Only 3 relatively healthy CBs, with only 2 of them can be considered senior CBs, are way too thin.
Oh, and 2 of the supposedly healthy CBs just returned from nasty injuries.
1 Like
Just reminding everybody that van Heckeās contract expires next summer and he already refused to sign a new one. So, he will be available for less than 50 mln. pounds. 30-40 mln. pounds sounds much more realistic and if the club manages to receive at least 10 mln. pounds for Joe Gomez, it wonāt be that much spend on a central defender.
And I think that Konate leaving the club and Slot sacked in a matter of 24 hours is very, very interesting. At one moment Ibou was definitely staying and then without a sign he leaves, the club gave up and on the other day, Slot is sacked and it looks like the next one will be the man who is the refined Spanish Bielsa.
2 Likes
Hereās a short, and by no means exhaustive, list of names to look at for some key positions we need reinforcing. Iām keen on progressive actions (getting the ball forwards into meaningful areas) and Accelerations (shows an ability to press high and do it often)
Centre Back (filter = Progressive Actions per 90 + Aerial Duels win %)
- Jan Paul van Hecke, Brighton, 25, ~50m: 99th % for progressive passes and carries. 74th % for defensive duels won but slightly below average win rate for headers.
- Nico Schlotterbeck, Dortmund, 26, ~70m: 98th% for progressive passes, 88th for carries. Above average aerials win %.
- Jarell Quansah, Leverkusen, 23, ~60m: 96th percentile for progress carries, 83rd for aerials won %.
- Jeremy Jacquet, Liverpool, 20: Lower progressives than other options though still above average. 92nd percentile for aerials duel win rate.
Right Back (xA & Accelerations per 90)
- Wesley, Roma, 22, ~50m: 93rd percentile progressive carries, 95th expected assists and 79th cross completed %.
- Marco Palestra, Cagliari, 21, ~50m: 98th percentile for carries, 77th for expected assists and 71st % for crosses completed %.
- Conor Bradley, Liverpool, 22: 73rd percentile for progressive passes and 67th for expected assists. Easily the best defender on the list with elite duels won and above average aerial win rate.
- I didnāt list him but for the record Dumfries looks garbage by these metrics, way below average on both.
Progressive Centre Midfielder (filter = Through Balls per 90 and Progressive Passes adjusted for Possession)
- Adam Wharton, Crystal Palace, 22, ~80m: Outrageous outlier of a season in terms of in possession actions. Led Europe in both Progressive Passes and Through Balls Complered per 90. Lowest defensive output of the three players listed but not bad in any category.
- Elliot Anderson, Nottingham Forest, 23, ~100m: 95th percentile for progressive passes, 99th percentile for total duels won. Lowest key passes of the three players but still way above average across the board.
- Angelo Stiller, Stuttgart, 25, ~50m: 98th percentile for progressive passes across European leagues. 92nd percentile for defensive duel win %. Could be an elite midfielder.
- Curtis Jones, 25, Liverpool: The in-house option. 94th percentile for progressive passes, 88th for progressive carries and 93rd for defensive duels won. Lowest key passes and aerials win rate.
Winger (xg per 100 touches & accelartions per 90)
- Crysencio Summerville, West Ham, 24, ~30m: Below average in actual goals and assists but underlying numbers show he should have been above average in both categories. 79th percentile for carries and 82nd for dribbles.
- Said El Mala, Koln, 19, ~50m: 98th percentile for xG and actual goals. Above average for assists but underlying data shows poor xA stats. 82nd percentile for carries and 81st for dribbles.
- Abde Ezzalzouli, Real Betis, 24, ~60m: Had an elite season. 98th% for carries, 91st for dribbles (with an amazing 85% dribble success), 91st for xG. Above average for xA and key passes.
- Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao, 23, ~65m: Underlying xA and xG numbers very high (81st and 94th percentile). 99th for carries and 97th for dribbles.
- Jarrod Bowen, West Ham, 29, ~50m: Above average in every category without being elite in any. 78th% for xA and 81st for dribbles.
- Victor Munoz, Osasuna, 22, ~40m: 97th% for carries, 92nd for dribbles. xG numbers suggest better output to come but below average xA.
9 Likes
What we should do is wait right until the last minutes of the transfer window and bid Ā£35m. That will definitely work.
6 Likes
I think my first priority would be to appoint a manager.
Whatās the deal with the transfer window this summer? I had some idea that it opens mid-June, but are there any special arrangements regarding the World Cup?
2 Likes
Donāt give Hughes any ideas!
1 Like
Is it not the case that we think things are worse than they are because Slot has had us playing crap and hasnāt utilised the squad at his disposal very well?
For example, Iām no huge fan of Chiesa but is Trossard that much of a better player than him? Mosquera started the final last night, how does he compare to Leoni, Jaquet or Gomez? We spent Ā£76m on Leoni and Jacquet. I donāt think we do that without expecting them to play significant roles.
Midfield they essentially have two DMs, one of which is Norgaard who is very much their Endo. Then two CMs in Rice and Merino (Mac and Jones) and two AMs in Odegaard and Eze compared to Szobo and Wirtz. All in all not that different in numbers or quality. And we can possibly add Elliot back into the mix.
Up top itās Gyokeres and Havertz versus Isak and Ekitike. Now obviously we have the greater injury concerns but quality wise youād take our two.
Where they do excel is defence where nearly all their full back options can also play CB. Weāre set up differently there (and thank god) but on the books right now we have two RBs, two LBs and four CBs. Personally I think we go with either a RB or CB option and we keep Gomez to cover both. A CB means Gomez and Frimpong are your RB options until Bradley is fit. A RB means Frimpong or Gomez can cover but are primarily then see as wing and CB options respectively when Bradley returns.
Wing absolutely is where weāre short. Two should do it, especially if itās worth giving the new guy a shot at getting something out of Chiesa and we can utilise Frimpong there a bit. That may even allow us to use Gakpo down the middle whilst Ekitike is out but a Kroupi-esque (when he signed for Bournemouth, not for us to buy this summer) type signing might well be needed. Maybe that has to be a loan or loan to buy type deal given itās a relatively short term solution weāre after.
The thing that is the real concern is the long term injuries. Youād have hoped to have had a season with Leoni to see what heās capable of at his young age. And for us to spend the last five months watching Jaquet and getting excited by what he can do. Bradley and Ekitike are injuries in areas where others who play in those roles have flattered to deceive.
Thereās work to do no doubt. But you swap the manager to avoid swapping half the squad, again. Iām hopeful the change we make off the field reduces some of the need to make wholesome changes on it.
3 Likes
I think we have to assume the worst.
1 Like
The club will know more than us I suppose.
I think the issue with Chiesa is his fitness, as it is with many of the current squad and that is down to Slot and his coaches. Itās been obvious for months, how unfit some players look during games.
7 Likes
Maybe a fair point
That starting 11 last night for Arsenal looked very undewhelming.
Although a very solid back 5 or back 7.
He looks he certainly can sniff out opportunities and carve out openings
If we are not keeping Tsimikas then Hugo Bueno actually had a good season in amongst the litter of Wolvesā season. He is not the finished article but has some developable skills for sure. Seen a couple of rumours than Everton are looking at him and expect to pay no more than 15m.
4 Likes
@Sweeting you are an absolute star! Thanks for that!
4 Likes
Weāll find out in due course, but I donāt think itās a matter of new manager, a couple of signings and weāre all good.
Iāve said before that a couple of wingers will make a huge difference, but things have got worse than that in the meantime. Konate is gone, and I think we do need cover - Gomez canāt be relied on, and Leoni is coming off an ACL. I think the club will hope the pair of Leoni and Jaquet will be much more involved than some posters assume, but there are fitness doubts over Gomez and Leoni so some cover is going to be needed.
I think we needed to replace Mac Allister, but now the club look like they are entertaining offers for Jones, so thatās more work to do.
Oh I definitely think itās more than just a couple but at the same time I canāt see us committing to that same level of spend again in one summer.
Weāre well and truly into the post Klopp rebuild now. There was always going to be a huge job replacing Trent, Virg, Robbo and Mo. Weāve now had Jota and Konate added to that list too as well as shorter term options for Bradley and Ekitike. And now a change of manager on top.
Itās a huge undertaking. Some of it of our own making and some of it less in our control. I doubt weāre a title contender next year no matter who comes in unless Arsenal fall off a cliff (or refs start penalising their shithousery properly). But Iād expect a top four place and a better account of ourselves whilst also taking that next step in the rebuild.
I may be wrong. Perhaps thereās more money to spend and more willingness to spend it than I think. But new manager, huge outlay last summer and another big hole or two to fill next summer means I canāt see us going all out. We need to be cleverer than last summer if weāre going to do 5 or 6. Cleverer in terms of who we target, how they fit what the manager wants to do, what they cost and how we integrate them into the team.
Then itās on the manager to do a better job of getting a tune out of them, balancing workloads and keeping them fit.
2 Likes
HeĀ“s got a good name.
Thank you thank you. I ll be here all week.
GK situation is ok for now. Ali needs to lose weight, Mama needs to learn how to kick.
RB situation is dire. We can assume Bradley is out for the foreseeable future. We need a right back
RCB Weāve just lost Konate and thus need a RCB
LCB Virgil canāt play every game. We have to hope Leoni comes back fit and strong.
LB Iām fine with Tsimikas as back up. Heās done it before. We have deeper issues elsewhere.
DMF We donāt really have one who can impose himself. Gravenberch needs support and Mac Allister has fallen off a cliff. We need a DCM
AM Szobozlai, Jones, Wirtz.
RW Without Salah weāre left with Chiesa in this position. Terrible planning when you consider that Salahās exit was looming for well over a year. We need a RW
CF Isak and Ekitike are good options if they can stay fit. At least one of the new wingers will have to be able to cover here.
LW Gakpo not good enough, Ngumoha still young and raw. We need a LW
Macca and Gakpo plus some fringe players can make way, but thatās five first team starters we need in order to compete next season.
6 Likes
Do you think a new coach could improve some of these players? They were both better a couple of seasons back.
5 Likes