Ryan Bertrand

[An Sionnach]

3 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...Fofana and Soyuncu do not get a working partnership unless the are allowed to play together and find their balance!!!

Evans injury at the moment is a big red flag and Soyuncu is so much better in a back four and constantly placing him in a three, helps no one.

Expect defensive errors then. If either of them cocks up without Jonny then they will get their arses kicked on here and people will be screaming "bring Jonny back". We cannot afford to lose vital matches by taking a risk on two young centre backs together. Two years down the line and they should be ready.

[80footgiraffe]

The more I think about it, I like it. Definitely an upgrade on Fuchs, obviously won’t play week in week out but we need depth for any chance at going deep in European competitions.

[turlo]

1 minute ago, An Sionnach said:

Expect defensive errors then. If either of them cocks up without Jonny then they will get their arses kicked on here and people will be screaming "bring Jonny back". We cannot afford to lose vital matches by taking a risk on two young centre backs together. Two years down the line and they should be ready.

Agree on Evans basically being first choice CB. They could try Wes and Cags out in the early Europa League/League cup games to develop the partnership

[An Sionnach]

5 minutes ago, turlo said:

Agree on Evans basically being first choice CB. They could try Wes and Cags out in the early Europa League/League cup games to develop the partnership

Both of them are highly talented players but have played at their best alongside Jonny. Caglar, in my opinion, is not quite ready to assume senior partner status and that is about game reading, positioning and risk assessment not any technical deficiency.

[sacreblueits442]

4 minutes ago, An Sionnach said:

Both of them are highly talented players but have played at their best alongside Jonny. Caglar, in my opinion, is not quite ready to assume senior partner status and that is about game reading, positioning and risk assessment not any technical deficiency.

....he is compromised in a three....I have watched him play on the right of a three and he is not sure if he should hold his position, or engage the player with the ball coming in from the right back position!!!

  He has grown in the back four and I agree having Evans there helps him, but he does not need Evans holding is hand, within a back four.

[Foxes96]

2 hours ago, IsItMuzzy said:

Number 3… Fofana must be off then 

I have wondered if Little Wes will take over from Big Wes and take the number 5 shirt leaving 3 free...

[PhillippaT]

4 hours ago, Foxes96 said:

I have wondered if Little Wes will take over from Big Wes and take the number 5 shirt leaving 3 free...

Another Wes @Blue 5. Good idea 👍

 

Note: Although it changed for the film to Red squadron, and onwards, the original novel still has Luke Skwalker as Blue 5 in Star Wars (Ep 4)

 

I'm such a nerd...  🤓

[NaijaFox]

10 hours ago, sdb said:

Underwhelmed with this. The sort of

signing we'd have made 5 or 6 years ago. We've progressed since then.

Agree!

 

Albeit I can see the thinking. An experienced player and 'winner' in a position that we have good young prospects but need cover. Nonetheless, it's a 'meh' signing for me. 

[urban.spaceman]

11 hours ago, Pliskin said:

People moaning about adding some decent depth? Good job some of you aren’t in charge of recruitment. 

Just you wait till the government pushes 50+1 through... we’d be ****ed!

[NasPb]

2 hours ago, urban.spaceman said:

Just you wait till the government pushes 50+1 through... we’d be ****ed!

Not how it works 😂

[Sooper Steve's shin]

15 hours ago, sdb said:

Underwhelmed with this. The sort of

signing we'd have made 5 or 6 years ago. We've progressed since then.

Yeah, we signed an experienced left-back on a free in 2015 - look how that turned out. 

[sacreblueits442]

14 hours ago, An Sionnach said:

Expect defensive errors then. If either of them cocks up without Jonny then they will get their arses kicked on here and people will be screaming "bring Jonny back". We cannot afford to lose vital matches by taking a risk on two young centre backs together. Two years down the line and they should be ready.

...I  really believe they are ready now!!!

  Two years from now, and they will both be somewhere else. 

Edited 2 June 2021 by sacreblueits442

[Babylon]

I swear some of the people on here would have a team full of 22 year olds 

 

It's a free transfer, we lack some old heads in the squad having lost so many in recent years, we've got several young players capable of playing in that position and he'd cover it nicely whilst allowing them game time to progress / come back from injury. 

 

It's just about the biggest no brainers in the history of no brainers, allowing money to be spent where it's far more desperately needed. 

 

 

[sdb]

3 hours ago, Sooper Steve's shin said:

Yeah, we signed an experienced left-back on a free in 2015 - look how that turned out. 

If we win the league in 2022 you can have a thumbs up point  x

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

I swear some of the people on here would have a team full of 22 year olds 

 

It's a free transfer, we lack some old heads in the squad having lost so many in recent years, we've got several young players capable of playing in that position and he'd cover it nicely whilst allowing them game time to progress / come back from injury. 

 

It's just about the biggest no brainers in the history of no brainers, allowing money to be spent where it's far more desperately needed. 

 

 

Can we just lock this thread till it's announced he's signed?

 

Cannot rep the above post enough.

[UHDrive]

Anyone know of a left sided Kyle Walker? Until JJ is back that's what we need. 

[CosbehFox]

I like it, it’s sensible but it’s interesting that we asked about Nuno Mendes whose the polar opposite in age and experience 

[NaijaFox]

20 hours ago, Babylon said:

I swear some of the people on here would have a team full of 22 year olds 

 

It's a free transfer, we lack some old heads in the squad having lost so many in recent years, we've got several young players capable of playing in that position and he'd cover it nicely whilst allowing them game time to progress / come back from injury. 

 

It's just about the biggest no brainers in the history of no brainers, allowing money to be spent where it's far more desperately needed. 

Like I said above, I can see the thinking here, but I just don't think he's (or will be) as good as some think.

 

If we actually sign him, then I would hope (and be glad) to be proven wrong, but his skills seem to have substantially eroded, and this past season he seemed to be running on fumes for large swathes. Our achilles heel the past seasons have not simply been a lack of depth but a lack of QUALITY depth, which usually gets magnified at the business end of the season. Quality has nothing to with age, but if he's going to be just another Fuchs, then he would be of no more help in addressing our achilles heel as Fuchs was in the past two seasons.

 

Yet again if we actually sign him I would desperately hope to be proven wrong. 

 

Edited 3 June 2021 by NaijaFox

[Babylon]

6 hours ago, NaijaFox said:

Like I said above, I can see the thinking here, but I just don't think he's (or will be) as good as some think.

 

If we actually sign him, then I would hope (and be glad) to be proven wrong, but his skills seem to have substantially eroded, and this past season he seemed to be running on fumes for large swathes. Our achilles heel the past seasons have not simply been a lack of depth but a lack of QUALITY depth, which usually gets magnified at the business end of the season. Quality has nothing to with age, but if he's going to be just another Fuchs, then he would be of no more help in addressing our achilles heel as Fuchs was in the past two seasons.

 

Yet again if we actually sign him I would desperately hope to be proven wrong. 

 

Bertrand doesn't need to play all season, he just needs to be a better option that Fuchs (whose place in the squad he's taking) and alternate with Thomas until Justin is fit again.

 

We have someone in James Justin who was probably going to win or be very close to winning player of the season. Going out and spending large amounts of money on a player when you have him and another young lad with potential is just foolish unless you have so much money that it doesn't matter. We aren't Man City, so we can't build a squad like Man City.

 

Now, lets say Ricardo had a great season and got sold, Justin could then be utilised more on the right, and there is perhaps space for another front line left back. But with Ricardo, Castagne, Justin and Thomas, another mid 20's player for top money makes no sense right now. 

 

He's FOUR years younger than Fuchs, so he has far more to offer than Fuchs has last two seasons. 

 

 

Edited 3 June 2021 by Babylon

[weller54]

8 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Bertrand doesn't need to play all season, he just needs to be a better option that Fuchs (whose place in the squad he's taking) and alternate with Thomas until Justin is fit again.

 

We have someone in James Justin who was probably going to win or be very close to winning player of the season. Going out and spending large amounts of money on a player when you have him and another young lad with potential is just foolish unless you have so much money that it doesn't matter. We aren't Man City, so we can't build a squad like Man City.

 

Now, lets say Ricardo had a great season and got sold, Justin could then be utilised more on the right, and there is perhaps space for another front line left back. But with Ricardo, Castagne, Justin and Thomas, another mid 20's player for top money makes no sense right now. 

 

He's FOUR years younger than Fuchs, so he has far more to offer than Fuchs has last two seasons. 

 

 

Just praying that JJ can get back to the level he was at 😢...

Ricardo has struggled since returning and I fear we'll never see the player he once was again.

[Babylon]

1 hour ago, weller54 said:

Just praying that JJ can get back to the level he was at 😢...

Ricardo has struggled since returning and I fear we'll never see the player he once was again.

Get a full preseason into Ricardo and fingers crossed he's back up to speed. It's always a worry, and if we had the money I'd say it's risky having three players with question marks about them at full back. But we desperately need a winger and a striker. 

[brookfox]

If we go into the season with Bertrand, Timothy, Ricardo, Thomas and JJ as our full back options I’ll be more than happy. A free transfer and relatively short term cover for LB looks ideal.

[mazarron fox]

I think our long term L B will be Thomas. To play the number games he has at such a young age speaks volumes of what the staff think of him. Think JJ and the improvements he had made before his injury and we have a similar scenario. He will be a star.

[BenTheFox]

Beyond me that anyone would turn their nose up at an experienced premier league quality full-back on a free transfer when we'll be competing on four fronts. 

[NaijaFox]

On 03/06/2021 at 04:15, Babylon said:

Bertrand doesn't need to play all season, he just needs to be a better option that Fuchs (whose place in the squad he's taking) and alternate with Thomas until Justin is fit again.

 

We have someone in James Justin who was probably going to win or be very close to winning player of the season. Going out and spending large amounts of money on a player when you have him and another young lad with potential is just foolish unless you have so much money that it doesn't matter. We aren't Man City, so we can't build a squad like Man City.

 

Now, lets say Ricardo had a great season and got sold, Justin could then be utilised more on the right, and there is perhaps space for another front line left back. But with Ricardo, Castagne, Justin and Thomas, another mid 20's player for top money makes no sense right now. 

 

He's FOUR years younger than Fuchs, so he has far more to offer than Fuchs has last two seasons.

What’s this seeming obsession you have with age? 

 

Again, I hope that I am proven wrong if we do go on and sign him, but I just think his form has fallen off and he’s not as good as some you seem to think. As good as Fuchs actually remained, when it came down to crunch time, it was obvious that Rodgers didn’t have faith in him to do the job. Accordingly, simply replacing Fuchs isn’t good enough (unless we are satisfied with where we presently are, with no ambitions to push further ahead). We have to upgrade the quality of the squad and I just don’t think Bertrand does that.  That doesn’t necessarily have anything to with age (Evans is older) nor with “throwing” money (Justin cost us 6 million quid).

 

Edited 6 June 2021 by NaijaFox