Summer transfers

[Ravo19]

Crazy i know but wish nunez had made it at liverpool

[RedMagic]

Diaz - ?
Jota - Ekitike
Nunez - Isak
Quansah - Leoni
Kelleher - Marmar
Trent - Frimpong
Elliott - Wirtz
Tsimikas - Kirkez

Diaz is the big one we miss. Ngumoha should have been given more opportunities than he has, but Diaz aside I think it's an upgrade overall. Isak and Leoni being injured for 90% of the season hasn't helped. And Frimpong missing chunks of the season.

The manager just hasn't got enough out of them this season.

Ekitike started off well, but he'd not been at his best in the last few games that he played. Isak still has a lot to prove whilst wearing our shirt, especially given the injury he sustained, whilst Leoni had only played a few minutes before he sustained his own serious injury, so who knows how he's going to perform when he comes back.

Kelleher was doing well, but he was never going to be happy just being our backup keeper. Marmar has come in and he currently doesn't look like he's going to be an adequate replacement for Alisson. Frimpong is neither a good out and out FB or RW. TAA at least had one obviously good facet to his game. Wirtz's ceiling is obviously higher than Elliott's, but he still has a lot to prove just like Isak. Kirkez is similar to Frimpong in that he hasn't exactly excelled in either half of the pitch.

As it currently stands Ekitike is the only player that has done enough thus far to say that they are possibly an upgrade on those they've supposedly replaced. We need more upgrades in certain positions, and we also need to get in long term replacements for a number of previously top drawer players who look to be nearing the end of their top level careers.

Currently there are far too many unknowns, far too many areas that still need addressing, and justifiable concern that we're not going to get in top quality players who can replace those who may not be at our club for too much longer.

[jozza800]

All fair points. It's not being helped by the manager hamstringing them. Just as the new lads haven't really convinced, the rest of the title winning team, Szoboslai aside, have been equally poor.

It's hard to judge any player when they're playing in such a poor set up. It's hard to figure out who's genuinely playing poorly and out of form or rather just being a victim of the system.

[RedMagic]

I agree that our players are being hamstrung by Slot. I also think that they're having all the life, belief and confidence sucked out of them by him.

We'll only get a better indication of how good or not our player are or could be if we get in a manager who knows how to correctly utilise our players and how to get the best out of them.

[miller0863]

Sorry to those who still support him but I think our Head Coach is absolutely clueless.

Slot did his usual on Saturday at 2-0 up he takes off his CF and brings on a midfielder to try and hold on to the lead, at home against Palace intstead of taking the game to them. That tactic has not worked all season, as has been underlined by us breaking the record for conceding point dropping goals after 90 minutes.

And as for “tactics” there was an incident towards the end of the game where Szoboszlai and MacAllister were arguing with each other in our box about where and what exactly they were supposed to be doing.

This is league game 34 and two senior players are still not understanding wtf they are supposed to be doing.

[teesred]

Who's still supporting him? There can't be many surely?
A pal of mine is convinced the talk of him staying is rubbish and they're going to peddle him when the seasons done. Very unlikely now in my opinion. There's too much smoke for it to be a ruse.

Been watching Utd Brentford. I don't see us getting a win at the weekend. Utd aren't great but they work hard and defend reasonably well.

[justme]

I think Slot will probably go in the summer, the thing he said in his press conference about being here for a short period.. makes me think, he has done what was necessary and both parties will move on, Secondly there are rumours hes struggling to live apart from his family in the Netherlands. That's always the issue for players and coaches who go abroad. it does mess around with your family life.It's amazing Jurgen was able to live in England for 9 years. Considering it's not his own country,
I know myself. I could never live in another country.
But that's just my opinion, Slot maybe here comes August..

[justme]

Man united will struggle again next season. It's ok when you have a week to prepare for a game.. you can't play with that amount of intensity 3 times in a week., when the fixtures start rolling in..
We haven't been great of late.But the players do seem to have a bit more energy, since we are only playing once a week at the moment.

[Insidious]

Crazy i know but wish nunez had made it at liverpool

Should have kept him and Slot should have trusted him more.

Yes, he would still have done our heads in with blasting it straight at the keeper and so on, but he's got a good injury record, has the pace to keep a back-line honest, had a decent on-pitch understanding with Salah, would have probably proven a great outlet for through-balls from Wirtz, worked his socks off and would set an example when pressing. Also capable of playing up top AND on the left, which would have been invaluable given our injury issues this season.

Genuine rotation with Gakpo or whoever would have been welcomed.

Oh well, it's done now. In an alternate reality I'd love to have seen what someone like Benitez could have done with him and/or pay an elite finisher (Henry, Owen, whoever) to come in for some sessions with him. He lacked the first touch you'd want at this level and lacked composure when he had time to think one-on-one but he was physically everything you could want from a number 9 and if he could have just trained and trained and trained two or three muscle memory finishes (Henry for example had the opening up of the body and the curled instep into the bottom corner) rather than thumping it, he could have been Dynamite.

Also one of the most natural volleyers of a ball I've seen. Michael Owen commented on it once in some analysis (don't rate Michael overall as a pundit, but he speaks well when it comes to finishing and movement in the box, understandably) about how he'd never seen a player catch a ball on the volley with such consistency yet couldn't do the simple stuff.

Same with one of his lobbed finishes. Owen described it as a ridiculously difficult technique (Darwin did score in this instance) and how he should absolutely have been rounding the keeper and tapping it in.

That lack of predictability had peaks and troughs and unfortunately for Darwin it worked out for him less often than was ideal.

His potential was wild though. Think he came to football quite late (aka wasn't with a youth team or Academy etc) if memory serves and if that's true, it would explain a lot about his first touch and his decision-making.

One goal he had (think it was Bournemouth in the Cup, I remember he had the white and green kit with black shorts on) sums the best of him up - took a HORRIFIC first touch, gets jeered for it, goes and gets it, then absolutely blams it in.

Quite amazing that such an inconsistent player has scored against Arsenal, Man United, Man City AND Real Madrid

[Ravo19]

Didnt think right back would be a priority but rumour that liverpool ready to bid 69m for barca RB Kounde.
With slot prefering sozbo and jones at RB ahead of frimpong could be something in it,kounde has also played CB.