10 Aug 2024 16:08:29
Still not sure how I feel about replacing AWB with Masraoi, but I do think De Ligt will prove to be an excellent signing. With any luck, we can find suitors for Cas, Erickson, and McTominay next and then use the money to bring in Ugarte and Rabiot.
I'd be quite happy with that window, although getting rid of Maguire and Lindelof to fund a move for Branthwaite and selling Sancho to pay for De Jong would be the icing on the cake. Sadly, I fear the latter may be the Football Manager player in me speaking, but it's nice to imagine having four top tier CBs and six top tier central midfielders all the same.
10 Aug 2024 16:47:31
Hopefully someone will tell ETH that Ugarte once had a long weekend in Amsterdam.
10 Aug 2024 17:19:33
The full back will be 1st choice pretty quickly.
10 Aug 2024 17:36:32
Replacing AWB is a no brainer. He doesn't suit a progressive style of play and would leave for free next summer if not sold this year.
Whether Mazraoui is the right player to replace him I think is up for debate.
Stylistically he fits the bill, and he's got the ability. The real issue is his injury record, which is abysmal.
Yet if we are honest if a player (any player) is available for 15-20m then they will not be a top proven player with no potential issues.
To be available at that sort of price they are either unproven, injury prone, or a liability in some way.
Is it better to sign a player with a perfect injury record, a good stylistic fit, but has never played at the level we need?
Or a player who has a good injury record, has proven themselves at the right level, but stylistically they are a poor fit (isn't this AWB? ) .
Personally I feel like there has to be a better option out there, a compromise in a different way. Given our injury troubles I'm very reluctant to see us sign a player who is so frequently injured.
10 Aug 2024 17:42:45
Seems Casimiro is on lots of people's outgoings wish list. I hope he stays. He's better than last years showing.
10 Aug 2024 18:29:20
Seemed a bit trimmer today as well, Banjoe.
10 Aug 2024 18:31:44
Banjoe I agree mctom and ericksen should go before him.
But if a Saudi offer came in that didn't leave us too badly off and we can reinvest then I think that would be the best solution.
10 Aug 2024 18:50:17
I’m not necessarily against replacing AWB, I’m just not sure that Mazraoui is the man for the job.
And Banjoe. I agree that Cas still has some decent performances left in him (we saw that today), but given his age and wage, now’s probably the time to get rid. He’s only going to get worse from here, and with three years left on his contract, it’s difficult to see anybody wanting to take him off our hands after another year of decline. The ship may have already have sailed on that one, but if there’s any chance of moving him on this summer, I think we should take it, even if it’s at a huge loss.
10 Aug 2024 19:46:46
I thought Cas looked a lot trimmer than last season too and did well todsy all be it's a glorified friendly. Think Amad has to be a starter on the right.
10 Aug 2024 22:04:52
Cas looked skinny today. I'm guessing he's put a lot of work in pre season. It showed today, looked like his old self.
11 Aug 2024 00:35:14
Cas looked slimmer, but he still has a sloppy pass in him, can be rash in the tackle and is not positionally disiplined.
I did think today he played some great short passes in the final 3rd and if we didn't have bruno, him and Mainoo with a defensive special-ist behind them could be tasty.