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Transfers Summer Transfer thread - 2024

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How Dry should our Powder be?

  • Total voters
    58
5purs said:
A starting No. 6 is the most important signing this summer. I can't understand why there aren't more members posting about this?
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Because the market for #6's is dogshit.

Pretty much the only world class all round #6 right now is Rodri. Everyone else involves some sort of compromise, either defensively or on the ball.

Woolwich spent £100m on Rice before they realised he can't progress the football and they couldn't create any open play chances. Their season only kicked off when he was moved up to the #8 role, and they're already looking for a new #6 this summer given Jorginho's age.

Chelsea blew £110m on Caicedo. Difficult job going from RDZ structure to Poch chaos-ball, but still that's a lot of money for someone who couldn't adapt to a new style and shows the pitfalls of spending so much.

Liverpool also tried blowing their load on Caicedo too before settling on Endo, who was fine defensively but again weak in build up. Vice versa with Mac Allister. It was a position they struggled in all season.

United blew £70m on Casemiro who they're already trying to ship because, again, he can't build up possesion. Fine when it's Kroos taking on that responsibility, less so McTominay.

As for us, we started incredibly with Bissouma before he reverted to type and our season never fully recovered. Bentancur had moments but where he improves us there defensively he lacks in terms of build up, particularly receiving back to goal. Hojbjerg and Skipp have similar problems.

Maybe there's a chance Sarr could eventually convert himself to a #6, to me it looks like he has the raw attributes, but for now it seems he lacks the positional responsibility for the role.

So, when you look at our options this summer, either you pay £50m for a defensive rock like Onana, Ugarte or Palhinha and have to compromise on build up, or you sacrifice defensive solidity by getting someone like Vitinha and run the risk of your midfield getting run through every time the opposition counter attack.

Given our defensive structure on counters last season, the latter option doesn't thrill me, but then nor does watching guys like Onana plod about struggling to progress the ball in possession.

My preferred option would be to adjust the way we play to more of a double pivot. It removes the responsibility from any one player, and you can combine players with different skillsets so they compliment each other. Any of Bentancur, Gray, Sarr, Bissouma, Hojbjerg, Gio, Skipp could probably do a job in a double pivot in a way they wouldn't be able to as a solo #6.

I know it's not how Ange likes to set his teams up but frankly you play the cards you're dealt. Unless we're looking to sign Rodri this summer or Gray turns out to be Busquets reincarnated I don't see an alternative, other than blowing £50m on someone like Onana and accepting that we just won't be very good in possession as a result.
 
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daveyboy88 said:
its not our weakest area, the entire front 3 is not good enough. at least a 6 has solid CB's behind him and a very good midfield with him. that front line is way off it.

bissouma before his stupid sending off was doing just fine....hopefully he can come back into that form now hes had a long break and its a new season.

we could have rodri, its not going to magically make that front 3 competent.
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Don't worry mate, I have it on good authority that we have an outstanding winger who averages a goal or an assist every other game so we're actually sorted up top what with him, Richy and Sonny.
 
nasm_f said:
Don't worry mate, I have it on good authority that we have an outstanding winger who averages a goal or an assist every other game so we're actually sorted up top what with him, Richy and Sonny.
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oh thats alright then! ill forget everything ive seen with my own eyes and trust in the opinion of someone who doesnt know what a football being kicked should look like.
Seth Meyers Omg GIF by Late Night with Seth Meyers
 
harry7 said:
What If............

Vicario
Porro - Dragusin - VDV - Udogie
Romero
Bentencaur - maddison
Johnson - Son - Werner​
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Was thinking the same a few hundred pages ago...
SeeSpotRun said:
We saw Cuti pushing forwards more late last season, admittedly mostly out of frustration, but he looked pretty good doing so. A bit outside-the-box thinking but I can see him as a pretty awesome 6 in front of Drogo and Mickey:

1
Vic
2
PP(New)
3
Drogo(Cuti)
4
VDV(New)
5
Destiny(New)
6
Bent(Sarr)
7
Cuti(Biss)
8
Madders(Bergvall)
9
New(BJ)
10
New(Richi)
11
Son(Timo)
lineup code
[lineup]
Vic
PP/(New)  Drogo/(Cuti) VDV/(New) Destiny/(New)
Bent/(Sarr) Cuti/(Biss)  Madders/(Bergvall)
New/(BJ)  New/(Richi)   Son/(Timo)
[/lineup]
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harry7 said:
What If............

Vicario
Porro - Dragusin - VDV - Udogie
Romero
Bentencaur - maddison
Johnson - Son - Werner​
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
romero could defo play CDM if the CB's bypassed him and played it straight into the midfielders ahead of him. the funny thing is he would actually need himself in CB as hes got the quality to do that and bypass the holding cm.

he would be the ultimate CB screener. you just wouldnt want him taking it on the half turn off the defenders too much especially if hes not got space.
 
daveyboy88 said:
its not our weakest area, the entire front 3 is not good enough. at least a 6 has solid CB's behind him and a very good midfield with him. that front line is way off it.

bissouma before his stupid sending off was doing just fine....hopefully he can come back into that form now hes had a long break and its a new season.

we could have rodri, its not going to magically make that front 3 competent.
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We've got an incredible back 5 yet conceded loads. Our front players aren't good enough yet scored loads. We will add to the front players this summer, as per Ange, but will that plug the conceded column? For me that's a starting number 6
 
Klaus said:
Because the market for #6's is dogshit.

Pretty much the only world class all round #6 right now is Rodri. Everyone else involves some sort of compromise, either defensively or on the ball.

Woolwich spent £100m on Rice before they realised he can't progress the football and they couldn't create any open play chances. Their season only kicked off when he was moved up to the #8 role, and they're already looking for a new #6 this summer given Jorginho's age.

Chelsea blew £110m on Caicedo. Difficult job going from RDZ structure to Poch chaos-ball, but still that's a lot of money for someone who couldn't adapt to a new style and shows the pitfalls of spending so much.

Liverpool also tried blowing their load on Caicedo too before settling on Endo, who was fine defensively but again weak in build up. Vice versa with Mac Allister. It was a position they struggled in all season.

United blew £70m on Casemiro who they're already trying to ship because, again, he can't build up possesion. Fine when it's Kroos taking on that responsibility, less so McTominay.

As for us, we started incredibly with Bissouma before he reverted to type and our season never fully recovered. Bentancur had moments but where he improves us there defensively he lacks in terms of build up, particularly receiving back to goal. Hojbjerg and Skipp have similar problems.

Maybe there's a chance Sarr could eventually convert himself to a #6, to me it looks like he has the raw attributes, but for now it seems he lacks the positional responsibility for the role.

So, when you look at our options this summer, either you pay £50m for a defensive rock like Onana, Ugarte or Palhinha and have to compromise on build up, or you sacrifice defensive solidity by getting someone like Vitinha and run the risk of your midfield getting run through every time the opposition counter attack.

Given our defensive structure on counters last season, the latter option doesn't thrill me, but then nor does watching guys like Onana plod about struggling to progress the ball in possession.

My preferred option would be to adjust the way we play to more of a double pivot. It removes the responsibility from any one player, and you can combine players with different skillsets so they compliment each other. Any of Bentancur, Gray, Sarr, Bissouma, Hojbjerg, Gio, Skipp could probably do a job in a double pivot in a way they wouldn't be able to as a solo #6.

I know it's not how Ange likes to set his teams up but frankly you play the cards you're dealt. Unless we're looking to sign Rodri this summer or Gray turns out to be Busquets reincarnated I don't see an alternative, other than blowing £50m on someone like Onana and accepting that we just won't be very good in possession as a result.
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There are loads of players. From Guido Rodríguez on a free until Hall gets up to speed? Hakan Calhanoglu? I mean I'd sign Joao Neves from Benfica but that could scupper Hall's development. Would set us up for years though
 
Bissouma started the season brilliantly, fell off a cliff after the Afcom but most of the side was struggling by then. I think he was ranked 10th best DM in Europe last season even after his poor finish to the year.

A lot could depend on how quickly Bergvall and or Gray make an impression. Could one of them adapt quickly and play big minutes or will they both be getting 10 minutes in Europa games.
 
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