Summer 2020 Transfer Thread

[sir roger]

Shaq has been out longer than Gomes at Everton & he needed his leg sewn on to his arse to re-graft.

[Guest Alex_K]

Goals are the big problem with this team. We've got 22 more points than City but 4 less goals, which in a season where Sane hasn't played and Sterling/Aguero have played sporadically is just weird. 11 league goals between Firmino & Origi? Just not good enough in that centre forward position. Salah and Mane out-perform the vast majority (all?) strikers while also out-performing the vast majority (all?) midfielders defensively. They carry a hell of a burden and anyone looking to Salah as the problem has their eyes completely in the wrong direction. People bat on about the front 3 but the defense, without doubt, is the truly epoch-defying part of this team. We'll be heading into, what, the 4th season with Mane & Salah as the focal points? We'll need to give teams something new to think about.

[TheHowieLama]

4 minutes ago, sir roger said:

Shaq has been out longer than Gomes at Everton & he needed his leg sewn on to his arse to re-graft.

He will not play for us again.

[Red74]

Get coutinho back in on one of those 2 year loan with option to buy we used to try and get stitched up with

[TheHowieLama]

Just now, Alex_K said:

 the defense, without doubt, is the truly epoch-defying part of this team.

Firmino is one of the main reasons for this.

[Guest Alex_K]

1 minute ago, TheHowieLama said:

Firmino is one of the main reasons for this.

Its a fun idea, until you begin to examine our defensive record when he was in the team and Van Dijk/Gomez were not. Then it begins to fade a little. Hes a very good player and he's part of what has been an incredibly successful system. But pivotal to it? Well, the before-and-after with certain players suggests otherwise.

[TheHowieLama]

Just now, Alex_K said:

 Well, the before-and-after with certain players suggests otherwise.

You know who suggests otherwise -- Jurgen Klopp.

[dockers_strike]

12 minutes ago, chrisbonnie said:

 

We badly need a central midfielder that can contribute with at least 10 goals a season. 

 

Unfortunately those guys are few and far between 

Yeah makes you wonder how we got a 22 or 25 point lead. Maybe the league was weak but got stronger in the last few weeks?

[Guest Alex_K]

6 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

You know who suggests otherwise -- Jurgen Klopp.

Ok - so do you dispute that the defense turned upon the inclusion of Van Dijk, Gomez and -- to a similar extent -- Robertson? From your perpsective, I wouldn't think thats an arguement really worth having. As I said, Firmino is undoubtedly a very good player but its a novel/naieve idea to suggest that he's really the reason we are so strong defensively. He's part of the system, but that system didn't activate until Van Dijk joined the party. I'm not sure anyone was singing our defensive praises while Firmino was in the team with Lovren at centre back and we were conceding 40+ goals a season. There's also a reason, I imagine, while Werner is the only player - presently - who we're making all the noises towards. The team needs more goals. We have an epically strong-11 -- with the back-5 I'm not sure there's a player in world football I'd take over any of them. The attack has been misfiring pretty much all season. 11 league goals from centre forward position in a side on for 100+ points? I'm surprised anyone would argue that's not the glaring position we need to see more from. The defense can't bail us out week on week.

[chrisbonnie]

1 minute ago, dockers_strike said:

Yeah makes you wonder how we got a 22 or 25 point lead. Maybe the league was weak but got stronger in the last few weeks?

We could simply be running out of steam. Plus add in a few injuries to key personnel at the wrong time. 

 

Added to that teams are starting to understand our strengths a little bit more. 

 

Regardless of the league position, we still need another attacking midfielder

[TheHowieLama]

@Alex_K We have a shortage of golas -- from the midfield.

 

Our front three have 36 between them - City's highest scoring front three (you need to include Mahrez) have 34.

[dockers_strike]

15 minutes ago, chrisbonnie said:

We could simply be running out of steam. Plus add in a few injuries to key personnel at the wrong time. 

 

Added to that teams are starting to understand our strengths a little bit more. 

 

Regardless of the league position, we still need another attacking midfielder

I think we've just hit a run of shit form. So you could have had coutinho or any one else here and we'd still be having a shit run of form right now.

 

 

[3 Stacks]

We 100% need a midfielder or an attacking midfielder that can keep the ball and create chances from the middle of the pitch. It's not even a debate. This may just be a bad patch, but when we're bad, we literally are unable to build the play through the middle of the pitch and we lose the ball in crazy areas. 

[Guest Alex_K]

24 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

@Alex_K We have a shortage of golas -- from the midfield.

 

Our front three have 36 between them - City's highest scoring front three (you need to include Mahrez) have 34.

League goals? If so, 28 of those are from Mane and Salah. 
We’ve got 11 goals from 4 midfielders (Wij, Ox, Milner, Henderson) and 11 goals from 2 centre forwards (Firmino, Origi). 

[3 Stacks]

32 minutes ago, Alex_K said:

Ok - so do you dispute that the defense turned upon the inclusion of Van Dijk, Gomez and -- to a similar extent -- Robertson? From your perpsective, I wouldn't think thats an arguement really worth having. As I said, Firmino is undoubtedly a very good player but its a novel/naieve idea to suggest that he's really the reason we are so strong defensively. He's part of the system, but that system didn't activate until Van Dijk joined the party. I'm not sure anyone was singing our defensive praises while Firmino was in the team with Lovren at centre back and we were conceding 40+ goals a season. There's also a reason, I imagine, while Werner is the only player - presently - who we're making all the noises towards. The team needs more goals. We have an epically strong-11 -- with the back-5 I'm not sure there's a player in world football I'd take over any of them. The attack has been misfiring pretty much all season. 11 league goals from centre forward position in a side on for 100+ points? I'm surprised anyone would argue that's not the glaring position we need to see more from. The defense can't bail us out week on week.

Werner is basically a done deal anyway. 

[Guest Alex_K]

7 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

Werner is basically a done deal anyway. 

Yeah - which is great. There’s no denying this team is immense - obviously. But the depth still needs addressing in order to hit the standards set by the first 11, and if we do have a weakness it’s in being able to put tight games beyond doubt. If he becomes our Fernando Torres/Lewandowski/Aguero/insert other then what’s not to love.

[TheHowieLama]

14 minutes ago, Alex_K said:

League goals? If so, 28 of those are from Mane and Salah. 
We’ve got 11 goals from 4 midfielders (Wij, Ox, Milner, Henderson) and 11 goals from 2 centre forwards (Firmino, Origi). 

Yea, which is just like City. Their top 2 have 27 between them. Firmino has been involved in 15 league goals.

 

4 lads do not play in midfield each game -- the top unit we roll out scores at most 7 between the three right now.

 

DeBruyne has 8 himself. 

[Harry Squatter]

Dortmund are in talks to sign Jude Bellingham from Birmingham and will make him their record signing.

[El Rojo]

10 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

We 100% need a midfielder or an attacking midfielder that can keep the ball and create chances from the middle of the pitch. It's not even a debate. This may just be a bad patch, but when we're bad, we literally are unable to build the play through the middle of the pitch and we lose the ball in crazy areas. 

Yeah, agree with this. We didn't replace Coutinho and clearly wanted to with Fekir. Keita has been a disappointment. Shaqiri is usually injured and doesn't seem to have the manager's trust when he isn't.

 

[El Dangerous]

1 hour ago, Doctor Troy said:

Dortmund are in talks to sign Jude Bellingham from Birmingham and will make him their record signing.

That's Sancho's replacement sorted. Got a horrible feeling he'll end up at United with them throwing the most money at him. 

 

The lad Bellingham looks a specimen, you'd love to see what Kloppo would do with that potential.

[Bjornebye]

16 hours ago, El Dangerous said:

 

The lad Bellingham looks a specimen, you'd love to see what Kloppo would do with that potential.

I find this comment strangely erotic 

[Jairzinho]

Yuri Ribeiro. 23. Forest left back.

 

Good back up for Robertson. 

[Rotpeter]

With Milner signing on for another couple of years, I doubt we'll be seeing anyone new for LB.

[sir roger]

2 hours ago, Jairzinho said:

Yuri Ribeiro. 23. Forest left back.

 

Good back up for Robertson. 

Robbo and Ribbo , sounds good.

[Red74]

Ribbo for extra pleasure