Edu’s Transfer Targets: Summer 2023

[OnlyOne]

Why ? Care to expand ?

They're all better than Rice.

I don't really need to, Rice is far better than the players you mentioned and has done it in the PL for so much longer. Caicedo & Onana need to have 2 more years performing like they have to be near Rice.

What Onana did yesterday was great, but he hasn't been doing that game in game out for Everton, I have seen Rice has that sort of game so many times.

They're good players, but no way would I choose either over Rice until they've earned it.

 

[Tom349]

Actually watched Rice play yesterday and like @OnlyOne and @Tir Na Nog have said he was actually occupying the spaces that Xhaka does but the guys engine and athleticism is crazy because he’s back in the defensive third in the blink of an eye.

Thing is, Xhaka actually has a wand of a left foot and we’ve seen him put in some amazing crosses/shots and some cute passes. Yet we all agree that we could do with a more attacking CM in his potion.

Yet with Rice we don’t really have proof that he can do that. Good all rounder but what’s his offensive skill set? Having him in makes us really hard to beat and our transition defence would be world class but what does he add going forwards?

He is on free kick/corner taking duty for West Ham which would indicate good ball striking, that or West Ham having shocking alternatives. I think the biggest area of growth for Rice in our system would be making the same third man runs that Xhaka has but with greater purpose and conviction. Is also a far better dribbler than Xhaka which gives him the advantage of being able to receive in the half space and run at the opposition opposed to Xhaka who will pass from the same position. In which, most circumstances its better to pass than to dribble as the ball travels faster, however in the half space the key is eliminating one line of players via the pass and drawing the next line of players out of position by running at them with no one to cover them. This is where Xhaka fails most, Rice can run at them and its question mark as to whether his decision making in the final third can lead to goal scoring opportunities.

I also think we downplay how defensively minded Arteta set up is, he would sacrifice a bit going forward on the basis of not losing duels in midfield.

 

[Nunowoolmez]

I don't really need to, Rice is far better than the players you mentioned and has done it in the PL for so much longer. Caicedo & Onana need to have 2 more years performing like they have to be near Rice.

What Onana did yesterday was great, but he hasn't been doing that game in game out for Everton, I have seen Rice has that sort of game so many times.

They're good players, but no way would I choose either over Rice until they've earned it.

Ok. I guess we just disagree, which is fine.

 

[Trilly]

It’s hard to gauge exactly what Arteta’s perfect midfield is. It’s easy to presume he wants the City midfield of KDB-Rodri-Gundogan. Ødegaard is a clear KDB type, Partey the same for Rodri. But Xhaka isn’t a clear Gundogan type.

You wonder if we’ve stumbled upon this midfield set up a bit by accident and it’s working well, but long term he’d want something a bit different.

I’m very sure I know what Arteta wants from his 6, it’s a press resistant distributor, obviously why he likes Jorginho. If we’re talking about that, Zubimendi is more that guy than Rice. But if you’re going to buy Rice, you surely play him at 6 rather than 8.

Really curious to know who Arteta wants as a long term Xhaka replacement at LCM, but I’d be surprised if it’s Rice.

I’m leaning towards thinking he wants to absolutely dominate the midfield battle like @Tom349 said and then just allow the front three to do their thing with some assistance from Ødegaard.

Caicedo for 75M and rumours of Rice suggests his ideal midfield is Partey Caicedo/Rice and Ødegaard.

We haven’t been linked to an attacking CM since like two summers ago?

 

[drippin]

I think this would have been a really good January transfer you know. Especially if signing Caicedo wouldn’t have effected plans to sign a CM in summer.

Guy is a monster physically and can play too. Only 21 years old which is like a teenager in CM terms. I think Mikel could have worked wonders with him.

Would you have paid 80-100 million for Onana which likely would have been the price after seeing Caicedo and Enzo prices and getting money from Gordon and not being able to sign anyone? If they were selling at all.

 

[OnlyOne]

@jones go on then

 

[dashsnow17]

We definitely need a RW more than left now we have Trossard.

Agreed on this. LW is occupied for the foreseeable. In addition to Saka we have 3 RWs on the books, Nelson, Marquinhos and Pepe.

Nelson will leave probably, Marquinhos I don’t think has the explosiveness necessary for PL but in any case I think he’ll play on loan next year. And what happens to Pepe? He’ll have 1 year left in the summer, is anyone going to make an offer and match his wages? There’s no market in Europe for these failed big money PL signings.

I think RW is a position our scouting department has to prove their worth. Nico Williams has a 50m euro release clause. Oyarzabal and Hirving Lozano have 1 year on their deals. Or scout more of an unknown player.

 

[jones]

Ok. I guess we just disagree, which is fine.

It's fine because you're 100% correct, don't bother arguing with @OnlyOne he decides which players he likes for non-footballing reasons.

Bookmark this post in three years you'll see Rice will be the same player he is now. He'll go down the usual English young star route, impress at an early age then plateau and deteriorate by his late 20s. He's a donkey all physicality no brain or ability on the ball, Amrabat and Bellingham are much better already and Onana will be in no time.

 

[jones]

@jones go on then

Only thing I'd agree on is I'd take Rice over Caicedo because the latter would be similarly overpriced.

Rice would be good cover in the PL but embarrass us against any top team in Europe.

 

[OnlyOne]

It's fine because you're 100% correct, don't bother arguing with @OnlyOne he decides which players he likes for non-footballing reasons.

Bookmark this post in three years you'll see Rice will be the same player he is now. He'll go down the usual English young star route, impress at an early age then plateau and deteriorate by his late 20s. He's a donkey all physicality no brain or ability on the ball, Amrabat and Bellingham are much better already and Onana will be in no time.

No one on this forum has heard of Amrabat and I said I’d rather Bellingham. Stfu about Onana you’ve seen him have one good game you melon, stick to taking your prescriptions and Bumdesliga.

 

[OnlyOne]

Only thing I'd agree on is I'd take Rice over Caicedo because the latter would be similarly overpriced.

Rice would be good cover in the PL but embarrass us against any top team in Europe.

This is so wild and incorrect

 

[Trilly]

Would you have paid 80-100 million for Onana which likely would have been the price after seeing Caicedo and Enzo prices and getting money from Gordon and not being able to sign anyone? If they were selling at all.

The only number I saw when we were linked to him was 45M?

 

[2Smokeyy]

It's fine because you're 100% correct, don't bother arguing with @OnlyOne he decides which players he likes for non-footballing reasons.

Bookmark this post in three years you'll see Rice will be the same player he is now. He'll go down the usual English young star route, impress at an early age then plateau and deteriorate by his late 20s. He's a donkey all physicality no brain or ability on the ball, Amrabat and Bellingham are much better already and Onana will be in no time.

Excellent post and I agree with every part of it. My main issue with this transfer is we’ll have to pay £75-100m or even more as David Moyes is suggesting but are we going to be getting in return the same sort of return on the pitch for the fee that is rumoured? I very much doubt it.

I’d rather go for a cheaper alternative in midfield and spend that on the attacking areas of the pitch that’ll be game changers. Give me an Osimhen and load the front line with star quality.

 

[jones]

No one on this forum has heard of Amrabat and I said I’d rather Bellingham. Stfu about Onana you’ve seen him have one good game you melon, stick to taking your prescriptions and Bumdesliga.

"no one on this forum has heard" see @Nunowoolmez this is how this guy measures a players ability, how many mentions and likes they have on his social media feeds. Not even that Amrabat, top 3 CM at the WC, linked with Liverpool and Barcelona is now some unknown lol.

"One good game" go look up my first post on Onana you spastic.

 

[drippin]

The only number I saw when we were linked to him was 45M?

Look at what I said and how much they paid for him, and his contract length. 45 million is a proper joke.

 

[jones]

This is so wild and incorrect

He embarrassed himself last season in the EL semi finals, biggest games in West Hams history and he put in two solid 3/10 performances.

He covers a lot of ground defensively and can carry the ball forward but any decision he makes in his peanut brain takes fifteen minutes to reach his donkey legs. No thanks.

 

[OnlyOne]

@jones im not listening to a guy who wants to sell Jesus so Balogun and Eddie have room and then to add Onana and Amrabat to a midfield who want to continuously fight for trophies, what an absolute crock of **** posting but I’m not surprised it’s come from you.

 

[Trilly]

Look at what I said and how much they paid for him, and his contract length. 45 million is a proper joke.

What do you want?

 

[jones]

@jones im not listening to a guy who wants to sell Jesus so Balogun and Eddie have room and then to add Onana and Amrabat to a midfield who want to continuously fight for trophies, what an absolute crock of **** posting but I’m not surprised it’s come from you.

I never said I want to sell Jesus so Balogun and Eddie start for us. None of the three are ideal, one or two should leave for a top CF coming.

Also I didn't say I want to add both Onana and Amrabat? The state of your reading ability bro, I take it your OnlyOneGCSE was not in English?

 

[Trilly]

He embarrassed himself last season in the EL semi finals, biggest games in West Hams history and he put in two solid 3/10 performances.

He covers a lot of ground defensively and can carry the ball forward but any decision he makes in his peanut brain takes fifteen minutes to reach his donkey legs. No thanks.

The more I think about it the more I think he’s got to be a long term Partey replacement. We literally have zero evidence of him being cute in the final third. Looks like he’s got some decent ball striking but that’s really not enough.

Either that or Mikel is a bit more pragmatic than we thought and he wants to defensively dominate first and foremost.