Philosopher

I would say no to that idea. Too much change can be disruptive. I think 3 more players is the max we need right now. Only 2 to be instant first choice. And I believe that would be our plan right now. However one of those first choices would be a striker to play ahead of Watkins, and if the quality is not available then a loan to give us depth would be the last resort. Teams don't want to lose their best players mid season so a little more money may not more a club.

How I see us lining up is. Martinez Young Carlos Mings Moreno Guendouzi Kamara Luiz Ramsey Bailey Watkins This formation can easily switch to a 5-3-2 or a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 without any change in of players. Cash I can see being interchangeable with Young. If we want more energy and an outlet, say if Moreno is out and we play Digne, then Cash coming in means we have dynamism of the right instead to make up for the loss on the left. Bailey and Watkins I expect to have serious competition by the end of the window, but Bailey's competition will be a younger player (under 23). Watkins will be looked to be improved on. If we can't find an instant improvement there we my look at the loan market. Buendia will compete with Ramsey and Guendouzi, and Coutinho will offer us a creative option off the bench. McGinn and Dendonker will provide competition for places in midfield. Irebogum will provide competition for Luiz next season I expect.

I think he is too slow and too weak to succeed a a top half premier league team, because he lacks the dribbling ability that could make up for those deficiencies.

Guendouzi is literally a perfect fit for where Buendia is currently playing so makes the most sense, as Buendia has been poor, outside of his effort, which is always good. For me Buendia is too slow, too weak, and not a good enough dribbler to succeed as an advanced attacker. I don't believe he has the tools to succeed in the premier league as a result. Love him to prove me wrong though. People say Bailey is inconsistent, which is a little unfair, but Buendia is consistently poor! Today he was getting a lot of space, and did f*** all with it! Against Man U he did okay, and second half against Tottenham he was decent. That's it all season, nothing else to see! Guendouzi would be a very important signing. and midfield 4 of Kamara, Luiz, Ramsey and Guendouzi would almost have it all. Kamara the complete number 6, Luiz makes us tick, keeps the ball moving, switches play intelligently and a good passer. Ramsey strong, good ball carrier, good finisher, hard worker. Guendouzi, tenacious, good ball carrier, hard worker, live wire. The striker is the hard one for me. I like Thuram, and I like Dembele, but they are both risks (both are far from being certain to be good enough for the premier league). Thuram I think would suit us a little better as he can play off the left as well, so would fit into Emery's tactics nicely, Dembele is very much through the centre. Having said that both Bailey and Buendia would probably Benefit from Dembele. Dembele's aerial prowess would be perfect for Bailey as he provides some delicous deliveries. Buendia as we know linked up very well the finnish striker at Norwich, who attacked straight down the middle. Deulofeu makes little sense to me. not a striker, plays off the left, so would we play a 4-3-3 instead, or go without a recognised striker, or play Watkins off the right wing (which is his least preferred position). Watkins likes to work the left channel, by going wide to the left and coming inside. Danjuma make some sense, plays off the left, not an out an out striker, but more so tahn Deulofeu. but injury prone, which is why we are steering clear i believe. Young Duran is a striker that was converted from a winger. Left footed, so I assume he likes to come in off the right. But he is basically a mystery to me. I can see this one being someone completely unexpected.

Leon has 4 goals this season, joint second top scorer for us this season. Also has 2 assists, his expected goals is 2.7, so he is outperforming his XG.Watkins XG before today was 6.5, but having only scored 3 at the time. Buendia has 3 goals and zero assists. So to put it into perspective he is the most effective attacking player we have at the club this season. To give better perspective 3 goals and 1 assist in the last nine games since Gerrard left. Leon hasn't been consistent, but neither has the team. In addition he isn't like El Ghazi whose poor games he just seemed to go awol! Leon never stops trying to take on players, gets kicked heavily most games, but never stops trying to make thing happen.His performance today was decent. Linked up well, put in a couple of good deliveries (which he does most games ). He is easily the best crosser of the ball in our team. Now Ings is gone he is also our best finisher. Last season was a write off for him, this season is his first proper season and he has done well overall considering the circumstances. He has been involved in all our best football as well. I think it's clear he is still getting to grips with things. An injury ravaged first season, without a run in the team. He's had 3 managers in 18months, been played in 4 different roles. All while trying to adapt to the premier league. Of our attackers he is at the bottom of the list to be replaced, but we should certainly give him some proper competition as we should for every position in the team. Most of all we should properly back him and not S**t on him for every little thing.

I thought that was a promising performance. We were the better team and deserved the win. Wasn't a great game but we controlled the majority of the match and apart from a 10 minute period in the second half, never looked threatened. We look to be getting better on the ball. The passing and possession was good. Lacked a little cutting edge in the final third, but the signs are good. Martinez - 8 - Looks like one of the best keepers in the world. The world cup win seems to have given him the confidence to elevate his game. Young - 7 - Composed and assured. Konsa - 6 - Never troubled. Didn't do much. Mings - 8 - Looking like a proper ball playing centre back. Carrying the ball into the opposition half, playing one two's on the edge of the Southampton box, never troubled defensively. Looks to be the player most benefiting from Emery's methods. Unless Pau Torres has been lined up must be given a new contract. Moreno - 6 - looks promising. looks like a player feeling rushed, which is what you get with players new to the league. Once he becomes accustomed to the lack of time on the ball, will be just fine. Kamara - 8 - Reads the game so well. Looks like he is still not completely adjusted to the league. Once he does, the Vultures will be ravenous. Luiz - 7 - Solid performance, help to control the game, Keeps us ticking over. Assist. Ramsey - 7 - Starting to look sharp again. As the last two games has clearly not been match sharp. Was efficient with the ball, worked hard. Buendia - 5.5 - Couldn't decide between a 5 or a 6. Worked hard, put himself about, but gave the ball away alot, never threatened to create anything. First half was okay, second was poor. Just looks to weak and slow to play in the middle. Bailey - 6 - Didn't do much, gave the ball away a few times. Never stopped running, looked a threat at times, put in a couple of good balls. Watkins - 8 - Only gets an 8 because he scored the winning goal, at the perfect time. Worked hard and was a good outlet, but the same limitations of his first touch are apparent. Coutinho - 6 - Never really had a chance to do much as we quickly, scored the winner, then took off Bailey and Luiz.

Ings scoring record this season has been good. But he has always been a square peg in a round hole and his transfer is for the best in my opinion. I expect him to be similar at West Ham unless they plan to play Antonio alongside him. In which case he should do well. He was never an Emery striker. His teams utilise fast strikers, or deep lying strikers, Ings is just not mobile enough or has the dribbling ability and agility those strikers require. Dembele has pace and power, Duran has pace and power. Ollie has pace and is robust. The theme here is clear.

Not sure about your chopping block. Bailey has generally done quite well under Emery in the league. We'd have 4 - 6 less points right now if not for him. Buendia offers us something different. For it's between him and Coutinho, one will stay one will go. Cash I don't see leaving as he is a very dynamic player whom I believe Emery can improve. However if high quality alternatives can be attracted then there are only 5 players in the squad Emery wouldn't look to replace. However not of those 3 will be moved on this window. And probably not the next one either.

Not sure on Deulofeu as while he is certainly talented, injury and age are issues for me. BTW he prefers to play on the left, rather than right. I could see go without a recognised striker with Deulofeu left and Bailey right, with JJ running from deep in the middle, as a shadow striker. That could be extremely effective.

One excellent block. Otherwise didn't do lot in defense. Got forward well to have a shot. That's all he really did. I'm not knocking him, coming into a game to replace am injured player for your debut, after two days at new club in a new league, in that context he was good. But objectively just looking at what he did in the match. Average at best. I try to stay balanced. For example I didn't write Buendia off for his poor first half, but did say he was poor. I then praised his improvement in the second. Alot of the praise for Moreno is down to us winning, and him coming on in a difficult situation, and making a goal saving action. His performance could be seen as promising, but certainly not excellent, or even good. For what it's worth, I believe he will be a good signing for us, as Emery clearly feels he can be important for us. But I'm not going to get carried away.

Loads of misplaced passes, lack of understanding with teammates, not one dribble, defended okay, but clearly needs time to properly integrate, and get used to the pace.

Martinez's saves were crucial. He was immense. The difference between him and Olsen is ridiculous. We need a really talented young keeper to be Martinez's understudy. 8 Young was given a torrid time by a fantastic talent in Gnonto. But he stuck at his task and made crucial challenges and clearances. 8 Konsa was probably the poorest of our defenders. Struggled. 5 Moreno was poor, but the clearance off the line got him ahead of Konsa. 6 Kamara is my man of the match. So composed, reads the game so well, top player. Great assist. 9 Luiz was run ragged at times, but made crucial toe ins at times. Could have been better in possession. 6 Buendia had a terrible first half, but did better I the second defensively, and popped up with the winner. Ramsey had a quiet game, not sharp, kept at it. 6 Bailey scored a love finish. Made some good runs but, guilty of trying to beat too many players. Everytime he went past two players, he third to unnecessarily best a third! 7 Ings was poor. Ollie is a far superior outlet in this kind of game. 5 Very Important win. We have learnt to win ugly.

Fair play Buendia, some good defensive play this half and right place at the right time to score.

Luiz is off pace, Buendia is poor, and Ramsey is clearly not sharp in his first start in over 2 months.

Buendia has been really poor.

That was a lovely finish! Bailey is a baller!

Which is the main reason we want another winger. And I expect us to sign one. But I don’t think those do any more than gives us another option.

I'm not sure about Danjuma, or Deulofeu. I can't see how they're better than what we have. They also get injured a lot. Danjuma does seem.like a good finisher (as far as wingers go), and Deulofeu is really skillful, but think about Coutinho, Buendia, and Bailey's reputations before they came here! All 3 were higher rated.

I see it as a improving the balance of the team rather than the quality of the squad. Newcastle is a different case, as form me it's the coaching an man management that has made to difference. Turning Joelinton into an hard working aggressive, tough tackling ball carrier for example. This isn’t about systems but identifying particular talents and coaching him to bring out those talents and then finding the best use for them within the team. I expect Emery to do similar thing with us. On a different note the Bailey bashing is over the top. The guy terrorised Man U in Emery's first game in charge. He has that something special, he just seems to be going through a tough moment. The miss I the final minute v Wolves was the 6th if 7th decent scoring chance he had in 2 matches, so I feel he frustrated with that. He's just snatching at chances and trying to force things a little too much.

Deulofeu was incredibly inconsistent in the Premier league, and was injured a lot. Danjuma has been effective in both Spain, and the Champions league. Both of which are a higher standard than Serie A. Even if Danjuma flops and we try to sell him after 18 months he is still a player that excelled in Spain and the champions league and is still only 27 - 28. Deulofeu on the other hand is a player that is a bit of a journeyman that has had one good 18 month spell in Italy and is 30 - 31! Having said that, they are different players, and I suspect that Deulofeu and Danjuma will play in different ways and different positions, so I'm don't believe it's a case of either or. In the case of Deulofeu I just think Danjuma is a marginally safer signing. Seems to me Emery wants a ball carrier and a goalscorer. I think it's more a case of Guendouzi or Deulofeu as the ball carrier to play behind the front two. And Danjuma as a goalscoring winger to put pressure on Bailey and Watkins. This would mean two ball carrying midfielders / attacking mids in Ramsey and Guendouzi (if we signed him). Two creative midfielders / attacking mids in Coutinho and Buendua. Two goalscoring wingers in Bailey and Danjuma (if we signed him), and two out and out strikers in Ollie and Danny. You also have different permutations like Ramsey and Guendouzi behind the front two if we want more aggression in midfield. Or Bailey and Danjuma up front if we feel opposition fullbacks are a weak point. Or Bailey Danjuma and Ings as a front 3 for example. So he can be tactically flexible or consistent depending on the requirements of a particular game rather that who is available dictating that as is the case now.

But he is younger and will have resale value if things don't work out. Also he played in a very poor Bournemouth

Danjuma has done very well under Emery at Villareal and He is 25 or 26 so a good age. Can play upfront or on the wing. I think he could be a good player for us. Deulofou has a poor injury record, plus we have seen that Italy isn't at the standard of the prem. Lukaku looks like a world beater there, so does Tammy, and while both are good players, neither are world beaters. Kang-In is interesting and so is that Moliero lad. Danjuma would be a solid addition to the squad. Deulofou, would be a waste of money for me. These mooted signing all seem rather strange really, it seems like they're aimed at getting us playing a specific way rather than trying to crank up the quality. Looks like Emery is going for functionality as his priority for this window. He wants to implement his style, and shape the squad to that, is his first priority.

He is only nineteen and highly rated in France, has both pace and power . They're paying for potential!

One played poorly, but never kept trying to create, alway looked to run at the fullback, created a couple of chances and was involved in the goal and generally do what a winger is supposed to do. The other a defensive midfielder, that can't control the ball, gives the ball away in his own third, gives away a peno, gets a red card, plays ponderous and slow all game, nearly did what happened for the peno I the first half. But they were both bad! I'd say one was poor, but gave it a good go. The other threw the game away, because he played carelessly the majority of the game, and paid for his negligence!

Dendonker makes a poor touch, gets robbed then give away a penalty and gets sent off, but everyone seem to be blaming Bailey.