08 Oct 2019 13:55:01
Hi Ed002, I recall you saying doing transfer business in January is much more difficult and may cost clubs a lot more to get certain players.
With recent reports from the BBC that the club will try to invest in Jan, do you know of what our plans may be? Or do you think this is the club trying to keep the fans on side but in reality we won't do anything.
I would love it if the club pushed to get Bruno Fernandes and a good striker in, both would be big additions to this squad and may well save Ole's season.
Weird times at the club right now, whenever we think we've finally got out of this rut, something happens which reminds us the club is still poorly run and we're not changing anytime soon. Oh how I wish we could rewind 15 years.
{Ed002's Note - Club's don't like selling in January and it is disruptive for them. The club has no new ideas about players and they could look to Spurs to take Eric Der as a replacment for Matic. The couple of youngsters the club was really keen on will not be joining. They will look to a striker - and have looked at Moussa Dembele who may be available if the right offer is made whereas Bournemouth will not look to be selling Callum Wilson.}
08 Oct 2019 15:21:19
Ok thanks Ed.
Personally don't think Dier is a smart choice, we need more creative midfielders not another one dimensional defensive mid.
Dembele sounds like an interesting choice, he did well at Celtic from what I remember.
Glad Wilson isn't available, would cost way too much and he wouldn't offer much more than our current strikers do.
08 Oct 2019 18:13:51
Personally I feel we need two midfielders, one more defensive to act as a shield in from of the defence and one more creative.
In and ideal world Declan Rice and James Maddison would be great options. But neither will be available in January and depending on how we do neither might be options next summer either.
Players available in January are few and far between and you often need to take a gamble on a player who isn't playing for his current club.
Eric Dier has his limitations but he would be an improvement on Matic in the holding role. Although he doesn't have the ceiling of a player like Rice who is arguably a better all round player now but has a lot of room for growth.
As for creative midfielders we need to know what kind of system we want to play. Do we want to persist with a 4231 type formation and look for a player who can find pockets of space to play in more akin to a No.10 or do we want a creative player who is more comfortable playing slightly deeper in a free 8 sort of role in a 433/ 4141 type formation.
If your looking at a No.10 who might be attainable in January then someone like Dani Olmo could be a good option. Whereas, if you want a creative No.8 then maybe someone like Donny van Der Been might be a good option.
Unfortunately we won't know this unless the manager situation is resolved one way or another.
09 Oct 2019 06:14:18
Declan Rice is improving with every game.
Tenacious, ball winner and his ability on the ball is getting better and better.
But WestHam would ask for a ridiculous price.
09 Oct 2019 14:37:05
West Ham fan here. £80 million isn't a ridiculous price.
He is the best English holding midfielder already. Not that I want to sell him.
09 Oct 2019 17:17:48
You would have to part with the best part 100-150 million pounds for Madison and Rice. You always have to pay more for top English players and both of them are top players.
10 Oct 2019 22:49:44
Declan rice is no better than mctom and is really a cb. Very limited player on the ball and is sloppy in possession in bad areas, admittedly he is only learning how to play in midfield and is making big strides but i feel He will be playing cb in 4 years time because that's what he is imo. He will be a very good one too. If pep gets him he could well turn him into a midfielder or ball playing cb.
I like Madison a lot. Very direct great in right spaces and will excel at his next club.
Van der beek is another very good player but probably madrid bound.
Olmo is predominantly a winger left or right not a ten a think a bit lightweight for the epl just yet.
Dembele is a good goal scorer i think he is better with his back to goal than martial or rashford and a good finisher.
Dier again limited on the ball but is an upgrade on matic. He actually plays deeper than matic which offensively allows the 2 cbs to split a bit wider and allows the fbs push on. What sort of price? Is he mire dependable than fred? I think so. He could well be a decent foil for mctom too.
Dembele and dier may both be available. Both would improve our squad. Neither are world class but both would walk into our tem at the moment imo.
A couple of players not spectacular but solid steady eddie's.
They won't break the bank. i'd be delighted to be honest. Our other 3 signings along with mctom look like our best players this season. So there's no reason to think that another 2 wouldn't be a significant upgrade on whoever they replace in the team.
We need 5 or 6 more steady eddie's in the team and squad. Players who produce solid consistent injury free football. Then the moments produced by the likes of rash martial pogba can be capitalised on.
14 Oct 2019 12:17:32
Rice is a 'good' player and nothing more at the moment. Against Czech Republic he was owned and run ragged. Made to look less than average.