This weekend after another signing completed you have to say things so far are exceeding the usual snail-pace window, which leaves us usually feeling let down. These 3 are starters so for me an upgrade on last season. However we then get into the possibility of Kalvin Phillips joining City for £50m, and in effect making these 3 new players and £8m cash from the Phillips sale. This will never be accepted, so for that reason I believe we will be bringing in another top DM at least. Oh and Nahitan Nandez has just gone to another Seria A club today. 1/ If no more activity and by that I mean Phillips or Raphinha aren’t sold, we have a team that will make safety next season, unless something catastrophic happens again. Lets face facts we were unlucky to be dragged into trouble. Burnley upped their game and Everton were gifted wins against Man Utd and Chelsea. As things rolled out we were similar in quality to every club up to 10th place, so on paper we only need to slightly improve to consolidate in that tier of 16th to top 10, and I believe the quality we have already brought in does that. 2/ if Phillips goes we do need a top quality replacement. Yes it may be someone we haven't heard of but makes no difference as long as he can enforce the middle of the park. Ideally another Raphinha find type player, bought for peanuts but valued with a massive profit after a short time 3/ Lots of stories about Cresswell going out on loan and demanding talks with Marsch and Orta? Let me be frank here, we have a bunch of players who will not sit idly back this season, players who are too good for the 23s who want to play. I include Gelhardt here too, along with Greenwood, Cresswell, Summerville and Drameh. So expecting us to loan a couple out and sell Summerville. 4/ Looking at the new fixtures Jesse Marsch gets to prove himself inside the first 16 games before the WC break. There is 11 fixtures he needs to get something from at least. Failure to do so could probably be the end for him. He will have had a full pre-season on top of the time hes already had to get his message over. Indeed he has so far got 2 of his former players in. 5/Lots of stories about kids coming in who could go straight into the first team. A 20yo from PSG to be back up to Bamford? Joffy will be having words I suspect. Then there is the strange decision to allow Nohan Kenneh to walk on a free…. Seems the reason could be because we have known for a while we were looking at Man City’s Romeo Lavia (Olof will call him Labia) same age as Kenneh and videos show a very similar build, style of play, quality etc, but in fairness Romeo does look quality and has played a couple of games for Man City. Going to be a top DM 6/ Same bunch of names being mentioned this week on top of the PSG and City kids. Nicolas Raskin gaining momentum. Club Brugge loan player from Schalke a DM with the world at his feet and only 21yo. Rabbi Matondo, Gonzalo Plata, Valentin Castellanos. Now also Sander Berge as a replacement for Phillips? Oh and anyone else sick of hearing about the big oiled up mirage Traore £70m last summer and now £20m….. hes just a black Dan James, and another old chestnut has raised its head today Lucas Alerio the young Argentine striker from Leverkusen who Bielsa enquired about in 20/21 season after he scored 15 from 33.
Spurs sign Bissouma for £29m plus add-ons? Anyone think he was that good? So yet again Brighton make a killing for shrewd investments.
Just seen a short interview with our new signing and his English is better than mine. Spoke well. Hopefully he'll do well.
Bissouma is a top player and it would have taken £50M + to get him out of Brighton but for the fact he'd have walked for free next summer.
Seems the next transfer may well be Phillips out to City and as I said earlier there will need to be some serious investment to convince fans we are trying to compete this season. Been obvious for a couple of weeks that the prem striker we were chasing was Fast Eddie. We need to bring in a new striker and a competent one. No more excuses about Bamford was injured….. signs are good that Orta has a plan
So Jesse has a plan and explained it Roc. So lets hope its a good plan…. Jesse Marsch has already been on the phone with Roca about Leeds too, of course. The head coach now has the job of getting the best out of his Spanish midfielder. The American has mapped out the system to Roca, how they will play and how he can contribute to helping the team with his set of attributes. Espanyol, it’s fair to say, is where Roca played his best football.
I'm not sure if it's only me but I keep seeing Rapha when I look at Roca? Is that so we don't get too upset when they sell Rapha?
These new players coming in, if Phillips and Raphinha thought they were worldly would they remain at the club? Has it nothing to do with the incomings, do they just not have faith in Jesse? I’m just throwing it out there for debate, just slightly strange that we bring new players in yet there is still talk of Raphinha, Phillips and Harrison wanting away and you’d assume it’s because they’re not convinced
I don't think that there are any players that we could recruit to convince them that we are going to be a top 6 side in the foreseeable. To me the biggest problem we have in retaining them is the potential increase each would have in their salaries and the real probability that they will win trophies next season, as their suiters are not only top clubs from the EPL but Europe. I would be concerned if they were considering going to Brentford or Crystal Place, no disrespect intended, but it's Barcelona, PSG, Liverpool Citeh etc that are coming in for them.
Doc, I don't mean to piss on your parade, but isn't it fair to say that every other club is in the transfer market to strengthen for next season? Your assertion only stands up if no-one else dips into the market, surely?
Yep and lets be frank here Roc was speaking highly of Orta and the project. Fact is right now we are a better team than we were a few weeks ago. If Phillips and Rapha go, Roc and the new lads are aware of it but are not bothered. Which can only mean they know what we dont
