Sorry but at least it got some readings & comments! Ps. Was going to write this in German but thought better of it!
Been "ill" for long time now. I am starting to think him and Sulemana are going down the Salisu route. Hopefully they sort themselves out and are ready to contribute when the window closes.
Tella was there for the first ten years of his career, much as Walcott was at Saints for his. So I’d suggest he’s their academy product, much as Walcott is our academy product, but yeah, it doesn’t really matter.
Walcott had made first team appearances for us before moving to Arsenal, Tella's first team debut came with us two years(?) after his transfer. For me, it's about the time between playing in the youth teams and making their first team debut. This might be a bit simplistic, but a club can't claim they've developed a player to first team level if they never play them in the first team. Equally, a club can't claim to have developed a youth player if they sign them from a youth team and put them in the first team straightaway.
Ah, but Walcott was signed for Arsenal's 1st team, and never played for their academy. Walcott, is, of course, not an arsenal academy products having never played for their academy sides as a scholar. Tella was signed as a 16 year old academy scholar and played 3/4 years in our academy sides before progressing into the 1st team. Again, surely its possible to be an academy product of more than one club?
I really hope he can start today, but I guess a super sub is better than nothing. seems pretty clear he is going somewhere and Martin pretty much said as much in his press conference, but he also said he was confident of additional arrivals next week. Hopefully to avert another mini meltdown, Che’s replacement will be agreed before we let him officially leave
Interesting comment on that thread where an Everton fan said they should walk away and sign Piroe - the player we hope will replace Che which raises the question: why don’t they? Does it come down to one being PL tested and one not?
I didn’t get that impression at all. I get the feeling any incomings are going to be painful and drawn out
100%. Everton are probably the only club in Europe with a worse record than us at signing senior players. No surprise to see them playing it safe in terms of the character and commitment they'd get from Che, and the fact he'd hit the ground running at PL level. He's also an excellent fit to deputise for DCL who will be first choice but often injured. Strikes me as a real Shaun Dyche player.
I don’t see him as a fit for DCL. DCL scores a good few goals from headers. When was the last time Che scored a header I know at least one but he’s not a consistent header goal scorer. I think they a different type of players
Well there are always corners, but maybe why we didn’t do that many is they already knew it’d be a waste of time.
