Benedikt Howedes

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Surprised there is no topic of him yet..

Anyway if we are interested in new CB, it should be this guy.
German international, versatile, can play cb, rb or lb. True leader on pitch, this man has plenty of experience in CL, he was one of most important players in Schalke team that made it to semis two year ago.
Complete oposite of Luiz, Howedes is concentrated, hard worker in defence whose stats are comparable to the likes of Silva, Hummels.
Captain of Schalke is great with organising defence, doesnt rush forward. With 1,87m he is also tall and strong enough to deal with stronger opponents. He is 25, coming to peak of his career and has plenty of years to show.

I can easily see him as potential sucessor of Terry.

However there are two problems;
1.) he is die hard Schalke player, german and likes idea of staying there
2.) he just extended contract to 2017

Anyway he would be still cheaper than Hummels or other hyped CBs, but what this man has is that he is very mistake free, opposite of Hummels, Luiz,...

Stats (CL only)

Pass Suc% Avg.passes Dissposesed Tackles Interceptions Fouls Clearances Was dribbled

Howedes 82.7 47.6 0.1 2.4 3.4 1.3 3 0.5

Hummels 81 38.4 - 3.1 2.4 0.6 10.9 0.9

Thiago Silva 86.7 38.7 - 1.9 3.7 0.9 5.9 0.1

David Luiz 87 53.7 0.5 1.7 2.2 2.2 3.3 0.5

Okore is another one to mention, but experience/young age vise (something we need in defence, Howedes is very experienced player, I would say near perfect CB for the price of 18-22mio.

[Leif 6,006]

I agree. I'll add that it's too soon for Chalobah to be starting in our first team (just in case anyone's about to say we should just use our youth!), but at the same time, we need a top quality player to replace Terry as he just can't do 30+ games a season anymore it would seem. He and Luiz could compliment eachother quite well, and he and Ivanovic would make the most scary centre-back pairing in the league. Even seeing Howedes and Terry starting together in a game would be... mind blowing. I'd love to see that.

A future pairing of Howedes - Chalobah (or Luiz if he matures a bit more) would be delightful.

[Thomas Williams 166]

He's quality for sure, but I don't know if he'd be a very good return on investment, He'll never be a Terry/Vidic/Kompany/Silva that is needed at the centre back poisition at the top clubs in the world.

I think that's why we got Luiz, because we believed he could become one of those top 5 in the world CB's.

He'd be fine as one of our centre backs, but for the amount of money it would take to bring him over (because of his contract and club loyalty) I think we could do better. I wouldn't be upset if we signed him though, especially if we got a decent price. Significantly better than Cahill IMO.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I agree. I'll add that it's too soon for Chalobah to be starting in our first team (just in case anyone's about to say we should just use our youth!), but at the same time, we need a top quality player to replace Terry as he just can't do 30+ games a season anymore it would seem. He and Luiz could compliment eachother quite well, and he and Ivanovic would make the most scary centre-back pairing in the league. Even seeing Howedes and Terry starting together in a game would be... mind blowing. I'd love to see that.

A future pairing of Howedes - Chalobah (or Luiz if he matures a bit more) would be delightful.

Personaly, I think Chalobah should replace Mikel once in DM position, not CB.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Yeah he is very good but i like his partner papadopaulos more.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

He's quality for sure, but I don't know if he'd be a very good return on investment, He'll never be a Terry/Vidic/Kompany/Silva that is needed at the centre back poisition at the top clubs in the world.

I think that's why we got Luiz, because we believed he could become one of those top 5 in the world CB's.

He'd be fine as one of our centre backs, but for the amount of money it would take to bring him over (because of his contract and club loyalty) I think we could do better. I wouldn't be upset if we signed him though, especially if we got a decent price. Significantly better than Cahill IMO.

Howedes in proper club could easily become ''world class''. He's been linked with United, City, Barca, Bayern

Anyway how many world class CBs are actualy out there? The times of Vidic, Puyol, Terry, Carvalho,...are long gone.

Varane seems to be most promising as complete CB. Kompany or Silva for now arent near Terry, Puyol at their prime. Howedes could easily catch Silva though, as far I know Silva was 26 when he realy become class CB. Silva moved to Milan from brazil in 2009, at age 24 and for 8mio. And he wasnt ''world class'.

Howedes isnt world class yet, but in a year at top club, he certainly can be.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Yeah he is very good but i like his partner papadopaulos more.

Me too as defender, but Papadopoulos is injured a lot, besides he likes to go forward. You wont see that with Howedes. With someone like Luiz who goes forward all time, we need strong, tall, concentrated on defending CB. Also, Papadopoulos is 1.83 which is very small for PL to deal with the likes of Rvp, Dzeko at set pieces. Riccy was short for CB too, but he had other qualities, similar to Luiz (just Luiz needs to mature in defending a bit).

All in all, Papadopoulos would be great pick too (he seems to be like Thiago Silva bit), but right now if Luiz is to be one CB, the other one has to be Terry esque - stay in defence, lead defence, work hard, be effective (mistake free) and be a corner threat.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Me too as defender, but Papadopoulos is injured a lot, besides he likes to go forward. You wont see that with Howedes. With someone like Luiz who goes forward all time, we need strong, tall, concentrated on defending CB. Also, Papadopoulos is 1.83 which is very small for PL to deal with the likes of Rvp, Dzeko at set pieces. Riccy was short for CB too, but he had other qualities, similar to Luiz (just Luiz needs to mature in defending a bit).

All in all, Papadopoulos would be great pick too (he seems to be like Thiago Silva bit), but right now if Luiz is to be one CB, the other one has to be Terry esque - stay in defence, lead defence, work hard, be effective (mistake free) and be a corner threat.

Yeah he has some injury problems this season but normally he is quite fit i think and even though he is just 6ft tall have you seen the guy's build?He is very strong and wont have problems with the physicality of the league.Other then him there is also kurt zouma who is also a top young CB.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Before we start looking for CBs, strikers or whatever we should fist of all buy a damn CM or even two to solve our biggest problem which lies in the double pivot. After we've done that (I really hope that will happen someday) we can go on and try to improve the team in other areas.

[Thomas Williams 166]

I could actually see a Luiz/Howedes partnership being very very good in a couple years, better perhaps than Luiz Hummels who are both risky players who can get caught out

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Before we start looking for CBs, strikers or whatever we should fist of all buy a damn CM or even two to solve our biggest problem which lies in the double pivot. After we've done that (I really hope that will happen someday) we can go on and try to improve the team in other areas.

Absolutely, first midfielder and striker.

But if you look that we will probably go to 4:3:3, and with Kdb comming, we might not need midfielder. Dm would be waste of money, unless the board is not patient enough. Mikel is important player and will not be just replaced with someone like Capoue, besides we have Romeu and Chalobah both top young DMs. Striker might be required, but there is Lukaku to hop in. As cb goes, we just dont have anyone young to get there. Iva and Terry are still in team, but not the youngest. Luiz is hot cold and needs classy CB along him, someone who wont do monkey bussiness. Kalas is great on rb, so he probably wont be CB.

While Zuma is indeed another top french prospect.

[zolayes 14,489]

Absolutely, first midfielder and striker.

But if you look that we will probably go to 4:3:3, and with Kdb comming, we might not need midfielder. Dm would be waste of money, unless the board is not patient enough. Mikel is important player and will not be just replaced with someone like Capoue, besides we have Romeu and Chalobah both top young DMs. Striker might be required, but there is Lukaku to hop in. As cb goes, we just dont have anyone young to get there. Iva and Terry are still in team, but not the youngest. Luiz is hot cold and needs classy CB along him, someone who wont do monkey bussiness. Kalas is great on rb, so he probably wont be CB.

While Zuma is indeed another top french prospect.

YESSSSSSSSSSS fuck the double pivot and play 4 3 3 ...

we have all the ingredients once we get rid of Torres

[Amblève. 4,995]

Absolutely, first midfielder and striker.

But if you look that we will probably go to 4:3:3, and with Kdb comming, we might not need midfielder. Dm would be waste of money, unless the board is not patient enough. Mikel is important player and will not be just replaced with someone like Capoue, besides we have Romeu and Chalobah both top young DMs. Striker might be required, but there is Lukaku to hop in. As cb goes, we just dont have anyone young to get there. Iva and Terry are still in team, but not the youngest. Luiz is hot cold and needs classy CB along him, someone who wont do monkey bussiness. Kalas is great on rb, so he probably wont be CB.

While Zuma is indeed another top french prospect.

I'm all for going back to the 4-3-3 system but I don't see any of our players who are supposed to be the creative part of that 3-midfield ready to play in that role. Neither KDB nor Oscar. It was a mistake IMO that we didn't try the 4-3-3 formation at the beginning of this season to accomodate Oscar in the 'Lampard role' which he has the potential to grow into. Anyway, if our next manager really wants to use the 4-3-3 we'll have to buy 1 more midfielder, if Lampard leaves it will even have to be 2 new ones. Just because we have good young prospects for the future doesn't mean have to care less about the present. That's what has been haunting us for 2 1/2 years now and we can't afford to continue that way.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I'm all for going back to the 4-3-3 system but I don't see any of our players who are supposed to be the creative part of that 3-midfield ready to play in that role. Neither KDB nor Oscar. It was a mistake IMO that we didn't try the 4-3-3 formation at the beginning of this season to accomodate Oscar in the 'Lampard role' which he has the potential to grow into. Anyway, if our next manager really wants to use the 4-3-3 we'll have to buy 1 more midfielder, if Lampard leaves it will even have to be 2 new ones. Just because we have good young prospects for the future doesn't mean have to care less about the present. That's what has been haunting us for 2 1/2 years now and we can't afford to continue that way.

Kdb/Oscar is not ready to play in pivot position in 4:2:3:1 but they could both play in CM/AM role in 4:3:3. Kdb would suit even better, he has bit stronger body, great hold up, vision, long/short ball passing and decent tracking back. Both lack defensive work however. Personaly I see Kdb as very similar player to Lamps/Gerrard and now its perfect time to get into this team and play/evolve together with Mata, Hazard.

If board decides that they are not ready to handle pressure, we should then buy another CM but only if Lamps leaves. Benat would be perfect as he is not too expensive and is spanish, would work great with spanish team mates. But if Lamps stays, that is not necessary. He would play in some games while Oscar and Kdb would exchange regulary. Once Kdb would play few games and then Oscar.

----------Cech-----------

-Azpi--Terry--Luiz--Cole-

-Rambo--Mikel--Kdb/Oscar-

---Mata--Lukaku--Hazard--

And in few years

----------Courtois--------

-Azpi--Howedes--Luiz--Shaw/Bertrand

---Oscar--Chalobah--Kdb---

---Mata--Lukaku--Hazard---

No need for new players (except defence) Bring good coach, give him 2 years and he will do miracles with this team!

[dkim2 73]

Whether we go with 433 or 4231, we need someone better than ramires IMO. We must buy one world beater CM at least. We played a few 433 esque formation this season but I rarely seen us dominating midfield agaisnt top teams. Are we Arsenal whose goal is making top4 side every year? If we want to be in same line w man city manu we must buy one CM.