Summer 2023...

[Muzzy_no7]

Slightly concerned at the total lack of rumours around any potential departure of Soumare. 

[Ric Flair]

2 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

Slightly concerned at the total lack of rumours around any potential departure of Soumare. 

I'm less concerned about that than the likes of Ndidi, Praet, Vestergaard and Ward staying. 

 

Those with a year left on big wages need moving on IMO, certainly as they all offer pretty much no purpose to us in the last year or so. 

 

I'm fascinated to see what Maresca does with Soumare, still has 3 years left on his deal and still young so I can see why he might end up staying. That said, if we got offered £10m or more for him (we were offered £15m last summer) then I'd be inclined to cut our losses and reinvest.

[Foxdiamond]

On 29/06/2023 at 21:54, CaliFOXnia said:

You say Winks is an "instant upgrade on present day Ndidi", which admittedly, isn't very good.. However, what are you basing that on? The Winks who played regularly under Poch? Because I'd assume two things there. The first being that isn't the Harry Winks we're getting or we wouldn't be getting him, and secondly, you haven't watched enough Sampdoria to know if "present day" Winks is an improvement on Ndidi at all?

That isn't to say Winks can't be a good signing, it's more the fact that no one on here (unless they watch Sampdoria week in, week out) really knows what we're getting. 

Do we know if Winks will be DM or more a proper no 8 ?

[Finnegan]

3 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Do we know if Winks will be DM or more a proper no 8 ?

 

I'd expect Coady to be Aldi Jon Stones and Winks to be Lidl Gundogan. Not in the creeping forward scoring bangers sense but in that recycling the ball and starting ball progression will be his wheelhouse. I'd expect him to be reasonably deep in the midfield with someone like Bouba or KDH given licence to push ahead. 

[FoxesWalk]

28 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

I'd expect Coady to be Aldi Jon Stones and Winks to be Lidl Gundogan. Not in the creeping forward scoring bangers sense but in that recycling the ball and starting ball progression will be his wheelhouse. I'd expect him to be reasonably deep in the midfield with someone like Bouba or KDH given licence to push ahead. 

In games we are expected to dominate the ball we might see Winks in the deeper role (CDM) as a deep lying playmaker, with 2 marauding 8’s infront of him. Likely KDH, Soumaré/new signing. 

[les-tah]

52 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

Slightly concerned at the total lack of rumours around any potential departure of Soumare. 

Based on his yaya performances a couple of games last season he could be the best CM the championship has ever had 🤣 however i question his desire so id lean more on him being a liability but who knows, it could of been the Brendan factor and trying to make him something he wasn’t.

[Xen]

1 hour ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

Slightly concerned at the total lack of rumours around any potential departure of Soumare. 

Far bigger priorities imo. Soumare was a good player in France and has shown snippets of ability for us, and maybe under Maresca we might see some use out of him, yet. He's also under a longer contract so harder to shift.

 

Like @Ric Flair said, there are others who either don't want to be here or are going for free next summer (or both) and I'd be aiming to get them out first. If a fair offer comes in for Soumare then he'll be off, but I can't see that happening unless he returns to France, or maybe a loan to Turkey or similar to free up wages.

 

Our midfield is currently looking like KDH/Choudhury/Winks, and you cant fault the application of any of them. Get Soumare motivated and pulling in the same direction and that's a strong midfield for the championship. Just need an AM next to balance it all out.

[-sodapop]

Louis Patris went to Anderlecht for 3-4m, I guess the fact we weren't in for that price suggests we're happy with our RB options

[Daggers]

6 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

I'd expect Coady to be Aldi Jon Stones and Winks to be Lidl Gundogan. Not in the creeping forward scoring bangers sense but in that recycling the ball and starting ball progression will be his wheelhouse. I'd expect him to be reasonably deep in the midfield with someone like Bouba or KDH given licence to push ahead. 

FWIW, I've found the quality of fresh food has fallen off a cliff in Tesco and Morrisons, whereas Aldi and Lidl stuff is still top drawer*.

 

*not including avocados

[LestaLad]

That’s a very good list of players. Will cry if they get Hamer though, and Piroe.

[Sankey93]

Arghhhh! Hamer and Piroe to leeds would seriously piss me off.

[CaliFOXnia]

26 minutes ago, LestaLad said:

That’s a very good list of players. Will cry if they get Hamer though, and Piroe.

If Leeds are seriously considering Hamer and we aren't, it's another damning indictment of where we are at in terms of recruitment currently. A proven Championship performer with a high ceiling/potential Prem ability and the potential of a big future transfer fee. We should be absolutley all over him as a priority IMO and it doesn't even look like we're considering it. 

Either we've got irons in other fires or, (most likely) we are just continuing our scattergun approach to recruitment. Sigh 

[Dahnsouff]

11 minutes ago, CaliFOXnia said:

If Leeds are seriously considering Hamer and we aren't, it's another damning indictment of where we are at in terms of recruitment currently. A proven Championship performer with a high ceiling/potential Prem ability and the potential of a big future transfer fee. We should be absolutley all over him as a priority IMO and it doesn't even look like we're considering it. 

Either we've got irons in other fires or, (most likely) we are just continuing our scattergun approach to recruitment. Sigh 

This is just a desire to be negative, or too subtle in your sarcasm for me. 

[StanSP]

43 minutes ago, LestaLad said:

That’s a very good list of players. Will cry if they get Hamer though, and Piroe.

 

23 minutes ago, Sankey93 said:

Arghhhh! Hamer and Piroe to leeds would seriously piss me off.

And Manning, considering he was touted for a PL Move earlier this summer.

[CaliFOXnia]

7 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

Do we know if Winks will be DM or more a proper no 8 ?

From watching Winks when he was at his best under Poch you'd expect him to be more a 6 than an 8 IMO. He recycles the ball fairly effectively, although lacking the physical attributes prime Ndidi had in doing so, he is more progressive and technically proficient than Wilf when he has won the ball back. 

That said, if we do keep Wilf/play Hamza in front of the back 3/4, Winks probably will be more comfortable futher forward as an 8 than either of those would be. You'd probably liken him more to a Youri in that regard, although hopefully with a touch more pace and clearly a little less ability. I think Winks (fitness allowing) could be a shrewd signing, proficient in a couple of roles and hopefully a run of games sees him somewhere near the levels he produced for Poch. Very neat and tidy would be how I'd have described him in a Spurs shirt, he almost played the "water carrier" role for them with the odd glimpse of real quality. 

[CaliFOXnia]

1 minute ago, Dahnsouff said:

This is just a desire to be negative, or too subtle in your sarcasm for me. 

I'm not sure it's negative, rather realistic? If a promotion rival is reportedly linked with someone we'd have held an interest in previously, (especially someone as talented as Hamer) and we have gone quiet on the position in question, never mind the player, that's concerning?

Were we linked to alternatives in the position he occupies (a more progressive, attacking threat in midfield), you could forgive it. As it stands, there's nothing in terms of that, which is the worrying thing. Especially since Maddison has departed and taken with him any semblance of a creative spark from midfield. I'd have hoped (and it possibly is) that replacing that would be our upmost priority. Hamer would go some way to doing that. 

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, CaliFOXnia said:

I'm not sure it's negative, rather realistic? If a promotion rival is reportedly linked with someone we'd have held an interest in previously, (especially someone as talented as Hamer) and we have gone quiet on the position in question, never mind the player, that's concerning?

Were we linked to alternatives in the position he occupies (a more progressive, attacking threat in midfield), you could forgive it. As it stands, there's nothing in terms of that, which is the worrying thing. Especially since Maddison has departed and taken with him any semblance of a creative spark from midfield. I'd have hoped (and it possibly is) that replacing that would be our upmost priority. Hamer would go some way to doing that. 

Our business is rarely broadcast, we don’t tend to feed tame journos-  it already feels like a change is occurring after last seasons depressing capitulation to me. Hamer? Been mentioned but is there any evidence he is decent? He is 26, why is he still at Cov? Maybe he is a late developer? He left PSV for Zwolle so wasn’t on a positive trajectory. Warning signs too me.

[Pliskin]

Who’s the lad with the white pot noodle hair cut I keep seeing in the training videos @Ric Flair? 

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, Pliskin said:

Who’s the lad with the white pot noodle hair cut I keep seeing in the training videos @Ric Flair? 

Don’t think it’s @Ric Flair mate, just a bunch….

[TrickyTrevLeftPeg]

7 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Who’s the lad with the white pot noodle hair cut I keep seeing in the training videos @Ric Flair? 

Zach Booth. USA youth player.

[CaliFOXnia]

59 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Our business is rarely broadcast, we don’t tend to feed tame journos-  it already feels like a change is occurring after last seasons depressing capitulation to me. Hamer? Been mentioned but is there any evidence he is decent? He is 26, why is he still at Cov? Maybe he is a late developer? He left PSV for Zwolle so wasn’t on a positive trajectory. Warning signs too me.

You may be right on all accounts ref Hamer, however, if it was one or the other of Hamer/Cairney (the ONLY other name linked bar Palmer who we've no chance of that could be regarded as remotely similar) there's only one winner IMO. 11 goals, 10 assists out of Hamer in this league last season, we could do (and probably will do) far, far worse. 

Which, at the same time, almost confirms the fact it'll be the ageing option, on a longer than it should be deal with extortionately high wages. It's just what we do ain't it? 

[LeePhilpottsBaldSpot]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

Our business is rarely broadcast, we don’t tend to feed tame journos-  it already feels like a change is occurring after last seasons depressing capitulation to me. Hamer? Been mentioned but is there any evidence he is decent? He is 26, why is he still at Cov? Maybe he is a late developer? He left PSV for Zwolle so wasn’t on a positive trajectory. Warning signs too me.

Lots of players are late developers. As you'll know, Jamie Vardy was in non-league aged 25! 

[LFox99]

 

[Dahnsouff]

36 minutes ago, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said:

Lots of players are late developers. As you'll know, Jamie Vardy was in non-league aged 25! 

Not sure he represents the norm, but take the point

[kingfox]

1 hour ago, CaliFOXnia said:

You may be right on all accounts ref Hamer, however, if it was one or the other of Hamer/Cairney (the ONLY other name linked bar Palmer who we've no chance of that could be regarded as remotely similar) there's only one winner IMO. 11 goals, 10 assists out of Hamer in this league last season, we could do (and probably will do) far, far worse. 

Which, at the same time, almost confirms the fact it'll be the ageing option, on a longer than it should be deal with extortionately high wages. It's just what we do ain't it? 

If we go for Cairney over Hamer, then there’s one simple reason for it, because Cairney is excellent in possession. Cairney’s possession statistics for Fulham last season were fantastic, for instance the only two regular midfield starters who averaged better for successful progressive passes were Kevin De Bruyne & Pascal Gross.

 

Hamer is a fantastic progressive passer, but he isn’t the type of midfielder you associate with a “keep ball” system. Of course he could have the ability to adjust to a possession based system, but there would be a massive question mark if we did sign him.