I can’t see Zinchenko coming here to sit on the bench tbh. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Neco Williams and Aina now fighting it out for RB, the wingers will get rotated with Bakwa getting most air time I expect (NDoye certainly needs more time to get up to PL speed anyway and Hutchinson needs a good steak or three) and if Luiz is the Villa Luiz then Sangare’s days are numbered.
If you've got 2 quality 8's then you don't really need one.
I certainly think Nuno needs to experiment with Luiz and Anderson, but it will take time for them to understand each other, as they'll want to naturally do the same thing.
I agree, it has pained me when we have to buy two players for £30 million and the big boys go that extra mile and purchase one player for £60m. Now we have reached the stage of maturity to buy the very good players ourselves.
On the plus side - we still have a core of players who were bought in to the ethos and culture and largely on the same page last season, who can help integrate the newcomers.
Great post, fully agree. You can see the long-term strategic thinking etched into it. There is now no key player now who doesn't have an oven ready replacement who is a couple of years younger with a high ceiling. The inevitable loss of Murillo and MGW next summer will be far less keenly felt and they'll command massive transfer fees because of the smart work on contracts that has been done. For the next 3-4 years we can essentially replace most of that squad with similar quality and a £20m net profit per deal sheet.
Buying an (almost) entire XI, of that quality, for under £200m, is great business.
I also initially felt this concern - the summer of '22 keenly in my minds eye - but what puts me at ease is the eight extra games we now will play, plus potentially two cup runs, and certain players you just know are guaranteed a spell out on the sidelines at some point (e.g. CHO, Ola, Woody). There is game time to be had for pretty much everyone if they apply themselves Some will probably be very aware that this may not be their season and if they are the right characters they will be willing to be patient especially given the age profile. I'm sure the club will have done a bit of sniffing around their character and got some character references too, I don't think it is a coincidence that the group got on so well last year. Players like Toff set the standard here in terms of professionalism and taking your opportunity.
I think we'll be okay - the sale of MGW and Murillo next summer (feels pretty much inevitable) will generate upwards of £120m I'd imagine which would surely allay again PSR fears. Most of our big spending happened after the June cut off, so a couple of early sales in June next year should keep us healthy (I say that with the confidence of someone who knows nothing about accounting)
That's my thinking too. Aina hasn't quite been the same since his injury against Man U, in my opinion. The last two games he's been badly exposed (I'm not sure whether that's because he's being asked to play to a new system, or whether he's unfit, but I think he needs dropping for a bit either way to recover and get used to things).I can’t see Zinchenko coming here to sit on the bench tbh. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Neco Williams and Aina now fighting it out for RB, the wingers will get rotated with Bakwa getting most air time I expect (NDoye certainly needs more time to get up to PL speed anyway and Hutchinson needs a good steak or three) and if Luiz is the Villa Luiz then Sangare’s days are numbered.
It’s certainly been a very active window for us - let’s hope the players turn out to be as good as their price tags
The only excuse for this season - at the moment at least - is that Nuno won't have had much time to work with the new arrivals on plans/systems - especially with those away on International duty.
Yes, good point. Though I think everyone would have had a lot more patience, and given him a lot more time, had he not said what he did in the press.
Taiwo and Jota won’t make the 25
We will also be abiding by UEFA rules which are slightly more strict but more leniently enforced.
So the U21s can play in the premier league even if they aren't part of the 25 man squad?
Yes.
Yes that’s right, so it’s 25 plus Abbott and Cunha in reality