The Footie Thread

[Swango1980]

I agree, its certainly been you plan of the past 10 years and it clearly isnt successful in the long term.

You do need to regain top 4 though! There have to be some additions to even do that!

Indeed, I'm sure the mindset will not be to finish 5th. And, we'll almost certainly need new players. I know we had far too many hangers on last year, but still definitely got rid of Cavani, Lingard, Mata, Matic and Pogba, so that is 5 of the higher profile players gone. There is then the likes of Bailly, Jones, Greenwood, Dalot and Wan-Bissaka whose future at the club remains in the balance. And, even for those that stay, many have proven to have been pretty awful this year, so it would be difficult for ten Hag to assume he can achieve much better things with the players than remain. Hopefully he rejuvenates them, but will also take new additions to add that energy, feeling of excitement and provide healthy competition for places.

 

[Pin-seeker]

So it looks like Mason Greenwood as got off with it.
Can see him getting some right stick next season from opposition fans.

 

[4LEX]

Its pretty insane and frankly, just not fair

Nunez only has one decent season behind him, very much unproven. Mane will be a huge loss in terms of goals and assists, he was the one who stepped up towards the end of the season when Salah went off the boil.

Thing is Liverpool have shown they get the scouting and signings right, so you'd not be surprised if he hit the ground running and got 25 goals. If he doesn't then City will walk it!

 

[4LEX]

The danger would be if Utd just splash money on players to try and plug the gap. If they were to go all out for a player, it would really have to be a player who is not only quality, but is less risky in terms of what sort of character and professionalism to the team. We have just been burned too many times by splashing money on big time charlies. Just as an example, Mbappe is clearly an immense player, but if Utd had signed him I'd be anxious as to the sort of guy he'd be like in the dressing room, and what his motivations were. Whereas, if they brought in someone like Kane or Son then I feel that, probability wise, they'd be better personalities to have. Clearly, only based on what I see, and I only used these players as an example rather than the sort of players I could see Utd going for (with Mbappe obviously committing himself to PSG after they kindly offered him a "small" pay rise).

I'd imagine few Utd fans don't expect us to fully close the gap to City or Liverpool. We just want to see a positive improvement to where we have found ourselves. We are like a 10 handicapper in the Club Championships who shoots two awful rounds of 90+, whilst a couple of scratch golfers compete for lowest gross. We are not silly enough to think we'll compete for lowest gross next year. Instead, we'd be happy to sort out our game, get our handicap to about 7 or 8 through hard work, and then hope to maybe close the gap on the leaders for the event next year.

As for Liverpool and City, it'll be interesting. They have already been competing at an extremely high standard. And, big name players will, on paper, make them better. Especially for City, as Haaland fills a position City clearly were lacking. However, even when big players are brought in, given the level they were before, any potential gains become more marginal (if the new players play as expected). It is like a decade ago when Barcelona were a truly brilliant team. They could go and buy another immense player, but if they were already playing close to the top level a team could play, how much better could the team perform? For Liverpool, I think Liverpool fans would agree that they are delighted with all their attacking players and what they have contributed. So, will another brilliant forward automatically make them even better? And, if that player replaces Mane, will they be better for Liverpool than Mane was, given how much Mane is praised by Liverpool fans (and more widely).

The signs aren't good missing out on Nunez and chasing De Jong who isn't interested in leaving Barcelona. It looks like theres very little planning going on at Utd bar signing Ajax or ex Ajax players.

De Jong would be a good signing though and give Utd the anchor in midfield they've lacked since Carrick. The sort of player who makes everyone else play better.

 

[Slime]

The signs aren't good missing out on Nunez and chasing De Jong who isn't interested in leaving Barcelona. It looks like theres very little planning going on at Utd bar signing Ajax or ex Ajax players.

De Jong would be a good signing though and give Utd the anchor in midfield they've lacked since Carrick. The sort of player who makes everyone else play better.

It's been exactly that for a decade and more!

 

[Orikoru]

Nunez only has one decent season behind him, very much unproven. Mane will be a huge loss in terms of goals and assists, he was the one who stepped up towards the end of the season when Salah went off the boil.

Thing is Liverpool have shown they get the scouting and signings right, so you'd not be surprised if he hit the ground running and got 25 goals. If he doesn't then City will walk it!

Yeah... I'm not quaking in my boots at them signing Nunez just yet. Currently on a par with the likes of Mateja Kezman until he proves himself.

 

[Bdill93]

Yeah... I'm not quaking in my boots at them signing Nunez just yet. Currently on a par with the likes of Mateja Kezman until he proves himself.

I just back any player Liverpool sign under Klopp to do well.

Hes certainly more of a goal threat than Firminho!

 

[Beezerk]

I just back any player Liverpool sign under Klopp to do well.

Hes certainly more of a goal threat than Firminho!

Yeah but Firminho is perfect for the “Klopp way” ??

 

[Bdill93]

Yeah but Firminho is perfect for the “Klopp way” ??

Perfect at warming the bench now I think!

 

[Orikoru]

I just back any player Liverpool sign under Klopp to do well.

Hes certainly more of a goal threat than Firminho!

Yeah, I'd agree with both of those points.

The rumours of us signing Richarlison aren't going away either. It's making me sad. I think he's a bang average player and a monumental prick into the bargain. If we did sign him he'd have to go some to win me over. (I'm sure he's bothered what I think.)

 

[Bdill93]

Yeah, I'd agree with both of those points.

The rumours of us signing Richarlison aren't going away either. It's making me sad. I think he's a bang average player and a monumental prick into the bargain. If we did sign him he'd have to go some to win me over. (I'm sure he's bothered what I think.)

Youve got Bissouma it seems!!

 

[Orikoru]

Youve got Bissouma it seems!!

Now that would be a good signing. The thing is with Paratici though who handles our transfers, I've heard that he'll literally negotiate with like ten players at once for a position, and then just give up on the ones that aren't working out and narrow it down to one guy. Hence we'll be linked with absolutely everyone with only a few of them coming off.

 

[Bdill93]

Now that would be a good signing. The thing is with Paratici though who handles our transfers, I've heard that he'll literally negotiate with like ten players at once for a position, and then just give up on the ones that aren't working out and narrow it down to one guy. Hence we'll be linked with absolutely everyone with only a few of them coming off.

Smoke screens are handy in modern football.

Biggest prices for players seem to happen when a club knows only their player is the target!

 

[fundy]

Now that would be a good signing. The thing is with Paratici though who handles our transfers, I've heard that he'll literally negotiate with like ten players at once for a position, and then just give up on the ones that aren't working out and narrow it down to one guy. Hence we'll be linked with absolutely everyone with only a few of them coming off.

Great signing in a purely football sense at the prices being discussed. Have his off field issues been resolved now?

 

[Bdill93]

Great signing in a purely football sense at the prices being discussed. Have his off field issues been resolved now?

This was my thought... If they had surely it would be 50m+?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Yeah... I'm not quaking in my boots at them signing Nunez just yet. Currently on a par with the likes of Mateja Kezman until he proves himself.

It’s always strange when new players arrive into the Prem from other leagues

Nunez for example is only 22 , you can see through his career how he is progressing

As an example he was on par with Diaz in terms of output with the Portuguese league

I don’t expect other teams fans to be “quaking” in their boots but I don’t think it takes much to see that the recruitment structure within the club right now works - they target specific players and he joins an already impressive front line and because of the quality already there he can be eased in

I have only seen him against us and he troubled VVD a number of times with his pace and power.

 

[Orikoru]

It’s always strange when new players arrive into the Prem from other leagues

Nunez for example is only 22 , you can see through his career how he is progressing

As an example he was on par with Diaz in terms of output with the Portuguese league

I don’t expect other teams fans to be “quaking” in their boots but I don’t think it takes much to see that the recruitment structure within the club right now works - they target specific players and he joins an already impressive front line and because of the quality already there he can be eased in

I have only seen him against us and he troubled VVD a number of times with his pace and power.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, he could be amazing or he could flop, at this point it just remains to be seen. I'm more worried by Haaland at City, purely because Bundesliga is a better like that the Portuguese, and his international record is ridiculous despite playing for a pretty poor nation. But similarly, that could easily go the way of Grealish, where he's not in the side every week and doesn't quite show what he's capable of.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1536769450720075776

All confirmed

Two players in so far under the age of 23 , a young right back from Aberdeen supposedly next and that’s prob our summer done

It will be a shame to see Mane go though

 

[Billysboots]

It seems everyone is announcing big signings, and strengthening their squads. Apart from the club which needs it most, obviously.

 

[Tashyboy]

Three clubs have signed attacking players from south america

Arsenal Marquinhos £3 million.
ManCity Alvarez £14 Million.
Liverpool Nunez £85 Million.

Time will tell who got a fantastic deal.