Villaphan04

Well Saudi is still a part of the Asian Football Confederation at the moment, so how would that work out either?

I mean in what ways are we not a "second rank" team? We have finished in the top half of the Premier League for the first time in well over a decade. While João has played in the Champions League for the last 6 seasons in a row. Not sure how that makes him deluded or entitled to want to stay playing in the Champions League.

unsurprised, he is a pretty conservative twitter media guy.

Another one that’s quite surprising today.

yep.

Gio Reyna is reportedly up for transfer. I know he's been mentioned but would be a nice addition

my 2 cents 1. Kane scored 30 goals this past season. Can he replicate this again (I know he's done it before), and what will the situation be with his contract? Will he sign a pre-contract in Jan or what 2. How long of a leash will the fans give Ange? I think, if given time, he could do a good job there. away to Brentford and home to man united is not the easiest start. I've read some fans saying that they are expecting to be back in the top 4 next year. I think there's a possibility that they are better next year, but the fan expectations are imo unrealistic. Even taking my villa tinted glasses off, I think we have a better squad then they do outside of them having one of the best #9's in the world 3. Outside of Kane & Bentancur (who's still out with an ACL until January I believe) the rest of the squad is pretty average. Son was terrible outside of a handful of games last year & Kulusevski is up and down. 4. They need to sign defenders. They signed Pedro Porro on loan with an obligation to buy in Jan so I figure he is starting, as is Romero. Don't have a quality partner for Romero (who is also inconsistent), and are they going down the young LB route? 5. They need a keeper. I assume they will sign one, but we just saw a Leicester team get relegated in part because they didn't have a PL-quality keeper. 6. Midfield is very meh, especially with no Bentancur

If both of them go, then we are left with only 3 senior cbs in the squad, and Diego Carlos is still coming off a major injury. If we sign another one, like Pau Torres, then cool. But I think having Dendoncker in the squad when he can cover midfield and cb is extremely valuable.

edit: beaten to it!

also Newcastle have a terrible start, might put pressure on them in the opener. us at home Man City away Liverpool home Brighton away

Hoping to make it across the pond to a couple more games this season

in order for me Felix Sancho Dybala Zaniolo Gonçalves

I did this list last year, and it's relevant to this Ollie discussion now. I would love to sign another striker to help but it will be extremely difficult (especially if 3 of the "sky 6" have the money and need for one) Outside of the elite of the elite strikers, there's just a shortage of good to great strikers out there. Outside of Tottenham, every PL team could use an upgrade at the position (and even then, they signed Richarlison for 50m). Arsenal signed Gabby Jesus -- Looks like they are probably going to sell Balogun and possibly get another striker. Jesus was good for the first part then the injury turned his season upside down We could upgrade Ings/Watkins -- Sold Ings, discussing whether we need another striker for Ollie (signed Duran in Jan & Archer coming back into first team) Brentford could be needing a Tony replacement, and signed KLP -- Tony banned for 8 months, signed Schade on loan in Jan & likely will make it permanent this summer for club record fee Bournemouth are testing out the old Dom Solanke PL experiment again -- signed Ouattara & Semenyo in January & stayed up, Brighton are apparently using their striker who was the Belgian league golden boot winner last year - already announced the club record signing of João Pedro Chelsea loaned Lukaku back and don't really have a replacement -- who knows what they will do but they bought Mudryk in Jan for upward 70 million. will splash on another striker this summer Crystal Palace have a collection of strikers who are useful but aren't a starting 9 PL quality day on day - not sure yet as who knows if Roy will continue there Everton - lost Richarlson and DCL gets injured a lot. - signed Maupay at the end of last summer. DCL is continuously injured & Maupay has done the square root of zero. Might not be able to afford another striker Fulham - relying on Mitrovic yet again after 5 pl goals last time around - Mitrovic was excellent last season, bought Carlos Vinícius last summer who was decent Leeds - Bamford needs to be healthy, and yet he's not top PL quality -- Relegated , Bamford missed a ton of chances which was correlated with relegation Leicester - probably have the best group of strikers in the PL outside of Spurs, but Vardy is getting older and more injury prone -- Relegated, strikers were not really the problem here imo Liverpool & Man City both spent big on a "elite" striker this summer -- Núñez showed some potential but was meh, signed Gakpo in Jan for 40m who was pretty good but not an out and out striker. Liverpool & Man City both spent big on a "elite" striker this summer -- signed Haaland, broke many goalscoring records, won the treble. Manchester United, who knows what happens with Ronaldo but they clearly have almost no depth up top after the events of the past year. -- signed Wout Weghorst on loan, that should tell it all. Absolutely need a new striker Newcastle linked with Werner -- Signed Isak, and him + Wilson had good seasons. Nottingham Forest -- can't say with any confidence-- Signed Dennis, Chris Wood, & Awoniyi (who was the best of the bunch) Southampton -- signed Sekou, young player with potential but unproven again -- Relegated, didn't have the firepower to score a lot. Didn't sign any out and out strikers West Ham- big money on Scamacca, only one prolific season in his career so far. -- Signed Ings in Jan, neither Ings or Scamacca did much (they had a combined 5 PL goals). Did win the Conference league though. Wolves-- no clue what they are doing with Jimenez looking a shadow of his former self after the nasty injury. Not convinced at all by Hwang Hee-chan -- signed Gonçalo Guedes and he lasted a half season until being loaned to Portugal. Jimenez looks to be leaving as well. Signed Kalajdžić and he tore his ACL in his first match. Diego Costa had 5 yellow cards & 1 goal Additions: Tottenham: Signed Richarlison for 50m and he scored once while looking terrible. Kane might be leaving as well so they definitely need a new striker. Real Madrid: Benzema left, so they surely will be looking to sign a starting #9 Promoted: Burnley: Bought Lyle Foster in Jan for 12 million. Ashley Barns is out of contract, so they will probably be signing another striker Sheffield United: have Iliman Ndiaye, Brewster, & McBurnie. Will probably look to sign another striker as well Luton: signed Carlton Morris & Cauley Woodrow from Barnsley, probably will look to sign another striker as the play 3-5-2 with Adebayo I am not saying I don't want an upgrade on Ings/Watkins, but just setting the discourse for how empty the market is for those top-level strikers at the moment. Just looking back over all of this, it is still that a lot of teams in the PL are going to be looking to splash the cash for a new starting #9 striker. We can probably out spend most of them, but the demand for a starting PL-quality striker is still more than the supply is.

Shh don't tell @Delphinho123

saw this from the Leicester forum. would be an interesting double swoop but think there are other targets I'd want over Barnes

great business especially on a free as it will give us more funds for other purchases for the squad

One of our partner clubs with V Sports. Believe the club is owned by Nassef's family. Promoted to the Egypian Premier League!