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The Wish List

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
Add Tielemans, Danilo, Mudryk, and Rice and say goodbye to: At least one of Vieira and ESR, and all of Patino, Azeez, Lewis Skelly, and Nwaneri.

There's only scope for adding both an attacking wide player and a central midfielder if we are comfortable giving up on the career / selling one of Vieira and ESR, and if we are comfortable blocking Patino at the very least and realising that we are very much complicating the pathway / opening us up to them leaving for the latter three.

Of course if you add an attacking wide player and two central midfielders, you can just say goodbye to any pathway whatsoever for younger players or even younger not fully established players in the team (Vieira, ESR).

The reality is the best thing is going to be to sign a Thomas back-up who also has interesting qualities as a more defensive LAM. Dunno if that exists or if Danilo can be that.
central midfielder in addition to Thomas competition, I meant, in the bolded part.
 

sergio_giorgini

Dying on Mt.Neymar Hill
Add Tielemans, Danilo, Mudryk, and Rice and say goodbye to: At least one of Vieira and ESR, and all of Patino, Azeez, Lewis Skelly, and Nwaneri.

There's only scope for adding both an attacking wide player and a central midfielder if we are comfortable giving up on the career / selling one of Vieira and ESR, and if we are comfortable blocking Patino at the very least and realising that we are very much complicating the pathway / opening us up to them leaving for the latter three.

Of course if you add an attacking wide player and two central midfielders, you can just say goodbye to any pathway whatsoever for younger players or even younger not fully established players in the team (Vieira, ESR).

The reality is the best thing is going to be to sign a Thomas back-up who also has interesting qualities as a more defensive LAM. Dunno if that exists or if Danilo can be that.

Nah say goodbye to Momo Elneny and Lokonga. Danilo takes Sambi’s spot. And Rice and Partey battle it out for the starting lone 6 slot. They can also potentially play together. Vieira deputises for Ødegaard and ESR like wise for Xhaka and potentially LW. Azeez I wouldn’t be against selling on with some sort of clause inserted in the deal. Patino, Nwaneri & MLS are a good few years away from being considered in the equation so not worth worrying about that. You have a point with Tielemans but getting someone like that on a free is too good an opportunity to pass up.
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
Nah say goodbye to Momo Elneny and Lokonga. Danilo takes Sambi’s spot. And Rice and Partey battle it out for the starting lone 6 slot. They can also potentially play together. Vieira deputises for Ødegaard and ESR like wise for Xhaka and potentially LW. Azeez I wouldn’t be against selling on with some sort of clause inserted in the deal. Patino, Nwaneri & MLS are a good few years away from being considered in the equation so not worth worrying about that. You have a point with Tielemans but getting someone like that on a free is too good an opportunity to pass up.
Where do the minutes come to develop a young boy coming from Brasil in England, if Rice is there? Think about it...Lokonga has only got minutes when Thomas has been unfit and in EL.

Getting rid of Lokonga (something I would agree too, regardless, with adding an attacking winger and a Thomas back-up) doesn't solve much.

Re: Patino he's one good top tier loan away. So potentially 1,5 years from now.

MLS and Nwaneri are Jude Bellingham level talents and absolutely need to be planned for, IMO. 1,5 years might not be a very unrealistic projection for them, either. It's something the club needs to have in their thinking and certainly will, even if the fans don't.

Re: the image posted, you've got 13 players for 6 positions. Most of them needing somewhere near starter's minutes. That's just not going to happen nor is realistic. A more realistic planning is something like City's, where they have 8 important first team players for 5 positions.
 

sergio_giorgini

Dying on Mt.Neymar Hill
Where do the minutes come to develop a young boy coming from Brasil in England, if Rice is there? Think about it...Lokonga has only got minutes when Thomas has been unfit and in EL.

Getting rid of Lokonga (something I would agree too, regardless, with adding an attacking winger and a Thomas back-up) doesn't solve much.

Re: Patino he's one good top tier loan away. So potentially 1,5 years from now.

MLS and Nwaneri are Jude Bellingham level talents and absolutely need to be planned for, IMO. 1,5 years might not be a very unrealistic projection for them, either. It's something the club needs to have in their thinking and certainly will, even if the fans don't.

Re: the image posted, you've got 13 players for 6 positions. Most of them needing somewhere near starter's minutes. That's just not going to happen nor is realistic. A more realistic planning is something like City's, where they have 8 important first team players for 5 positions.

Nowadays any serious team needs two, in some positions even three, top quality players.

Agree on Patino. He’s about 1.5 years away from competing in the first team. But Partey and Xhaka will be 1.5 years older and may have slowed down by then. Parteys short term future is even less certain.

Nwaneri and MSL may have Bellingham level talent, but it’s doubtful they have his maturity. A very small percentage of players have it at that age. He’s a unique case. Besides they’re 15/16, let them cook slowly, without the added pressure. Their time will come. You can’t fully compromise their potential if you’re a huge club. They will make it here if they’re good enough.
 

samspade

"You said I said" detection expert at your service
Can someone explain what I'm missing with Rice? I find him severely overrated.

To me he
  • doesn't like turning under pressure
  • doesn't move well to open up options for team mates
  • doesn't move well defensively to consistently impact the team in possession
  • doesn't have particularly impressive vision
  • isn't particulary good at connecting disparate parts of the team
He's athletic and a good technician but the way he plays for West Ham makes me think more of a worse version of Xhaka and I think he'd need a lot work to play the Partey positiion.

Why am I wrong?
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
Nowadays any serious team needs two, in some positions even three, top quality players.
A bit overstated. Look around the big clubs and you won't see this many important players per position.

Again, at state funded City, you have:

Álvarez, Haaland, Mahrez, Grealish, Foden, De Bruyne, Gündogan, Bernardo, Rodri, and Phillips. That's 10 to the 13 you propose.

At Bayern, the team with the most extreme depth, you have:

Mané, Chupo Moting, Coman, Sané, Gnabry, Müller, Musiala, Salbitzer, Goretzka, Kimmich, Gravenberch, (Tel). Even there we're talking about 11-12 players not 13, and of those 11-12, 4-5 are clear squad players who do not get good minutes whatsoever, nothing close to the ones needed to develop in any meaningful way (Chupo Moting, Coman, Salbitzer, Gravenberch, and Tel) if they were in their early 20s (as is Gravenberch).

What you're suggesting just doesn't have precedent, nor is in any way tenable, honestly.

My conclusion is the one above, we have scope for one central midfield signing as well as a wide player signing, and if we make a second one we must accept serious consequences wrt to future planning (Patino, Nwaneri, MLS futures all at serious to grave risk) as well as the exit of one of ESR and Vieira (unlikely given he was just bought for a significant fee this past summer). (Not counting Lokonga's exit, which I take for granted as happening)

My realistic plan would be: a CM who can play both at 5 backing up Thomas and also as a LCM / LAM. A wide player (agree on Mudryk). A LB to replace Tierney who can replicate a bit of what Zinchenko does--if one exists--for the team, to allow Vieira and ESR to continue to develop in the LAM role with a player more adept in fulfilling deep lying midfielder roles behind them when Zinchenko is injured. A high level LCB, more comfortable on the ball than Gabriel.

Should we buy another CM on top of the one mentioned above, it should only be if we are extremely disappointed with ESR or Vieira's performances post World Cup, and decide to discard them from our future planning. Don't think that will happen, barring some off the pitch concerns.
 

2Smokeyy

5.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (49)
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Bring Kamada to the carpet, that’s clearly who we should be looking at. There’s no way we should be letting other teams snap up this don with only 6 months left on his deal.



Send Agent Tomi to get this one tied up.
 

sergio_giorgini

Dying on Mt.Neymar Hill
A bit overstated. Look around the big clubs and you won't see this many important players per position.

Again, at state funded City, you have:

Álvarez, Haaland, Mahrez, Grealish, Foden, De Bruyne, Gündogan, Bernardo, Rodri, and Phillips. That's 10 to the 13 you propose.

At Bayern, the team with the most extreme depth, you have:

Mané, Chupo Moting, Coman, Sané, Gnabry, Müller, Musiala, Salbitzer, Goretzka, Kimmich, Gravenberch, (Tel). Even there we're talking about 11-12 players not 13, and of those 11-12, 4-5 are clear squad players who do not get good minutes whatsoever, nothing close to the ones needed to develop in any meaningful way (Chupo Moting, Coman, Salbitzer, Gravenberch, and Tel) if they were in their early 20s (as is Gravenberch).

What you're suggesting just doesn't have precedent, nor is in any way tenable, honestly.

My conclusion is the one above, we have scope for one central midfield signing as well as a wide player signing, and if we make a second one we must accept serious consequences wrt to future planning (Patino, Nwaneri, MLS futures all at serious to grave risk) as well as the exit of one of ESR and Vieira (unlikely given he was just bought for a significant fee this past summer). (Not counting Lokonga's exit, which I take for granted as happening)

My realistic plan would be: a CM who can play both at 5 backing up Thomas and also as a LCM / LAM. A wide player (agree on Mudryk). A LB to replace Tierney who can replicate a bit of what Zinchenko does--if one exists--for the team, to allow Vieira and ESR to continue to develop in the LAM role with a player more adept in fulfilling deep lying midfielder roles behind them when Zinchenko is injured. A high level LCB, more comfortable on the ball than Gabriel.

Should we buy another CM on top of the one mentioned above, it should only be if we are extremely disappointed with ESR or Vieira's performances post World Cup, and decide to discard them from our future planning. Don't think that will happen, barring some off the pitch concerns.

E54839AA-7020-472A-A259-D2707EDBB340.jpeg

City have the luxury of versatile world class players like Foden, Bernardo and Cancelo who can play 2 or 3 positions at a top standard. Pep Also wanted to keep Sterling.


D54EDCE2-CACF-4230-AFDB-FA078AE1F9A8.jpeg

Liverpool were even desperate to add Tchouameni for DM before he chose Madrid.


83701979-E946-43D1-A21D-30C59E07E784.jpeg


C0DD0C82-028E-4B6D-A8F5-65F4D6A2F301.jpeg


53088793-AC0F-436F-9B2A-738FF4F99204.jpeg

Barca were desperate to add Bernardo to their ranks.

3F96D3A0-0C37-430B-8B08-1A89A7723AEE.jpeg

L. Hernandez can cover A. Davies at LB and Sabitzer can play further forward in place of Musiala. But Paul Wanner is also an elite talent.


43174274-84EE-4402-A1D3-80F18D5FC099.jpeg


A51EDC72-6DA2-4AF8-8524-2B844417D5EF.jpeg


I rest my case!
 

benjamin86

Established Member
Jonathan David seems like he would be a good addition for his ability to play off the right and upfront. He would allow us to rest/rotate Saka and Jesus.
 
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Sapient Hawk

Can You Smell What The Hawk Is Cooking?
Trusted ⭐

Country: Saudi Arabia
If we manage to secure Tielemans & N'Dicka for free and add Danilo in January, I'd want us to throw everything at Milan & test their resolve for Leao.
 

Sapient Hawk

Can You Smell What The Hawk Is Cooking?
Trusted ⭐

Country: Saudi Arabia
I like Tielemans still, but I don't think he suits this team anymore. Last season I was all for it.

I echo the sentiment & actually haven't wanted him here. But, looking back & realizing he'd be a tidy acquisition at no cost to the club, it makes sense as a squad player.
 

boonthegoon

Arteta In by November

Country: USA

Player:Smith-Rowe
I know caicedo is the hot cm currently from Brighton but what do you guys think about macallister? He's been great this season and feel he'll be a good rotation option for one of the #8 roles.
 

ArsenalInMyHeart

This is your brain on ITK addiction
I know caicedo is the hot cm currently from Brighton but what do you guys think about macallister? He's been great this season and feel he'll be a good rotation option for one of the #8 roles.
He is more expensive than Tielemans. We have already got Tielemans with small fee in January or free in the summer
 

MikelHadADream

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Can someone explain what I'm missing with Rice? I find him severely overrated.

To me he
  • doesn't like turning under pressure
  • doesn't move well to open up options for team mates
  • doesn't move well defensively to consistently impact the team in possession
  • doesn't have particularly impressive vision
  • isn't particulary good at connecting disparate parts of the team
He's athletic and a good technician but the way he plays for West Ham makes me think more of a worse version of Xhaka and I think he'd need a lot work to play the Partey positiion.

Why am I wrong?

Used to think something similar but I’ve come around to him. He’s fantastic defensively and has one of the biggest engines in world football. They’re probably the two most important things a DM can have. He’s also competent on the ball. By no means as good as TP5 or Rodri, but he can hold his own.

He’s also never injured…
 
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