Sideshow Luiz

Never going to happen. He's not really the profile we need with Jorginho here anyway, IMO.

It's funny, the "Roman has an itchy trigger finger" is in part because of sacking Jose. It started there. Now that Mourinho has been around the block (and back) the narrative surrounding him is that he falls out with the club and/or players after a few seasons. However, it hasn't changed the narrative that Roman is quick to pull the trigger on a manager. The press always like to make a list (and they are careful to word it) of managers that Roman has hired and they always include the interim ones. Those guys were never fired, they fulfilled their contracts and a permanent manager was installed. Everyone except DiMateo, but he was always supposed to be an interim. They had to give him the full time job after winning the CL, but everyone knew he was out of his depth.

Don't know if this has been asked, but is there any way of going in for Areola if that's who Roma have lined up to replace Alisson?

Rumours are that Arsenal are after Coman from Munich. He's actually someone I thought of as a Hazard "replacement" if he leaves. Regardless of Hazard's stance, I rate him, and if he's available I wouldn't be upset if we were having a look.

There's no way we get Dybala. I'd love to have him here, but no way. The proven players are all at big clubs. Could MAYBE get Dembele from Barca, but that's a stretch.

I'm not entirely sure of this. Liverpool are doing a decent job with the Coutinho money. They screwed up the Suarez money. Spurs, I think selling Bale was good for them, overall. They bought 7 players, some of them flopped, some were just okay, 1 was Eriksen. The difference (we like to think) is that Spurs, at the time, could use 7 young players that might become something. Top clubs don't do it because what are you going to do? Barcelona didn't go around and shore up their squad with the Neymar money, who are you going to buy? I think we're in the middle. If we sold Hazard, I think we would buy 3 quality players that went straight in to the starting XI.

I've never been one of the "he has to go" type of people. But, really, I just want him to go. The next thing would be to get Hazard to sign a new contract. After Courtois goes to Madrid, it's going to be all "Hazard would fit in here, he would love it, we need him...." He'll be agent Courtois. Honestly, I want to sell him to Lazio so he has to deal with the ultras after he talks his usual bullshit during international breaks.

I see Donnarumma's name come up once in a while, but I think I recall him having issues with the AC Milan fan base over his contracts as well: https://deadspin.com/sad-rich-teen-gianluigi-donnarumma-has-pissed-off-ac-m-1821339619 I'm not interested in having all of that again. If Courtois was at an Italian club, the ultras would have been all over him. I really can't see the Madrid fans warming up to him. I don't really think he needs to sign a contract and see what's up. He should have just asked the club to sell him last summer or the one before. In a discussion with the club, not with the club via his dad and the Belgium press. If we're this upset with him, I can only imagine what Roman's thinking.

That's it though, we're over a barrel. If you were Madrid, how much would you offer? Knowing that you can get him for free next summer. You know this because he won't go anywhere else. You'd have to offer a bit, because it's possible that next summer, Atletico could decide to take him on a free and sell Oblak for some profit. Maybe Barcelona could persuade him, but I doubt they'd be interested. So, you're really the only show in town. He's been on and on about Madrid for years, and it feels like his "maybe I'll sign a new contract" was just keeping us hanging around. This is why I feel let down by him, he should have just asked us to sell him last summer, and not told the world about how he's designed a way to make it cheap to sign him. I really don't blame him for wanted to be with his kids, totally get it. No problem. But, did he really have to make our position so weak in order to do it?

The thing that is killing his value is not just that he has a year left on his contract. It's that he's told everyone in football that he'll only go to 1 place. So, if you're PSG or Juventus, maybe you want him, but he's not going to sign for them. So, unless Atletico get involved, there will be no bidding war. This is really how Courtois has fucked us.

Bro, stop trying to gazump me!!!! 1 post too late again, my friend. Your's is nicer though. I'll edit mine.

Don't forget to take his dad too. He can post the team line ups and tactics before el Classico. Madrid fans are going to hate him.

If he's a done deal, I have to think that we have a deal for another keeper (at least in the works). If not, we should make Courtois fly out to Australia and tell him he has to turn straight around for his Madrid medical as soon as we land. EDIT: And fly him back commercial. Some low budget airline. Otherwise, I have to think that we have a GK lined up.

Blue smoke 48 hours

How dare he. It's obvious that Roma is forcing him to go to Liverpool. He's obviously just in it for the money and we don't want players that would turn down an opportunity to work under Sarri. Never rated him anyway. That's my Bluemoon take, in case anyone thinks I'm being serious.

Edit: Nothing to see here.

Roberto Martinez should mind his own business. It's not like every other manager uses their time talking to the media about how stupid it is to play Carrasco at LWB or that Belgium's "Golden Generation" needs a better manager if they are to win something. He needs to keep his mouth shut.

First real test.

I'm actually kind of optimistic about Eden staying. Unless we've already been hard at work on it, I can't see see us selling him in the shorter window with no time for a replacement. With the price tag we've put on him, we're telling him that we think he's at Neymar level, world record fee. Madrid, I'm not sure that they will pay it. For them, I'm sure that they would rather have Neymar for that kind of money. With Mbappe really emerging now (we all knew of him, but casuals like Americans who only watch the world cup, have now heard of him), I think PSG will make him the face of the franchise. Maybe not today (with Neymar there), but it's inevitable unless he becomes a flop (not likely). I could see Madrid going for Neymar, if not this window, then next summer.

I've been watching some Napoli matches from last season, just to see what the team looked like when it's not all highlight reel YouTube stuff. I'm not convinced that Allan is better than Bakayoko, or if he is, how much better. Of course, that would be Kante's role, but Bakayoko for depth/rotation might not be terrible. I'm hoping he starts to come good this season.

Dealing with ADL in 2 of the past 3 summers has taught us something.

Haha, yeah it's amazing. I live in a bi-lingual country (technically) and have taken Spanish and French at school (albeit ages ago). My ability to pick up languages and retain anything is hopeless. I'm decent at charades, and that seems to get me by in other countries.

For sure. But, I want to see everyone in action. There will be plenty of time (hopefully) to see the finished article. I'm really excited to watch the progress/process as well as some of the bench/rotation players. I'm actually (oddly) excited to see Barkley. I'd love to see where he plays and how he plays. He really seems like a good fit (especially as a rotational player) for the Hamsik role (though I've been watching some Napoli matches and Hamsik is really underrated, his technique is ridiculous).