Summer 2022 priorities (and realistic options)

[winteriscoming]

Prob been mentioned already but I’d take Eriksen. Looks quality at Brentford. 

[Dahnsouff]

14 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Scouts at Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos today

 

https://insidefutbol.com/2022/04/17/leicester-city-send-scouts-to-big-derby-game-in-europe/555887/

Went for the food

[Guest StevieLynex]

13 hours ago, Sambiasso said:

The 2022 Abulkadir Omur

Thought he was a cricketer

[An Sionnach]

I hope we don't have another feeding frenzy like we did with Madueke. PSV showed how average the Dutch league is. Out of the five players we got last summer only Lookman has done OK. If you think you can find all the answers in the transfer market you will be disappointed.

[Ric Flair]

3 hours ago, An Sionnach said:

I hope we don't have another feeding frenzy like we did with Madueke. PSV showed how average the Dutch league is. Out of the five players we got last summer only Lookman has done OK. If you think you can find all the answers in the transfer market you will be disappointed.

If you need new players though pal, you have to go and get them. We've some talent coming through the academy but we still need at the very least a new CB, a new CM, a back up LW (Lookman) and our main improvement to the XI we've not rectified in years - RW.

 

Absolutely no reason we can't go and sign these players needed and them be a success. Look at our window in 2018/19 when we badly needed to rebuild. 

[turlo]

Have we been linked to Schlotterbeck from Freiburg recently? Seem to remember us being linked to him although maybe that was last summer

[moore_94]

26 minutes ago, turlo said:

Have we been linked to Schlotterbeck from Freiburg recently? Seem to remember us being linked to him although maybe that was last summer

Not recently

 

Sounds like he is off to Dortmund though unfortunately

[Tommy Fresh]

14 hours ago, An Sionnach said:

I hope we don't have another feeding frenzy like we did with Madueke. PSV showed how average the Dutch league is. Out of the five players we got last summer only Lookman has done OK. If you think you can find all the answers in the transfer market you will be disappointed.

Standard the Eredivisie isn't of a high enough standard post 

[Dahnsouff]

10 hours ago, moore_94 said:

Not recently

 

Sounds like he is off to Dortmund though unfortunately

Aren’t they two brothers? One good, one not so much?

[Supergray22]

If we don’t get Tarks from burnley I think Nathan Collins would be worth a punt. Brennan johnson if we can. Maya Jama all day/night long. 

[StanSP]

Would he count as realistic? 

 

It's not just aerially he's dominant either. In the BL games I've watched, he's generally very good on the ball and has decent positional awareness. If Vestergaard and perhaps Soyuncu were to leave, perhaps he's one to target? 

 

[moore_94]

2 hours ago, Dahnsouff said:

Aren’t they two brothers? One good, one not so much?

Yeah both at Freiburg, the better one is Nico the younger one

[moore_94]

9 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Would he count as realistic? 

 

It's not just aerially he's dominant either. In the BL games I've watched, he's generally very good on the ball and has decent positional awareness. If Vestergaard and perhaps Soyuncu were to leave, perhaps he's one to target? 

 

We have been linked with him before

 

However it seems like Dortmund are the favourites to get him

[RumbleFox]

Would love to see Pope here if Burnley go down. 

[escape2victory]

I’d like us first to get a system we want to play and then recruit to fit that system, not the other way around and shoehorn players into a system. For what it’s worth, in my opinion a 4-4-2 diamond would allow KDH to play in that left side pocket he loves, gets Maddison in the ‘10’ position and 2 upfront which would get the best out of Vardy, Iheanacho, Daka and potentially De Ketelaere if the rumours are true. Recruit a Tielemans replacement who can play the right side of a diamond, few months ago I would of said Loftus Cheek but seems back in favour at Chelsea now, but that type of profile. Barnes and Lookman as the wide options to change games if needed. 
 
                       Schmeichel

                   Iversen (cup keeper)

 

Ricardo       Fofana      Evans          Castagne

Justin         New CB    New CB         Thomas

     
                            Ndidi

                            Mendy

                New CM         KDH

               Albrighton       Soumare 

                         Maddison

 

               De Ketelaere ?    Vardy

                 Iheanacho        Daka

 

3rd keeper/Barnes/Lookman/Amartey to complete 25 man squad.

 

Somehow shift out: Ward, Jakupovic, Soyuncu, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Choudhury, Tielemans, Praet, Perez, 

[Tommy Fresh]

Senesi could get a call up for Italy, ideally we'd want to move for him prior to that happeneing.

[SafewayFox]

10 hours ago, escape2victory said:

I’d like us first to get a system we want to play and then recruit to fit that system, not the other way around and shoehorn players into a system. For what it’s worth, in my opinion a 4-4-2 diamond would allow KDH to play in that left side pocket he loves, gets Maddison in the ‘10’ position and 2 upfront which would get the best out of Vardy, Iheanacho, Daka and potentially De Ketelaere if the rumours are true. Recruit a Tielemans replacement who can play the right side of a diamond, few months ago I would of said Loftus Cheek but seems back in favour at Chelsea now, but that type of profile. Barnes and Lookman as the wide options to change games if needed. 
 
                       Schmeichel

                   Iversen (cup keeper)

 

Ricardo       Fofana      Evans          Castagne

Justin         New CB    New CB         Thomas

     
                            Ndidi

                            Mendy

                New CM         KDH

               Albrighton       Soumare 

                         Maddison

 

               De Ketelaere ?    Vardy

                 Iheanacho        Daka

 

3rd keeper/Barnes/Lookman/Amartey to complete 25 man squad.

 

Somehow shift out: Ward, Jakupovic, Soyuncu, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Choudhury, Tielemans, Praet, Perez, 

I really like part of your comments but then can’t think a 442 diamond would see sides cut us up so easily that we’d witness all sorts of 20th position defending stats on Sky - you might tell I’m a bit jaded at seeing Sky pick on that as frequently.

 

I really don’t like us with 3/5 at the back so think 433 with N’Didi hopefully back next season like he was prior this season with KDH and Madders next to him and someone who has KDH’s engine/work-rate able to deputize Madders against the likes of Liverpool/see a game out etc would be our best set up.

 

Another reason the Soumare signing seems an odd one to me, as he can’t play in that shape in the slightest. 

[sacreblueits442]

16 hours ago, SafewayFox said:

I really like part of your comments but then can’t think a 442 diamond would see sides cut us up so easily that we’d witness all sorts of 20th position defending stats on Sky - you might tell I’m a bit jaded at seeing Sky pick on that as frequently.

 

I really don’t like us with 3/5 at the back so think 433 with N’Didi hopefully back next season like he was prior this season with KDH and Madders next to him and someone who has KDH’s engine/work-rate able to deputize Madders against the likes of Liverpool/see a game out etc would be our best set up.

 

Another reason the Soumare signing seems an odd one to me, as he can’t play in that shape in the slightest. 

.....if you can see what KDH does, then that is what Soumare was brought to the club to do!!!

Soumare's problem was that KDH turned up and he apparently is struggling to get up to speed with the pace of the league. What we would have in either or 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 would be Ndidi (defensive midfielder), Soumare ( Controller) and Tielemans or Maddison (Creator). In a back 4 Harvey and new Right Winger/Forward along with striker/ False 9 are upfront. With a back 3 then the width comes from the Wing Backs, with De Ketelaere playing off Daka or Nacho.

  The Soumare acquisition works for the team even in a diamond, apart from the Right Wing, it is the missing piece of the puzzle, the problems is Soumare just has not decided to turn up.

  If we then choose to look at Soumare as KDH's stand-in and due to the lack of available finance, we would have a flexible team who can be adapted to what ever we need, with a great spine.

Edited 19 April 2022 by sacreblueits442
Spelling Error.

[SafewayFox]

39 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

.....if you can see what KDH does, then that is what Soumare was brought to the club to do!!!

Soumare's problem was that KDH turned up and he apparently is struggling to get up to speed with the pace of the league. What we would have in either or 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 would be Ndidi (defensive midfielder), Soumare ( Controller) and Tielemans or Maddison (Creator). In a back 4 Harvey and new Right Winger/Forward along with striker/ False 9 are upfront. With a back 3 then the width comes from the Wing Backs, with De Ketelaere playing off Daka or Nacho.

  The Soumare acquisition works for the team even in a diamond, apart from the Right Wing, it is the missing piece of the puzzle, the problems is Soumare just has not decided to turn up.

  If we then choose to look at Soumare as KDH's stand-in and due to the lack of available finance, we would have a flexible team who can be adapted to what ever we need, with a great spine.

A good way to look at it but just don’t see Soumare having the work ethic or mobility of KDH.

 

Take KDH’s inch perfect slide tackle on ASM against Newcastle, a thing of beauty but Soumare’s lack of desire to track someone since been with us highlights the huge difference so I stick with my point of Soumare being a poor fit for me.

[sacreblueits442]

1 minute ago, SafewayFox said:

A good way to look at it but just don’t see Soumare having the work ethic or mobility of KDH.

 

Take KDH’s inch perfect slide tackle on ASM against Newcastle, a thing of beauty but Soumare’s lack of desire to track someone since been with us highlights the huge difference so I stick with my point of Soumare being a poor fit for me.

....at Lille he was winning balls, tracking intercepting and pushing the team on!!!

Do not forget they won the league with him in the midfield, you do not just stop doing the things that set you apart, having made the switch to another team paying you handsomely for your service.

  I find it hard to buy into the not up to speed dialogue, too many aspects of his game is missing for that to be true.

[UniFox21]

2 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

....at Lille he was winning balls, tracking intercepting and pushing the team on!!!

Do not forget they won the league with him in the midfield, you do not just stop doing the things that set you apart, having made the switch to another team paying you handsomely for your service.

  I find it hard to buy into the not up to speed dialogue, too many aspects of his game is missing for that to be true.

You have to remember it isn't just  the league he needs to get up to speed with. It's the entire country, culture etc. You'd be surprised how much someone can alter when not fully comfortable

[SafewayFox]

10 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

....at Lille he was winning balls, tracking intercepting and pushing the team on!!!

Do not forget they won the league with him in the midfield, you do not just stop doing the things that set you apart, having made the switch to another team paying you handsomely for your service.

  I find it hard to buy into the not up to speed dialogue, too many aspects of his game is missing for that to be true.

Which I’d love to see come true for us but many more established and proven players from different leagues haven’t made the switch to the PL so have that nagging doubt about Soumare.

 

This is where I hold my hands up and say that I never watched him in full matches for Lille so basing it on YouTube videos but seems like he did like driving with the ball at Lille but for me that’s not enough for the box to box midfielder role that KDH has proven improves us as a team.

 

Rodgers himself said that KDH needs to add goals/assists to his game but even with Lille that wasn’t Soumare’s strength which takes me back to my point that he was a poorly thought out signing.

[Ric Flair]

2 hours ago, UniFox21 said:

You have to remember it isn't just  the league he needs to get up to speed with. It's the entire country, culture etc. You'd be surprised how much someone can alter when not fully comfortable

What would you suggest it is then? I've seen it before with players that their game can just completely break down as soon as they are taken out of their comfort zone. It's a bit like being able to run 7 minute miles and then you go for a run with someone much quicker than you and you try and keep up with them and very quickly you can't run 7 minute miles as you're too knackered.

 

I wonder if he's mentally and physically shot from the shock of the change in pace of the league.

[UniFox21]

4 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

What would you suggest it is then? I've seen it before with players that their game can just completely break down as soon as they are taken out of their comfort zone. It's a bit like being able to run 7 minute miles and then you go for a run with someone much quicker than you and you try and keep up with them and very quickly you can't run 7 minute miles as you're too knackered.

 

I wonder if he's mentally and physically shot from the shock of the change in pace of the league.

I'm thinking, purely guess work, that the 23yr old is struggling not just with the move to a new league, we all know the Prem is faster and more intense than others, but with moving to a different country. If Wes and Mendy were fit and firing all season we could've seen a better transition. 

 

Hoping a new preseason will help him settle in better and be more up to pace. 

[SouthStandUpperTier]

Just spit-balling here but it could be that there has been a slight disconnect between Rodgers and the scouting department in some instances. Praet and Soumare are possibly not the type of player Rodgers wished or asked for. Maybe it's part of the reason Congerton left.

Edited 19 April 2022 by SouthStandUpperTier