From 9 matches Gakpo has 7 goals and 6 assists. No way will we be able to compete for his signature in January
Evening all I can’t see Gnonto being ready for quite some time, the plan was to buy him in a transfer window or two. Jesses words certainly don’t make it sound like a first team signing "We had been following Willy Gnonto’s progress for some time and we were thinking that we leave them in Zurich with the idea that maybe we bring them in a transfer window or maybe two just give them time to continue to develop where he was at. But then we felt we needed to accelerate that decision based on what the window was panning out to be."
Which is fair enough but doesn't explain the Dan James loan. As milky said earlier...a lot of BS coming out of ER and Radz, Kinnear and Orta letting Jesse do all the shovelling.
Nah sorry. Loaning out a £25M signing so we can get a kid in for the future just doesn't cut it I'm afraid. You'll be telling me next it was the right thing to do getting rid of Cantona to the Scum as he was a bad apple.
Dan James was always the player that was going to be good, I really hope it all turns out well for him this year and he gives us a problem next summer but having wanted the guy to put in game changing performances, I haven't seen it. You'll probably quote the games when he has been the difference but I personally can't remember. Just because we paid whatever we did for him doesn't change the quality of the player, I'm sure you are fully aware of the difference between value and price. I really think we have players that can do what Dan can do but I'm hoping we have none that can do what Gnonto or Joe can. I'll probably fall flat on my face with that comment but ......
We can all whinge about James but I thought Summerville looked very lively when he came on. Maybe, just maybe, having assessed Summerville and James and deciding Summerville warranted a 4 year contract extension that the club have seen something we haven't and at the same time recoup 25 million quid. It might just be very good business by the end of the season. Let's wait and see before we turn up with the pitch forks and burning torches.
Are we getting 25 million back for him though? Unless Tommy trinder has come back from the dead as Fulham chairman I don't think we will (Tommy was a so called comedian) just in case you're to young to know
Can’t help wondering how many games James played with us and how many of those were out of position. How would any of our other midfielders or wingers would have excelled playing the number 9 slot. Is the current injury prone Bamford of more use to the team than James. If it’s a money saving exercise surely moving forshaw on would have had less impact overall on squad depth
The James loan out was ridiculous, promoting Joseph to the first team squad albeit to train shows just how far down the pecking order Gnonto is. More so the low fee involved, there was surely no need to raise such minimal funds to purchase Gnonto? Kinnear told us lessons have been learnt but have we really got that much of a larger squad than last season? We might have when it’s padded out with U21s For me James offered us depth, pace to burn, tenacity, the player to run his arse off, and chase everything and experience, not just from a playing sense but what’s needed if you’re fighting to avoid relegation. I wasn’t bothered if he wasn’t starting but the bench certainly looked strong with him on it
Just for you Eric I'll tell you Dan James's most important contibution and it kept us in the PL last season. With 30 mins to go we were 1-1 at home to Burnley and DJ came on to replace Harrison and played as a left winger, nothing else just left wing. Both Dan and Junior Firpo had their best 30 mins of football of the entire season as we ran out 3-1 winners with James scoring the 3rd goal. That's his best position and very rarely was he given the opportunity to show what he could do there.
I don't know but it's reported that we got a sizeable loan fee for this season. They pay all of his wages and they can buy him for 20 million next summer. That's not from me but that's the deal that's been reported in the press.
