Transfer Rumours The Summer Transfer Rumour Thread 2016

I don't necessarily dislike it; it's just a setup where everyone on the pitch needs to be on the same page, or it can get pretty ugly defensively. If we're pressing, the frontmen need to be absolutely engaged, because allowing easy balls down the flanks can cause things to become discombobulated quickly. It also requires the central midfielders to be incredibly fit and fast...they're relied upon to be just about everywhere, and while we have good central mids, they aren't exactly the end-to-end sprinters that seem to make for the best options in a diamond.

 

Errr............... not necessarily true these days...............

 

Hey......well done St G..............

 

Some of the tools are on here ....

 

Bare with me on this - I'm on my third coffee.

Love reading all these interviews with Puel. I think we've got a good fit there. His track record got me thinking ....

Puel is credited with being instrumental in Thiery Henry's devlopement.

Arsenal released Henry as they made him chose between his media work and coaching.

We (the fans at least) would really, really like an attacking, pacey winger with goal threat to complete the starting 11 and give us the edge.

If Henry came in as an attacking coach (there is definately room, our coaching staff is among the smallest in the premier league) - surely that would give us leverage to attract a real prospect for him to work with. Not to mention help Redmond who they seemingly want to convert from wing to striker.

Just a thought. As you were...

 

And I would happily take that, if it meant we weren't losing a lot this season!

 

I think it is called having your cake and eating it or heads I win tails you lose.

 

I like your thinking Claude! My only quibble is that if Puel developed Henry, couldn't he personally do the same with Redmond, or any of the Academy, or anyone else we bring in?

I think your most important point is the one about leverage. Puel is an unknown quantity outside of France, so maybe we need someone on the staff who is well known internationally. We do, of course, have a captain who has just won the Euro's, that should help.

As long as he stays of course...

 

£14m.

 

We don't need anymore leverage.

 

The twitter reply underneath "a man who has had more contracts than seasons played for us. Can't say @LUFC didn't warn us".

11m leeds>Fulham 14m Fulham>Villa, he's certainly fetched some cash.

 

When it was first mooted, that we would play with a diamond, my main concern, having watched how far forward the full backs are going, was the space behind the full backs.
So far, in the friendlies, that space hasn't been exploited, but that is possibly/probably due to the level of the opposition.
My main concern has now shifted to whether or not we have the right player to comfortably fill the base of the diamond.
In every game, so far, we have been opened up by through balls, between the CBs. This may be due to many things, such as adapting to a new system, match fitness, the constant changes of personnel (for fitness reasons) or the lack of a full squad.
It could also be due to us not having anyone who is disciplined enough to fill that space.
Tonight's game, against a decent side, will go a long way towards showing us if we are able to close that gap and contain players that have better off the ball movement, and passing, than any team we have faced to date.

 

Remebmer that so far our first choice full backs have not played either

 

Seems a strange comment. All the talk about competing with clubs in bigger cities, more money, bigger clubs, history etc - I think every club in the world would welcome extra leverage when it comes to attracting players. Small margins sometimes.

 

That just about sums it up.....

 

Getting Henry wouldn't add any more leverage. The biggest leverage we have is being in the Prem and being able to pay bigish wages. The only way we could get more leverage is be seen as a team that gets into the CL constaintly.

99% of players now only care about money and the chance of winning things.

 

Fair enough - I disagree but take your point.

Also very different to saying 'we don't need any more leverage' - everybody does (even if it's financial leverage)

 

We have as much leverage as we can have atm, is what I was getting at. The stuff that attracts players to us is fine for the kind of club we are.

 

I take Claude's point though and say that any little extra can't harm.

 

We may see it as "leverage" having some one like Henry here. But to many players it won't be. We could have the best manager in the world here, but the size of the club etc will always be the main drawn/ hold back. For now we have to accept that.