paul514 Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 1 hour ago, Zatman said: He can leave for free in the summer. Monchengladbach will cash in for anything they can get now Yea I know that but there will be so many people to compete for his signature that the price should be much higher than the 5/6 million I see in the media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 15 minutes ago, paul514 said: Yea I know that but there will be so many people to compete for his signature that the price should be much higher than the 5/6 million I see in the media. But he can leave for free. Monchengladbach can ask for what they want but will be lucky to get 6 million as him and his agent can just wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Y'all would need to temper expectations on Zakaria if he did rock up; this ain't 2019-linked-to-Man-City Zakaria anymore, couple of very underwhelming seasons since his knee exploded. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 6 minutes ago, GarethRDR said: Y'all would need to temper expectations on Zakaria if he did rock up; this ain't 2019-linked-to-Man-City Zakaria anymore, couple of very underwhelming seasons since his knee exploded. Yeah that's the worry I've raised a few times in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 27 minutes ago, GarethRDR said: Y'all would need to temper expectations on Zakaria if he did rock up; this ain't 2019-linked-to-Man-City Zakaria anymore, couple of very underwhelming seasons since his knee exploded. People just want a tall defensive midfielder He didn’t do much at the Euros, looked awful when he came on vs Wales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam-AVFC Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 19 minutes ago, Zatman said: People just want a tall defensive midfielder He didn’t do much at the Euros, looked awful when he came on vs Wales I do wonder how many people calling for him to sign that haven't seen him play are even aware he doesn't currently start for Switzerland. FYI I am one of the people that has never seen him play, at least at club level. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 He also can't play CB. Can't remember who mentioned it. I mean, speaking in literal terms he has, but that very much doesn't mean that he ever should again. *checks notes* 10 games covering at CB. 17 goals conceded. I didn't recall it going particularly well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 9 minutes ago, GarethRDR said: He also can't play CB. Can't remember who mentioned it. I mean, speaking in literal terms he has, but that very much doesn't mean that he ever should again. *checks notes* 10 games covering at CB. 17 goals conceded. I didn't recall it going particularly well. Still better than Ciaran Clark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody1000 Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 1 minute ago, GarethRDR said: That’s a low bar… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted January 18, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted January 18, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Zakaria is a very good player and a physical specimen, but possibly due to trying to protect his suspect knee I've seen him described as a little bit "shy"in the tackling department. The Premier League is more gladiatorial than the Bundesliga and that makes Bissouma a better signing, even given the large differential in current asking prices. Bissouma is a ball winner, a presser, a turn over specialist. We currently lack a player who can robustly break up play and progress the ball to our very talented attacking midfielders. That's Bissouma rather than a recovering Zacharia in my opinion. On another track, with the imminent loan signing of Robin Olsen GK, we know that both our loan options are filled for this season. That means we are now going to buy a CB instead of loaning one as cover. Does that indicate an older experienced signing or a developing young prospect? Gerrard has Konsa possibly injured and no right footed back up (apart from Feeney) (too soon for Smith), so this signing may well have to play or will be straight onto the bench when signed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delphinho123 Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I can't see us giving wages of 80k+ a week to someone who has not proven themselves in the division. It's looking like the PL is a big step up for a lot of these Bundesliga players so we have to be careful with that. Unfortunately, you pay a premium for players like Bissouma who you know are going to hit the ground running. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMitch Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I still don't see the obsession with buying a DM... Dougie is more than capable of being a DM of a Champions League club in the Prem. Need a better RB than Cash and a better CB than Konsa/Mings to up their game more so than a DM, IMO. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 2 minutes ago, KMitch said: I still don't see the obsession with buying a DM... Dougie is more than capable of being a DM of a Champions League club in the Prem. Need a better RB than Cash and a better CB than Konsa/Mings to up their game more so than a DM, IMO. No he isn't and never will be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 3 minutes ago, KMitch said: I still don't see the obsession with buying a DM... Dougie is more than capable of being a DM of a Champions League club in the Prem. Need a better RB than Cash and a better CB than Konsa/Mings to up their game more so than a DM, IMO. Doug is a good footballer but he's far too slow to play in the DM role. How many times does his lack of pace leave him trailing behind a player and resorting to potentially costly fouls? DM has been our weakest position for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 12 minutes ago, KMitch said: I still don't see the obsession with buying a DM... Dougie is more than capable of being a DM of a Champions League club in the Prem. Need a better RB than Cash and a better CB than Konsa/Mings to up their game more so than a DM, IMO. He's great at pulling the strings in the deeper role but on the defensive side I don't think he's anywhere near that level. Our midfield has looked noticeably softer and easier to play through since Nakamba's injury, imo. A quality ball winner would make a huge difference to us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 53 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said: Zakaria is a very good player and a physical specimen, but possibly due to trying to protect his suspect knee I've seen him described as a little bit "shy"in the tackling department. The Premier League is more gladiatorial than the Bundesliga and that makes Bissouma a better signing, even given the large differential in current asking prices. Bissouma is a ball winner, a presser, a turn over specialist. We currently lack a player who can robustly break up play and progress the ball to our very talented attacking midfielders. That's Bissouma rather than a recovering Zacharia in my opinion. On another track, with the imminent loan signing of Robin Olsen GK, we know that both our loan options are filled for this season. That means we are now going to buy a CB instead of loaning one as cover. Does that indicate an older experienced signing or a developing young prospect? Gerrard has Konsa possibly injured and no right footed back up (apart from Feeney) (too soon for Smith), so this signing may well have to play or will be straight onto the bench when signed. I dont think that is correct. Your allowed 4 loans but 2 from Premier League clubs. I think Tuanzebe going frees up a space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delphinho123 Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 58 minutes ago, KMitch said: I still don't see the obsession with buying a DM... Dougie is more than capable of being a DM of a Champions League club in the Prem. Need a better RB than Cash and a better CB than Konsa/Mings to up their game more so than a DM, IMO. No chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsky_11 Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 1 hour ago, CVByrne said: No he isn't and never will be. Depends what you are after in a DM. He doesn't put in as many tackles generally as some of the other players being mentioned in this thread, but his numbers for interceptions and blocks are as good or better. Might suggest what he lacks in physicality (though he seems to me to have shown more of this this season) he makes up for in defensive reading the game. And if you are looking to build from the back as well, his offers pretty good ball retention and creativity from deep. Also worth noting his defensive numbers seem to have taken a fairly big step up on previous seasons. Could be how he's been utilised. Could be he's showing marked improvements in this area. I'd tend to lean towards the latter based both on the "eye test" of his performances this season, and also how generally we have performed with him in the team vs without this season. There was a quite drastic difference at least in the games under Smith this season between the number of goals conceded with Dougie on the pitch vs without. And he's still only 23yo. Plenty of room to improve yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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