fit again I don’t see how we can play him and Enzo together and get the absolute best out of each. It would leave Moi and the defense too exposed against any decent team.

Forest selling Murillo midseason and just months after he signed a new deal seems incredibly unlikely. Also, surely one of our current CB’s has to go this month if we bring someone in? Either Tosin or Badiashile.

I have ZERO faith that these guys will be able to get us the profile of CB we need in January. Fully expect them to get yet another young guy who will need who knows how long to settle in. We’ve already got 2 highly promising young CB prospects who are by all accounts doing well on loan in Anselmino and Sarr. If we go out and buy yet another CB who’s 19-22 then these clowns will have learned nothing.

Actually thought Buonanotte was decent in that squad filler role since Palmer is out nonstop these days. What a silly signing from the minute it was announced, though. One of the most random panic signings we’ve ever seen.

I love Enzo’s personality, his warrior attitude, and I don’t want to sell him. But out of all of our “big” players he’s definitely the most expendable. If we have to make a big sale this summer to fund any planned big moves ourselves AND Enzo asks to go to PSG or Madrid I think we probably do it. The problem is of course that these clubs aren’t going to give us the money we’d demand. We are the same club who set the price for Nicolas Jackson absurdly high so how much would we ask for one of our key players who we paid £100m+ for? If he goes and we replace him and replace him with Wharton I think the team overall would function better. We’d lose Enzo’s knack for popping up with goals from midfield but having someone next to Caicedo who can actually get around the pitch with some athleticism would be better for the teams shape.

Biggest surprise for me is that Delap isn’t even in the squad. Figured these cup games would be good for him to get some starts and confidence back. Palmer’s groin is clearly still a lingering issue and you can tell by his play. Might be that way all season. Not surprised he isn’t in the squad today. Not expecting anything here.

Have to imagine that he has made it clear to the club that he doesn’t have any interest in coming back here. That’s the only reason I can think of that our name isn’t even one of the 5-6 that keep being linked with him.

Why would we even give a second of consideration to selling Cucu who is one of our best players? Also one of our few older, more experienced squad members which we badly need. I remember months and months ago Fabrizio was tweeting numerous times saying that Cucu either was on the verge of or already had signed a fresh new contract behind the scenes. What ever happened with that? Selling one of our best players to City and thus improving them when we’re desperate to get back to their level would be ridiculous.

The better move for Gallagher if he had ambitions of actually playing for something meaningful was obviously Villa. But with Spuds’s current injury woes he walks straight into their first XI and locks down a place for the foreseeable future. They’re shit in midfield even when everyone was fit for that matter so he probably thinks he’ll stay in the team. At Villa he’d have 4 key midfield players he’d have to dislodge.

Horrific goalkeeping there. That header was soft as hell and he could easily have caught it.

An XI filled to the brim with loads of players who should be desperate to prove that they want to be playing regularly and this is what they show. Abysmal lack of quality.

Tosin and Badiashile look like shite even against lower league opposition. Badiashile looks like he’s running with cement in his boots.

You’re always so over the top hostile in EVERY one of your posts. It’s really tiring. Calm the fuck down. I just disagree. He’s a good player. He’s not some world class, massive level raising player for me. And one of the main reasons all of these huge clubs you’ve named are really interested in him is that he’s available for free in the summer or “cheap” by today’s standards this month. Not because he’s some VVD level monster.

In our current state and with other PL giants all wanting him I don’t think Guehi would consider us for a second even with his connection to the club. In fact, us “giving up” on him and selling him is probably something he holds against us. Others may disagree but I feel like I’ve said here before in the last couple of windows that while Guehi is a very solid CB, he isn’t the massive upgrade who’d instantly solves our issues at the back that everyone is desperate for. I don’t think he’s any better than either Fofana or Trev. These are all solid PL CB’s and nothing more for me.

Arteta has a CB fetishized so I wouldn’t be surprised if Calafiori is moved to LB for good.