HandsomeDanNZ
macrumors 65816
Saints are getting a rough start to the new season.
Starts away at Spurs, then goes:
Leeds (H)
Leicester (A)
Man U (H)
Chelsea (H)
Wolves (A)
Only three winnable games there I see - Man U, Leeds and Wolves.
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The 2021-2022 Football Thread
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Starts away at Spurs, then goes:
Leeds (H)
Leicester (A)
Man U (H)
Chelsea (H)
Wolves (A)
Only three winnable games there I see - Man U, Leeds and Wolves.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Columbus Crew have signed Watford striker Cucho Hernández for a club-record ~$10.5 million fee. Columbus badly need a striker right now, so on paper snagging a 23 year-old Premier League player sounds like a coup. On the other hand, he is expensive and has never put up impressive numbers in terms of goals as a senior pro.
Overall Columbus have had a very good success rate with their past Designated Player signings (considerably better than the league average I'd argue), and the fact that Cucho's best years may be ahead of him bodes well. Maybe growing experience + stepping down a level will = success.
Right now our keeper is solid, the defense is OK, the midfield is good and in Zelarayan we have an outstanding creative player - but one who needs a target man. So if Hernández can start banging them for us in we could shoot quickly up the table in the East.
Overall Columbus have had a very good success rate with their past Designated Player signings (considerably better than the league average I'd argue), and the fact that Cucho's best years may be ahead of him bodes well. Maybe growing experience + stepping down a level will = success.
Right now our keeper is solid, the defense is OK, the midfield is good and in Zelarayan we have an outstanding creative player - but one who needs a target man. So if Hernández can start banging them for us in we could shoot quickly up the table in the East.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Good strikers who can get you 20+ goals a season are a rare commodity. Especially in a tough league like the PL.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
It is sad to see Sadio Mané go, but Liverpool got a decent fee for him and he departs under amicable circumstances, which is increasingly less common these days. There is no such thing as finding a 1:1 replacement for Mane, Salah, and Firmino - but between Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez, Liverpool have three very talented strikers who could represent a new generation of a top-class attack at the club. Time will tell.
Now we just need to find a replacement for Divok Origi - arguably a tougher task. 😄
In fact I would argue there isn't a pro league in the world where you can expect any striker to hit 20 a season, with a couple obvious players being exceptions.
Porter has used a variety of formations after going with a 4-3-3 for a couple seasons. Now we see more often a 4-2-3-1 or some sort of 5-man-midfield-based system. But in all cases we've always had a traditional number 9 leading the line unless we were forced to adapt due to injuries/international duty. So even if Cucho doesn't score a ton of goals, a player of his type is essential to the overall system and creates space for other attacking players like Zelarayan, Santos, Etienne.
Now we just need to find a replacement for Divok Origi - arguably a tougher task. 😄
In MLS, 10 goals a season is 'good', especially if the player does other important work like holdup play, PKs, dead ball delivery etc. Only the top 13 strikers in the league scored more than 12 goals last season. So in essence less than half of the teams have a striker scoring much over 10 goals.
In fact I would argue there isn't a pro league in the world where you can expect any striker to hit 20 a season, with a couple obvious players being exceptions.
Porter has used a variety of formations after going with a 4-3-3 for a couple seasons. Now we see more often a 4-2-3-1 or some sort of 5-man-midfield-based system. But in all cases we've always had a traditional number 9 leading the line unless we were forced to adapt due to injuries/international duty. So even if Cucho doesn't score a ton of goals, a player of his type is essential to the overall system and creates space for other attacking players like Zelarayan, Santos, Etienne.
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Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
I’ve read some criticisms of Phillips making the step up to being a Man City player. I think it’s fair to say he is still more potential star than the finished product. Which doesn’t mean he won’t find another level at Man City.
As for Haaland, if he continues to score at the same rate he has thus far forget the Premier League, it’s gone as a competition as long as Haaland and Pep hang around.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
If he gets played. That’s the trouble with top clubs. They buy the top talent and ruin them. At least that’s how I’d be explaining it to Declan Rice!
They buy the top talent, and then, (sometimes), proceed to use them, abuse them, ruin them, or don't use them (so as to deny their use to others, their competitors).
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
This is why I was worried when Zack Steffen moved to Man City. It is possible that he doesn't quite have the talent to step up to a top division in Europe, but there is no doubt that this move was disastrous to Steffen's career in terms of development and playing time.
He should have gone somewhere where he was a starter. Instead he moved to a very high-profile club where he got very little playing time - except in a few high-pressure tournament games. A seasoned journeyman keeper might thrive in such a situation, but that's a sure way to destroy a young player's confidence and stunt their development. And yes, Caoimhín Kelleher (the 'Pool player with the hardest name to spell in my memory) is seemingly thriving in a similar situation, but that doesn't mean he isn't also taking a substantial risk. If I were a Republic of Ireland supporter I would be concerned about his lack of professional minutes and probably prefer he be loaned out as a starter somewhere. Even as Liverpool's No 2 he might not see much playing time, though the likelihood of deeper cup runs moderates that somewhat.
Now, as it stands, Steffen's USA career has suffered a blow from which it may never recover, and he is not the player I saw with the Crew. I hope he can get a good move lined up and recover lost time.
Silencio
macrumors 68040
I can see Kalvin Phillips becoming Jack Rodwell 2.0 at city. He definitely won't displace Rodri as the first choice deep-lying midfielder, but he should give them more than Fernandinho could in the past couple of years.
Gareth Bale officially to LAFC. He's going to really enjoy the golf in SoCal, and no doubt bang in some goals while he's at it.
Man Utd keeps stumbling and bumbling towards making any new signings, but it looks like the deal with Barça for Frenkie De Jong is finally almost done. He will add a much needed new dimension and overall class to the midfield.
Gareth Bale officially to LAFC. He's going to really enjoy the golf in SoCal, and no doubt bang in some goals while he's at it.
Man Utd keeps stumbling and bumbling towards making any new signings, but it looks like the deal with Barça for Frenkie De Jong is finally almost done. He will add a much needed new dimension and overall class to the midfield.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
We already played our one match against LAFC this season, but if we hadn't I'm sure he'd have been injured/overcome with ennui/unwilling to fly on a major carrier for the Columbus match. Maybe next year.
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Alphazoid
macrumors 65816
Haven't been on here in a while
Poor Leeds are being gutted of their best players. Probably will be relegated next season.
Seems Arsenal have helped pay for Kalvin Phillips. Wonder if Zinchenko or Bernado Silva will be next to leave.
Richarlison to spurs for 60m is a questionable deal to me. But more power to them
Mane probably left because he felt undervalued. Its a good swap for Bayern.
Chelsea still haven't found a striker since Deigo Costa
Utd are well...Utd. Seems like they're doing a Louis Van Goal 2.0
Poor Leeds are being gutted of their best players. Probably will be relegated next season.
Seems Arsenal have helped pay for Kalvin Phillips. Wonder if Zinchenko or Bernado Silva will be next to leave.
Richarlison to spurs for 60m is a questionable deal to me. But more power to them
Mane probably left because he felt undervalued. Its a good swap for Bayern.
Chelsea still haven't found a striker since Deigo Costa
Utd are well...Utd. Seems like they're doing a Louis Van Goal 2.0
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Interesting piece, and even more intriguing is the suggestion (in the Mirror) that Roberto Firmino may also be contemplating an exit (or an exit may be contemplated for him by Liverpool, given that he will be able to walk away on a free transfer next summer).
Jonathan Wilson had an interesting piece in the Guardian on Saturday, about what has become the (tragic and almost inevitable) fate of clubs who buy (and develop) young talent intelligently - or develop young talent in their academies - to see that talent poached and purchased by the wealthy elite, leaving them in a position where they must start over (as their most talented layers have been coaxed away) - and plug the gaps left by their departing stars- by identifying, developing and purchasing fresh young talent, only to see that pattern repeated ad nauseam.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Happened at West Ham for years. These days I think we have less talent coming through and are more likely doing the poaching.
Not just at West Ham; Leicester and Southampton have both been on the receiving end of this sort of thing, as well, and both have lost some excellent players as a result.
Yes, you can't blame the players - these days, it is unusual to see a player spend his entire career at one club, even one he may have supported as a child - but it is still something that I am sorry to see happen.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Tragedy strikes Christian Eriksen once again as he decides to sign for Man Utd. 😉 In all seriousness I believe he'll be an asset.
He'll win leagues at Bayern and be a star, but the Bundesliga is meaningless as a competition...Bayern are now expected to win it just to have an 'average' season. Imagine following a team where the bare minimum standard is winning the league. Sounds grim.
Oh, and RE: Mo's new deal. I was against Liverpool breaking their wage structure for him and willing to see him walk, but other sales have probably allowed the club to compromise on wages so as long as this isn't the thin end of the wedge I suppose I can't complain too much. Though people should remember that this raise is partly a reward for past performance, making more money won't boost his goal output by a commensurate proportion.
Mane moved because he knew he had one more big move (and pay raise) in him but it had to be now while his value is high, and the competition for starts in his position at Liverpool was going to be fierce with the talent being brought in. I am sad to see him go but I don't begrudge him leaving and I don't think there is any bad blood on either side. This isn't an acrimonious situation like Yaya Toure throwing a childish tantrum over not getting a birthday cake.
He'll win leagues at Bayern and be a star, but the Bundesliga is meaningless as a competition...Bayern are now expected to win it just to have an 'average' season. Imagine following a team where the bare minimum standard is winning the league. Sounds grim.
Oh, and RE: Mo's new deal. I was against Liverpool breaking their wage structure for him and willing to see him walk, but other sales have probably allowed the club to compromise on wages so as long as this isn't the thin end of the wedge I suppose I can't complain too much. Though people should remember that this raise is partly a reward for past performance, making more money won't boost his goal output by a commensurate proportion.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
I’m surprised about Eriksen. I thought he might end up at Spurs. Rather than the squad rotation merrygoround at Utd.
Well, personally, I'm sorry to see that he has joined United; whatever about Spurs, (and I never really thought such a move would happen, as a return to Spurs wouldn't be quite the same) the romantic in me would have loved to have seen him remain at Brentford, where he was given a chance and where he made a significant and positive difference to their season.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
This is a situation where the old dilemma of Romance v Realism.......strikes once again.
And we are all too well aware of just which side tends to win that particular dilemma.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
I texted an Arsenal supporting friend "Jesus fits the Arsenal player profile exceedingly well... Very skillful, moderately- built scurrying advanced midfield player with a sensitive and easily discouraged personality."