January Window

[Kev0909]

We’d better renew Konate’s contract ffs ppl won’t realise how good he is until he’s not there

He’s had plenty of games like yesterdays and is excellent playing a high line one v one with pressure on the ball how we played for 20 games with that short passing no tempo no picking g up bollocks fucked everyone up

I agree i'd like to think he's VVD replacement and share minutes next season, with leoni too we'll be rather good on the age front and future-proofing.

Konate going before VVD makes no sense, plus they're both french could make a great partnership & help settle him in.

Rather he has a season with us whilst VVD is still here, with konate too and Leoni... so he can learn off VVD & rotate/share minutes with him and then season after take his place, so he has time to settle in form a partnership etc.. it's always risky having a young CB come in and be a starter all the time

Might be a huge prospect but he's only played in the french league ( I think?) and not much experience-- it's not easy just to walk into a top club and be a starter CB... I hope that's the plan that i've said above anyway.

[teesred]

Turns out Slot isn’t a Phil Collin’s fan after all

"Oh think twice" before you use anymore Phil Collins puns.

[Insidious]

"Oh think twice" before you use anymore Phil Collins puns.

My first thought at "think twice" is Brooke Benton, think it was a mid-50s release.

Leoni (19)
Jacquet (20)
Konaté (26)

Hopefully we sort Konaté's contract out and Leoni can avoid being one of those lads whose initial knee injury means recurring issues.

Imagine two years from now the lads were 21, 22 and 28 respectively with someone else in there in the 23-26 age bracket. It'd be a really excellent cluster of centre-backs in terms of age profile and seems entirely plausible.

Imperative we finish in the Champion's League places and continue to build.

[Kev0909]

My first thought at "think twice" is Brooke Benton, think it was a mid-50s release.

Leoni (19)
Jacquet (20)
Konaté (26)

Hopefully we sort Konaté's contract out and Leoni can avoid being one of those lads whose initial knee injury means recurring issues.

Imagine two years from now the lads were 21, 22 and 28 respectively with someone else in there in the 23-26 age bracket. It'd be a really excellent cluster of centre-backs in terms of age profile and seems entirely plausible.

Imperative we finish in the Champion's League places and continue to build.

Yep as good as this signing is, still think it's a bit of a risk but we'll see.....

Could've done with someone this window to be honest for now, never mind the future, we need the money need top5

[Nineteenx]

"Oh think twice" before you use anymore Phil Collins puns.

Catching isn’t it? It’s as if there’s something in the air tonight

[LFC-DPG]

So we wouldn’t pay £20m - £30m for a proven English premier league player but we would agree a £60m deal for a unproven 20 year old playing in the farmers league.

[teesred]

Catching isn’t it? It’s as if there’s something in the air tonight

True. Jeremy's rise to the top has allegedly been "against all odds".

[Steveo]

Catching isn’t it? It’s as if there’s something in the air tonight

Oh lord

[teesred]

So we wouldn’t pay £20m - £30m for a proven English premier league player but we would agree a £60m deal for a unproven 20 year old playing in the farmers league.

Certainly a good point. It's be interesting to see the comparison in cost over the contracts Geuhi was going to offered and the one Jacket has signed.
Obviously 40m difference in fee is a lot.
The club just don't seem to have been sold on Geuhi.

[Steveo]

One is 20 - the other is 25… One will take a lower wage and be seen as having far more resale potential.

Age and salary the driving factors here. It’s the model. Very few managers can do more than fight for top 4 under those restrictions

[Kev0909]

One is 20 - the other is 25… One will take a lower wage and be seen as having far more resale potential.

Age and salary the driving factors here. It’s the model. Very few managers can do more than fight for top 4 under those restrictions

Surely we need a Established Centre? especially if konate is off...

I see the vision this dude hopefully being top class in future but... I don't want him starting straight away and eased in... prem is a bit different to the farmers league... hopefully we get another season out of VVD who can teach him some stuff and he can rotate with him and konate.

[Insidious]

Yep as good as this signing is, still think it's a bit of a risk but we'll see.....

Could've done with someone this window to be honest for now, never mind the future, we need the money need top5

I'd definitely welcome a centre-back now too, though with Van Dijk, Konaté, Gomez (imminently) available and Endo if pushed (more games at centre-back than DM for Stuttgart) as an option, I'd be cautiously optimistic that it shouldn't be the Lynchpin upon which our fortunes turn, all being well.

My main concern now would be keeping things tight enough in midfield to protect the back four a bit whilst still managing to keep the goals flowing from Ekitike, Wirtz and whoever else is able to step in and contribute. This would be a glorious time for Gakpo or Salah to find some form, really would.

Our points per game ratio has been too poor - we need to see the back of that 21-points-from-18-games run as we approach "crunch time" in the League.

February is crucial for points, rest and recovery. No Champion's League games to contend with.

Champion's League qualification, as you say, absolutely crucial.

Assessing who is (or isn't) part of our defensive future once we reach the Summer will be fascinating as we do have a number now who are in-and-around U21 etc.

Giovanni Leoni
Ifeanyi Ndukwe
Noah Adekoya
Jérémy Jacquet (unless there's a Lavia/Caicedo)
Wellity Lucky
Carter Pinnington
Amara Nallo
Mor Talla Ndiaye

[Kev0909]

It's odd, especially because they are so reliant on the Van Dijk-Konate partnership. I wouldn't find it as odd if they are only fighting for the Premier League, because they're out of it, but they've got a great chance in the Champions League and they don't really have any cover because Gomez is never fit.

Well said Murphy

it's like we just don't care what happens

P.S arsenal linked to tonali now, what a joke.

[Insidious]

It's odd, especially because they are so reliant on the Van Dijk-Konate partnership. I wouldn't find it as odd if they are only fighting for the Premier League, because they're out of it, but they've got a great chance in the Champions League and they don't really have any cover because Gomez is never fit.

Well said Murphy

it's like we just don't care what happens

P.S arsenal linked to tonali now, what a joke.

Squad make-up will definitely be a factor.

17 non-Homegrown lads means we are "full" there and we might not have access right now to a Home-grown lad that ticks all the right boxes in terms of age, quality, long-term etc.

I imagine we put our feelers quietly to do something like, say, selling Chiesa to free up a space and we have had no takers.

A shame (whatever the circumstances) as we look risky for Top Four/Five and have every chance in Europe, so you'd hope we don't fluff it.

[Kev0909]

Squad make-up will definitely be a factor.

17 non-Homegrown lads means we are "full" there and we might not have access right now to a Home-grown lad that ticks all the right boxes in terms of age, quality, long-term etc.

I imagine we put our feelers quietly to do something like, say, selling Chiesa to free up a space and we have had no takers.

A shame (whatever the circumstances) as we look risky for Top Four/Five and have every chance in Europe, so you'd hope we don't fluff it.

No, it's not that hard Sid you just deregister Ramsay, or get rid- then bring someone in, there's no excuse to risk top 5 and having a shot of champions league.... imagine getting far or going to the last games in the prem for top 5 and having to play Endo and Szob in the back 4.... come on, it's not good enough.

I'd assume Robertson/Chiesa/Endo might be gone in the summer possibly even Konate

Need to buy one of Wharton/Anderson- and try and find a half decent player that can play few positions at the back for cover who's english but it's limited, Livramento would be decent can play lb and rb but newcastle would change a fortune, and he's not worth that.

To be fair if the above 3 goes, that'll open up 3 spots anyway- but depends what happens with jones and gomez.