Okay I get the logic, you might be right. That will be hard to pull off in one summer with the current crazy prices. It would still be nice if one of the options is able to cover up front, especially if we do move Gakpo on.
Why not?
I donāt think he works hard enough, is quick enough or presses well enough for the role.
If Gakpo stays he is a solid option, but thereās a sense in which it is just a matter of time before he is usurped. So he might see the writing on the wall and leave to be more of a main man elsewhere. Iām chilled either way.
Iām coming round to Minteh, if thatās who we go for. Part of the adjustment for me is getting used to the prices being quoted.
Maybe we will end up with Minteh, Munoz, Ngumoha and one more, in a world where Gakpo departs. Who that will be remains to be seen. Lots of twists and turns to come, but it seems that Iraola likes pace on the wings, works the players hard, and so we need four wingers.
Do we need another central midfielder? Dani Ceballos is transfer free.
If the stats Google brings up of 1 goal and 3 assists over the last 3 seasons combined are accurate I wouldnāt be overly excited, thatās 2 fewer G/A contributions than Joe Gomez over the same period ![]()
Had been coming round to the idea of Minteh too but even with him, Gakpo, Munoz and Ngumoha I think you need another option who ideally could also play upfront.
Pure numbers wise you want at least four senior forwards and two central strikers. With Ekitike gone for a good chunk of the season and Ngumoha still so raw I think just adding Minteh still leaves us short. If youāre then selling Gakpo too I think weād need Minteh plus two and four new forwards sounds heavy for one window.
Yes.
Then no.
Definitely not, a nothing midfielder
Donāt forget Ekitike. If he comes back in November or so, thatforward line looks pretty good.
I think itāll be later than that and then he needs to get match fit. Meanwhile weāre reliant on Isak and his fitness which, after last season, is extremely concerning.
I think if ever thereās a season to be one heavy on attackers itās this one. An injury prone striker, another coming back from injury and a lad whoāll still be 17 when the season starts is too much risk for 50% of your forward options. Carry one more and thereās less pressure on Ekitike coming back and you can move Gakpo on next summer once youāve seen how the new lads settle.
All this is based on the assumption Chiesa is off.
January seems to be the earliest estimate.
Iām just being positive and motivational.
Sue me!
| GK | Ali | Mama | woodman |
|---|---|---|---|
| RB | Bradley | Frimpong | Gomez |
| RCB | Janquet | Leoni | |
| LCB | VVD | Gomez | |
| LB | Kerkez | Kostas | |
| RDM | Macca | Endo | Nyoni |
| LDM | Grav | Jones | Bacjetic |
| RW | ?? | Elliott | |
| AM | Szobo | Wirtz | |
| LW | Ngumoha | Munoz | |
| ST | Isak | Gakpo | Ekitke |
Could see this. Just canāt imagine us buying much more unfortunately. Iād like another centre half, and winger atleast.
Jaros to be sold, Chiesa too, think Gakpo will be used as rotation striker or maybe on the LW allowing Rio to rotate with Harvey if we are really tight on signing players (donāt we usually not sign players if they are a plan B (after diomande))
Are Bradley, Leoni and Jacquet fully fit, or do they still need to get back to full fitness? Nyoni is still very young and Bacjetic hasnāt played for quite some time. RW, Elliott has long since proved that he isnāt good enough for that. As things stand, our squad seems very thin to me
Thatās because it IS very thin. Both in terms of starters and in terms of depth.
Jacquet is the onlt fit one the others are close but donāt know about Connor
Donāt know if it is something in the water, but Iām wondering if we might do a bumper deal with PSG for 2-3 of their players?
Theyāre putting LSD in the water over there?
Zabarnyi, Zaire-Emery, Mbaye.
Might well be LSD!