Summer 2018 transfer window

[SchmoodSpur]

Finally you're starting to agree with me that:

a) There are better players than Lamela we can buy. Bale is one but there are others. Pulisic would be one in my opinion.

and

b) Lamela is just a squad player. I.e. Upgradeable

Nope. Lamela is here to stay. He is an integral squad player.

Literally no one on this forum has said there isn't better players than Lamela out there. They're in our bloody squad. Stop making stuff up to try claw back some semblance of respectability. What there aren't, is players sculpted to the level of Lamela by Poch to do the job Lamela does.

Do you know anything about football? You don't populate a squad of 25 with week in, week out starters. One, it is not affordable. Two, it is not sustainable. You develop a squad of players of different roles and levels.

We could also buy Allison of Roma for 50m to be our number 2 goalie. Do you understand why we don't? He's a Vorm upgrade after all.

When you figure out the answer to that question, you'll figure out the Lamela quandary you keep getting wrong.

One day, you'll have the capacity to learn. But learning is probably just a subjective version of reality to you.

 

[bk_spur]

Indeed he is right footed. Yet he is equally adept on the left as he is on the right or centre. Hence he played on the left 12-15 times this past season.

We have a new player in Lucas Moura for our right wing. Pulisic would join as a utility player who can play anywhere across both banks of a midfield. In a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 he'd be perfect on the left of the 4.

He won't be taking out Eriksen, Dele or Son in the 3 of a 4-2-3-1 any time soon, so that's where I can see him fitting in immediately. Especially if Rose goes.

He's most likely to play LAM in place of Son.

Don't think he'll ever play LWB though, that'd be akin to when Woolwich tried playing Oxlade-Chamberlain at RWB- think it would alienate Pulisic. Plus, he's damn good as an attacker. He can ride the pine a bit, get starts here and there, get a ton of sub minutes, and have the chance to take the spot as his own.

I guess it would spell trouble for either Son or Lamela though. I thought our attack would be just fine being left alone, but, hey if Poch thinks we should mix it up, I would guess he is best situated to make that call. If we move to a 4-3-3 though, it definitely allows Eriksen to move back into CM and gives us an opportunity to keep and play them all. I'd like to think that is what will happen...

 

[bk_spur]

I don't trust the American soccer structure to not fuck it up, though. That’s what makes it depressing - I don’t think missing out on the World Cup is going to drive change with the underlying issues in the larger system.

I disagree only in the sense that there is a chance they won't fuck it up.
They totally could fuck it up again, but, also, maybe not.
Would be nice for a change. Klinsmann was a fucking disaster.

 

[ArcspacE]

You really can’t spot sarcasm, can you?

He wasn't sarastic one bit - just a thicko

 

[Gatsby]

Maybe we're attempting a change in formation next season?

If we potentially change to a 4-3-3, we arguably only have two players capable of playing either side of Kane (Son & Lucas). Pulisic would add to that depth.

I wouldn't put it past Eriksen and Dele to be able to play in a front 3, but they lack the pace to be as effective and would prefer them in the midfield 3 in that formation.

I see no problems with signing another winger/attacking midfielder. Especially a versatile one like Pulisic who has 2 years left on his contract.

It gives us:

RW = Lucas, Son, Pulisic, Lamela
LW = Son, Pulisic, Lucas, Lamela
AM = Eriksen, Dele, Lamela, Pulisic
FW = Kane, Son

Plenty of depth. We will be playing 50+ games next season. Injuries and dips in form happen. Plus it sounds better than having to play Sissoko there instead or a Llorente/Janssen if resting Kane

Let's just trust Pochettino - he's signed a new deal on the basis that he's backed (I imagine and hope). If he thinks Pulisic adds something to this team, back him. He isn't going to just sign attackers and wingers for the sake of signing youngsters so no one else can have them.

- Lloris -
- KWP - Sanchez - Vertonghen - Rose -
- Dele - Dier - Eriksen -
- Pulisic - Kane - Son

​

 

[ArcspacE]

Is Rondon any good?

He's dog shite

 

[ArcspacE]

Nope. Lamela is here to stay. He is an integral squad player.

Actually, I think if a good offer comes in he'll be off. He's stagnated for 3 seasons now and I believe Moura is the better player overall. Not to mention the Martial / Zaha rumour whom both I believe offer more than him.

 

[ShutUpPatrik]

Actually, I think if a good offer comes in he'll be off. He's stagnated for 3 seasons now and I believe Moura is the better player overall. Not to mention the Martial / Zaha rumour whom both I believe offer more than him.

It all depends on incomings. If we get in a player that does Lamela's job to an equal or greater level he might well be sold. But he is one of Poch's trusted boys so I don't think he will be sold without a clear replacement in place

 

[bk_spur]

Actually, I think if a good offer comes in he'll be off. He's stagnated for 3 seasons now and I believe Moura is the better player overall. Not to mention the Martial / Zaha rumour whom both I believe offer more than him.

It seemed like Lamela was on his way out before those 2 goals he got in our final game. After those though, it's hard to imagine Levy/Poch wanting to sell when the fee would likely yield so little. I can't see us getting much more than 30m for him at most- not with his injury history.

Besides that, it's hard to find natural left-footed talent. Wouldn't want to sell him unless we can sign a better lefty attacker.

 

[kuntardi]

Fabinho is a poor man's Wanyama ... they are trading him for Can who like Wanyama has been unfit all season ... don't see that as any kind of step up, in fact a slight step down, they're going from a proven EPL player to an unproven one ... it's not as if expensive ex-Monaco midfielders have set the world on fire ... Kondogbia, Bakayako

I'd much rather keep Wanyama than spend 40m on Fabinho ... and we don't need both ...

We need a CM in the Dembele mold, not a converted right back ...

Why get excited about Dippers spending 40m on a player we don't want? how many on here would have had Fabinho on the top of their wish list? Does he even have a thread?

Reality is we've got the usual posters saying 'not signing a player we had no interest in' shows what an utter failure this transfer window is on the 28th May.... well I guess trolls will troll ....

Fabinho is more of a DLP, no?
And when we talk about other teams upgrade we should have compare it to their own camp instead of Wanyama.
He is certainly an upgrade for Henderson imo.

 

[Gatsby]

The Pulisic rumours make sense. He's offers genuine width and pace. He fits the Poch signing mould and will be an instant upgrade to the squad. I'm not going to get excited until I see him wearing the shirt.

I wonder, if we do sign him, whether it impacts moves for Zaha and Sessengon?

 

[kingdawson]

I would rather we signed Zaha or Martial over Pulisic tbh.

 

[bk_spur]

I would rather we signed Zaha or Martial over Pulisic tbh.

I can understand Martial, but Zaha? Why?

 

[bk_spur]

The Pulisic rumours make sense. He's offers genuine width and pace. He fits the Poch signing mould and will be an instant upgrade to the squad. I'm not going to get excited until I see him wearing the shirt.

I wonder, if we do sign him, whether it impacts moves for Zaha and Sessengon?

After winning promotion, not sure why Fulham would want to sell Sessegnon, or why Sessegnon would want to leave. Sure they could net 50-60m pounds, but it's a feel-bad move that doesn't even yield enough to guarantee them buying a squad of players good enough to stay up.

I kinda hope he stays there- will give him time to prove himself in the prem without having to wait on the bench, and will give us (and everyone else) time to more fully assess how ready he is for this level of play.

 

[superstaryid]

Are people going to melt every time someone makes a signing?

Agreed it's pathetic , if we were in for any of the players Liverpool have signed it's different but there is no suggestion we were.

 

[Gatsby]

I can understand Martial, but Zaha? Why?

Zaha terrifies teams. His pace and directness is something we lack, plus he can fill in as a striker as he’s shown at Palace this season.

 

[SchmoodSpur]

He's most likely to play LAM in place of Son.

Don't think he'll ever play LWB though, that'd be akin to when Woolwich tried playing Oxlade-Chamberlain at RWB- think it would alienate Pulisic. Plus, he's damn good as an attacker. He can ride the pine a bit, get starts here and there, get a ton of sub minutes, and have the chance to take the spot as his own.

I guess it would spell trouble for either Son or Lamela though. I thought our attack would be just fine being left alone, but, hey if Poch thinks we should mix it up, I would guess he is best situated to make that call. If we move to a 4-3-3 though, it definitely allows Eriksen to move back into CM and gives us an opportunity to keep and play them all. I'd like to think that is what will happen...

Spending 50m on one player to get starts here and there is not something I think we'll do.

If we commit that kind of money they'd need to be a first team regular.

 

[TheSpurEst]

not sure why so many turn their noses up at Zaha , I think he would be a good addition

I can help with that.
He is very limited and average player who will never in his career get anywhere close to levels Alli, Eriksen and Son are right now. So basically we would not improve on our AM selection but move sideways.

I mean, it is not too difficult to grasp - Zaha is 25,5. He has played 5 seasons in the EPL. Never setting it fire. Not even going in upwards direction right now - last year scored/assisted goal per 168 minutes, this year falling to 182 minutes. Limited skillset, basically without pace he is worth absolutely nothing. Just your regular speed demon who will never make it under Poch. And at all this - he would STILL cost north of 40 mil if this deal would happen, just because some ppl could be fooled by fast players...

At the same time alternatives such as Pulisic (19,5) and Martial (22,5) are significantly younger. Significantly less reliant on the speed. Significantly more well rounded players.

To me the progression would be Martial > Pulisic > number of other players > Zaha.

 

[bk_spur]

Zaha terrifies teams. His pace and directness is something we lack, plus he can fill in as a striker as he’s shown at Palace this season.

Those are reasonable points. Just not really excited by his age. I also feel like he is less skilled than is commonly believed.

 

[BangkokSpud]

Fabinho is more of a DLP, no?
And when we talk about other teams upgrade we should have compare it to their own camp instead of Wanyama.
He is certainly an upgrade for Henderson imo.

Agree ... good for them as a replacement for Can, or as you say an upgrade on Henderson, and probably would have been good for Woolwich as well ... but not good enough for any of the top three ....