Philosopher

Probably right, but we need to start behaving like we are fans of a big club!

Salah had played in the prem before, and he flopped. Haaland came from Germany which is a stronger league. Plus he is a special case. He literally has everything you want a goalscorer to have, his father was a premier league footballer and he spent his early years in England. He was always going to be a premier league footballer.

I agree with most of this, but the SPL is weaker than the championship, and Rangers are so superior to every other team bar Celtic, it's simply too easy for him up there.

Anything above 7th is a big ask. 7th isn't going to be easy. We HAVE to beat Tottenham. Brighton got 9 minutes of injury time, we got 4. What the f....!

I rate Vlahovic, but there is no guarantee he can succeed in the Prem. Strikers that have played most of their career in Italy tend to take time to adapt to the prem. The Premier league is a level above Italy.

Nowhere near key player. He has made some positive contributions, but far from key player. He has a role to play, but he MUST be improved on, or he needs to improve dramatically.

I'll have to disagree. Rodri at City plays most games and all the important ones. Fabinho at Liverpool is the same. The reality is the top teams all have 5 or 6 players that play most games so long as they're fit. Those players only really get rotated for league Cup games, early rounds of the FA Cup. And the weakest prem and champions league opposition. And even then unless its the league Cup they don't rest more than 2 or 3 of them at once. This is true for the defensive positions even more so. If Kamara is fit he would start every prem game. That leaves his alternative with scraps at best. We need to put our resources in to other areas. Right wide forward is the most pressing. Then another wide midfielder as we only have 3 suitable players for these 2 positions. The right back as I can see Youngs limitations the more he plays. Right centre back as I don't rate Chambers as a centre back, and Konsa is someone I think we can improve on. A better no 2 keeper. If Iroegbunam isn't deemed ready to back up Doug then a Doug backup. All this for me trumps a dendonker replacement.

I can't see us being able to any better than like for like replacement, until we get champions league football. If we have a player a similar standard to Kamara, one of them.is going to pissed if they aren't getting enough games.

People citing Kamara's injuries this season as a reason for a player of similar quality are wide of the mark. He's been unlucky with injuries, he's not an injury prone player. His record at Marseille is testament to that. Dendonker is more that sufficient in a back up role playing playing weaker teams in Cup matches, and filling in for injuries and suspensions.

I too see Kamara as our Casemiro type. And I see Dendonker as sufficient back up to him for now. Luiz we can easily play McGinn in his role, he would be as good a distributor, but would be a better ball winner. Also I really rate Iroegbunam. Physically and technically, he is the complete package. Has a bit of pace, strong, tall, fit. Can carry the ball, is a good passer both long and short (needs to pick his passes better though), has a good touch, can tackle. He is also composed, but aggressive. He is a lot like a young Steven Gerrard (who broke into the team as a DM). We really shoukd look to give him a shot as Luiz back up.

I'd be cool with Christiansen, he is a good ball player, would be good alongside Mings. Wage probably a stumbling block. I see Konsa as a weak ball player, and think we need a better ball player in his position. Add Christiansen to what we have a CB and we'll look very well stocked there. I like Kessie, think he is made for the prem, but I see him a very similar to McGinn. And not really an upgrade (particularly as a wide midfielder). Williams for me looks like a future world class winger, I'd love him at Villa. Quick, good injury record, reasonable stature for a winger. Excellent dribbler, keeps his head up, can play a through ball, and finish. What not to like? I think Alemeny makes free transfer signings more likely. I expect he'll see it as an opportunity to make a quick profit at the very least.

Feel he deserves a start ahead of Buendia.

Buendia is such a likeable player. But he also has some severe limitations. For me he is a backup no10 at best. Does have an eye for a through ball, works hard, presses relentlessly. But on the flipside, doesn't take in the game situation when deciding what to do with the ball, tries to shield the ball with his small frame. When the through ball isn't on tends to overplay, as he holds on to it too long looking for the penetrative pass, instead of keeping the ball moving. Defensively he is a nuisance, rather than having any real ability to defend. There simply isn't enough thought to his game, for someone his size and speed to be a consistent threat to opposition defences. The reality is when the much maligned Bailey is fit, Buendia only starts half the games. Why, because neither of them have done enough to make that place their own. Buendia huffs and puffs, but when the defences are solid he just runs into bricks wall all game. He lacks that extra bit of quality. Ironically another much maligned player in Coutinho is easily superior to him, but is injury prone and so even less reliable. If we get that quality wide forward we are obviously after along with the wide central midfielder we also seem to be after Buendia will simply be a squad option.

Classy player no doubt. Now also consistent.

Juicy!

Cardiff and Villa. So he can play for Villa still.

If he is under 21 he doesn't need to be registered. But often season longs loans can't be recalled early under the loaning club want rid of them.

Even if he does, he won't be sharp. If it wasn't for his injury problems he'd be an important player for us.

I'm comparing him to the kind of quality we need to find (Grealish). Coutinho was looking good before his recent injury, and was playing the ten role. As number 10's Coutinho is far superior. He even posted better defensive stats than any other midfielder / attacker.

And Buendia plays fewer passes and doesn't play as many long balls. Also has less assists, less progressive carries, and less goals. Also doesn't just give possession away from misplaced passes. He gets dispossessed far to easily. His misplaced passes often come when we are trying to get out of our own half after withstanding pressure. So he often keeps inviting pressure. McGinn is also guilty of this, but less so now. In those situations keeping the ball, retaining possession is often needed to disrupt opposition momentum, and give the team a moment of calm.

They do, as you say it's the nature if the position. But the best 10's are considerably better at retain possession then buendia, and they tend to be better ball carriers too. Buendia's lightweight and slow physical attributes mean his ball carrying stats a very poor. In addition it makes.it harder for him to hold up the ball. As a no 10 that isn't much of a ball carrier tends to have good hold up play went the ball is play into their feet. Buendia has neither. He is a very likeable player for he work rate, determination, and desire. He little flicks and through ball are extremely eye catching when they come off. But he is critically flawed and won't ever be a top Premier league player. That's how i see him. Would love him to prove me wrong though.

Compare them to Buendia's passing stats. Also Man City outfield players tend to have considerably higher passing stats than outfield players of any other team. Also De Bruyne plays a lot of long range passes.

I agree with everything you said. I'd just like to add that because he is also lightweight and slow, he will get bullied off the ball a lot anyway. His combative personality is actually a hindrance to this. A character like Grealish will use the bully boy tactics against them to draw fouls, and get players carded, Buendia tries to fight back. But ultimately he isn't equipped to fight back, he will alway end up losing way more than he wins. However this same flaw, helps him to be so dogged in his defensive work. But once again if you actually watch his defensive work; most of it isn't very effective, because he ends up trying to battle with bigger, stronger, faster players, when he needs to out smart opponents. Steal the ball, intercept, passes, draw fouls, wind up opponents, thats what he needs to be doing. Going shoulder to shoulder, pulling arms and shirts, is a losing game for him. He plays on instinct and heart more than intelligence which is holding him back from being a quality number 10. A true number 10 is the attacking brain of the team, intelligence and coolness is the most important mental aspects. Buendia is lacking in these.

Exactly, if we went to regularly be in the top six, we need at least one creative player at that level otherwise that is only a pipe dream. Buendia's performances aren't up to par with the results we have been getting. We are doing brilliantly, but from watching Al the games, we are getting quite a bit of luck, and this run has been built on shear doggedness, and organisation. It's not really sustainable longer term. We need to add more quality to our performances, beyond this season.

He is in the team to help the team be effective in attack. But his effectiveness comes at the cost of our ability to retain possession, and apply pressure. If we keep possession better we don't have to defend as much. If we are also more effective with that possession, then that's clearly better. Our attack is only really effective in the transition. This is why we pass the ball around so deep and and invite the high press. This can creat the holes and the space to pass through, and drags the opposition defensive line higher, creating more space in behind for Watkins. This tactic is working for us, but it's high risk, we have had a very nice helping of luck in our recent run, but you can't ride your luck all the time. However when we are in possession outside our own half we normally have to play the ball back to the keeper. We struggle to apply prolonged pressure, we struggle to break down low blocks. The Brentford match is.an example of how we struggle when A; the opposition high press is well executed, and B; when opponents get men behind the ball. What I'm getting at is, he is a player we have to improve on, if we are to improve the team. And even more specifically, if we can find a better player (suitable to the football we play) to put into the team instead it will make a huge difference to the football we play in a positive manner.