samthegooner agree
One other thing to note is the way we beat Chelsea on the weekend. I know a lot of people were frustrated by that game but I watched it again. We exerted control throughout. And most of our control comes from the back. It’s the goalie and the 2 CBs especially . This defense is what makes us exemplary. You do NOT blow that up.
If you want to take risks, feel free to blow up the entire frontline except Saka. We have degrees of freedom elsewhere.
I'm just glad Gabriel, my G, is finally getting the recognition he deserves.
Selling Gabriel for 100m+ and signing Isak or Wirtz for that price is trading your defensive strength for attacking strength. That doesn't make us better overall, we've just rejigged the board.
The reason why the Coutinho transfer worked is because Mane and Salah were way better than him, while it also allowed them to strengthen their defence. We aren't signing anyone half as good as Gabriel. He is arguably the top 3 best LCB in the world. It's only downhill from there and we will end up with someone good but not great and our defence will become an even greater sieve down the left.
People cry about our LBs now, wait till we take away the man who keeps it in tact. No amount of attacking improvement is worth risking that. We need to add, not trade or subtract.
Add to that we are losing Partey for presumably Zubimendi and our team becomes a lot less defensively robust and physical in the span of a summer. Our title hopes will be severely dented and no I don't think Isak or Wirtz rectifies that because they play on opposite ends of the pitch.
Every good player has a price, every great player is priceless. I wouldn't sell Saka, Ode (normally), Rice, Gabriel and Saliba for any price. The drop off between great and good is too vast. See Martinelli, Havertz etc. for that.
It's not a hot take. Gabriel has been better for two seasons now.
daredevil Isak and Wirtz brother, not or. And. We are operating under a hypothetical scenario where we've gotten "crazy" money for Gabriel, and somehow what I'm hearing is that we have no chance of reallocating these funds in a way that improves us? Will it be challenging to find a replacement to slot right in, yes. Impossible, of course not. This is not prime Maldini/Cannavaro. I wouldn't even say he's Sol Campbell level. He just barely started playing for his national team. At 27. He is good, very good within our system, same as Saliba. He is not untouchable. Same as Saliba.
Edit: we have just one untouchable in this team - that's the Starboi. The rest, we can have negotiations about.
Edit, edit: Also, if you could ask anyone associated with PSG, I'm pretty certain they would tell you that they have successfully replaced Mbappe. Already. So what are we talking about here?
Nico Williams
Zubimendi
Sverre Nypan
Sesko
Garcia
Would be a mega summer
Funded by just the sale of Gabriel! Come on now!
Sell/release Tierney, Nelson, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Sterling, Vieira, Neto, and perhaps Kiwior though we’d need to replace him
I hear Benny Blanco used to be good at playing Center back..
He's right footed though...
There's also Calafiori, who isn't entirely convincing as a left back.
flobaba I hear Benny Blanco used to be good at playing Center back.
As a CB Gabriel is levels above White in almost everything needed for the role. White is for sure in my top 3 favourite players at the club, but he's not someone I would loathe to sell if a great offer came in. The only players I would not sell under any circumstances are Gabriel, Saliba, Saka.
Might have added Rice to the list but didn't only because I feel we'll end up moving him to 6 where he'll be wasted. 'd also possibly Nwaneri/MLS (for now at least) because they still have several levels in them to go before they become one of the top 3-5 players in the world in their position.
Everyone else has a price for sure. Even my other favourite Martinelli and our captain. Just depends on if the offer is large enough. Wouldn't sell any of them for anything but top dollar because they are certainly more than good enough for us and a title winning team.
Everyone else (such as the likes of Zinchenko, Jesus, Vieira, Tomi etc) I'd be more than happy to get what we paid for them back.
Big Willie Everyone else (such as the likes of Zinchenko, Jesus, Vieira, Tomi etc) I'd be more than happy to get what we paid for them back.
We will NEVER get back what we paid for any of these players.
Big Willie to think people on here claimed he'd be usurped by Kiwior.
Gabriel probably has another 5 years at the top level so unless he's unsettled or our finances are a lot worse than let on, there's no real reason to sell at this point. It's coming up to the next renewal in 2 to 3 years that would be the more logical time
Pepe LeFrits there's no real reason to sell at this point
I'm not sure that's necessarily the case these days. If a players head is elsewhere and they don't really want to play here, I don't see the point in keeping them. I suppose it would come down to the manager having a good enough understanding of the player, his commitment and professionalism, and what influence retaining someone somewhat against their will would have on the dressing room. I think you might get a year out of that, but Gabriel's heart is set on Saudi I don't see it being a positive move to hold him too long.
Pepe LeFrits exactly. If he is happy to stay you keep him. As I said before you wont find anyone better.
In that case - the best option would be Gabriel + Isak or Wirtz instead of Isak and Wirtz in place of Gabriel while bringing in Guehi or moving White/Calafiori inside which will be a significant downgrade.
We need our CB's to physically dominate all situations given how often they defend 1 vs 1 in large spaces. White and Calafiori will get cooked in those situations as neither are physically exceptional. A guy like Mateta will give these boys a nightmare, let alone someone like Haaland or Isak who will thrive against our defence without our man mountain.
