CB issues at the top of Champs

[pete 372]

Not at City unless Zimm's injury serious, but at other clubs at top of division.  Pontus Janssen at Brentford having surgery hope he can return before seasons end.  Brandon Cooper at Swansea looking at a long term injury.

Nice to see it's not just City.

[ricardo 8,041]

The intense pressure of two games a week and now the FA Cup is bound to become a drain on those with weaker squads. It should play out to our advantage.

[Alex Moss 2,167]

Obviously it’s a shame for those lads, but given there’s a good couple of weeks until the transfer window closes, I don’t see any advantage to us there - they have ample time to bring in cover so those injuries aren’t the end of the world. 

[ricardo 8,041]

 

3 minutes ago, Alex Moss said:

Obviously it’s a shame for those lads, but given there’s a good couple of weeks until the transfer window closes, I don’t see any advantage to us there - they have ample time to bring in cover so those injuries aren’t the end of the world. 

I doubt that many are in any sort of financial state to splash out.

[Alex Moss 2,167]

4 minutes ago, ricardo said:

 

I doubt that many are in any sort of financial state to splash out.

Who said anything about splashing out?

Given not all players available require ‘splashing out’, it doesn’t mean they can’t sign anyone though, does it? Clubs are continuing to do business, and will continue to do business. I wasn’t expecting Brentford and Swansea to be making a move for Koulibaly to be fair.

[ricardo 8,041]

Even loans cost money.

Replacing someone of equal quality will be a tough ask.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

It could be very tempting for some of these clubs to go out and borrow to bring someone in but its a real dilemma that could ruin their futures.

[Alex Moss 2,167]

1 minute ago, ricardo said:

Even loans cost money.

Replacing someone of equal quality will be a tough ask.

Of course, but that ‘equal quality’ that they have to replace aren’t exactly 60 million pound players are they? And loan fees may well indeed cost money, but I hardly think that equates even closely to a fee that will be remotely putting either club at risk of financial ruin, especially when you look at Brentford’s recent transfer dealings. A very low cost necessity for both clubs with a very reasonable chance of huge financial reward come May onwards. In fact, given their respective positions, it could well give them an even better chance of bringing some quality in with a view to buy depending upon promotion. The bottom line is that unless they feel they have enough cover, then they will look to bring replacements in, and I see absolutely no reason why they will have to spend big or splash out to do that, which of course I never even remotely suggested in the first place.

[paddycanary 580]

3 hours ago, Alex Moss said:

Who said anything about splashing out?

Given not all players available require ‘splashing out’, it doesn’t mean they can’t sign anyone though, does it? Clubs are continuing to do business, and will continue to do business. I wasn’t expecting Brentford and Swansea to be making a move for Koulibaly to be fair.

Koulibaly, wasn't he directly responsible for one of our relegations? Him & Sunderland. Can't remember which one, maybe the Hughton/Houghton one. I seem to remember us aiming too high for the Toivonens & Alderweirelds of the world around that time too

[Alex Moss 2,167]

47 minutes ago, paddycanary said:

Koulibaly, wasn't he directly responsible for one of our relegations? Him & Sunderland. Can't remember which one, maybe the Hughton/Houghton one. I seem to remember us aiming too high for the Toivonens & Alderweirelds of the world around that time too

Don’t think so, Paddy - not certain on this but I never remember him playing for an English side, though I’m pretty sure we were after him a few years ago! 

[Gordon Bennett 916]

You thinking of Lamina Kone by any chance paddy? 

[Newtopia 573]

1 hour ago, Alex Moss said:

Don’t think so, Paddy - not certain on this but I never remember him playing for an English side, though I’m pretty sure we were after him a few years ago! 

I think we put in a bid for him in 2015.

[1902 1,167]

5 hours ago, Alex Moss said:

Of course, but that ‘equal quality’ that they have to replace aren’t exactly 60 million pound players are they? And loan fees may well indeed cost money, but I hardly think that equates even closely to a fee that will be remotely putting either club at risk of financial ruin, especially when you look at Brentford’s recent transfer dealings. A very low cost necessity for both clubs with a very reasonable chance of huge financial reward come May onwards. In fact, given their respective positions, it could well give them an even better chance of bringing some quality in with a view to buy depending upon promotion. The bottom line is that unless they feel they have enough cover, then they will look to bring replacements in, and I see absolutely no reason why they will have to spend big or splash out to do that, which of course I never even remotely suggested in the first place.

The issue is there are actually a very small number of players available at any one time for each position. A player has to be good enough to be regularly competing at the top of the champs, whilst not being too good to reject signing for a team that might not go up.

They must be unwanted by their current club or low enough down the pyramid that a club can't avoid selling. They have to be fit and (given how quickly they must slot in) match fit. They also must work in the system of the club they are moving too and be eligible to work in the UK. 

That limits your options down a lot in reality and is before you even start on cost. Then it's whether they will then gel with their teammates.

It might work out for both clubs, but it seems a stretch to me.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,628]

2 hours ago, paddycanary said:

Koulibaly, wasn't he directly responsible for one of our relegations? Him & Sunderland. Can't remember which one, maybe the Hughton/Houghton one. I seem to remember us aiming too high for the Toivonens & Alderweirelds of the world around that time too

It was the Neil season. We had a deal in place to sign him on deadline day, but Napoli pulled out because they couldn't get a replacement. We ended up not signing a centre back until we got Klose in January, and Koulibaly took his chance at Napoli and became a £60m-rated defender within a couple of years. We also pushed for van Dijk that summer before he joined Southampton and Alderweireld was apparently close in the summer of 2013 but then Atletico Madrid cane in for him. 

We did a great job of identifying centre backs around that time, but either we were being too ambitious or the negotiating let us down. 

[paddycanary 580]

2 hours ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

It was the Neil season. We had a deal in place to sign him on deadline day, but Napoli pulled out because they couldn't get a replacement. We ended up not signing a centre back until we got Klose in January, and Koulibaly took his chance at Napoli and became a £60m-rated defender within a couple of years. We also pushed for van Dijk that summer before he joined Southampton and Alderweireld was apparently close in the summer of 2013 but then Atletico Madrid cane in for him. 

We did a great job of identifying centre backs around that time, but either we were being too ambitious or the negotiating let us down. 

That's the one Wacky, you've a far superior memory than my own. I was jesting a bit about him relegating us! In my head, I seem to remember a desperate search for a top CB (wasn't Neil over there?) and Koulibaly pulling out at the last minute. When I hear the name, in my head I blame him for defensive issues that season, hence the "he relegated us." 

I'd have you as a 'Phone-a-Friend' on Millionaire in a heartbeat.

[paddycanary 580]

3 hours ago, Gordon Bennett said:

You thinking of Lamina Kone by any chance paddy? 

No GB, see Wacky's post. He's my go to "blame him for relegation" patsy and my hazy memory also likes to blame Sunderland for sneaking a few late season wins and sending us through the trapdoor.

[AJ 1,359]

We are quite fortunate we have such depth in our squad, thanks to our recent yoyoing, given we aren't exactly a rich club. But as Ricardo said, many teams will be looking to go with what they've got given the uncertainty being created by Covid at the moment, any lost revenue is bad news for a lot of clubs already being run very close to the line before the pandemic started. The other side of that is there may be some good deals to be had for those that do have money to spend as some teams may need to be looking at balancing books by letting prized assets go for the right money.

[Alex Moss 2,167]

4 hours ago, AJ said:

We are quite fortunate we have such depth in our squad, thanks to our recent yoyoing, given we aren't exactly a rich club. But as Ricardo said, many teams will be looking to go with what they've got given the uncertainty being created by Covid at the moment, any lost revenue is bad news for a lot of clubs already being run very close to the line before the pandemic started. The other side of that is there may be some good deals to be had for those that do have money to spend as some teams may need to be looking at balancing books by letting prized assets go for the right money.

But it’s nowhere near as black and white as clubs having to spend a load of cash to sign a player this window. There are ALWAYS deals to be found, and gems to be unearthed. And we won’t be the only club scouring leagues around the world looking for that player that could make a difference in the second half of the season, or indeed, be a necessity to cover for injured players in areas that have left the squad thin. Even more so for those in the hunt for promotion.

Case in point, we are reportedly on the verge of paying a ‘whopping’ 500,000€ loan fee for a Greek international who’s apparently the star player at PAOK.

I’m just not buying it that clubs have got to go on a full on spending spree as Ricardo said to sign a player or two this window - that’s not necessarily true at all. If this Greek loan comes off for us then it’ll be an excellent example of that very fact.