Is there any real prospect of this happening? Has Rafa played 3 at the back with any other teams? Have to say I don't like the system very much.
When people are talking about a handful of million it's hardly anything to worry about and we do need cover. It's a side issue as I have to hope first team players are coming in at different values to this. The problem is that we should be buying new first teamers and relegating some of the cart-horses from last year to our second string rather than buying players to back them up. Jenkinson, Gibbs, Chambers, Gibson - all rumoured to be available and I'd prefer to pay £10-£15m for good players (or £25 for Sakho!).
My thoughts exactly. If he's not being bought as a first choice player then it's disappointing because I'm not convinced Yedlin is quite good enough - or let's say I'd feel better with someone considerably better.
You wasters could only afford to borrow him. You're a washed out spent force. While you are raiding those bins you skiprat, don't forget Shola is free By the way have you still thrown your season ticket or will you be taking up your pink seat after all? 20,000 a week they reckon
Exactly. There's a host of players who are not in favour at top clubs who may be available, defenders alone there's Smalling, Jones, Sahko, Gibbs, Chambers, Jenkinson, etc. Throw in players like Ings, Nasri, Sturridge and all the other players who were bought up on the basis of a good season or two only to then fall out of favour and you have a quality midtable side of players who are clogging up wages for the top clubs. We have to accept we may end up paying £20m for players who are rejects of top 6 clubs and cover wages of £80k+ to boot. If we don't then others will and we will be left at a seat at the Championship table. In an ideal world we would develop our own, but we don't seem capable of that so let's make do and mend.
I don't know. There were strong rumours we were running a lot drills towards the end of last season on 352. It can't have been that successful as we never saw it in a game. Have to say I really like 343. Any system can work - it's about personnel fitting a system. It's like Alonso and Moses at Chelsea - I don't think they make great full backs but in a 343 they make fantastic wing backs. Cesar azpeu isn't a top centre back in 442 but as a right sided defender in a 3 he is unbelievable. Some players can look good in any formation. Players Costa or Shearer then they are fine whatever. It's what makes a good manager - assessing personnel and then getting the best out of them. And also having a transfer policy which is seamless with your formation. It's where McClaren and Newcastle in general have me bewildered half the time, there is zero cohesion. Probably because we are too busy looking at sell on value. I just don't think Manquillo looks very good. I get he is just a cheap option for back up instead of Gamez but it's still a bit of a weird one. I suppose it's harsh to judge him at Sunderland as they were so **** it's difficult to look good in such a bad team. Defoe looked ok but half his goals last season were pens and he went a while looking pretty average. Pickford looked good but he was just really busy. He was hit and miss for England u21. Aside from those two they all looked awful. Yet Kone, Khazri, Kirchhoff looked useful under Allardyce. Never good to judge players in really really bad sides like Sunderland.
I think when we talk about deals being done late in the window, then those are the types of players we are talking about. Players who havea high opinion of themselves having played for big clubs and will be looking for the best club available for their next move. The dust will slowly settle and we will pick up the scraps. I see Lucas Leiva has moved to Lazio on a permanent deal so that's another one off the list (much to the relief of many fans I'm sure). In terms of youth development, does Beardo need to be given the push? I mean he's had a few years at it and not many have come through to the first team squad. I assume he's the principal man responsible for youth players coming through? Club legend and top bloke but what's best for the club?
I would agree, a lot of our personnel would be more suited to 3 man defence. I just think there is more to go wrong in those systems where you need good players and everyone switched on all the time. Everyone's role seems to be more flexible and that can lead to errors and confusion.
I think we've suffered in recent years due to the top Academy category not being achieved which impacted upon the level of youngster we could get in comparison to other Clubs in the PL. I think we have top category now and so over the next few years we should hopefully see an improvement in the youngsters we get and thereafter they may then begin to have an impact on the first team. Also it's something I understand Rafa is keen on and that should also help bring in some better grade kids.
Just have a look at the **** you signing pal. Get ready for hard, long and boring season. I haven't renewed and loads haven't to. Lucky to be 30,000 there against derby.
I think where we struggle is leadership. It does require players to take responsibility in certain areas. Luiz at Chelsea has developed into a leader and ran that defence. Matic did the same in midfield and Kante is obviously very switched in too. I can see an issue for us in both areas!
Rafa totally rebuilt our academy when he came in which was a state. He brought a shed load of youngster into the academy from abroad trying to get the best talent in early. It got a few kids in and around the first team because of it. Player like Sterling, Suso, San Jose, Kelly, Wisdom who have all gone on to play at decent level after being in the academy since Rafa took charge.
We've got an RB thank ****, I almost think Gamez attends training with a Zimmer frame so he was out the window. For the probable 5 games he will end up playing I don't think it's too bad. Definite number adding to the defence. Thing about Anita, was reading Rafa's book and he uses an example, in conversation with the writer, where he's Vurnon Anita and asks for a higher wage than he's already on because he's played well. That was halfway through last season, I think there's a reason he specifically chose Anita for said analogy
Anyone would look bad in a Sunderland team, so that's not a yardstick. Atletico are light years ahead of us, so it's like signing a Liverpool or Spurs cast off, which is entirely the best we could realistically expect. That's us this Summer, big team cast offs and hopefully the odd gem from here or there.
You didn't seem to get the sarcasm in my first post or seem to get the drift of the second... Athletico CANT SIGN A REPLACEMENT, nothing to do with using Sunderland last season as a yardstick. Agree we are looking in the lower end of the market but my point was that if Athletico cant sign a replacement for a outgoing player either Athletico know they have a gem in their youth set up to replace him, his contract is running out (it wasn't) OR he is as much use as a chocolate teapot. Lets hope Athletico have the next Dani Alves coming through....