Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart loan, official)

[Pliskin]

12 minutes ago, Scotch said:

Ghana didn't qualify so Ayew and Fatawu will be here and Ivory Coast have a fair amount of high profile strikers. It is very doubtful they call up Kone. 

Thats alright, I can get back to my coco pops without panic!

[Grebfromgrebland]

There's even talk of losing Jacob and Winks to Afcon due to their grandma's infidelity.

 

 

[Dahnsouff]

Alves, Monga are ready replacements. He can go. If we are going to back youth, this is the time.

[Bluearmyfox28]

1 minute ago, Dahnsouff said:

Alves, Monga are ready replacements. He can go. If we are going to back youth, this is the time.

Alves isn’t ready for a starting role in such a key position for the system to work. I love Alves but he should be our rotational attacking midfielder not starting.

[Dahnsouff]

3 minutes ago, Bluearmyfox28 said:

Alves isn’t ready for a starting role in such a key position for the system to work. I love Alves but he should be our rotational attacking midfielder not starting.

Easier to introduce youth in the Championship than in the Premier League, should we go up.

[ronnup]

7 minutes ago, Bluearmyfox28 said:

Alves isn’t ready for a starting role in such a key position for the system to work. I love Alves but he should be our rotational attacking midfielder not starting.

 

Monga is. He prefers the 10. Let him have it. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Reckon this should be closed until there are actual links that aren't obvious agent work.

[Pliskin]

12 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Alves, Monga are ready replacements. He can go. If we are going to back youth, this is the time.

Completely disagree. Monga is developing, to heap that amount of pressure on him at this stage is unfair and could damage his progression. He needs to feel free this season and be allowed to develop. Alves likewise, he’s a year behind where he should be thanks to a horrific injury. Bilal is head and shoulders above anyone else on this league, he’s goes and we don’t replace him (which let’s face it we won’t be able to) our chances of promotion comfortably, disappear. 

[Dahnsouff]

10 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Completely disagree. Monga is developing, to heap that amount of pressure on him at this stage is unfair and could damage his progression. He needs to feel free this season and be allowed to develop. Alves likewise, he’s a year behind where he should be thanks to a horrific injury. Bilal is head and shoulders above anyone else on this league, he’s goes and we don’t replace him (which let’s face it we won’t be able to) our chances of promotion comfortably, disappear. 

So wait until the bright lights of the Premier League to blood him? Nah, get him in. We cannot espouse youth and then not play them, its madness.

[Jabbaranks]

2 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

So wait until the bright lights of the Premier League to blood him? Nah, get him in. We cannot espouse youth and then not play them, its madness.

BEK is only a year older than Alves. In light of Alves pulling up zero trees at Cardiff, having him and Monga as backups to BEK would give them experience, but relying on them at this point in their career in a league as unforgiving as the Championship would make promotion massively unlikely. 

 

 

[Claudio Fannieri]

Bilal is a very talented player however I really don’t think he is the difference in whether we go up or not, we have a lot of attacking options especially in attacking midfield. Yes he would potentially be another level in the championship but I am far from convinced we will see him hit those levels as I think he sees himself as a premier league player, hence the noise and links to other clubs by his agent, my fear would be he will be electric until the window  closes in September, then tail off until December in hope of a January move and then again from Feb onwards not have the heart for the division. 
 

Our best hope is too secure the best deal we can and reinvest in players Marti can utilise to the maximum. I can see him being like Iheanacho, should be a cheat code at this level but sadly playing the likes of Oxford, PNE, Charlton et al fail to light his fire and he goes through the motions. 

[Guest BlueApple]

35 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

So wait until the bright lights of the Premier League to blood him? Nah, get him in. We cannot espouse youth and then not play them, its madness.

I understand the hype for Monga but other than Bellingham, who has gone on to become on of the best midfielders in the world, a 16 year old playing an entire season in the Championship is unheard of and in that season it wasn't like Birmingham were actually going to achieve anything.

I think fans forget how young Monga actually is, I get it, I've not been this excited by a youth player in a while but it'd also be massively detrimental to his career in the long-term expect a 16 year to play an entire season in the Championship whilst still physically developing. 

[Gerard]

3 minutes ago, BlueApple said:

I understand the hype for Monga but other than Bellingham, who has gone on to become on of the best midfielders in the world, a 16 year old playing an entire season in the Championship is unheard of and in that season it wasn't like Birmingham were actually going to achieve anything.

I think fans forget how young Monga actually is, I get it, I've not been this excited by a youth player in a while but it'd also be massively detrimental to his career in the long-term expect a 16 year to play an entire season in the Championship whilst still physically developing. 

 

Monga should have the same role he had last season, a 20 minute impact sub. All our very young talented players should look to get that role for themselves this season.

 

As you insinuated very few 16/17 yo are worthy of playing a big role at this level, usually generational talents like Owen, Rooney or Bellingham. The young players need looking after and bedding in as well. In an ideal world I'd love to see a lot of our senior players sold, keep the real talent like Bilal and Fatawu and our very young talented players filling in half the bench and getting 10-20 mins most games. Bilal and Fatawu should be an example to them as the best players in the team and not much older than them.

[Ric Flair]

18 minutes ago, Gerard said:

 

Monga should have the same role he had last season, a 20 minute impact sub. All our very young talented players should look to get that role for themselves this season.

 

As you insinuated very few 16/17 yo are worthy of playing a big role at this level, usually generational talents like Owen, Rooney or Bellingham. The young players need looking after and bedding in as well. In an ideal world I'd love to see a lot of our senior players sold, keep the real talent like Bilal and Fatawu and our very young talented players filling in half the bench and getting 10-20 mins most games. Bilal and Fatawu should be an example to them as the best players in the team and not much older than them.

Mavididi, if he's anything like last season and the season in the Championship will have games or periods of form where he is way off it. He is another who sometimes is more dangerous coming on in games, so the way I see it is Monga will push him to maintain his form and there'll be times he's in over him and it's down to Stephy to bring the good stuff.

[Philkeavo]

4 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Mavididi, if he's anything like last season and the season in the Championship will have games or periods of form where he is way off it. He is another who sometimes is more dangerous coming on in games, so the way I see it is Monga will push him to maintain his form and there'll be times he's in over him and it's down to Stephy to bring the good stuff.

This is a great point. With the plethora of talent on the wings when form dips or players are out with injuries we have very strong replacements.

[kingpowerout]

12 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Mavididi, if he's anything like last season and the season in the Championship will have games or periods of form where he is way off it. He is another who sometimes is more dangerous coming on in games, so the way I see it is Monga will push him to maintain his form and there'll be times he's in over him and it's down to Stephy to bring the good stuff.

agreed. Mav has to be my most frustrating player we have in the squad. On his day he's a top half Prem player but those days are few and far between. The reality is we don't need him to hit those heights every week in the Championship but just a consistent and solid performer who runs at his full back. I think you are right, he'll know there's a willing from the fans to see Monga get minutes so this could spurr him on to find some consistency.

Edited 6 August 2025 by kingpower

[lanefox]

14 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Mavididi, if he's anything like last season and the season in the Championship will have games or periods of form where he is way off it. He is another who sometimes is more dangerous coming on in games, so the way I see it is Monga will push him to maintain his form and there'll be times he's in over him and it's down to Stephy to bring the good stuff.

Was only one game but Stephy looked very good against Fiotentina, like he had a point to prove

[Ric Flair]

1 minute ago, lanefox said:

Was only one game but Stephy looked very good against Fiotentina, like he had a point to prove

Yes he did. When he's like that from the off in games he's dynamite. You can usually tell within 5 mins what he's going to be like, Barnes was the same.

[Kitsune Foxglove]

Quality player, no doubt, but if his heart’s not in the Championship, what’s the point? Don’t need another lad going through the motions till January. Rather have someone who actually wants to scrap for promotion.

[Pliskin]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

So wait until the bright lights of the Premier League to blood him? Nah, get him in. We cannot espouse youth and then not play them, its madness.

He was only really introduced because we were down and the pressure was off. 
 

You’ve got to be really careful with players so young, because last season was fine the pressure was off, but imagine if he makes mistakes when we’re losing to Cov at home? We know how toxic crowds can get, and that would damage his confidence. Monga needs to be allowed to be this season, be allowed to play without fear and criticism. He will make mistakes as he’s only a kid, but if we let him just work his way into the team organically, he will flourish. We need him to grow, not be forced into being a saviour, because no matter how good he is, no 16 year old should carry the weight of a whole team on their shoulders. His time will come, we need to be clever and considerate with him. 

[Pliskin]

6 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Yes he did. When he's like that from the off in games he's dynamite. You can usually tell within 5 mins what he's going to be like, Barnes was the same.

You’re right, Stephy is a moody player, but when he is on it, and Abdul is on it, and Bilal is conducting the orchestra, many defenders will be receiving free enemas on a weekly basis.

[coolhandfox]

13 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Yes he did. When he's like that from the off in games he's dynamite. You can usually tell within 5 mins what he's going to be like, Barnes was the same.

Typical winger, that's why you need completion 

[martyn]

If we have to sell him because the price is right then fair enough. Against the backdrop that we're expecting to be challenging at the top end of the table, I disagree with the assertion that we'd be fine because we have Ayew/Monga/Alves/others who can "fill in".

 

If you continually chip away at the quality of your first 11, then the team will eventually suffer. BEK is a better option in his position right now than all of the above. Same with Hermansen and Stolarczyk. Stolarczyk will be "fine" at this level, but Mads is a level above and a difference maker over the course of a season relative to the competition.

 

It's a different conversation if our fanbase can accept a period of consolidation, and reduce expectations in the event we start blooding more youth and spending less money. But given how much we've been spoiled over the last 10 years, can we do that?

Edited 6 August 2025 by martyn

[Ric Flair]

2 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Typical winger, that's why you need completion 

I want to see our 3 behind the striker being relentless for 60 mins every week and then Alves, Monga, McAteer/Evans for example coming on and doing the same.

 

If they maintain that level of intensity amongst them we will be a nightmare to deal with.

[Mickyblueeyes]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

So wait until the bright lights of the Premier League to blood him? Nah, get him in. We cannot espouse youth and then not play them, its madness.

I don’t think you wait until the PL (big IF) but in a season where there is immense expectation, having Monga or Alves as the first choice 10 could really impact them in the long run. The expectancy to score, create etc. in the role will be immense. Very few young players could do it.  
 

Both should absolutely contribute but having them as the main player in that position could be disastrous for club and player. It’s very different from being young, playing without fear and making the position yours through merit - that is very much a possibility this year. Playing without fear expectancy, in modern football is completely different. 
 

If BEK goes, we’ll need someone who can play the position. For me anyway.