Maybe he could slot into the Citeh system but would he be as effective for anyone else. Bielsa's system is all about the team of which he is just a part who does a job. They all know what they need to do.
Bielsa built a team out of no hopers and also rans that walked the Championship playing exciting attacking football. He built the best defence out of rejects from League one and wingers so I really don't want us to spend £50m on any player. We shouldn't need to. Spend £10m and buy the Brentford scouting network.
Not saying he’s worth the quoted price but I think if we paid 30 that would be better than getting someone else in just because if we get anyone other than White in we’re starting the season with Cooper partnering Ayling, Phillips or Struijk and I’m not sure how I feel about that. He knows how we play, he’s used to the fitness regime and he’s already integrated into the squad. It’s better than some unknown coming in and taking weeks/months to get a custom to how we play. And if he has one good season in the prem he’ll be worth 90 so it would be a shrewd bit of business but I agree it would still be a big risk but a risk worth taking. Saying all this I am not Bielsa and only he knows what he needs. At the end of the day we didn’t know who Ben White was prior to the start of last season so whoever he brings in will be more than capable I’m sure. Even if it’s Casey or Cresswell that he decides to use considering they’re both training with the first team.
The Square Ball had had an interview over the last few days with Angus Kinnear. The SB asked our Managing Director whether investment of 75-100m be a realistic figure to be able to compete? Kinnear replied, its in that ball park! We have spent 21.5m so far, mostly on Costa! Here's a thought Costa for Benrahma plus 10m for Brentford?
Agree. But White came straight into the side and played the entire season so not impossible that Bielsa could find someone else to do the same.
I would still like us to look at John Stones. If he is available at the reported fee of 20 million then I would take him over White. Good player with prem experience and having played under Pep will get the Bielsa way.
Yeah bielsa always gets younger players to pre season then he decides who is worthy of a squad number and the rest back to u23s. White will never be worth 90 million because prices will come down due to lack of crowd money. The trouble with white is that he has no pedigree against prem class players and to me is an expensive gamble.
Very possibly but didn’t White have the full/most of pre season with us last year? I might be wrong on this though.
It seems Pascal Struijk is about to be given a 3 year contract as a first team player. According to Bamford a month ago Struijk came back after lockdown as a different player. He was the best at Murderball as he was taking the ball off everyone and not getting tackled and was like the ball was on a string. Bielsa has said similar and why he got to play for the first team, just like Poveda. it would be fair to say that in Poveda we have options in the middle and down the flanks. Pace and trickery. In Struijk we have a young CB who could be a top player soon as well as the best cover at the club for Phillips...... at the moment. 2 new signings with these 2
We're currently 100/1 in the race to sign Messi. That's level with Real Madrid and Lazio and better odds than Newcastle at 175/1. I bet we never thought we'd be on the shortlist of teams to sign Messi. In all seriousness though, it's incredible that we could see players like him playing at Elland Road next season, even if it is for Man City.
Bielsa did it last season, White for Pontus, I just can’t believe there isn’t another defender who fits the mould. I thought White was good in defence but I thought he was poor covering Phillips.
