pmcla26

Not that dissimilar to KDH at 22. If he's got the potential to be as good as KDH at 25 (which I think there's a good chance that he could be), then he's more than worth keeping a hold of. At the least he becomes another Choudhury and is useful squad player or sold at a profit. If he was to get a Championship loan next season, I could see him getting 10+ G/As if he starts most games in a side in the top half of the table.

The amount of passing involved in a De Zerbi system as well means a water carrier is usually pretty useful, too. That would probably suit Soumare, rather than in the Premier League for us where there is going to be a lot more transitions of play at high-speed.

Alves is the only one who may get a chance off the bench/in the cups. Some of that is to do with his position, as well as his ability. (Like you say, different for attackers in comparison to defenders).

Good player but why do Italian media know about it but the English media are not reporting it? Doubt it's creditable at the minute but right profile for what we need.

If Souttar goes and Nelson is loaned out then it makes sense. Okoli’s skill set is different to our other centre-backs. However, we haven’t been great at shifting players in recent years. If Faes doesn’t sign a new deal then he probably is sold in a years time, so maybe succession planning there.

It was a clause in Villas deal with Sheffield United that they had to buy him back if they went down. He’ll probably be on the move again, unless Jhon Duran goes.

I think the Southampton games were a pure indication of the way Enzo’s long term thinking was designed for the Premier League, rather than Millwall and Plymouth away or QPR at home. Teams would press us like Southampton did in the Prem compared to sitting back like those teams did. Don’t get me wrong, there were flaws (as with any tactics - that’s the whole point of managers outgunning each other), but I think Enzo was looking towards the Premier League with how rigid he was. Instilling a style of play into the players with a long-term view. Unfortunately I think certain short comings behind the scenes and obscene wages/opportunity from Chelsea have screwed that with him and KDH going - we were unable to stop that once they come calling. Might be worth it in a PSR sense, but not good on the pitch. Time will tell though, Cooper might negotiate it. I certainly don’t think we’d have been a Burnley under Enzo, though. I think his stubbornness was smarter than what people think - but we’ll never know now. I just hope whatever Cooper does allows us to unleash Fatawu and Mavididi - those two are the key to us staying up IMO.

I also worry about how it will hinder Winks' performance. If teams crowd him out then he's got a lot to do by himself when it comes to playing out from deep or against a press. When Ricardo inverts, you have two very technical players to negotiate a high press and build attacks from, rather than one.

I like him but I thought we might have had planned that it was Mavididi/BDR as the left hand side and Fatawu and another left footer for the right side, with Kasey being back up for the 4 on either. Good player but not sure we should have got BDR in now if we get Nelson. Unless we're planning on playing a number 10 and not signing an 8 to replace KDH, then I guess BDR could be used there or as a second striker.

I have to say I'm a little bit disappointed with the tactical idea that Cooper has experimented with in the first couple of games. I get it - new manager comes in and has his own ideas (and tweaks were going to have to be made to adapt to the Premier League) but I was hoping that we'd stay with the same shape and individual roles (Ricardo inverting, Mavididi and Fatawu keeping their width but cutting in, underlapping runs into the box from the 8s) as a template for players to follow and for when buying in the market. I honestly don't think we needed to do too much business this summer, it was just about adding quality to the squad. Mads Ricardo Faes Coady (Think Vesty will get caught out for pace and we won't need his passing ability quite so much this season given we won't be breaking down low blocks every game) Kristiansen/new LCB type (someone like Theate? - maybe unrealistic but we were linked) Winks Ndidi KDH replacement (O'Riley?) Fatawu Vardy/new signing (Target man type alternative?) Mavididi That's a good starting 11 and one that features a lot of continuity from last season. We will have had to speed up our play through the lines on transition (so it won't strictly be "enzo-ball", just the same roles with slightly different tactics), but we won't face sides sitting 11 behind the ball this season. It just seems a lot more simpler to me than what Cooper has implemented so far and it's concerning me, despite it being so early in pre-season.

I think he'd start for us if Ndidi goes. He's better than you're saying there. His passing, close control and tenacity are perfect for our system. Great player for a high pressing system. Very good at breaking the lines with his passing and also winning it back high up the pitch.

If it wasn't for his injury he'd have been PL 12 months ago.

He does

Nope, but you'll still get fans asking for it to be lumped forward.

It's been terrible for about 3/4 years now, but before that, yes. We'll probably pay Enzo more than they would.

How can you put champions in speech marks like it isn't a factual piece of information?

I really can't see him not being here next season after his comments last night.

Brighton

I imagine that means we won't be signing a striker in the summer then? As JV new deal and can't see much interest in Daka. Nelson, fair enough, could see him coming good before long anyway. Means Vestergaard possibly released as I imagine we're looking at new centre-back with a bit more pace? (I hope) Hope he doesn't, had a good season at Bologna - Champions League money might mean they can afford him, though. Yeah, Souttar was a bad buy. Soumare I just think because we need numbers in midfield - but if someone comes in who can cover his wages on another loan or sign him then I suspect he will be gone.

How? He's a late-bloomer but he's just off the back of a great season - his trajectory is looking good. Look at someone like John McGinn, for example (and his season in the Championship wasn't as good as KDH's)

Souttar, Praet, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Iversen, Thomas all to go. Cannon, Wanya and Nelson out on loan. Keep the rest (including Soumare and Kristiansen).

I don't think he would go. Remember when he said when he joined that he wants to find a club to be at for 5-6 years? I don't think Sevilla are particularly attractive either, right now. They have their own financial issues, issues on the pitch, and plus everyone wants to manage in the Premier League.

Can't argue with any of that - think we may have to deal with it though for the time being with our financial situation. Or just sign only young players with potential for cheap, and really face an up hill battle to survive next season but be ok in the long-run.

Of games that I've been to, Sevilla, Porto, Fulham in the league cup in 13/14 and Liverpool when Vardy scored that goal 15/16.

He's not anything special, but he's tenacious, has PL experience and tidy in possession. I wouldn't want us to sign him if he wasn't a free agent in the summer and we had to pay a fee, just think he'd be a useful player when we need numbers in that area of the pitch.