Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction

I can live with players getting bookings, Udogie is roughly picking them up at a similar rate to Romero but it’s the nature of some of Romero’s that annoy me, there are some real unnecessary and idiotic ones.

It’s crazy how someone so good can also be so stupid at times.

 

Hojbjerg’s rejected approaches from Lyon. Which isn’t really a surprise as they’ve been ****e this season.

Sounds like there’s still lots of interest in him though. I think we could see him go on deadline day, have a feeling someone will make a loan with obligation deal.

 

Udogie is much younger.

He is still adjusting to a greater pace and physicality than what he was used to.

His disciplinary record in Italy was actually really impressive. Just 10 yellows in two full seasons. He's already halfway to that tally here, so I do think it's a matter of learning and adapting.

 

Considering how Lyon were planning on a Hojbjerg/Matic pivot, I'm not surprised he turned that down

He probably has 'Nam flashbacks of some of the tactics we've played in the last 3-4 years

 

LW Watch
Unsurprisingly, we're being linked with Roony Bardghji again

 

Is that figure right ? Shocking

 

It looks correct and I'm not going out of my way to defend his disciplinary record at Spurs, but I'm not sure the comparison with Toby does him any favours.

The latter relied (successfully) so much on his anticipation and ability to read the game, rather than power that would reduce the likely number of cards. Additionally there has been a ramping up of cautions (except to City) in the past year.

A better comparison would surely be a comparable CB in the PL, although can't immediately think of one

 

He tends to get some very soft and inconsistent ones, too.
The City one on Friday was a good example. They were doing them all night and got **** all.

 

Well that part is at least consistent.

About as consistent as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

 

We have to compare him to Toby though. We don't have a choice. Toby-Jan remains the benchmark of defensive excellence in the PL era and even they weren't good enough to deliver glory!

Relying on a player who is worse than them, and by 'worse' I mean 'by any measure', isn't going to increase our chances of glory. On the contrary.

And if Romero is worse based on the fact that he misses half a dozen games a season due to Ill discipline and another half a dozen through injury (another issue we've yet to really mention), then the sum of the matter is: He is worse.

His recklessness against Chelsea didn't just cost us that game (they equalised from the penalty); it also cost us in the subsequent run of three losses.

At this level of competition, this is the difference between a PL title or none. Between CL football or none.

 

Sorry, I didn't make myself very clear. I would take Toby over Cuti every time. The latters lack of discipline has cost us points undoubtedly.

 

How many defenders out there would you take over Alderweireld in his prime, though?
Romero's not perfect by any means, but there aren't many upgrades out there.
The potential for him and van de Ven as a pairing could be immense if they improve appropriately.

 

This escalated quickly....

Answer: not many come to mind.

Don't disagree with your other points.

 

There aren't but being brutally honest, I'd say Micky is already hinting to a higher ceiling than Romero at a very early stage. Not as good on the ball or in his distribution but his timing, anticipation, pace and level headedness make it a very tight call as to who is actually the better player imo. And if the answer is Romero, I'd argue that is mainly down to him being vastly more experienced than Micky and that the pendulum will therefore swing in years to come.

I think part of the strategy in the Dragusin signing was to identify a long term replacement for Romero, which could indicate that the club is planning to cash in the summer or perhaps a year later, after which he enters the final two years of his contract.

 

A quick browse of various sites listing the 'top 10 CBs in the PL' is also quite revealing and echoes the debate on here:

Those who list him tend to do so in the top 3.

Others omit him entirely and solely based on his lack of discipline.

One site sums him up as the 'Jekyll and Hyde of PL football, equally capable of turning a game with a moment of brilliance as he is losing a game with a moment of madness'.

Can't argue with that tbh.

 

This is the thing though, if Romero could cut the stupid cards out of his game I personally believe he could be the best defender in the league. And maybe I’m in the minority but I think he has a higher ceiling than Toby. He plays so much more on the front foot it is hard to properly compare but I think he has the ability to affect a game more.

 

Plettentwerp says that Hojbjerg wants to stay for the remainder of the season

So if this prediction stands up like his various bold proclamations about Dragusin...

 

I think that the pairing could be more important than the individuals.
Van de Ven's attributes that you've listed compensate for Romero's weaknesses.
He knows that he doesn't have to make rash challenges when he has that cover.

 

Yeah I think they complement each other well. Romero is naturally more front foot and VdV is one of the best out there at sweeping up the pieces.

I do think that neither of them are naturally aerially dominant which can be an issue, Dragusin for example is rated as extremely good in the air so he’s a good pickup in that sense. Romero’s issue is that even when he can afford to be a bit more aggressive and front foot with VdV alongside him, you can just tell he turns up some days and is going to lose it. Shortly before his red card against Chelsea he went rampaging up the pitch after a loose ball and I just knew he was having a red mist day. His judgement improved noticeably in the early part of the season and if he can keep that trajectory up then long term the sky is the limit for him. He’s 25 and has plenty of experience but CBs tend to peak 27-30 IMO, when they have the best balance of experience and athleticism.

 

According to Dragusin's agent, he's off to Real Madrid in 2 years anyway ,the agent wants his cut badly