Have we reached the point where, on balance, we’d be better making do with what we have than signing 7-8th choice players who aren’t quite good enough and we will struggle to sell in two years’ time?
Replies
Id take Morgan Rodgers and Simmons too but neither are realistically gonna happen.
aug 28, 2025, 11:12 am • 0 0 • view
No, we need players - experienced ones. Simons would be good
aug 28, 2025, 2:37 pm • 0 0 • view
Yes. Simons definitely doesn't qualify as filler.
aug 28, 2025, 2:38 pm • 0 0 • view
Chelsea will probably nick him. Not much we can do sadly if he just wants Kings Rd plastic
aug 28, 2025, 8:45 pm • 0 0 • view
In hindsight we'd have been better off signing el khannouss on June 1st and he's be an established part of our squad by now.
aug 28, 2025, 9:09 am • 0 0 • view
Perhaps. I'm just not convinced he's really a target or, if he is, he's well down our list of priorities. We could have moved for him at any point and haven't. As an aside, I think we'd be pretty underwhelmed by what we got, at least at first.
aug 28, 2025, 9:13 am • 0 0 • view
I know he's a favourite of a lot of fanalysts but he's well below the current levels of MGW or Eze. Ideally we need proven quality in that area, hence focusing on those two (and the interest in Simons)
aug 28, 2025, 9:13 am • 0 0 • view
We’d have had a pretty terrible window, left yet another manager short of what he needs, and the squad is too thin for three games a week, but padding it out with filler creates its own issues, and has contributed to the problems we’ve had with squad-building in recent years
aug 28, 2025, 8:19 am • 1 0 • view
I think that most of the names currently being linked aren't filler. I am more worried that we are flitting between profile types and don't seem to have a clear idea of the type of players we want.
aug 28, 2025, 8:20 am • 1 0 • view
This is the risk/reward in appointing a manager like Frank who is adaptable. In theory the club can focus on opportunities (MGW release clause, Xavi Simons to Chelsea stalling) and the manager can figure it out.
aug 28, 2025, 1:04 pm • 0 0 • view
But to me that's just a different way of defining "filler" - padding the squad out with players who aren't at the required level or do not fit the profiles we lack
aug 28, 2025, 8:33 am • 0 0 • view
The names I am seeing are easily good enough to improve our squad. What I don't get is how you go from MGW, to Eze, to Simons. They're all good players but completely different. I would prefer us to identify a profile and then have a list of similar players to work down.
aug 28, 2025, 8:37 am • 1 0 • view
Eze and MGW are different profiles but Simons isn't too dissimilar to Eze but even more focused on ball carrying (and poses more of a goal threat than both). As far as I understand, Simons was the first target before the MGW opportunity came up
aug 28, 2025, 8:44 am • 0 0 • view
I'm not very keen on the DataMB radars to compare profiles. I think that it is quite selective in the metrics it uses and that can be misleading
aug 28, 2025, 8:50 am • 0 0 • view
Sure, it's a crude way the following point: the flitting between profiles thing is overegged. They're not that disimmilar. MGW aside (which was an opportunity that we were alerted to) we've been focusing on ball carrying 10s who pose a goal threat, rather than passers
aug 28, 2025, 8:56 am • 0 0 • view
Obviously we're all entitled to an opinion on whether that's the correct focus. I'm certainly sympathetic with the view that we need more passers. What I disagree with is the suggestion that it's absolutely essential to fix immediately, especially if we can't find the right player
aug 28, 2025, 8:56 am • 0 0 • view
I agree but occasionally wonder - (likely unnecessarily) charitably - whether actually we're just after a bunch of different profiles
aug 28, 2025, 8:38 am • 0 0 • view
I think that historically, we have had an issue with buying good players with no plans of how to fit them into a functioning team. We see a bit of that now with us having a lot of midfielders with very similar profiles. You would hope that a DoF should help avoid this
aug 28, 2025, 8:43 am • 0 0 • view
If somehow, miraculously, we emerge from this dumpster fire with e.g. Akliouche and/or BEK for the Maddison profile then ok, i guess
aug 28, 2025, 8:41 am • 1 0 • view
Akliouche is a nonstarter. Price is too high for this stage of the window. BEK has been available all summer and we haven't moved for him. His price has now gone up because Leicester are convinced there's a chance to get Saudi money for him. Will we pay substantially over his expired release clause?
aug 28, 2025, 8:47 am • 0 0 • view
With the caveat that we're all feeding off scraps re credible info, the reported price for Akliouche is ~47m...is that too high www.thetransferflow.com/p/here-s-a-f... ?
aug 28, 2025, 8:52 am • 0 0 • view
My Akliouche concern is the rumour that he is holding out for a move to PSG next summer
aug 28, 2025, 8:53 am • 0 0 • view
Sure...and not completely sold on the fit - despite Alex Barker's vid - and the apparent similarity to Deki. BEK really feels like it was the *sensible* option that should have been wrapped ages ago.
aug 28, 2025, 8:55 am • 0 0 • view
That was May. It's reportedly gone up significantly, especially at this stage of the window.
aug 28, 2025, 8:58 am • 0 0 • view
Hmm, as of 3-4d ago a whole bunch of highly credible lol outlets reporting that Monaco would accept 47.5 but again, no/low info environment so 🤷
aug 28, 2025, 9:05 am • 0 0 • view
Re BEK, seems we're interested / have been linked for a while but other stuff / players have got in the way - maybe bad process, sure - but was under impression w sale of Justin they're under less pressure to sell other players and price change wasn't huge but 🤷
aug 28, 2025, 8:53 am • 0 0 • view
Also, assuming the Savinho deal is dead, I haven't seen a single credible link by a journalist I trust (which, tbf, is a very short list). The Simons thing might have legs as we put in a lot of time with him earlier in the window, before Chelsea turned his head
aug 28, 2025, 8:38 am • 1 0 • view