Lamine Koné

[Pizy 18,368]

Surely not for us. It's gotta be Everton.

We couldn't seriously think a CB from Sunderland is a legit alternative to someone who was one of the best CB's in Europe last season?

[coolhead23 1,146]

Isnt he in the same league of the Hectors and Djilobodji ... 

This is ridiculous, dont we have any decent experience CB out there who would be ready to make the move if we go for him!!! 

[Special Juan 27,424]

Going to Everton, the #Chelsea is used to send everyone into a spin and gain more "Oh shit" moments

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I hope we are in for him.  He's not the guy you'd look to give massive wages to and think he will lock down his position but.... as a utility defender, a guy that can cover at LB, RB and CB he is fantastic. I see him as the bridge between Ivanovic and Aina.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

On 8/9/2016 at 3:40 PM, Pizy said:

Looking on Twitter and luckily some reputable journalists are saying he's likely heading to Everton. He's their level, not a player that a club with title ambitions should be after.

I love this sort of talk. "their level" "not a player that a club with title ambitions should be after" We finished 10th! they were 3pts back! 

says who? As a RB he is ahead of Aina and better than Ivanovic. If you ask me this is the type of signing you make to push Aina to be better. If he's only got Brana to beat now he won't reach his maximum potential. Kone is the right kind of buy to create some competition but not completely undermine our youth system... Call it a stop gap/challenge

He can play anywhere across the back four, looks like a really good utility defender. 

Stop looking for household names in defenders, they don't exist. The bargains are the way to go!

 

[King11Didier 916]

What have I noticed from him is that he is a real threat in opposition's box. I remember him scoring some important goals last season for the black cats and he scored again with a header against BVB this summer. He could be a cheap alternative if we really fall in signing KK or another class defender, but I think he is heading to Everton and it's going to be a nice move for him.

[Tomo 21,733]

13 hours ago, Pizy said:

Surely not for us. It's gotta be Everton.

We couldn't seriously think a CB from Sunderland is a legit alternative to someone who was one of the best CB's in Europe last season?

 

13 hours ago, coolhead23 said:

Isnt he in the same league of the Hectors and Djilobodji ... 

This is ridiculous, dont we have any decent experience CB out there who would be ready to make the move if we go for him!!! 

No offence but have you two actually seen him play or are you just assuming he's crap because he plays for Sunderland?

If it's the former and you've came to the conclusion he's not good I apologise but if it's the latter then read on.

We signed Duff from Blackburn Rovers, Gudjohnsen signed from Bolton, Joe Cole and Lampard signed from West Ham, Cech from Rennes and Hasselbaink came in after being relegated with Leti.

All those players came in from unfashionable clubs/teams and all contributed to great moments for us and (bar Jimmy) trophies.

From what I've gathered from SAFC forum's Kone is the main reason Sunderland escaped last season, maybe, just like them players mentioned, he's outgrown his current club and is looking for a step up?

[quickpassnmove 924]

I don't mind signing up Kone along with K2 from Napoli.

Latest news today says that Torino do not like the 25 mil offered them by Napoli for Maksimovic (plus bonus 2 mil).

This is the crazy market that has Antonio shaking his head.

[Unionjack 7,531]

Sunderland fans love the lad. Crackin vid of him taking out Yaya. Hed make a great stand in till Happy came back then as a sub.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

10 hours ago, Tomo said:

 

No offence but have you two actually seen him play or are you just assuming he's crap because he plays for Sunderland?

If it's the former and you've came to the conclusion he's not good I apologise but if it's the latter then read on.

We signed Duff from Blackburn Rovers, Gudjohnsen signed from Bolton, Joe Cole and Lampard signed from West Ham, Cech from Rennes and Hasselbaink came in after being relegated with Leti.

All those players came in from unfashionable clubs/teams and all contributed to great moments for us and (bar Jimmy) trophies.

From what I've gathered from SAFC forum's Kone is the main reason Sunderland escaped last season, maybe, just like them players mentioned, he's outgrown his current club and is looking for a step up?

Papy Djilobodji was higher rated defender than him in France. And he's 27 already, going into 28 mid-season. I know centre-backs often leaving it late to blossom but come on.

Plus he's not even cheap, I read they want 18 million pounds for him.

 

[DYC. 7,542]

11 hours ago, Tomo said:

 

No offence but have you two actually seen him play or are you just assuming he's crap because he plays for Sunderland?

If it's the former and you've came to the conclusion he's not good I apologise but if it's the latter then read on.

We signed Duff from Blackburn Rovers, Gudjohnsen signed from Bolton, Joe Cole and Lampard signed from West Ham, Cech from Rennes and Hasselbaink came in after being relegated with Leti.

All those players came in from unfashionable clubs/teams and all contributed to great moments for us and (bar Jimmy) trophies.

From what I've gathered from SAFC forum's Kone is the main reason Sunderland escaped last season, maybe, just like them players mentioned, he's outgrown his current club and is looking for a step up?

Duff was a 24-year-old PL proven player joining the nouveau riche. Gudjohnsen was a highly talented 21-year-old (not elite talent but Chelsea was a different level club at the time). Joe Cole was reincarnation of Gascoigne and Lampard was a young and quality PL player (WHU and Sunderland aren't comparable btw). Cech was a huge talent and Hasselbaink was a goal-scoring machine.

Completely different case compared to Lorient and Sunderplayer who's almost 28. What are the odds of a player who's been playing at that level for so long to all of sudden become Chelsea level player? Come on, Tomo. Nothing is impossible and all that crap but this would have Ben Haim and Djilobodji written all over it (similar things were said about Djilo btw haha).

He'd be lucky to be Cahill level and I've always been one of Gary's biggest critics.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

7 hours ago, DYC. said:

Duff was a 24-year-old PL proven player joining the nouveau riche. Gudjohnsen was a highly talented 21-year-old (not elite talent but Chelsea was a different level club at the time). Joe Cole was reincarnation of Gascoigne and Lampard was a young and quality PL player (WHU and Sunderland aren't comparable btw). Cech was a huge talent and Hasselbaink was a goal-scoring machine.

This was amazingly nostalgic. Thank you for this piece of eloquence :') 

[LDN Blue 7,903]

7 hours ago, Blue Colored Sky said:

Papy Djilobodji was higher rated defender than him in France. And he's 27 already, going into 28 mid-season. I know centre-backs often leaving it late to blossom but come on.

Isn't that Koulibaly fellow 25 and just blowing up now too?  

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

51 minutes ago, LDN Blue said:

Isn't that Koulibaly fellow 25 and just blowing up now too?  

K2 is late bloomer as well but still he joined European side Napoli at the age of 23 while Kone couldn't get out of Lorient until he was 27.

[coolhead23 1,146]

On 8/13/2016 at 6:31 AM, Tomo said:

 

No offence but have you two actually seen him play or are you just assuming he's crap because he plays for Sunderland?

If it's the former and you've came to the conclusion he's not good I apologise but if it's the latter then read on.

We signed Duff from Blackburn Rovers, Gudjohnsen signed from Bolton, Joe Cole and Lampard signed from West Ham, Cech from Rennes and Hasselbaink came in after being relegated with Leti.

All those players came in from unfashionable clubs/teams and all contributed to great moments for us and (bar Jimmy) trophies.

From what I've gathered from SAFC forum's Kone is the main reason Sunderland escaped last season, maybe, just like them players mentioned, he's outgrown his current club and is looking for a step up?

I did in bits and pieces last season ... Is he good, Yes he is ... Is he that good that he can be drafted into the first 11, No he isnt. Good for a backup, maybe yes just to push the other players. 

I base the acquisition of a players on the risk that he brings, the risk in case of Kone is too huge would rather go with Terry/Cahill/Iva (despite they being shit)... Yes we need to take risks as someone mentioned above but for the club we are now it has to be more calculated (get in, draft the players with a certain % of games, work on it, try on the weakness, etc and eventually get him ready to be a regular starter if he checks all box)... we just cant get anyone, put him on the 11 and if we have to do that would rather put that risk on the "not so ready" youth players.  

We signed all those players from "unfashionable" team ... How long was it? And how many have we signed in the last 10 yrs who never had any hype around them. Forget Chelsea even in the PL itself how many players in the top team have been successful who have come from the lower team ... the ratio/percentage is very less. because it takes a lot to make a jump from the lower league to the higher ones

Dont get me wrong, Kone might go on to be the best ... but right now for me the risk of getting him as someone who can replace someone in the 11 is just too huge. And we arent a club who have been taken huge risks with unknowns to less known players.