January 2021 Transfer Thread

[Barrington Womble 9,271]

10 hours ago, Red74 said:

Draws are a killer. I’d rather we’d have had a go and won 2 and lost 2 of our last 4 games than lose all our momentum like this. 
 

 

I don't think you can say we didn't have a go. We're just not very good. We've dismantled the leagues best defence and probably best midfield basically because of 1 injury, as the other 2 centre backs are rarely fit anyway - last season even with lovren around we have to use fabinho a couple of times. Buy some centre backs, get our midfield back and we're a different team. 

[Ne Moe Imya 3,290]

On 17/01/2021 at 03:27, aRdja said:

I honestly reckon Hendo is a better CB than David Luiz Scott. 

[No2 1,053]

Alaba has signed a contract with Madrid.

[Herp McDerp 2,587]

51 minutes ago, No2 said:

Alaba has signed a contract with Madrid.

 

Has anyone informed them that he's a dwarf (allegedly)?

[Jairzinho 23,433]

What absolute mugs. I bet they've slightly overpaid relative to the market. Despite the fact he's a top class footballer in about four positions the fans will never forgive them for this.

[Doctor Troy 10,843]

Surely Real Madrid have some academy star who can step up and save them millions as well as being financially irresponsible in the current climate?

[Kevin D 7,891]

1 hour ago, No2 said:

Alaba has signed a contract with Madrid.

 

Good luck to him, should work well with Van Dijk.

[Leyton388 1,361]

Hahaha what a bunch of fools going out spending money on a player whos almost 30. Dont they know there is no value in the market and its best to use some of your academy's players and save yourself millions. 

 

As if signing experienced world class players ever won you anything. 

[No2 1,053]

3 minutes ago, Leyton388 said:

Hahaha what a bunch of fools going out spending money on a player whos almost 30. Dont they know there is no value in the market and its best to use some of your academy's players and save yourself millions. 

 

As if signing experienced world class players ever won you anything. 

He is getting 230k after tax, that would cost us 400k-500k every week. He's a great player but he's not twice VVD good.

[Jairzinho 23,433]

230k p/w after tax for a footballer in Spain is 230k p/w.

[No2 1,053]

7 minutes ago, Jairzinho said:

230k p/w after tax for a footballer in Spain is 230k p/w.

Yes it is but if he moved to England and wanted the same figure staring out at him from his bank app then we would need to be earning nearly twice that.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 8,257]

We were never getting Alaba. Hope that helps. Oh hang on. 

[magicrat 6,522]

3 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

We were never getting Alaba. Hope that helps. Oh hang on. 

More chance of getting Alibaba .  Defence in tatters for months and no one able to score yet the owners sitting on their hands. Piss poor. 

[Ronnie Whelan 907]

I don't have a problem with us not getting Alaba. For a normal huge club like us, it could massively impact on our finances and possibly impact on our team spirit. Clubs like City, Chelsea, United, PSG and Real are run differently. Great player but with him being out of contract, he would come and automatically be our biggest earner. That won't go down well with the team even if he is world class in four positions.

 

What I do have a problem with would be if we don't offer an extra 5-10 million to get our summer target at the back in now to give ourselves a far better chance of winning the league or the Champions League. Failing that we don't get a good quality player in on loan like Militao. That's where the questions will need to be asked at the end of the window.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 8,257]

5 minutes ago, magicrat said:

More chance of getting Alibaba .  Defence in tatters for months and no one able to score yet the owners sitting on their hands. Piss poor. 

It is. Get a loanee at least one better than Willow and Pip.

[joe_fishfish 447]

Think this chat of the injuries "weakening two lines" is a bit bollocks really. Hendo and Fabinho were excellent at centre back against the Mancs, not Van Dijk level but barely a drop off from Gomez / Matip.

 

Then in midfield we have Thiago who is a massive upgrade on anyone in last year's first choice midfield, and Wijnaldum who was part of that first choice midfield. Then we have about six players for that third slot, if none of them are able to do it effectively then that's what we should be criticising FSG / Edwards / Klopp for.

 

We might be missing a little bit of ball-winning ability in midfield compared to last year but that's more down to Keita disappearing and our front three's pressing going to shit than anything else.

 

It's not even like the front three were playing well at the start of the season and then fell off, we were relying on Jota for goals massively until he got injured.

 

I'd be looking at moving one or two of them in the summer if there's anyone willing to pay decent money for them. Firmino especially. I'd also seriously look at someone to challenge Trent for the right back spot.

[SilverSong 125]

On 17/01/2021 at 23:05, Red74 said:

Draws are a killer. I’d rather we’d have had a go and won 2 and lost 2 of our last 4 games than lose all our momentum like this. 
 

 

Yupp, I would also have preferred 6 points from our last 4 league games instead of the 3 we actually got.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 8,257]

Be nice to have the option of a big fast attacker to bring on who was good in the air and put himself about and knew where the goal was. Like Origi but one who could do most of those things.

Not our style but can be effective. That or David Fairclough.

[Red74 994]

6 minutes ago, SilverSong said:

Yupp, I would also have preferred 6 points from our last 4 league games instead of the 3 we actually got.

Draws are a terrible result unless it’s against one of your challengers for the league.

 

Burns my head out the way we let games drift out and settle for a point early. 

[Ronnie Whelan 907]

18 minutes ago, joe_fishfish said:

Think this chat of the injuries "weakening two lines" is a bit bollocks really. Hendo and Fabinho were excellent at centre back against the Mancs, not Van Dijk level but barely a drop off from Gomez / Matip.

 

Then in midfield we have Thiago who is a massive upgrade on anyone in last year's first choice midfield, and Wijnaldum who was part of that first choice midfield. Then we have about six players for that third slot, if none of them are able to do it effectively then that's what we should be criticising FSG / Edwards / Klopp for.

 

We might be missing a little bit of ball-winning ability in midfield compared to last year but that's more down to Keita disappearing and our front three's pressing going to shit than anything else.

 

It's not even like the front three were playing well at the start of the season and then fell off, we were relying on Jota for goals massively until he got injured.

 

I'd be looking at moving one or two of them in the summer if there's anyone willing to pay decent money for them. Firmino especially. I'd also seriously look at someone to challenge Trent for the right back spot.

Some fair points there. Fabinho is a world class centre half and like all really good players Hendo has shown that he can do a job there.

 

Stickman (I think) did a good analogy though by saying that if McMahon and Whelan covered Hansen, Lawrenson and Gillespie being out at the back, we probably don't win the double in 86 because you lose so much in midfield. That is how I feel right now about this team.

 

Looking at our midfield, Gini has been especially impacted because he knows their game a lot beside him in the engine room. Thiago is still getting used to our style. With him being world class I think it's only a matter of time before he does.

 

I think Jurgen made the right call at the weekend because if Hendo doesn't play in defence I think we lose the game. Right now, it's about staying in it because Matip and Jota will make a difference in both ends of the pitch. I don't think City are anything special so if we can get to anything close to what we should be, we win the league.

 

All of our front three being so off form at the same time is a huge problem and it is that rather than them being found out imo. We'll be okay soon and in some ways Burnley will be a good test for them to sort it out because they won't give too much away. Trent's form is a huge concern but I think he'll be okay in no time as well. A quality alternative to keep him honest is a neccesity in the summer though.

[Jairzinho 23,433]

1 hour ago, magicrat said:

More chance of getting Alibaba .  Defence in tatters for months and no one able to score yet the owners sitting on their hands. Piss poor. 

Hearing we're looking at buying something on Aliexpress. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 8,257]

2 minutes ago, Jairzinho said:

Hearing we're looking at buying something on Aliexpress. 

I Wish.

[El Dangerous 2,694]

I reckon Mo goes in the summer, Gini obviously and Matip, Naby, Origi, and maybe Milner. Personally I’d add in Ox and Minamino but think we’ll keep them. We do a fairly big (by our standards) reshuffle. Two new centre backs, another forward, an attacking mid and a young midfielder. It would have been spread across a couple of seasons but lack of funds this summer obviously hampered us but I’d expect a big influx of money from player sales this summer. The squad needs its desperately, the first 11 is knackered and the players look a bit too comfortable since the restart last year.

[Ronnie Whelan 907]

I like that Ward Prowse at Southampton. Not sure if he is good enough to play for us, but he's a fine player.

[Crazy Dave 224]

BILD are now reporting that Alaba's move to Madrid isn't finalized and Liverpool are still in for him.