rayk

Surely there’s got to be a deal done for Boulaye Dia (24 y/o Senegalese Intl) from Reims? He’s just behind Mbappe in the Ligue 1 scoring charts and yet Reims are in a relegation battle. Given the financial crisis in Ligue 1 they may be interested in the money. Send Keinan Davis in the opposite direction and at least that way he plays a high standard of first team football.

Just on the RW question specifically, everyone has to remember that we play with inverted winger. That means a RW should be left footed and they left footed wingers don’t grow on trees. El Ghazi and Trez are both right footed, Traore is left footed. The problem with Traore is that he is painfully one footed.....on the RW he can ONLY cut inside. He also doesn’t track back enough which probably means Cash is reluctant to get forward as much as he could/should because he is left exposed. To find a left footed RW who can also use their right foot to hit the byline AND track back is gonna be really hard.

We’re not even going to sign him for 6 months at £200k+ a week just to sit on the bench.

Agree that Targett has also been superb this season, but Taylor is gash and out of contract in the Summer. As with Cash and his cover, I think it’s because the role of the FB is soooo important in today’s game......especially when you play with inverted wingers as we do. The argument for a Wijndal, Amavi or Rico Henry is because of that. I’d also add that should we get one of those three players, all of them could come on as a defensive LW sub late on in the game (like Elmo does at RW). It all depends on our ambitions and where we finish in the league this season, but if we do genuinely want to be a consistent top 6 club, we need the squad to match.

It took me a few seconds but Wijnal of AZ = Wizard of Oz.......hence the yellow brick road reference.

Cash has been superb for sure, but Guilbert and Elmo both look likely to be off by next season. So whilst we have high hopes for Kaine Kessler, he is still only 17......so we do need someone to challenge Cash. I know the question is would we spend £20m on that player. I’d say why not? Lots of people are saying we should buy Wijndal from AZ to challenge Targett and I agree - but he’s likely to cost c£12m-£15m so there’s really not that much difference between him and Aarons price wise. The other thing to consider is that Elmo has quite often come on as a sub late in a game as a defensive RW. When Elmo goes, Cash (who used to play RW) could push forward and Aarons slip in at RB?

I think it depends on where we finish this season. If we finish top 6-8 I can see us wanting a squad to genuinely challenge in all competitions.

If we were ever interested in him it would have been instead of Watkins. The only way I could ever see us getting him now would be some crazy player swap that included Wes.

Right players just wrong time with the wrong manager(s) and wrong owner.

There isn’t a travel ban on leaving the UK, just certain countries banning the entry of UK citizens (broadly). So it’s perfectly possible for EU players to fly into the UK and then be allowed back into their respective EU country. Ultimately money talks and so if a deal works the current flight restrictions largely won’t matter. What the rules will be in mid/end Jan who knows.

I agree. I think the hope was that Wes would be that kind of ST....Benteke like but with more build up play.

And 1st for running round like a headless chicken. He’s a decent squad player but that’s it imo. Agree we won’t be signing anymore wingers.

True.....maybe he’s back from injury though now? Obviously, no point buying / bringing in on loan an injured player.

The effort Watkins gives means he doesn’t need pushing. Back up for certain to cover any injury.

Taylor is gash so we need cover for Targett. We also need cover for Douglas.

Completely agree - he’d be a Spud signing if ever there was one.

Saka can’t play LB and def CM...

Is he never fit or has he just fallen out with DS as rumoured? Either way it doesn’t feel like he’s providing serious competition at RCB.

I would. Jack would just drift in and he and Barkley would be too close and Cash more exposed than with Traore.

Absolutely correct. It’s taken a few games to show his worth with Jack being pushed more centrally due to Barkley’s injury......but against Utd I really want us to play both Barkley and Jack.

I hope not. Would be great cover for Douglas at DCM. Isn’t he out of contract in the summer, so loan and then sign him of a free? Would be smart business imo.

Lot of comments about Rico Henry, but how about a punt on Liverpool U23 player Yasser Larouci? Will turn 20 in Jan and his contract is expiring in the summer. He’s apparently as fast as **** and can play wide LM / LW. From what I’ve read he was seen to be the academy player who would make it to the first team squad and act as cover to Robertson, but Liverpool have got 2-3 players in the academy / U23s that they want to push through.

I can’t believe Tuanzebe has been injured that much.......how can he be when he’s not even played?? When he was with us he was pretty much injury free right?

That’s very true. Some will, some won’t. But some of the very obvious visa friendly players are really not an option if we we want to improve.

There’s also something called a formation......