Sideshow Luiz

Possibly. Is your point that people who think Mustafi is average should stop watching football? Because they don't understand that calling Mustafi average is like saying Messi is average? Personally, I think one of these players is much further from average than the other. So far in fact, that I would say it's not comparable anymore. I can understand how one is more easily mistaken for average than the other. That's my point.

Really? I thought RC was taller than that. Thanks.

I like Marquinhos, and I think he could be a good value transfer. The only thing that concerns me is his height. I'm not sure he's big enough for the Prem.

Okay. It's not even close to saying that Messi is average, because Mustafi is not as good as Messi. That's crazy. Not comparable situations at all. He's good, IMO. But, he's not going to be on the shortlist for the Ballon D'Or either.

We turned a profit on him? I always knew it was a shrewd signing. Great buy.

4-1-4-1 is surely going to be a 4-3-3 as well, if that's what they are going to do. I believe this is what most people wanted to see last season too.

I don't think this is going to happen. There's a Brazilian defender at PSG who's quite good on the ball, but his positioning is a bit suspect at times.

Don't forget about Morata who we were interested in earlier. Morata, Tevez, Lukaku One of these is least like the others,

Get them both = move to a back 3?

I think that Fabregas needs 2 other midfielders with him. At Juve, Pirlo sat deep, but had 2 of Marchisio, Vidal, and Pogba around him to win the ball.

Yeah, he could still take a corner and whip in a cross from FKs. We haven't really had a good (direct) free kick taker in a while. Mata was accurate, no pace on the ball though (sums it up, I suppose). Drogba and Ballack were the last good ones. I know Willian had a good season last season (just the beginning), but a couple of those were crosses that the keeper messed up. I need to see more consistency before I say he's a really good free kick taker.

Lampard was pretty balls at the end. Free kicks were guaranteed to be hammered in to the wall.

That's pretty much what I think our best formation is. I haven't loved what (limited) I've seen of the 424. I don't think we have the players for a 2 man CM.

Yeah. FB and CB. Replacement (identified and lined up) for Costa if he goes. I wouldn't really mind another winger since I like the idea of Hazard as a FWD. But, that depends on how Conte views the squad I suppose.

I found a few articles on him, for those (like myself) that haven't seen him play (much). https://13steps.co/2015/10/07/psg-2-1-marseille-contrasting-4-3-3s-take-center-stage-in-le-classique/ http://statsbomb.com/2015/10/after-gradel-martial-and-payet-who-is-ligue-1s-next-starlet/ Excerpt from another Statsbomb article: Michy Batshuayi Pretty much everything I said about Michy from two months ago still stands. The guy has been dynamite this season and with the financial problems that Marseille have because of no Champions League football, there’s almost no chance in hell he stays past this season. Hell, he might leave in January if the right offer comes along. Spurs have been the most keen on signing him and if they get him, they’re getting potentially a top 10 striker in the world by the time he hits age 25. He is that good a prospect and if he ever learns to be a good playmaker, the world is his oyster.

I'd rather have Morata for the kind of money we're talking about. From the 2 friendlies I've seen so far, it seems that this 424 is a 451 in defence with one of the strikers dropping deep in to midfield. I like Morata's play in transition. Edit: I'd take Icardi over Lukaku as well.

No, he wont. But, the paper talk suggests that he could be available for a lot less, maybe a little over half of that. Don't know how accurate that is.

For sure it was. Nainggolan offers more going forwards. If you look at the B2B mids Conte had at Juve, Nainggolan fits the mold a bit better than Kante.

That's my choice

I'd rather have Morata for this kind of money. I'm not upset about this signing, but I hope it's not the end of the Morata chase. The price seems high, but I guess that's the rate these days. Martial was 50M last summer.

Hope you're right. I do see Oscar as more of a CM rather than a CAM. But, I'm concerned that he doesn't have the engine and the strength of a Vidal/Nainggolan type. I have faith that Conte knows what he's got and what he wants. Looking forward to the next season. With, or without Nainggolan.

I think he's used us to get a new contract from Roma. Hope we have a plan B or C. Can see why Conte wants him. He'd be the Vidal-type in our midfield. Not sure who else fits the bill.

I agree. I'm almost at the end with him. 1 more season. I think that Conte can get the most out of him, and if that's not enough, so be it.

Yeah, an 8 in a system that has no 8. He's a poor 10, doesn't have the second striker instincts.

I certainly don't think he's been good the past couple of seasons, but I'm not ready to write him off just yet. I think he's better suited to a no. 8 type role, as opposed to a 10. He's a much better central midfielder rather than a second striker. Unless the bid is outrageous, I'd be okay with keeping him, for at least 1 season under Conte.