Wesley Fofana: Signs For LCFC

[shen]

6 minutes ago, foxes_rule1978 said:

I don’t know if spending 70m on Kepa who they don’t use/trust, and then buying attacking players they don’t need is buying well. Goals wasn’t their issue it is the defence, they haven’t bought that well 

Mendy has started well and they have gotten a superbly routined Thiago Silva as well as Chilwell. Not sure why you don't think these are good signings. Sarr is a big prospect, although I cannot say I've seen much of him before.

Werner is a massive upgrade in attack (no disrespect to Abraham) and Havertz can develop into a top player.

Ziyech has performed on the biggest stage for a number of seasons and is an interesting replacement for Hazard.

Crucially, they're all quite young still (apart from Silva), which I think fits well with their squad. 
So yes, on the face of it, I think they've bought well. Kepa was way overpriced, but I think we can all come up with examples of expensive flops for every PL club.

[foxes_rule1978]

41 minutes ago, MonmoreStef said:

To think I actually said to a mate down the pub a few weeks back I’d rather we sign the Burnley lad. I’m embarrassed to show my face.  

Suppose that is why you aren’t paid the money to bring the players in... you might do better than Woodward at Man U though  the burnley thing was a smoke screen, Fofana was always the number 1 target. 

[foxes_rule1978]

3 minutes ago, shen said:

Mendy has started well and they have gotten a superbly routined Thiago Silva as well as Chilwell. Not sure why you don't think these are good signings. Sarr is a big prospect, although I cannot say I've seen much of him before.

Werner is a massive upgrade in attack (no disrespect to Abraham) and Havertz can develop into a top player.

Ziyech has performed on the biggest stage for a number of seasons and is an interesting replacement for Hazard.

Crucially, they're all quite young still (apart from Silva), which I think fits well with their squad. 
So yes, on the face of it, I think they've bought well. Kepa was way overpriced, but I think we can all come up with examples of expensive flops for every PL club.

They spent 200m and for me they aren’t much better, but we will see by the end of the season

[ARM1968]

I find this all rather amusing. Quite a few on here were pushing for Tarkowski over Forfana. I could see the attraction of Tarks to some, but maintained that Forfana was a risk worth taking and a far more exciting prospect. So it has proven. 
 

however, I think we already now have the worlds most expensive CB on our hands, potentially.  The big boys will become ever more frenzied as their power slowly erodes and I imagine we will sell him for £110-£130 million, but certainly not in January. 
 

personally I hope we keep him and push on. We could and we really should. 

Edited 26 October 2020 by ARM1968

[brucey]

3 hours ago, Dahnsouff said:

Also curiously, what IS the deal with Saliba??? He was the brighter of the two apparently, so where the hell is he?

Saliba is struggling in Arsenal U23s, he didn't make their EL squad list or their PL bench yesterday. 

 

Supposedly not up to speed due to injuries last season and losing his mother over lockdown (similar time as JJ losing his dad). Despite the player insisting via friends to the media that he feels PL ready. 

 

If Saliba continues to be mismanaged there, and we're sure his injuries haven't totally ruined him, we really should be taking a look at getting him from Arsenal on the cheap. If only as part of our strategy of buying our best players their best mates to keep them here longer. 

[JonnyBoy]

My gut feeling says Fofana will be the best CB in the world when he is mid twenties he is THAT good. Early days yes but we have seen an exceptional defender who can also take the ball forward and has a footballing brain. 

 

Anyone who wanted Tarkowski over Fofana i'm glad you are eating your words 

[Babylon]

15 minutes ago, ARM1968 said:

I find this all rather amusing. Quite a few on here were pushing for Tarkowski over Forfana. I could see the attraction of Tarks to some, but maintained that Forfana was a risk worth taking and a far more exciting prospect. So it has proven. 
 

however, I think we already now have the worlds most expensive CB on our hands, potentially.  The big boys will become ever more frenzied as their power slowly erodes and I imagine we will sell him for £110-£130 million, but certainly not in January. 
 

personally I hope we keep him and push on. We could and we really should. 

It's three games in 

 

 

[Babylon]

1 minute ago, JonnyBoy said:

My gut feeling says Fofana will be the best CB in the world when he is mid twenties he is THAT good. Early days yes but we have seen an exceptional defender who can also take the ball forward and has a footballing brain. 

 

Anyone who wanted Tarkowski over Fofana i'm glad you are eating your words 

Yeah imagine thinking a very good and proven premier league centre back, might be less of a risk (at the original mooted £30m) than some kid you've never seen play with about 20 games under his belt. 

 

The desperation on here to be captain hindsights is unreal. 

 

 

[JonnyBoy]

Just now, Babylon said:

Yeah imagine thinking a very good and proven premier league centre back, might be less of a risk (at the original mooted £30m) than some kid you've never seen play with about 20 games under his belt. 

 

The desperation on here to be captain hindsights is unreal. 

 

 

 

imagine quoting my post, knowing full well that Fofana is better than Tarkowski.  

 

Think you are getting a bit carried away and i've touched a nerve 

[Aleksz]

The signs were the there when Rudkin/Top didn’t flinch despite St Ettiene’s antics and price. They knew how good he is, he was always the number one.

[waylander]

Can’t believe how quickly he has transitioned . So many of our players are just fitting in with the systems we play great management.

[slymunn]

[Jimbo]

29 minutes ago, shen said:

Mendy has started well and they have gotten a superbly routined Thiago Silva as well as Chilwell. Not sure why you don't think these are good signings. Sarr is a big prospect, although I cannot say I've seen much of him before.

Werner is a massive upgrade in attack (no disrespect to Abraham) and Havertz can develop into a top player.

Ziyech has performed on the biggest stage for a number of seasons and is an interesting replacement for Hazard.

Crucially, they're all quite young still (apart from Silva), which I think fits well with their squad. 
So yes, on the face of it, I think they've bought well. Kepa was way overpriced, but I think we can all come up with examples of expensive flops for every PL club.

It's not always about buying the best players though, it's about buying the best players for you. Something we've done largely very well at since Pearson was here. He always said he wouldn't spend money just for the sake of it, it had to improve the starting 11 and the players had to have to right attitude and fit with the current squad. An approach that seems to have carried on.

Chelsea haven't necessarily bought well, they've bought great players, undoubtedly, but it's hard to see if there is an improvement that equates to the amount spent. It's early days for them and the improvement could be just around the corner, equally it could be some way off and in todays times, that will not be tolerated. Just because you can doesn't mean you should 

[Ric Flair]

10 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Yeah imagine thinking a very good and proven premier league centre back, might be less of a risk (at the original mooted £30m) than some kid you've never seen play with about 20 games under his belt. 

 

The desperation on here to be captain hindsights is unreal. 

 

 

If there's one thing this club does well on the whole is sign top class young centre halves. The way we were so relentless in our pursuit was enough for me, many teams will be regretting not taking an early risk on him like they have with Soyuncu as well. If only we could be quite as prolific in recruiting top class wingers and forwards!

[Babylon]

7 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

 

imagine quoting my post, knowing full well that Fofana is better than Tarkowski.  

 

Think you are getting a bit carried away and i've touched a nerve 

It's three games, he's started very very well for a kid. But nobody knows how it will turn out, let alone if he's better than Tarkowski. 

 

The issues for people wasn't "who was best", nobody had a bleeding clue as 99.999999% on here had never watched the kid play. Including the captain hindsights saying "I told you so". There was at the time a very strong argument, that if both cost £30m, Tarkowski is the least risky of the two. The club wanted Tarkowski don't forget, if Burnley weren't holding out for £40m +, then there is a strong possibility he'd be here now. 

[Ross 'LCFC' Turner]

This kid can do it all!

 

Great reading and anticipation of the game, so aggressive and always on the front foot

Unbelievable leap and so dominant in the air

Quick

Comfortable on the ball, good range of passing

 

Fofana fever has well and truly hit

 

 

[majaco]

I thought Tarkowski might be a better signing.  I have changed my mind.  I still wouldn't be disappointed if we signed Tarkowski next summer.

[LCCFox96]

3 hours ago, Dahnsouff said:

Also curiously, what IS the deal with Saliba??? He was the brighter of the two apparently, so where the hell is he?

 

I wonder how much of that was that he was actually brighter, and how much of it was that Saliba signed for Arsenal and Fofana signed for us.

 

From what I read Saliba had the better the ball playing ability - he must be an animal then - and Fofana was the better defensively and more athletic. Reality is they're both probably exceptional young talents and I'm delighted we've got a piece of the action.

[Paninistickers]

13 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

The signs were the there when Rudkin/Top didn’t flinch despite St Ettiene’s antics and price. They knew how good he is, he was always the number one.

Exactly this. 

 

We were always going to pay the dollar. 

 

The supposed teeth gnashing from us over price was just a ruse so that st Etienne didn't hike price higher - had we have eagerly nodded our heads when €40m was first muted, they'd have (rightly) screwed us for more

[Scotch]

Honestly CAN NOT wait to see a backline of..... 

 

                           Kasper

Ricardo     Fofana   Soyuncu    Castagne

                            Ndidi

 

If we can keep that together for 2 years.... Who knows how good they could be, or how much they would be worth....

[ARM1968]

23 minutes ago, Babylon said:

It's three games in 

 

 

Yeah and already opposition fans are lauding him. Maybe they and I can see something you can’t. 

[JonnyBoy]

when Soyoncu is back wonder if he will drop evans ? or start with 5 the back with Soyoncu Evans Fofana and wing backs of Perreira amd Castagne 

[SecretPro]

Already the grestest player of all time, let alone the greatest CB.

[KFS]

1 minute ago, JonnyBoy said:

when Soyoncu is back wonder if he will drop evans ? or start with 5 the back with Soyoncu Evans Fofana and wing backs of Perreira amd Castagne 

But then you can’t fit Wilf in! So many options we’ll have with a full strength squad. Bodes really well.

[filbertway]

16 minutes ago, Babylon said:

It's three games, he's started very very well for a kid. But nobody knows how it will turn out, let alone if he's better than Tarkowski. 

 

The issues for people wasn't "who was best", nobody had a bleeding clue as 99.999999% on here had never watched the kid play. Including the captain hindsights saying "I told you so". There was at the time a very strong argument, that if both cost £30m, Tarkowski is the least risky of the two. The club wanted Tarkowski don't forget, if Burnley weren't holding out for £40m +, then there is a strong possibility he'd be here now. 

If you cant see he's better than Tarkoswki already, I'll give you a spoiler for 12 months time. He is waaaay better.

 

I'd never seen him play before he joined us but the guy has a Kante vibe about him. Weve got ourselves a world class talent in the making here. I can barely believe hes only 19

 

I know you love sitting on the fence and being the voice of reason Babs but allow yourself to be excited by him. He will be gone before you have had time to enjoy him if you're not careful