c1982

It’s Gbamin, ibll. Fingers crossed that the wait will be worthwhile after a nightmare first season!

TalkShite aren’t the best for reliable info but hey ho...

I would imagine we’re looking for a left footed centre back with all 3 senior centre backs (Keane, Holgate, Mina) we have being predominantly right footed. I expect, we’ll want to loan Gibson and Branthwaite out at Championship level.

When? Could only find this...

They sold Hojbjerg but have since signed Walker-Peters and a centre-back from La Liga. I think the big difference is that they don’t have the massively overpaid deadweight that we have. Players like Tosun, Bolasie, Bešić, Sandro, etc will have a massive influence on the moves we make this summer - fail to find solutions and it could prove very frustrating!

He’s doing loads of these to wind people up. Last week it was St Maxim to wind up Newcastle fans. This week Ings. Ignore!!!

The dreaded 48 hours!!! I hope it’s not a Riquelme, Moutinho, Sean Davis, Banega, Wagner Love, Manny Fernandes (on a permanent), Witsel, etc. 48 hours!

I will add, my preference is always signing young up and coming talent but I don’t think we’re in the position to sign another Kean who may need a year to get used to new country etc. we can do that next summer when we’ve got a settled squad (who have just won an FA Cup and finished in the top 4).

That’s the problem ‘talented up and coming’... we need ready now, proven quality who Ancelotti can rely on straight away. We have talented young first team players in Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Holgate, Branthwaite, Gordon, Kean, Davies (!) even Iwobi and Gbamin - we need some more senior players ready to hit the ground running. In Allan, someone Ancelotti knows well, and Doucoure, someone who has looked very good in this league playing for an average Watford, there are 2 players at the ‘peak’ of their career who will hopefully help transform our pathetic midfield.

I would imagine most deals are ‘agreed’ with players/agents before the clubs to be fair. I think we want Allan and another. It could be Doucoure or this could just be a ploy to force Napoli’s hand a little.

King is usually a good source of info so this could be a goer. Would imagine it signals Kenny’s departure if true, whether it be permanently or another loan (as this could prove to be Coleman’s final year).

Keane would be my biggest worry as I guess we’ll start defending higher as our midfield improves. Keane looked great post lockdown as we were defending so deep - a by-product of have a massive hole in midfield. I would expect this to change tactically - something Keane has been caught out with in the past as he’s quite slow and cumbersome on the turn.

Seems that way

Not enough from central midfield areas. 671 tackles Sidibe - 83 Digne - 73 Richarlison - 70 Sigurdsson - 50 Holgate - 44 Coleman - 42 Mina - 39 Davies - 38 Bernard - 32 Keane - 31 Schneiderlin - 31 Delph - 26 Iwobi - 25 Gomes - 22 Walcott - 13 Gordon - 11 Baines - 10 Branthwaite - 8 Calvert-Lewin - 7 Kean - 6 Gbamin - 4 Niasse - 4 Tosun - 4

If you told me they were tackles/interceptions made by our central midfielders, I wouldn’t believe you.

Tenacity is the key component our midfield is missing... sort it out Carlo/Marcel!

I don’t think Allan will be as mobile as Gana but will orchestrate the midfield - the kind of player who can do the lot. I do think we will need a more energetic player beside him - not necessarily in the Gana mould but certainly someone who can get from box to box and put a foot in/pick a pass. I don’t necessarily want Doucoure as I feel he will be massively overpriced but a younger player in that mould would be ideal for me - I’ve seen Sangare mentioned, and whilst I’ve not actually seen him play, from what I’ve heard/read, he sounds ideal. As for insults - I haven’t insulted you have I? If I have, it wasn’t intentional.

One of the best ways to create clear chances is when teams are out of their defensive shape. The best teams ‘set traps’ and dispossess teams in the midfield and break quickly when they’re out of shape - look at Liverpool’s central midfielders - none are what I’d call superstars but they can all put a tackle in and make a forward pass - this is the major difference. We massively lack the players who win the ball back, which was my original point. I can see why Hjojberg (spelling?) was on our radar and think we need Allan (who I think we’ll get) and another to address this. Gbamin supposedly can do it and even Delph (if we can get him fit) can do it. The extra possession you say we have under Ancelotti (do we?) is not significant enough to dominate teams as we allow teams far too much possession in the middle as we’re simply not winning the ball back.

You do watch us don’t you?!?! Who have we got putting the tackles in and winning back possession? It’s clearly our biggest problem - this shows it a little more! If we still had Gana then he’d be high up that list, likewise McCarthy. The fact is, we’ve really missed that ‘ball-winner’ in midfield - whether it be 1 player or shared amongst 2 or 3.

It’s relevant to us as it shows how we desperately lack any bite in midfield - we’re not a team that dominates possession and actually, you see the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man U, teams who regularly dominate possession, in there with a couple of players each. If you can’t get the ball back - you’re not going to do very well. Man C are the exception to the rule as they significantly dominate possession so regularly. For anyone who watches Everton, these stats won’t be surprising as it’s clear as day that we lack any dominance in midfield - a big factor being that when we lose the ball, we simply don’t win it back!

This stat points to a massive problem for us...

I suppose with Baines out of the picture now, he’ll at least feel he’s ‘next in line’. He’d probably be back-up to Stevens initially at Sheff Utd and Bryan at Fulham - obviously neither are anywhere near the quality of Digne.

Usually a decent Italian source.