The Lees-Melou rumour would suggest to me that we are perhaps cooling our interest in Billing, or perhaps trying to force Bournemouth into a decision by showing we have other irons in the fire.
https://www.nicematin.com/football/...=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1626103297 Supposedly deal agreed, will sign in the coming hours. Fee could reach €6m (although given it's in the French press, I suspect we're paying about half that initially with clauses that only bring it up to that figure if we stay up.) Quite possibly. I still think we need another cental midfielder, but it at least takes some of the urgency out of a deal for Billing.
Yeah I'm inclined to agree. If we stick with a 4-2-3-1, I'm expecting a Gilmour + DM partnership in midfield, and our existing McLean doesn't fit into that, never mind a second. I had wondered about Kenny as a 10 again to try and get away without signing an expensive attacking midfielder and add more height/defensive ability to the XI, but can definitely see issues with that. That essentially becomes Rick's 4-3-2-1. Aa 3-man midfield of Gilmour, McLean, Lees-Melou might have enough defensively to function without a proper DM? I'd be uneasy about that. On paper, a £5m deal for a top-flight midfielder in their prime sounds like this should be a strong addition to the first team, but I just can't see where he fits into the plan.
I know they only showcase a player's finest moments, but having watched the compilation videos several times now I'm beginning to see how SW might see him fitting in. Like Emi, he's right footed but he also has a very capable left foot. His first goal has him cutting in from the right and shooting past the keeper with his left foot from the edge of the area much like Buendia does. He's also a decent passer and plays some very clever lay offs and backheels to other players. I'm not saying he's another Emi, but if he can bring those skills forward from midfield as well as giving us a stronger screen in front of the defence, he could work very well with our other midfielders in a 4-3-2-1. He also looks capable of supporting the FB like McLean does once the ball is lost. We need to see him actually playing, but France's Ligue 1 is a top league and he's been playing against the best. Nice's 6th best player as 1950 rates him could be a decent addition for just over £4m. Where might he fit in our squad as rated by WhoScored?
I think you'd be right to be uneasy. Numbers are no substitute if none of the three possess the anticipatory positional instinct and awareness of a proper DM such as Skipp. An alternative comparison to Rick's Buendia might be a much more agile and mobile Stiepi -- some nice passing out of tight situations, also through balls into the striker, and shots arrowed in from the edge of the box. Definitely more CM/AM than defensive midfield IMO.
I wasn't trying to be harsh on the lad in my previous post but was trying to set out why I was surprised that City were after him as he didn't seem to fit in the DF mould. You could not play him as a DM - he just naturally chases the ball and would continually be pulled out of position. Unless he has time to think his end product as an attacking or creative midfielder can be erratic. If they are looking for a destructive nuisance midfielder then he's your man. As a regular in one of the top 6 sides over here he obviously has his uses but unless they are not looking to replace the Skipp role I cannot see where he will fit in.
I don't think the club see him as a replacement for Skipp, but rather as an alternative to the much more expensive Billing. Lees-Melou is Nice's 6th ranked player (well done, 1950) with a ranking of 6.8 and a pass success rate of 86.3 on WhoScored in a top league team, whereas Billing is Bournemouth's 4th ranked player on 6.84 with a pass success rate of 77.5 in a league 2 team. It's only one measure, but Lees-Melou may well be a better player than most people seem to think.
McCallum's season-long loan to QPR has been confirmed. Read an argument on twitter earlier which I thought was worth repeating here: We've got great first team options at both full-back and up front (Pukki), but what do you do about depth in the squad? Giannoulis and Aarons are clearly first choice, and will start 38 games each if fit. But behind them, we've got Byram (should be back in training this week or next) who is good enough, but will he be fit when needed? Mumba looks good, but we've seen only a few minutes at a lower level. Do you spend the funds/wages on one or two additional full-backs, who from the club's perspective may be unnecessary and harm Mumba's development, or do you risk an injury crisis in the position? If you're a player, would you sign for Norwich knowing you've got a serious task on your hands to get any playing time? Similarly, up front we know that only injury will prevent Pukki starting the first 15-20 games of the season. But should that injury come, we've got an unproven but highly rated Idah, or Hugill who doesn't really fit the system. Do you spend money on someone who may not be needed and block Idah's path to the first team, or gamble on Idah's ability? Similarly as a player, you'd be joining Norwich knowing you might be lucky to get 10 minutes a game until the New Year, and only then get game time if you've impressed more than Idah and Pukki is injured. Can the club find someone with the right mindset, or do we end up with someone looking for a final payday?
Nice Matin has just said an hour ago: "According to our information, Pierre Lees-Melou will engage in the coming hours with English club Norwich in the Premier League." (Google translation)
please log in to view this image Sofascore heat map for Lees-Melou from last season. Mainly used on the left of the midfield 3, in the middle third of the pitch.
Billing, though, has experience in the DM role, which almost certainly adds value. Surely we aren't going into next season without either Skipp himself returning or a genuine replacement being signed?
Interesting argument DH. I rate Byram very highly and think he's a quality option on either side of he stays fit, but therein lies the rub. I also rate Mumba highly and he can also play on either side, but the PL is a big step up and he would be targeted by any opposing team. Similarly Sørensen did well at LB in the Championship but would it be so in the PL? Giannoulis did have an injury and Quintilla covered, but he's gone now. I do think we need another option who can cover on either flank.
Billing, who is a player I very much like, is a CM who can also play as a DM. This season past he didn't once play as a DM. That doesn't seem to me to be the "genuine replacement" for Skipp that you're speaking about. The only genuine DM rumoured so far is James Garner from ManUtd on loan. He was on loan to Forest last season and with Skipp looking less and less likely, Garner may be SW's plan B.
I’d have to agree we need a genuine DM with the legs to run around breaking up attacks, it doesn’t sound like this French guy is that so I’d also agree that he is more with a view to replacing Stieps as back up for Dowell so I would hope for another signing to play DM
From what I can see on TransferMarkt, in the league he played 14 games at CM and 8 games at AM last season with 6 games unspecified. also worth noting that he was captain for 14games.
This is his season on WhoScored: That looks much more like a McLean type role than a Stiepi replacement. Like Kenny he can move forward to support the attack and then drop back when the ball is lost to help the defence, something which Stiepi only rarely did when playing as an AM. We need to wait and see why SW's rigourous recruitment procedures singled him out for signing and how DF sees him fitting into the squad.
Just noticed that Alexis Claude-Maurice also plays for Nice, who was rumoured to be one of our top targets when we were promoted last time. Maybe he was in the plane with Pierre
