Not disagreeing with your post specifically, just an observation that I was thinking about generally.
So often I watch these videos and can imagine them playing how they do in our team, but surrounded by better players, and we hear from their former managers and expert journalists like Ballague or Vickery about what they will bring to our team, and then we sign them, and then they never play in the same style or score goals of the variety they become famous for ever again.
Not that they aren’t good players and can’t contribute, but players like Diaz, Nunez and Keita (not just because of injuries) that we own seem completely different players to those i remember seeing on youtube before we signed them.
Japanese players are coached hard on their technique and a strong emphasis on ‘fighting spirit’. I think the main difficulty in bringing them into the premier league has been down to their physique. In my opinion those that look robust enough should always be scouted.
To be honest, the main difference, for me, is their finishing. I said it ages ago, it took me two matches to predict that Keita would be on Liverpool’s radar, and I think he’s still exactly the kind of player he was at Leipzig with one notable difference - his goal and assist output is much smaller. Luiz and Nunez were regular goalscorers in Portugal but are really struggling with their finishing at Liverpool…
Pressure of playing for such a club, pressure of a huge price tag, pace of the league, maybe they all play a part in it. In Keita’s case, there are also injuries that took away his rhythm. I’m pleased that Luiz and Nunez are Liverpool players, though, I hope that goals will start flowing for them once they are over their respective issues and once this abomination of a season is over.
Yes, I agree, I think all three are top players and can’t wait to see this team next season when we’ve added (hopefully) a bit of consistency to the midfield.
I couldn’t be happier he’s a red. Obviously only just starting out, so I don’t want to be unrealistic, but how much would that lad cost?
He is going to button down a starting spot for us sooner rather than later. Already has, but then he will be in and out the side a bit, you would think, as he puts on a bit of muscle and emerges fully as a player.
Before long the Spain midfield will be Bajcetic, Gavi and Pedro.
No chance for Gavi, one would think… unless Barcelona continue to stumble along as a poorly run outfit, at which point, taking advantage might be possible at some stage.
But you would have to think they would do everything in their power to not let that happen.
Not yet, but it seems like he will continue playing for Spain. I mean, a senior Serbia call might come sooner than a senior Spain call. So he might have to wait. If he’s born and raised in Spain, it wouldn’t surprise me if he feels more Spanish than Serbian.
He signed earlier this year, but there are still legal squables over its validity. La Liga have refused to acknowledge it, because it significantly changes the terms of his contract that was registered with them at the beginning of the season and they claim Barca dont have the room to do it. So he has signed, but according to La Liga, they are only acknowledging his soon to be expiring youth team contract. A Spanish court has sided with Barca, but seemingly only provisionally and supposedly not with good grounding.
So theoretically there might be a window to land him in the summer as a “free transfer”, but his stance has seemingly always been to be fully committed to playing for them. Unlike Pedri, he is a genuine Barca product having been there since he was a young kid, and so you get the get the connection even if the club are in a mess
Decent shout. All depends on the budget, for me. If we have a nice amount, I’d like to shop higher up. If we have enough to cover Bellingham, and not too much else, then the like of Lavia might come into play.
