Juve left Mandzukic out of their CL squad... ****ers could’ve told us that, he’d have been an ideal Llorente replacement!
See also Kevin Prince Boateng Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if they signed Bongani Khumalo in yet another move to troll the Francoists...
Yes that was even more bizarre. Sometimes I think they do things just to lull Real into a false sense of security. Like a multi-million dollar game of duck-duck-goose. Paulinho...Boateng...Marlon...NEYMAR
I'm tempted to believe that there might just be something in this. MP has never truly trusted Lucas and seems to play him only when feels that he absolutely has to and he's dropped back to the bench faster than any other member of the squad. He was a Levy/Hitchen purchase and it really shows. Would we take a 'double your money' offer from a club outside the PL? On the grounds that answers itself, it is distinctly possible...
We watch him every week too...I don't see how he can be mistrusted anymore than any of our other players tbh. I like Moura, he has that element of surprise in his game...that magic...that always gives me hope. He's also a big game player. Poch needs to sort himself out when it comes to alienating players just because they are a bit off kilter. That's the making of some players and something I truly believe winners have.
Tbh I think most clubs would sell a player that isn’t considered key for double the money they paid. I quite rate Lucas and think he deserves more game time than he gets, although Poch seems to see him as back up or impact sub doesn’t he.
I think it's because he turns the ball over more than other options. From my point of view, he does that in an effort to break through packed defences, rather than going backwards or sideways some more, even though it often doesn't work. He's much better against better teams - like Winksy. When both are fit, Erik Lamela gets picked first...well, actually so does every other attacking option. I'm not sure that he's a nailed on starter every week, but he doesn't play enough to reflect what he offers us, especially against teams that do give us some space to attack them. Slower central defenders can be destroyed by his pace and he's a fair finisher too.
Because he plays him out of position, which results in Moura being **** and getting dropped to the bench. Then he gets subbed on as a right-winger, demolishes his marker and gets picked for the first XI again. Repeat.
You're absolutely right. Playing him on the left is a ****ing disaster but even when he's played centrally or on the right and performs, he doesn't get an extended run in the side. As soon as he drops to anywhere near the level of other squad members, he's dropped again. He failed to make the CL final ahead of Dele, Harry Kane and Son, all of whom were predictably rubbish, having no form or fitness, whatsoever. MP continually picking players who are not better than him (at the time) has damaged us and will continue to do so. It's very frustrating.
Turkish Watch ...you thought you were safe, didn't you? Today those oh-so-reliable Turkish sources are linking us with Fenerbahce's Kosovan striker Vedat Muriqi, who certainly sounds like the sort of player Poch considers a backup striker as he's physically strong, can hold up the ball and is an aerial threat - not least because he's 6'4" - and he came to prominence last season with 17 goals in 34 league games for Caykur Rizespor ...which is why Fener signed him in July, so like hell does that sound like a Levyable target
I do wish our FBs would stop running their mouths. Davies must feel like the designated driver on a stag night sometimes.
Aurier - as PNP said - poor attitude. But why has Poch not used him if the club opted against selling him? Ok fair enough we gave KWP a shot in the first three games but against Arsenal there was no excuse not to use Aurier, especially after Sanchez’s horror show there.
His quote is too vague to read into. "In the end I wasn't able". Could be because the club didn't let him, could equally be that no-one showed any serious interest in him. I still maintain that both he and Moura were not Poch's signings, and that the sword of Damocles has been dangling over both of them ever since. Moura has played his way into contention, whilst Aurier - who has been with us for longer - hasn't, save for a few excellent performances in Europe.