OneMoSalah

Yes but I think your missing the point. Improvement in the organisation and defending as a whole has to be our number 1 priority next season as it was a huge reason as to why our season had that slump midway through and uncertainty towards the end (along with chance conversion - when the Havertz deal happens then I think its fair to say that issue has been almost resolved or so you would think looking at us on paper). Even with Havertz, Ziyech, Pulisic, Werner if we don’t improve the structure and organisation as a whole unit, teams will continue to create plenty of chances be it from corners, FKs, open play whatever against us. Its not necessarily just personnel that needs to change as we’ve mentioned so many times this last season its more than just one or two players, it comes from the way we try to play and the naiveness of a young manager who is trying to make his mark at times (mistakes will be made we cannot say that isnt going to happen but it has to be reflected on and changed in the longrun and set plays/fks/transitions were a huge issue last season). I think thats got to be more a realistic priority as a collective with the signing of a LB and maybe another a CB first and foremost than trying to offload a 71m GK 2 years into a 7 year contract in the middle of a financially crippling global pandemic, dont you? I think Kepa will get replaced but its not going to be as easy as okay Ajax heres 35m for your GK now we have to try offload a high earner with 5 years left on his deal who cost 71m 2 years ago who will undoubtedly not want to sit on the bench. If we are to replace Kepa I think a club has to make a move first to come and get him, theres plenty of talk the club still have faith in him and expect him to turn it around and pay back the investment. Whether you believe that or not I dont know if Frank or the club will think at this moment replacing a GK is top of the list. If we get this triple deal yes then absolutely but we still need to wait and see. I do expect him to be replaced but I dont think its our number 1 concern right now.

I said isnt our biggest problem. Not that he isnt a problem. He is a problem but hes further down the list for me. If we dont improve without the ball defensively or at set plays (maybe he is a reason as I said) or convert more chances into more goals it wont matter if we have Kepa or Oblak in goal. Sure Oblak would save more but a team conceding too many chances is never good. Even if the GK can bail them out. You dont want your GK to have to make a lot of saves.

If he is the biggest issue you haven’t been watching close enough all season if I am honest -chance conversion (more clinical we could probably have finished second based on how the season played out and not dropped points against stupid teams), -defending at set plays (it’s worse than its even been IMO since Villas-Boas was in charge), -not getting caught/so exposed on the transition (again this season almost a Villas-Boas-esque commitment to trying to play 2 defenders v 3 or 4 attackers at the back more or less everytime we lose the ball in the oppositions half at times) ...all much bigger issues than Kepa IMO. For all the bad games he had (10 or 11 I would say in the course of a season) those 3 things were more reoccurring and more of an issue than the GK and making saves or not making saves or coming for corners or not coming from corners. Okay set plays he maybe comes into it but dont tell me the set play set ups this season have filled anybody with confidence? Things like Ngolo Kante marking Virgil van Dijk (or was that last season cannot remember?), Jorginho defending the front post, zonal every fucking match giving any team with decent sizes players a head start. Was it 13 or 14 goals from set plays we conceded? More than the mistakes Kepa made all season? Also what did you base this off of? He was pretty good and pretty consistent last season, I really dont see how you could argue with that. Saying the defensive structure bailed him out is just incredibly lazy (our defensive record and structure was better than this seasons yes but still pretty fucking awful so its not even a viable argument in my eyes), would be like saying Oblak is only world class because Atletico defend so well and have proper defensive structure. Or Courtois was only world class at Atletico for the same reason... Just doesn’t do them justice or Kepa’s performances last season any justice. Yes he wasnt world class last season and yes has his flaws but the fickleness in peoples view of him as a footballer is clear to see. Okay we know he has been under performing this season, Stevie Wonder could see that but to say he was doing that last season is just bizarre beyond belief. I suppose its just to be expected though. But again as I mentioned, more worried about the shape without the ball, defending set plays and conversion rate right now. Werner and Ziyech offer more in to the last one but still plenty to do and not all of it can be sorted by recruitment either.

Kind of totally forgot the windows still open so have tunes out a bit. Not been much interesting happening anyway by many other clubs.

Few rumours we are in advanced talks with Thiago Silva. Interesting.

What? Player like Havertz as in an already very good player, potential one in a generational attacking player who can play in 4 or 5 positions: LW, RW, CAM, CM and CF, who had scored 18 goals last season and 20 the one before in a high standard league all at the age 21? What team doesnt need a player like that? I mean is United's attack really that good that Havertz wouldn’t play? Even if it wasn't a necessity to not have any interest or think he would be a great signing, even for United, would be a huge mistake. They wanted Sancho so I dont see why they wouldn’t want Havertz or have an interest either. Similarly both are attacking players, with good goal and assist returns, different playing styles but again don’t get what you mean they ‘don’t’ need a player like him. Regardless of if they wanted him or not, the longer we fuck about for this fee, the more likely another team, be it a PSG or a City or a Juventus or a Barcelona or somebody, has to swoop in. Just give then 75-85m and get it done. Simple as that.

Tbf he had more goals and assists involvements than any other of our attacking midfield/wide players in the league last season. He wasnt a massive player for us on that front every season but if he replicates that or betters it for Arsenal, he will be a reasonable signing for them. I know the 3 year deal is a bit long but I can see why he feels a bit hard done by perhaps. Lampard will also be annoyed that somebody he was desperate to keep has left to a rival, similarly to Conte when the club sold Matic. Obviously expect Ziyech to hit the ground running but still think letting one of your most productive players go to a rival who will be competing with you isnt the best idea.

Why are we fucking around? I know he wants to come here but it just takes a club to offer 10-15M more than us to steal him basically by sounds of it because Leverkusen want a deal done. Get the finger out. Fuck sakes. Id be royally fucked off if United come in and drop the money they apparently bid for Sancho on him and get him.

Have to agree completely. He has such confidence in his own ability as well which helps but his commitment to learning a new position which much like Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool, was the only place he was realistically only ever gonna get a proper chance to come into their team, has been incredible. Much people talk about him offensively but his defensive play and the recoveries he's made this season have been incredible too in regards to the distances he’s got back from higher up and also his timing. Tbf Davies came into the Bayern team when they were really struggling with Kovac due to injuries and performed really well. Hasnt looked back and has got better and better since. Reece has got potential undoubtedly but if he perhaps had the same enthusiasm or drive that it would seem Davies has, he would be a better player. In my eyes as well, Davies has undoubtedly transformed that Bayern team as he adds a huge dimension both offensively and defensively, it also allows Alaba to play at CB and they can play a much higher line. Obviously Bayern and Liverpool with TAA are in better nick than us right now but again Trent started playing in a Liverpool side that still had huge flaws until they sorted those at CB and GK and as I said with Bayern, Davies started making an impression with Kovac (although Kovac did drop him to the reserves at one point).

PL proven is a ridiculous thing to say. All of the current top top players in their positions in the PL 90% came from other leagues and were already at good levels so its hardly as if buying from abroad is necessarily a bad thing. For the price and potential Regulion has to get him for 25-35m euros he would be worth it if he kept improving the way he did this season. People will say he only plays for Sevilla or he didnt play that good v United etc but hes just been voted La Liga LB of the season which when you consider the likes of Marcelo, Alba, Mendy etc play in Spain, all who would probably walk into most PL top teams, that is a mean feat. Even if some maybe had off seasons or whatever, Farlan Mendy had a very good season for Real so for him to have gotten in ahead of him shows he is a good player. Also when was the last time we signed a good English player from another PL team? Barkley? Nope. Drinkwater? Nope. Chilwell is a good player but look at the English price addition, Harry Maguire just left Leciester for 80m the previous season. Thats the benchmark for Leicester. I dont think Chilwell really had an oustanding season either to warrant that cash, neither had Maguire when United got him, although BC did play well at times but the difference if there is one between him and Regulion (again from what Ive seen in La Liga and Europa games, Id argue the Spaniard is slightly better) would be very marginal. If at all. But he's English so he will be the preferred choice I would think because we seem to have a hard on for English players at present hence the links with Sancho (warranted bar huge price probably unattainable this summer for us), Chilwell (if he was 30-40m I would say yes go for it if he is number 1 choice), Ben White (no PL experience for over 40m?), Lewis Dunk (please god no), Nick Pope (think hes had a good year but screams Begovic 2.0 so unless hes a number 2... not so sure). Plus people want Kai Havertz right? Weve already spent closer to 100mn on Werner and Ziyech, do they think we are gonna spend 65+ M on a LB, buy Havertz for 80-90m and then buy another top CB and a new GK as well? We should of signed Kieran Tierney before Arsenal. 100% better than both. 25m was a steal. Yet someone would say he played in SPL I suppose but where do they think we got Billy Gilmour from or where Southampton got Wanyama, van Dijk etc? Or where Hull got Andy Robertson who could have played higher than a relegated team if I am completely honest. Buying from within the PL isnt always necessarily going to assure anything and I am still surprised people have that mentality when you look at how Torres, Barkley and Drinkwater turned out. Fair does Kante and Cahill are opposition to that argument but what top team has signed someone from another PL club where theyve gone on and done very well in the last 10 years? Sadio Mane and van Dijk obvious ones with Liverpool. Kante to us under Conte. Cahill to us with AVB. City with Sterling. Lukaku to Everton then United. Van Persie to United. Top clubs are buying from foreign leagues for a reason: much much better value for money. also if your spending 65m + on a fullback and only expecting 4 or 5 good seasons, buy someone else. The club will be expecting Chilwell if he does come here to give 7, 8 or 9 seasons at a high level. Or at least I would be. 65m is a lot to invest in a defender.

Tbf she sanctioned his signing in the first place. She should be sacking whatever scout recommended the club sign him 😂

True but I think he hasnt left Stoke because they wanted 30mn for him off the fact he was in the English WC squad, which is ridiculous because its not as if England had any truly outstanding GKs either so his inclusion as a back up GK is hardly gonna warrant tripling his price. Stocks obviously fallen as Stoke have gone to shit but as a 2nd GK hardly be a bad option but again, maybe better out there. Lewis Dunk though? Fuck me. Is Lampard trying to turn us into Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool when they signed all the overrated PL players and British guys? Likes of Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson (got to the top eventually though). Also that fuck me reaction is without mentioning the fee, £40M+ For somebody who probably isnt even Englands 5th choice CB. Ben Foster okay for a number 2 yes sound go for it, can see why we would consider it. Also Declan Rice and Ben Chilwell have potential but are hugely overpriced and there are better as well as cheaper options out there in both positions too. Dont go undoing the good work already done with Werner, Ziyech and potentially Havertz by signing Lewis Dunk. I get the having HG players but we’ve how many academy boys in the squad already? Tammy, Mason, Billy, Callum, Reece, Fikayo... plus is Lewis Dunk better than what we have? Wouldnt say so. If he was even then hardly a huge improvement on some of them. Wouldnt say he is better than any of our CBs including Fikayo.

Probably but looking for a solid 2nd GK, why not?

Look at Aguero at City. Arguably one of the best strikers in PL history and he is hardly hugely involved in the build up in the same way some CFs are/were. Is it a problem? Not really because he gives you 20 league goals a season. Fair enough his all round game is good and he can do other things but if your good at scoring goals leave the fannying about trying to be a midfielder getting assists, key passes etc to the guys behind you and do the job, do what CFs do, get the ball, give it to your team mates and just be in positions to stick the ball in the back of net regularly. Ok if your not getting the rub of the green, do these things and yes all the top CFs are more than just goal scorers but still, our problem was conversion for a lot of the season, Werners ability to finish is gonna be a huge plus. Thats why he has to play through the middle for me. He has the pace to remain on the shoulder and get in behind teams. He also offers huge counter attack potential too with his pace. The back to goal stuff isn’t always that important for me because other teams have shown you dont always need that to win trophies if the conditions in your team are right and the players fit the style. Plus we have Abraham and Giroud to swap it up, we have the variations.

65m? Not for me. Regulion better player and 30m cheaper. What the fuck. Leicester will probably go and buy him afterwards and he will do what that young Turkish bloke did for them when they used him after selling Maguire. 100%. But if Frank wants him, fair does, good player potential to be a mainstay for 10+ years but never ever gonna be a 65m full back. Only a few who I would say is worth that cash off the top of my head: Hakimi, Mendy (Real Madrid one), Alex Sandro, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, potentially Renan Lodi but not 100% convinced. Be others too but Chillwell isnt one of them for me, as I said Regulion be a cheaper and better option IMO.

Jack Butland available for 8-10m. 27 years old, homegrown, would be a good back up. Not starting quality likely but for a number 2, 8-10m in this market would be a very shrewd signing.

Just fucking sell him. No more loan to buy shit. They had an option/obligation to buy him last time and didnt bother their arses. Will we ever learn?

On Ben White: Dont think we should go for him. Think hes got good potential but looking very good in the championship is one thing, lets see how he gets on in the PL this season before spunking 40mn on him. A more experienced, top level CB who is in the 24-27 years age bracket would make more sense.

Pirlo is a massive gamble. Massive. Hopefully he does well and if he does fair play but again as previously mentioned, they need a reshuffle in their playing personnel.

Juventus need a rebuild regardless of manager. Its no surprise even with Ronaldo they haven’t got to a CL final. They have older experienced players who are good but also set in their ways and wont fit a more aggressive high energy playing style which when you look at some of the teams who have had successful runs in the CL getting to semi finals and finals, they have that and Juve need to go that way and the only way to do it is to go down such a path with a Sarri or a Pochettino or a Tuchel etc. Obviously Sarri gone now but they are talking about Matuidi, Khedira and Higuain all leaving as well as getting shot of Rugani and a few others. Pochettino would be my best bet for going in, think he could rejuvenate some of their guys and also blood in some freshness to the team. They desperately need it if they want to go far in the CL, they need to evolve and become more of a functioning collective than solely dependent on Ronaldo and Dybala - which Sarri sort of decided was going to be easier to do than shape them to his demands when he came in so its fair to say not the sort of thing you’d expect a manager as stubborn as he is to do. They signed Arthur so they have him and Bentancur who is a fantastic midfielder to give them a base around and add to with Dybala, de Ligt but they are still gonna need to shoehorn Ronaldo in to the team and get him to function within it because he is still a top player but one who very much plays in his own set way unless you get a Zidane like figure.

Would be a bit extreme and a tough start for the kid. I mean we can still theoretically go through here so I doubt Lampard is going to go and play a handful of kids who haven’t played in the league never mind the CL against a team who have won 21/22 games in 2020. Obviously James, Mount, CHO are gonna be involved and maybe a few other academy boys make the bench because of Alonso and Jorginho’s suspension alongside Tammy but we have to put out a strong team. So for the GK I think it will be Kepa or Caballero 100%

Guardiola may have finished 2nd but again City have had a better season. Not lost as many games or conceded as many. Nuno as well at Wolves, they've had a very very good season. Rodgers at Leicester, ok they'd tailed off but in terms of their season, who thought they'd ever finish 5th? So you could argue he would deserve to be in there more also. I havent seen who's up but Klopp, Wilder, Nuno, Rodgers all ahead of him for such a nomination surely? Looking at it, if it wasn’t Frank and it was another club, how could someone who manages a top 4/5 team lose 12 games and had a goal difference of 15 be up for manager of the season? Not to mention the frantic finish after being 11 or 12 points clear of the top four in the first half of the season. We did alright (vague term because for me, it should have been better based on the first 6 months of the season, young team and all but tactically it was as if we went backwards) but wouldn't say he should be in the running for manager of the season.

Being nominated for Manager of the season is a bit of a stretch. But hey ho, young English manager, done an alright job, not surprised one bit. Only one clear winner: Klopp.

Okay but how much money did we spend in Conte’s second season? And then under Sarri? Hundreds of millions between those guys? We were exclusively cup teams those seasons as well lets not kid around. And under Villas-Boas, Di Matteo and Benitez again, cup teams more or less. So it is a bit odd to say that that’s underwhelming for Atletico when say out of the last 8 seasons we’ve been much more a cup team more often than not, okay weve won 2 leagues but again is winning the PL as tough as trying to beat a Barcelona or Real Madrid to La Liga where they have I dont know, 5 times the budget plus probably 2 of the greatest players in football history for the majority of that time? Not a chance. Its not as if we’ve challenged every season either. So to say they’ve underwhelmed I am guessing you have got the same opinion on the majority of the last 10 years here? Even including a CL win and 2 Europa Leagues? If Atletico didnt concede in the 95th minute in 2014(?) CL final their trophy haul would have probably been near identical in terms of having a league, a few domestic cups and european cups. Even without a CL, where they’ve been to 2 finals with Simeone, a La Liga, Copa del Ray, Supercopa Espana, 2 Europa Leagues and 2 UEFA Supercups in 9 years is impressive. Would be downright snobbery to say that isn’t impressive for any team, never mind Atletico, 7 cup wins in 9 years. I suppose it does depend on who they appoint after but Arsenal is a bad example also, since Wenger retired again, they had 1 good season with Emery then flaked away and while Arteta looks to have a very good idea and way of playing he needs players too where as Wenger was able to get them in the top 4 regularly not spending huge sums and maybe he should have done a bit more but again, he won trophies there also such as FA Cups and the Community Shield thing. I dont think Arsenal are completely out of the woods yet. Even if things look ‘better’ but is their recruitment any better? Is their league position really better? Wheres the likes of these Nasri’s, Cesc’s and van Persie’s coming in cheap and growing with the club? He signed their two best players at current, Lacazette and Aubamayeng and without them theyd be pish pretty much. Bar Leno, Tierney, Ceballos, Pepe and Martinelli the after Wenger signings have been poor. Even then Pepe not done enough and it took 6 months for Ceballos to really get going. It will take more than just a good manager to take Atletico further, they change their style they will need to change a lot of personnel because some are going to look out of place in a non Simeone team where the organisation, work rate and intensity isnt the same.

Great talent. Has a real potential to be a top top LB. Still remember watching some Madrid games where that caretaker bloke played him ahead of Marcelo and he looked talented but raw. Seen a few Sevilla games this season as well as EL games and he looks a bit more fine tuned, has real athleticism and always makes an impact in the final third. Probably cost 35m euros max, no brainer if LCFC want 80m for Chilwell.