Summer 2022 priorities (and realistic options)

[los dedos]

1 minute ago, Foxes96 said:

Seems exactly what we need, left footed, big CB, strong in the air with only a year left on his contract. Also Mainz captain so should have decent leadership skills. 
 

The most sensible option tbf, even if we would love a Colwill or Richards 

What's he like aggression wise ? Hoping we sign a few nob heads this season. 😅

[Vindaloo FOX]

12 minutes ago, Vindaloo FOX said:

Offer has gone in for Niakhaté. 

 

 

I've been told by someone who I trust.

 

Sorry no source.

 

All I can say is Niakhaté will be 100% playing in the Prem next season.

 

We have put a offer on the table.

 

We are not the only ones who are keen on him.

[AjcW]

Liverpool asking £17m for Minamino 

 

Played 14 games on the Right the season he moved from RBL to Liverpool, scored 6 and assisted 9.

 

Has predomenantly played on the left since, but clearly versatile. Whenever he starts for Liverpool he seems to score, nearly a goal a game in both cups this season and contributed in the league when given the chance as well.

 

Useful option as a striker too, upgrade and younger model than Perez.

 

Might not be the worst idea....

Edited 8 June 2022 by AjcW

[MadsEmil]

14 minutes ago, Vindaloo FOX said:

I've been told by someone who I trust.

 

Sorry no source.

 

All I can say is Niakhaté will be 100% playing in the Prem next season.

 

We have put a offer on the table.

 

We are not the only ones who are keen on him.

I can wash your car for you if you tell me that we're signing CDK 

[UHDrive]

€13 million the owner slapped on him in February. Let's see how the bidding goes...

[kingfox]

32 minutes ago, Foxes96 said:

Seems exactly what we need, left footed, big CB, strong in the air with only a year left on his contract. Also Mainz captain so should have decent leadership skills. 
 

The most sensible option tbf, even if we would love a Colwill or Richards 

I suggest you don’t look at his passing and ball carrying stats 

 

Give me Colwill or Richards over Niakhate any day, people only want him because he’s 6ft3.

[Foxes96]

2 minutes ago, kingfox said:

I suggest you don’t look at his passing and ball carrying stats 

 

Give me Colwill or Richards over Niakhate any day, people only want him because he’s 6ft3.

Agree his passing stats are pretty ordinary but will likely be playing alongside either Evans or Fofana who are good passers of the ball anyway. Whereas Niakhaté will provide much needed height, experience and physicality at the back which is what we were crying out for most of last season. Will also likely be a lot cheaper than Colwill or Richards would be anyway. 

[kingfox]

9 minutes ago, Foxes96 said:

Agree his passing stats are pretty ordinary but will likely be playing alongside either Evans or Fofana who are good passers of the ball anyway. Whereas Niakhaté will provide much needed height, experience and physicality at the back which is what we were crying out for most of last season. Will also likely be a lot cheaper than Colwill or Richards would be anyway. 

From a defensive standpoint Niakhate looks decent, tackling, interceptions, heading, physicality, all positive.

 

But we also like defenders who can pass & carry the ball, because they fit in with our style of play.

 

Niakhate from a passing and ball carrying standpoint looks extremely suspect, there’s better fits around imo, Chris Richards being one of them.

[Molson Canadian]

18 hours ago, NYC Fox Fan said:

Based on 10 seconds of watching this, he’s  practically the Great Wall of France. 

He is a midfield destroyer but his passing range and distribution is very good.  He is young and developing, he is definitely a deep lying playmaker/defensive midfielder but as his game grows he will the type who can control the tempo of a game quite easily.  This is the type of player we should go for, fits into our model of buying younger high potential players to resell in the future for a large fee. 

[Stadt]

6 minutes ago, kingfox said:

From a defensive standpoint Niakhate looks decent, tackling, interceptions, heading, physicality, all positive.

 

But we also like defenders who can pass & carry the ball, because they fit in with our style of play.

 

Niakhate from a passing and ball carrying standpoint looks extremely suspect, there’s better fits around imo, Chris Richards being one of them.

Only based on his stats but Niakhate's passing stats look very good on fbref

[kingfox]

12 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Only based on his stats but Niakhate's passing stats look very good on fbref

 

Richards a better fit imo.

 

76.9% pass completion, his short, medium and long passing stats compared with others are poor.

 

Plus he’s not really a ball carrier.

[lcfc sheff]

A centreback that takes penalties, I’m all in!

[Sankey93]

Chris Richards is the best option. He would be perfect for us.

[Grebfromgrebland]

I think who we go for out of those options is dictated to by or budget, not who's best

[Stadt]

26 minutes ago, kingfox said:

 

Richards a better fit imo.

 

76.9% pass completion, his short, medium and long passing stats compared with others are poor.

 

Plus he’s not really a ball carrier.

Pass completion % can be down to the team's style of play, Mainz are 15th/18th for pass completion .

 

I'd be happy with either, Niakhate being left footed suits us, although Richards is quite two footed.

[Shane]

Isaak Toure (Le Havre). Linked with all the big clubs in France. 

 

6ft 9 , left footed CB, 19 years old and in the last year of his contract. Gerrimin and send him out on loan.

edit. highlights from last season:

 

 

 

Edited 8 June 2022 by Shane

[kingfox]

8 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Pass completion % can be down to the team's style of play, Mainz are 15th/18th for pass completion .

 

I'd be happy with either, Niakhate being left footed suits us, although Richards is quite two footed.

And that’s the same case you could make for someone like Tarkowski, that’s why some people were turned off by the thought of Tarkowski, because he plays a certain style that doesn’t fit with the way we play.

 

Niakhate looks the same from that standpoint.

 

Compared with Soyuncu, Evans & Fofana, other defenders like Richards compared with Niakhate look a better all round fit.

[scinnell]

5 minutes ago, Shane said:

Isaak Toure (Le Havre). Linked with all the big clubs in France. 

 

6ft 9 , left footed CB, 19 years old and in the last year of his contract. Gerrimin and send him out on loan.

 

 

But can he win his headers?

[Steve Earle]

4 minutes ago, scinnell said:

But can he win his headers?

Jannik, is that you?

[Ric Flair]

19 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Pass completion % can be down to the team's style of play, Mainz are 15th/18th for pass completion .

 

I'd be happy with either, Niakhate being left footed suits us, although Richards is quite two footed.

Stats for defenders seems to be an absolute bloodbath, you have to go way further than looking at them to judge what type of defender they are. 

 

Niakhate is absolutely fine on the ball, he's a good all round defender. He'd do well here.

[Ric Flair]

If we want a back up DCM to Ndidi and looking to move Choudhury and Soumare on then I'd love us to get Xavier Simons from Chelsea.

 

He's their U23 captain, Tuchel has given him a start in the QF of the Carabao Cup and he's out of contract and unhappy with his lack of a chance there.

 

This would be the sort of player Martyn Glover would identify and given we need to cut costs but try and bring in progressive players he'd tick a lot of boxes.

 

Strong tackler, passer, runner and can play in defence too. Compensation would only be a few million.

[Plastik Man]

2 hours ago, Shane said:

Isaak Toure (Le Havre). Linked with all the big clubs in France. 

 

6ft 9 , left footed CB, 19 years old and in the last year of his contract. Gerrimin and send him out on loan.

edit. highlights from last season:

 

 

 

6'9"? Can he play in goal? 🤔 

[sacreblueits442]

2 hours ago, kingfox said:

And that’s the same case you could make for someone like Tarkowski, that’s why some people were turned off by the thought of Tarkowski, because he plays a certain style that doesn’t fit with the way we play.

 

Niakhate looks the same from that standpoint.

 

Compared with Soyuncu, Evans & Fofana, other defenders like Richards compared with Niakhate look a better all round fit.

...just looking at his showreel, Niakhate looks a pretty competent player!!!

  Being the captain of his current club, shows he has qualities that we desperately need, leadership. He looks like he takes no prisoners, good on the ball, forward thinking and looks to play forward. 

  I have previously suggested that we look to bring in Chris Richards. He is very similar to Fofana and perhaps that may have been too much. The contrast between Niakhate and Fofana may turn out to be a better balance.

[kingfox]

8 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...just looking at his showreel, Niakhate looks a pretty competent player!!!

  Being the captain of his current club, shows he has qualities that we desperately need, leadership. He looks like he takes no prisoners, good on the ball, forward thinking and looks to play forward. 

  I have previously suggested that we look to bring in Chris Richards. He is very similar to Fofana and perhaps that may have been too much. The contrast between Niakhate and Fofana may turn out to be a better balance.

I’ve compared various left sided centre backs to Soyuncu, Fofana & Evans.

 

I’ll stick with my stance that Chris Richards would be a better overall fit.

 

As I’ve said already, Niakhate from a defensive standpoint is ideal, but so is Richards and others.

 

We like defenders who are used to having the ball, which fit with our possession based football. We also like defenders who can carry the ball, Richards ticks those boxes while Niakhate doesn’t. 
 

Vestergaard for example ticked those boxes, that’s probably why we signed him, but he’s failed because he’s slow, at least someone like Richards would also provide pace.

[sacreblueits442]

9 minutes ago, kingfox said:

I’ve compared various left sided centre backs to Soyuncu, Fofana & Evans.

 

I’ll stick with my stance that Chris Richards would be a better overall fit.

 

As I’ve said already, Niakhate from a defensive standpoint is ideal, but so is Richards and others.

 

We like defenders who are used to having the ball, which fit with our possession based football. We also like defenders who can carry the ball, Richards ticks those boxes while Niakhate doesn’t. 
 

Vestergaard for example ticked those boxes, that’s probably why we signed him, but he’s failed because he’s slow, at least someone like Richards would also provide pace.

....I do feel that Fofana plays differently depending who he has beside him!!!

With Evans he is more restrained and has a better control of his game, when they are paired together. With Soyuncu Fofana can come off the leash and take chances where a more experienced partner would pull him in and instruct him to play a certain way, to allow him to provide cover if he (Fofana) is played around. He has made mistakes with Soyuncu, that he would not make with Evans, it is just a question of getting the right balance.

  Chris Richards is a very similar player to Fofana, and you need to not be too on the front foot, you can't have two defenders chancing their arms, trying to win the ball, stepping in from behind the attacker.