Clrnc wrote:

Don't think our squad have space for him to be honest and he wouldn't want to sit on the bench

Galtier had a notebook that said "Kylian prefers to play on the right", which is where Saka is currently thriving. Thierry went off at Mbappe saying that he himself has had to play on the left wing at Barcelona at having won 100 caps for France. He didn't like it but he did it because the manager told him to do it. He's right. Mbappe has to grow up. 

I prefer that we focus our energies on securing Martinelli, Saliba and Saka. And then getting the necessary complementary pieces. Guys like Mudryk and Danilo/Bellers. That to me makes more sense and is more aligned to what Edu has been doing. 

Claudius wrote:
Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Willingness is what matters.

are you willing to shell out the 300m pounds that would be required to secure him?

No.

I'm saying that just because we have as much money as Chelsea it doesn't mean that the chances of us and Chelsea buying him are the same if they're willing to pay his price and we're not. Very uncontroversial statement. 

I agree in that an alternative to a Partey and another wide forward should be priority, but once we secure 4th, if we want to progress into a regular title challengers, we'll need to add a truly elite level talent or two. I think we're in a slightly similar situation to Liverpool before they added Van Dijk and Alisson, though we can maybe hope that with our young players that one or two of them may push on to god tier and negate the need for big money signings

But getting from 5th to top 4 is harder than going from top 4 to 1st; there aren't as many players who can truly make the difference at that level 

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

I agree in that an alternative to a Partey and another wide forward should be priority, but once we secure 4th, if we want to progress into a regular title challengers, we'll need to add a truly elite level talent or two. I think we're in a slightly similar situation to Liverpool before they added Van Dijk and Alisson, though we can maybe hope that with our young players that one or two of them may push on to god tier and negate the need for big money signings

But getting from 5th to top 4 is harder than going from top 4 to 1st; there aren't as many players who can truly make the difference at that level

Not sure if it was a typo but it's actually the opposite. Getting top 4 from 5th requires a few smart signings and a well coached team. Getting from top 4 to 1st is much, much harder. Each point gained us harder to get the further up in the table you are.

Big Willie wrote:
Pepe LeFrits wrote:

I agree in that an alternative to a Partey and another wide forward should be priority, but once we secure 4th, if we want to progress into a regular title challengers, we'll need to add a truly elite level talent or two. I think we're in a slightly similar situation to Liverpool before they added Van Dijk and Alisson, though we can maybe hope that with our young players that one or two of them may push on to god tier and negate the need for big money signings

But getting from 5th to top 4 is harder than going from top 4 to 1st; there aren't as many players who can truly make the difference at that level

Not sure if it was a typo but it's actually the opposite. Getting top 4 from 5th requires a few smart signings and a well coached team. Getting from top 4 to 1st is much, much harder. Each point gained us harder to get the further up in the table you are.

Agree, Willie. It’s about competing with City. You a team of elite players who are focused every single game. You can’t afford the type of nonsense you see at places like PSG where people are fighting and drawing winnable games.

8 wins in 9 and yet there isn't a soul alive who would back us to win the Premier League.

The odds show the perceived (and real) hill that remains to be climbed. Perhaps we are pretty good value at around 7/1 (City are 1/5).

I hope KSE are as intent on that challenge as they have been on pushing us back towards top four.

Why would you bet against a team that routinely collects 90 points.

I would love nothing more than for that financial filing cesspool to erupt in flames.

Big Willie wrote:
Pepe LeFrits wrote:

I agree in that an alternative to a Partey and another wide forward should be priority, but once we secure 4th, if we want to progress into a regular title challengers, we'll need to add a truly elite level talent or two. I think we're in a slightly similar situation to Liverpool before they added Van Dijk and Alisson, though we can maybe hope that with our young players that one or two of them may push on to god tier and negate the need for big money signings

But getting from 5th to top 4 is harder than going from top 4 to 1st; there aren't as many players who can truly make the difference at that level

Not sure if it was a typo but it's actually the opposite. Getting top 4 from 5th requires a few smart signings and a well coached team. Getting from top 4 to 1st is much, much harder. Each point gained us harder to get the further up in the table you are.

😆 yeah it was a 'typo'. Not sure how I wrote that, I must be getting senile. It's obviously harder to get to 1st

I think we have to rely on guys like Martinelli, Saka and Saliba becoming those elite players for us and also hope signings like Vieira, Jesus and Odegaard develop into Bernardo Silva, Cancelo level players too. Worth remembering those guys were not necessarily considered 'elite' when they signed.

Pepe LeFrits wrote:
Big Willie wrote:

Not sure if it was a typo but it's actually the opposite. Getting top 4 from 5th requires a few smart signings and a well coached team. Getting from top 4 to 1st is much, much harder. Each point gained us harder to get the further up in the table you are.

😆 yeah it was a 'typo'. Not sure how I wrote that, I must be getting senile. It's obviously harder to get to 1st

By the same token it's not 'wrong' in regards to being able to sign the better quality players = you hardly get a look if you are not in the top4 to begin with and/or have something to attract top players.

We don’t need either. Just keep buying smart. We have massive talents on the team. Go get Murder Rick and a CM. And take it from there.

The defence we've got is potentially title-worthy.

Ramsdale might be a bit loose. However, I think we can afford him.

Swoop for someone random but surprisingly good, a Bentancur or similar, let's say Danilo turns out to have been a Christmas stocking-warmer, and add Felix, and we could give the Premiership a shake.

Any technically gifted young forward will thrive in our current team. Actually improving on Martinelli, Jésus and Saka will be bloody hard.

Felix would be incredible.

You're right Ramsdale is our weakest link in defence but far from a problem. Who would have thought of that though? Shows how much we have come so far that our strongest defensive link at the start of last season is now the weakest

Reaching the stage where we need to add more world class talent. I’d say Felix falls in to that category

Pony up for Bellingham if we make champs league.

Captain wrote:

Pony up for Bellingham if we make champs league.

Just pony up for Bellers man. The kid has everything. He’s one of those few players I watch and genuinely get excited every time. I think he’s scored every champions league game this season. Incredible engine, nose for goal, skilful.