Dusic

True but he hasn't joined them so perhaps he has doubts. He played and scored twice for City's U23s recently. If he have learned anything about Shields, he certainly has an influence on these lads and I believe brought him to City from Millwall a couple of years ago.

Agree- would rather spend big on an attacking midfielder than a striker personally.

IMO the strikers we currently have absolutely must play in a front two. They aren't a threat by themselves and the attacking midfielders who suport them don't get good enough numbers to compensate. Adams flanked by Zaha and Trossard? Fine Adams flanked by Armstrong and Aribo/Elyounoussi? Won't score enough

With the obvious caveat that its only pre season, there has to be something in the fact that we have played with three CBs in all three games so far. Whilst some other sides have used this well in the PL - Chelsea, Wolves, Tottenham etc - personally I don't think we have the players for it and hope Ralph doesn't become fixated with it. It may provide a little more solidarity but the weakness of our best three centre backs (Salisu, Bednarek, ABK) is the same, none of them are composed or creative in their passing. Thats a massive issue in a back three. All of the above teams have at least one who can carry the ball out of defence and start an attack. Also, we don't have the attackers to play a front three as none of our strikers suit playing centrally on their own and none of the supporting attackers or wide forwards have a goal threat. Clear that creativity has been a huge issue in pre season so far and I think a lot of that is the system. As far as I am aware none of our new signings played in a team that played primarily with a back 3 last season, so its an additional adjustment for them too. Also, all of our best spells under Ralph have come with a front two working well in combination (Ings & Long, Ings & Adams, Adams & Broja) and when we have pressed aggressively. All of our best wins under him have come in the 4-2-2-2. I think for Spurs we will stick with the 3 CBs, and Djenepo will play LWB as we have no fit full backs aside from KWP but hope in the long run its just used as an option occassionally rather than being a regular setup as we just aren't good at it and never have been under Ralph.

I think we got Mara as we know City won't sell Delap permanently. Why would they when they know after a good loan his value will shoot up.

Everton too, and supposedly bid for him when West Ham did.

I think our best chance of getting Broja is right near the end of the window on another loan. Seems Chelsea arent that keen to let him go permanently and I can't see Saints offering £30m given we have spent £50m already with little prospect of recouping anything. Ive said all along that Chelsea would be mad to sell him without giving him any kind of chance. He could definitely do a good job for them off the bench considering they don't have many strikers and will have a lot of games.

Leandre Griffit at one stage averaged a PL goal every 8mins. If Mara is anywhere near as successful he will be a great signing.

Looks like Mara is a genuine striker so IMO we need another striker plus a Ralph #10 and thats attack done. Then after that full back cover and if we sell any CBs then a new option there (Colwill perhaps). Is that a bit unrealistic to expect given no obvious ways to generate any cash besides selling JWP or KWP? If we didnt get all of those, which are the most critical? Probably striker and full back cover, although we are crying out for a better #10 than what we have - unless Aribo is considered to be that?

Lingard seemingly going to Forest. Probably on ludicrous cash, but regardless from purely football terms a ridiculously good signing for a promoted team. Of course there is potential for their new signings not to gel but on paper most of them are good players and a few who have already done it at PL or Bundesliga level. Good manager too.

Video reminded me of the Elyounoussi Basel ones before we signed him. The Eredivisie is so hard to judge players - Jahanbakhsh absolutely bossed it and was a total non event in the PL. Karlsson clearly has a good shot but looks pretty slight and also not rapid so would have to be superb technically to make an impact in the PL.

Its definitely going to be a very competitive PL season. Hard to make a convincing relegation argument for more than the promoted teams plus Saints, Leeds and Brentford but we have spent a bit, Leeds have too and have the Raphinha and Phillips cash to use whilst personally I don't see Brentford suddenly reverting to being awful all of a sudden. Our business has been encouraging so far but in this context we certainly can't afford to wait til 31st August before signing some attackers. Our start is tough enough anyway and it looks like a season where once you are near the bottom it will be hard to really get out and then the WC brings everything to a halt. A good start is vital IMO.

https://www.goodisonnews.com/2022/07/19/frank-lampard-personally-pushes-to-sign-chelsea-defender-levi-colwill/ Fabrizio Romano mentions Everton and Saints interest here.

#shields Just need to get a few of our own academy lads to appear in the first team (Doyle, Edwards, Ballard) at some point this season and the pathway selling point can be really strongly in our favour. As we have seen with Dibling, its mad how many 15-17yo actually move club these days.

Whilst we have done some good early business, what about outgoings? Seems clear to me that in order to really do what we would like to then we need to be shedding a few players, especially in these areas: Centre Back - we seemingly want Colwill but already have Salisu, Bednarek, ABK, Lyanco, Stephens, Valery, Simeu. We can assume Simeu will leave on loan but to add Colwill would surely need to lose at least 2 of the others. Bednarek probably worth the most but no takers as yet. Maybe we loan Lyanco to a Serie A team or Stephens to a Championship contender but we aren't going to recoup any cash for them. Lyanco's signing was pointless - we needed to sign a starting player not an erratic backup who couldn't speak English. In a back 3 I prefer Valery to either Lyanco or Stephens and if we are to go with 5 CBs in the squad then he would be an ideal 5th. IMO this would leave us with the best pool: Salisu, ABK, Bednarek, Colwill, Valery No 10 - we arguably need to two signings in this position but one will ok as long as its a player who is good enough to go straight into the team and who is a goal threat. However, we already have: Aribo, Armstrong, Moi, Walcott, Djenepo, Redmond, Tella, Smallbone and thats before we consider Edwards, Doyle etc. Seems clear Walcott is on his way out. IMO Redmond is better than almost all of those listed but its probably time for a fresh challenge without the mental baggage of his time here and seems like that might be the plan after being left at home. But really no need to have more than 4 in this position, 5 max, so even if Tella is considered as a (non scoring) striker and then we need to get rid of two of Djenepo, Smallbone and Moi. Considering his potential and pre season performance Smallbone is playing himself into being a keep and would also be easy to loan out towards the end of the window. Both Djenepo and Moi have one year left and hopefully neither being offered an extension. Djenepo can do that LWB role but has no end product whereas Moi, whilst one paced and predictable, does offer more of a goal threat. Centre Mid - this is a bit easier and is another reason to keep Smallbone around. I think after signing Lavia we can afford to let Diallo go without signing anyone else. We have Lavia and Romeu as specialist #6 with JWP who can also do it. Then Aribo, Armstrong, Smallbone & JWP who can play as an #8. Overall summary - we need to start selling/loaning some CBs and #10s to make way for new additions as are carrying too much dross.

Exactly this. No way we should be offering Elyounoussi a new contract. Aribo looks like a good technical player but not dyanmic in the final third. We need a clinical striker and a player who is a threat to the opposition when he gets the ball in the final third. Signings that come in and are first choice straight away. If we get those additions wrong we will struggle massively. Personally I hate the 3 CBs because we don't have the quality in attack to make it work and there is too much distance between the attackers all the time and none are individually good enough to hurt anyone. Aside from the obvious point of why play 3 CBs instead of 2 when it means picking at least one who isn't good enough.

Interesting as we have been linked and possibly also for #colwillwatch Love Palace's recent recruitment, no chance they are going down this season. Actually very few teams that seem capable of it outside us, Leeds, Brentford and the promoted sides.

For a team lacking defensive stability Lyanco is probably one of the least suited PL centre backs I can think of as a solution. Poor, cheap signing and will be a bit part player again, if he is even at the club in September.

Assuming Bednarek is going regardless then IMO securing Colwill is absolutely massive if Ralph wants to use 3 CBs as a frequent formation. Otherwise, and without a similarly quality player being brought in, it means Stephens or Lyanco being a first choice - and we know neither is PL quality. Sounds like it will come to a head soon, and can see the attraction of partnering Andersen and his old teammate Guehi in what would be a very solid defensive setup for Palace, especially when you consider Tyrick Mitchell too. Their recruitment has been excellent since Viera took over.

Delap is totally unproven at mens level. The lad out in Germany was injured most of last season. Good replacement for Long perhaps but Broja was robust and able to score at PL level, which neither of the two you mentioned can say.

Over the last couple of seasons have we ever attacked well with a 3 CB formation? IMO all out best performances where we have balanced defence and attack have come in the 4-2-2-2. Pleased that we have different options but not convinced we have the right attackers to make a 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-3 actually work.

I kind of get this view. But also look at our squad list. Without spending bigger on a couple of attacking players of higher quality we will neber be settled because this team won't create or score enough. I like our business so far but its hard to argue with any certainty that it has actually improved our first XI. In fact, without Broja (and to a lesser extent Forster) its very arguable that right now, as it stands, our actual team is weaker than it was. Obviously a decent way to go and encouraging signs, but we newd to break £20m at some stage surely?!

I find some of the comments about Broja to be quite bizarre. For those saying at £25-£30m they would massively avoid, can I ask what you actually expect? If we sign Liam Delap permanently I am sure the fee would be nearly £20m. I think he has made 2 sub apps in the PL. We have also spent upwards of £12m each on Bazunu and Lavia who have never played in the PL. Yes, Broja didnt score since Feb. But as we all know, he was playing in a team that became woeful and got next to no service. What we saw first hand was a player who at times absolute killed good, experienced PL centre backs and who could create chances for himself from just beyond the halfway line. A player who is decent now and who in a couple of years could be one of the best strikers in the league. Now, its pretty clear we are out of the running for him, with bids from West Ham, Everton, AC Milan and Napoli according to Secret Scout. But IMO there is almost no chance we will sign someone better and with more potential than Broja, so I struggle to understand what some of you are really expecting us to do with £20m? If ever there was a player to go up to £30m on its Broja and we will be weaker up front without him unquestionably.

Why does everyone think that we would replace Diallo if he does go? We already signed Lavia. Part of Diallo's problem is that he didn't get enough games, so why do we need to add another player if he leaves? JWP has a great availability record and if fit will start 100% of league games, so then its either Lavia or Romeu alongside him. If needed we have Armstrong and Aribo who can play centrally should we have an injury crisis of some kind. Personally don't believe the Winks stuff for that reason, he isnt going to play ahead of JWP and what would the point of signing Lavia be if he ends up as 4th choice?

Agree to a point but I think its probably because of what they are asked to do on the ball now which hasn't always been the case previously. Salisu's weakness is on the ball. ABK supposedly the same. Therefore fairly logical to put them on the side where they would be required to use their stronger foot a higher proportion of the time, and probably makes them a little less susceptible to an opposition press. Obviously some players like VVD like playing on the opposite side as it opens up the big diagonal pass to the opposite side, but the majority seem to favour the side of their strongest foot.