I would pay Jack a minimum of £500k per week. His goal celebration where he sucks his thumb is worth it alone.
Jack Wilshere is one of the most laughably overrated footballers in the country. Genuinely think he’d struggle to get in our team over Nat, Cleverley, Hughes, Doucoure (if he stays). He’d also probably break his arm signing the contract or something typically stupid as he is almost definitely held together by velcro and elastic bands.
Didn't he throw his toys out of the pram when not selected for England? He hardly played last season (or any season for that matter) so I don't know on what basis he felt he deserved a place on the plane to Russia, so would you want a player round who's mostly injured and then complaining he's not playing when not injured. No thanks.
Rumours in a couple of papers tomorrow that Loftus-Cheek is ready to quit Chelsea. I suspect that Palace will be heading the queue but maybe we could get Agent Chalobah on the case. He’s not necessarily a player we need with our attacking midfield options but he’d be a great shout if one or two happened to move on. Exactly the type of player we should be aiming for IMO if they become available.
I think we should aim for a whole squad of midfielders. We can't defend, so might as well go down swinging.
To be fair, our midfielders are probably better at defending than our defenders. And they are probably better at scoring goals than our strikers. I bet one of them likes to mess about in goal during training. Or just play Lukebakio there. There’s something in this. You’ve convinced me.
I think he plays more advanced so I’d see him as more of a replacement for Pereyra. I was a big fan when it looked like we were trying to build a British core to the team last summer and would like to see that continued this summer with a couple more, in addition to Wilmot. I’m still not convinced that Doucoure will be moving if I’m honest. For me, it’s Spurs or staying really...and Spurs seem to be in for Grealish so unless Dembele/Wanyama move on, I don’t see that happening either. All the other top teams seem to have acquired a new CM.
Loftus-Cheek would work well in a midfield three with Chalobah and Hughes, or Chalobah and Cleverley. Pereyra could stay on the wing. L-C is most similar to Capoue out of our current players (though based on his good form at the end of last season I'd stay he still has a good season in him). I would rather we kept Doucoure go and I'm not sure there are any clubs willing to pay what would be required for us to sell. I'd also think it very unlikely we could land L-C even if we were interested. Firstly, I think he's good enough for Chelsea to play him more often. Secondly, Palace would likely be a more obvious move for him were Chelsea to sell. Third, better clubs than Palace would also likely be all over him - Leicester would be a good move, and I also think he'd be a great signing for Arsenal. Spurs might also be interested to replace Dembele and Sissoko.
I agree with all of that, other than Capoue is asked to do equal amounts at both ends of the pitch and I think RLC, this season just done anyway, was much more of a No.10 and played in front of Cabaye and Milivoijevic. Not saying that we’d get him but in his interview, the reason he says he would have to leave Chelsea is if they don’t guarantee him regular first-team football and I don’t see them doing that given the options they already have and that they’ll be desperate to get back into the CL and compete for the title. The same reason he’d leave Chelsea is the same reason I doubt he’d go to Spurs or Arsenal - I don’t see them giving him a regular game either. Going to Palace has done him the world of good (similar to Chalobah with us) and that’s the type of move I think he’d make. No doubt Palace would head the queue but I think we could find space for him and should push hard for him if he does look to move. Mad to think he’d cost at least 4 times what Chalobah did though I expect and that highlights just how good that deal was.
Agree with much of what you say, but the only thing I’d add to this post is that RLC is clearly on an upward curve right now, while Chalobah had somewhat stagnated after a series of less than impressive loans following his spell with us. Granted though, he’d been performing well enough for a England U21’s and had been around the Chelsea first-team last year. Doesn’t take away from the fact that we did get a great deal for him though, but I’d argue that it’s hard to compare a possible price for RLC with what we paid for Nate, given that RLC made big strides on loan last year in establishing himself as a proven performer, whereas Chalobah was a bit more of a punt based on the reasonable expectation that he needed football in the right environment to push on.
He's going the Gazza route of diminishing returns on what was a great talent ruined by a series of silly off the pitch decisions.
Kongolo has moved to Huddersfield permanently and they are now in talks with Erik Durm from Dortmund. Aden Flint has also gone to Boro for £7m Which was very affordable. Whilst Masina and Navarro could turn out good, they are relative ‘punts in the dark’ and I’m becoming a bit worried that we are penny-pinching with the defence once again. Flint for example is far better than anything we have, is a good age, was affordable and is a proven on pitch leader.
I'm not sure Masina is any more of a punt in the dark than Durm. And if Flint is only attracting attention from wanabee PL clubs rather than actual PL clubs it probably suggests he's staying at the right level. Is he really better than Cathcart? I'd fancy Prodl to stand out at Championship level too.
I'm absolutely in agreement with you about our movement and the players we seem to have brought in so far, though this is a conversation that happened between a Leeds fan and a Boro fan on the reddit thread announcing Flint's signing earlier: > "In response to both of ye. I don't think he'd be a good signing for us but is as you say Pulis' wet dream. He scores lots of set piece goals which clouds people's judgements of him but he's a decent championship defender and not great techinically(sic). Not writing him off but he's not a high level Championship CB imho. But he'd fit into a Pulis side very well." > "No you’re right, I’m really skeptical of him defensively. I’m just hoping Pulis manages to get the best out of him. When he was at the riverside against us his marking of Ayala was absolutely tragic. I hope he comes good though, obviously" I would really hope we're looking higher than midtable Championship for a centre back to improve our defence if I'm honest. I'm still concerned about that claim from the old Wobby guy that the Pozzos aren't looking to invest there at all, but would Flint be better than Cathcart, for instance? I wouldn't think so, myself.
Absolute rubbish. If Flint was premier league class, he would of been snapped up by a number of clubs seeking a centre back. For us to move forward we need a lot better than Flint.
Flint is massively overrated just because he scores goals. Angella scored loads in the Championship too, didn't mean he could defend Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk
With our apparent desires for a goalie How about Fraser Forster would be a great keeper if we could help him find his mojo,a relative youngster at 30 yrs old .
Diego Laxalt would be a great signing based on tonight. Apparently leaving Genoa this summer and a wing back.
I see Southampton are going for the released Danny Ings. Sorry if this has been discussed before but if he’s properly over the injuries he’d be an upgrade for us. Wouldn’t he?