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You not a fan of Tierney? I guess he’d cost a level above the types of targets you described. But if, failing to get a LB to start above Alonso (a Telles or Sandro level peak full back) a young full back trusted to challenge him (unlike Emerson though I’d love to see him get a run of games to see if he could get to Serie A form) like Tierney could be a decent compromise.

Yay finally a Reece James thread. What progress he’s made over the last 16 months, and has easily overtaken Dujon Sterling as the RB to watch. We are having a lot of success in the Championship this season with our loanees and James appears to be having one of the best. I’ve managed to watch him a couple of times (quite a lot of Championship games are live this season, eg. All midweek games are live) and he’s impresssed me in those games. Perhaps more pertinent - Wigan fans especially seem to rate him highly. Constant high praise, and as I’m sure you’re aware has already won POTM. from what I can see he has carried on his form and style from youth level. So perfect crosses, good and aggressive defensively, and also able to be smart and incisive on the ball. I’m a fan of all our young RBs (Aina, Sterling and James) but I think the key thing James has over the other two is that air of dependability. All three share many of the same physical traits, but James is less raw, more accomplished defensively, more reliable as a whole going forward. He’s the most likely of our young RBs to make it at Chelsea right now (not ignoring Aina doing alright at Torino). I think PL teams would love a player like him, who’s clearly physically ready (tbh I’ve rarely seen a player James’ age who is as built as he is) and has such good crossing technique. Here’s a nice video with some of his highlights so far Reece James 2018/19 • Best Skills: youtu.be/ZVg4qQ1sLPM?a via @YouTube

Yes, Bayern another good example. It particularly shows in CL games over the last few seasons. The likes of Kimmich, Marcelo, dani Alves, Robertson and many more have been instrumental in teams getting to semi final/final in recent seasons.

Cancelo hurts as well because we were linked with him the summer we got Zappacosta. For a similar price (that he ended up moving to Inter for). Any amateur fan could’ve told you he’d be a better investment than Zappacosta. Alas, Juve now have two of the best full backs in the world that we couldn’t got for combined, fee of 80-90m. I’m a strong believer that in current football, the best teams have the best full backs, there’s a strong correlation. The Madrid’s, the City’s, Juve, Barcelona, Liverpool, they all have quality and athletic footballers at full back, the last 2-3 seasons (well City and Liverpool have only just got full backs on that level since summer 17).

Sandro showed how a top full back should defend, Cancelo showed how a top full back attacks when given ‘freedom’. To above post, even if Alonso sorted out his defending, he wouldn’t be complete. His attacking game will always be limited by his pace, crossing ability, dribbling ability, he’s not especially creative or ingenious on the ball (with all this ‘freedom’ he gets I can’t even remember the last chance he created, never mind assist). If our club was smart they they would sell him now while his stock is high and replace him with actual quality, but unfortunately he’s here to stay. I think he’ll be here long term. *sigh*

The goals don’t change anything for me, if anything it’s frustrating that to most other supporters a goal here and there papers over the flaws to his game.

I’m yet to see much of Neves but isn’t he more of a Jorginho player, if in our XI? Seen him compared to Xabi Alonso, and City are linked with him a lot in their quest for Fernandinho replacement.

Just posting this to appreciate what a talent he is lol. Easy on the eye. Similar in ways to KOvacic - perhaps less secure on the ball (also taken from what I've read some Lyon fans say from him) but more aggressive and risky in vertical play. I also believe he has better shooting technique..it just hasn't been released yet. Number of strong shots but no goals yet for Lyon

Mount called upto full England squad! Well done to him.

Really? I thought he was average they had a number of attacks go down our left and he was badly exposed by Salah for one of their best chances of the game.

I wonder how far he could’ve gone without injuries. It still baffles me to this day fans turned their back on such a clearly talented, young player.

Great performance from Mount tonight, look at home as Derby’s no.10 in a 4-2-3-1. All their attacking play went through him. He receives the ball excellently on the half turn. Said it before but really does have shades of Eriksen/KDB. Derby as a whole are sooo much improved from their first league matche. Probably deserved to win, certainly matches United. And take a look at Harry Wilson’s goal for them tonight, one of the best free kicks I’ve seen in a while

He, Tomori and Lampard live tonight vs Mourinho

What do you think on Theo Hernandez? When he went to Madrid I was very jealous, for just £30m too or thereabouts. Was convinced they’d got one of the future best LBs in the world. First season doesn’t appear to have gone well.

Alonso was awful yesterday. My issue with him and some of the claims made about him is he literally plays like yesterday every game. Average quality crosses, slows play down as he can’t take on full back one on one, poor defensively, and his passing is nothing better than average. Then every so often (playing as described) he pops in the box and happens to get fouled in the box or has a deflected header get turned in or makes a 10 yard pass assist and I keep hearing about how great he is going forward and how technically brilliant he is. The Newcastle game was a great example. Played exactly the same as yesterday but won a dubious penalty and had an off target header deflected in and he’s the best LB in the PL again. I do understand and appreciate Alonso’s game. Few full backs play like him. He’s, I guess, a poacher from LB. Meunier is a player who’s similar (although better in a traditional full back role than Alonso). By that he rarely impacts the game from wide left, it is more him getting in the box and making things happen, getting on the end of passes/crosse, finding space. I’m no fan of him as an overall left back but I do concede his output is still strong since joining. But at what detriment to the team? He often pulls inside when Hazard is on the ball leaving him to do work on his own wife left and of course he can’t be in two places at once - West Ham often took advantage of space he left behind when he’s literally on the same level as Morata/Willian. Watch Robertson, Mendy, hell even Luke Shaw and they all impact the game for more positively and consistently going forward at LB than Alonso, by stretching teams, opening up space, creating chances, providing width and overlapping runs. With Mendy and Robertson even with assists from open play they beat Alonso so it’s not like other traditional full backs can’t match or better Alonso’s output. If we were smart while people still think he’s great (the amount of times I see ‘best LB in the world’ or ‘our version of Marcelo’ on twitter makes me wanna cry but twitter does that for most things) sell for big money and replace him. Unfortunately I think this guy is here for long term. I kinda get why people are attached with him with the occasional clutch goals he gets but I’m afraid it doesn’t cover up his cracks for me. tL/dr: I basically just think we’d be a better team if we had a LB like Mendy/Robertson - I believe they’d match Alonso in goal contributions, roughly, but also improve team overall with the way they play and compliment our attackers.

A great player but now we’ve switched formation no real need to sign him..he could do Kovacic’s job well if we don’t get him on a permanent.

"Tammy would have been my main man in the Premier League – surely that would have been better for him? I don’t understand it. Surely they would want him playing in the Premier League?” Disappointing

The reason I’d still prefer a LB who can provide width, pace going forward, ability to beat players and cross. Alonso being ‘good going forward’ is akin to him not really doing anything but popping up in the box at crucial moments.

I used to question his role in midfield but this is much improved from him, impressive.

Mariano ➡️ Madrid Dembele ➡️ Lyon A loan to Celtic would be quite ideal. But probably won’t happen

Nice to see him back from injury after a year out. One to watch.

I think it’s questionable calling up Phil Foden when Mount has done so well last 12 months

Well said.

I’m exactly the same. He’s a bizarre player.

I don’t know how he does it. Was awful today and still manages to win a pen that probably wasn’t a pen, and have a weak off target shot redirected into the goal. If this makes him ‘clutch’, ‘best LB in the PL’ or ‘great going forward’ then...I dunno. I can never take to this guy. But he managed to paper over the cracks well.