I would genuinely go to Coventry today and offer 30 million for Gyokeres and Hamer. Get it done before everyone else. If we overpay then so be it. Those two would give us everything we miss in midfield and attack. The difference in quality between Gyokeres and Bamford would be mind blowing for fans after 10 games. 17 million is cheap.
I’d agree, I think we could possibly rely on 4 being regular, Drameh, Summerville, Cresswell and Gnonto they’d not get overwhelmed. Having the options to rotate and cover for injuries with the rest and we’d not need too many signings. A back four of Drameh, Cresswell, Wober and Manning would cost us zero expense and I’d be very confident in them. Ayling and Cooper on the bench to provide experience, even thrown in Kristensen. Midfield depends on Adams who looks like leaving, we could really do with a new Pablo. Forward line, get in Gykores and then take your pick or rotate a little from Summerville, Perkins, Joseph, Gnonto and James
Fair point, much better to get ripped off by clubs abroad than strengthening potential rivals over here.
Corboran did a brilliant job at Huddersfield with poor squad and no budget. Jury is out for me on his time at West Brom. West Brom and Boro had near identical seasons. Both had among the best squads in the division. Both started the season playing decent football, creating chances, not taking them, conceding soft goals. I posted on here that they were the best 2 jobs going in football as both just needed to fluke a win to kick start their seasons and were good shouts for the play offs. Both clubs did that and went on runs under new managers. Boro maintained theirs, West Brom faltered. Form is cyclical, both got rid of proven managers at that level who were on a bad run. My view is the results were coming whoever took them over. Good old xg (both were top 3/4in the xg leagues when they changed manager) is a better long term predictor than some think.
Carlos Corberan knows all our kids as he coached them to win the league. Bielsa wanted himas assistant head coach as well as coaching the kids. Corberan stopped Huddersfield from being relegated and got them into the play offs before just walking away as he had no cash. He took a few months off and went to WBA who had no cash and were in danger of being relegated but he did a great job with no cash and was given an extended contract to ward off Leeds backin February, but since then his mentor on the board has resigned so just maybe Carlos will do it this time?
He had two seasons at Udders... the first he almost got them relegated rather than saved them from it - really bad defensively. Ditched man2 man and went zonal and had a great season second time out. The few months off were actually a short stint at olympiacos where he was sacked (pretty harshly) He took the WBA job mid season so don't think the cash element really comes into it, they had a good squad. Things started really well for him, but tailed off a bit in the second half of the season. Hey he has a good rep, he'd get some 'Bielsa feel good factor' from the fans which will help him. He's another football 'addict' but not as set in his ways as Bielsa
Brighton whose scouts we all want, brought in Gyokeres - the club then 'sent him to coventry' He's a handful at this level. Never been sure how his game would lend itself to the prem, but that's no longer an issue. He's quite an old fashioned centre-forward type. Mobile without being quick (bit like Paddy in that respect)... big strong lad, holds the ball up well, decent finisher. Would definitely be worth having in the champ.
My West Brom supporting buddy said the difference in the play since Corberan took over is off the scale, under Steve Bruce they had won twice in 16 games, Corberan has a 37% win percentage with Huddersfield and 51% at West Brom. For me, he is the sort of guy we should be trying to get, a realistic target who knows the division and knows what Leeds means to the fans
Not sure we will go back for Corberan. I’m guessing that the “white smoke” comment by Radz is because he was certain he’d join after the JM sacking and then pulled out for whatever reason so we might be reluctant to approach again. They’ve probably put a compensation clause in as well when he signed his new contract.
Went to a few West Brom games last season and whilst they were a lot better under Corberan than Bruce, they still weren't great, now whether that was the players or the system I don't know,perhaps a bit of both, they tended to be good for the first half hour, then faded. Weird thing their most gifted player, Jed Wallace looked a better player under Bruce.
I wouldn’t be unhappy with him fella. I was just adding some perspective. West Brom didn’t play terribly under Bruce early season they just didn’t get results.. and confidence went. I watched them a few times early season - remember them battering Burnley and draw. Your mate will have seen more of them obviously, but they had loads of chances most games. Point really was stevie wonder could see they were a better side than their league position, so it just puts a caveat next to corboran’s achievements at West Brom as it does carrick at boro for me. My totally arbitrary made up on the spot ratings for Carlos as a manager Year 1 hudds 4/10 Year 2 hudds 9/10 Year 3 Olympiacos 3/10, West Brom 7/10
Top scorer last season in the Championship was Boro's Chuba Akpom with 28 goals from 40 matches. Can we make them an offer they can't refuse and is he any good as his stats are far superior to Gyokeres at Coventry ?
