29 Aug 2016 20:53:32
This Brahimi bloke looks top notch to me. I would be happy to add him and Sissoko to our numbers. Anyone seen the SKY REPORT about Moshiri telling them to "watch this space? "
Sounds interesting. Just hope the reds don't hijack our Brahimi signing as is rumoured.
29 Aug 2016 21:29:40
Saw that report where Jim Whyte claims Moshiri had texted him. Can't see it myself. "Watch this space" is a well known quote from Bill Kenwright from several years ago. nowt happened when he said it.
29 Aug 2016 23:16:03
Brahimi is a quality player but I still don't feel he is a player we need. May as well sell Deulofeu if we get him. Still strongly against Sissoko.
30 Aug 2016 08:04:01
Wow Ander. you and me see football differently. Del boy is a promising young lad I agree. But he is a forward who has scored less goals than I have fingers on one hand in a lot more games. His defending is very poor. He has an amazing cross that worked in a few games for us. Have you watched Brahimi. He tackles back. His work rate is phenomenal. His skill is better that Delboys. His goals are regular and not just tap ins. I would say he is on a par with Mirallas when Mirallas is at his best. Ok he plays in a different league and the step to the premiership may be a big step. But from what I have seen, he is an all round player. Sissoko is a beast. Strong, skillful with an engine akin to McCarthy. However, whereas McCarthy tracks back and gets brilliant last ditch tackles in only to give the ball to Barry or another defender, Sissoko wants to drive forwards. like this new Geue bloke. The 2 of them together would make us like Leicester are now. so fast on the break. Give Lukaku a partner like allowing Barkley to push a bit further forwards or even Del boy. with Geuye and Sissoko in the middle and Mirallas and Brahimi each side. the pace would be like a formula one racing car. not a football team.
30 Aug 2016 09:00:09
Degsy, i agree with that but think you missed out Bolasie who is the quickest of them all.
30 Aug 2016 10:09:30
Yep Dave1878.I had forgotton him. wow what a pacey squad that would make. oh we are getting beat we need to make a change. let's take off a real fast player and bring on an even faster one. just when everyone is getting tired. In fact theoptions are amazing. let's switch Mirallas up front with Lukaku. let's put Bolasie up front with Lukaku. the options it would give us are amazing.
30 Aug 2016 11:07:49
Degsy, I'm by no means saying Deulofeu is better than Brahimi, Brahimi is better in every possible way except maybe crossing, I just don't believe in overcrowding a position. I think you should have your main 2 starters (Mirallas and Bolasie) and another good player who can challenge them and offer something different (Deulofeu) , then maybe an extra squad player to add depth in case more than one gets injured (Oviedo, perhaps) .
When you start having 4 or 5 £30m+ players competing for 2 spots rifts start to form in the squad and either one player gets completely left out or the manager tries to constantly rotate between them all to keep them happy but just hinders the chemistry of the team. While both have their positives, I'm a much bigger fan of the Barcelona or Ateletico philosophy of having a fairly small squad with great chemistry than the Real Madrid/ United philosophy of 'the more the merrier'.
I feel like Brahimi would be a good player, but if we sign him at least one of him, Bolasie, Mirallas or Deulofeu are going to spend the season warming the bench and while Deulofeu is by far my least favourite of the 3, it would be a shame to waste his potential.
And on Sissoko, I am aware of just how good he can be, but As I've said here before, my best friend is a Newcastle fan who goes to most of their away games and he couldn't stress enough to me how bad a signing Sissoko would be. He said he could be one of the best box to box midfielders in the world, but literally only when we're on TV. The rest of the time he is a lazy liability. Then after a season of fooling everyone but us into thinking he's quality, he'll try and jump ship for a Champions League team. Add on to that how our midfield combo of a deep lying playmaker and defensive destroyer like Gueye has done great so far and we simply don't need a box to box player.
30 Aug 2016 12:46:52
I have to agree with Degsy and just to add a bit that yes it may seem to overcrowd positions however what it means is we have different skilled players which can use to change a game, Brahimi can and does also play centrally so there is no end to options these signings could create.
30 Aug 2016 13:10:06
I hear what you are saying Ander. and I am not trying to be contravertial. but I prefer the big quality squad idea like Real Madrid and Man Utd. and I have to say Barcelona too. all the top clubs have at least 2 first team players for every position. that's why Arsenal used to put their kids in and beat us 7 nil in the league cup. Their kids were as good as our 1st team. Like I said in the 1st post. you just see it differently to me and sometimes that's the way it is. I accept your points. Final point. when Sissoko knows he has to fight for his place (and that's where Koeman is a million miles better than Martinez) he will either be the one on the bench or giving his all. Because Koeman will not tolerate the sort of moodiness that Martinez did. When I heard that Martinez had come in after Moyes and created a family atmosphere at Goodison I knew it was doomed to failure. To a degree it works, but do you think Sir Alex Ferguson had a family atmosphere at Old Trafford in all those successful years? No. he was the boss. Just like Koeman is now.
{Ed025's Note - its difficult howie, we do get information on players who,s clubs we are speaking to, but unless you are actually part of the process it will always just be speculation mate..
{Ed001's Note - yes, he is looking for an out and City want to sell. Nothing is agreed but there is interest from Everton in him, no idea if they can come to an agreement as his wages are high and the asking price is an issue.}