19 Jan 2025 01:48:26
Ederson at Atalanta would be my pick for our midfield requirement, top player.
Ed001, do you think he would be available now or in the summer, and what would it cost (roughly) to convince Atalanta to sell?
{Ed001's Note - it would take a fair whack as Atalanta don't want to sell.}
19 Jan 2025 06:05:12
I think Joao Gomes from Wolves would be an attainable target in the summer. Gives bite and tenacity in midfield that Macca lacks in certain games.
19 Jan 2025 06:09:44
Atalanta are trying to win serie a this year, no way they let him go right now.
19 Jan 2025 06:22:55
Manchester city are very keen. My source says. We should break the bank and sign Carlos Baleba.
19 Jan 2025 06:35:37
We have more chances of monitoring a hair stylist for Slot than any signings.
19 Jan 2025 07:51:26
What about the games we lack bite in when Mac doesn’t play?
19 Jan 2025 08:04:47
JK - another ref would not have stopped play when Mac was falling / faking and catching balls on the field like yesterday.
Other intelligent team/ players would attack him and steal ball easily from him.
Not sure what bite you are seeing in Mac?
19 Jan 2025 08:12:21
I stumbled across a La Liga game - Celts Vigo
Iliax Moriba was playing CM (on loan from RBL) and he looked decent
Been in Barcelona academy when younger so you’d hope technically he’s got it all.
Could be a diamond in the rough.
19 Jan 2025 08:12:27
I think you need to read his question again Sami. Maybe a bit slower this time ?.
19 Jan 2025 08:22:02
Sami I can see where my comment is confusing.
What I meant was that we still lack bite when Mac doesn’t play and it’s not that we lack it when he doesn’t
I’m not denying he goes down far too easily and it seems like it is more a common theme with South Americans. Núñez does it and Diaz yesterday got to the ball before the keeper and rather than look to play and score he chose to go down.
Amazingly though Mac is first for averaging the most successful tackles per game for us this season.
Not sure how that stat can be manipulated but I’m sure someone will tell us how.
{Ed001's Note - you have just manipulated it to claim it means we have bite when he plays. It actually only means he averages the most successful tackles, not that he has bite as those tackles could be a soft toe poke of the ball away from someone else's foot.}
19 Jan 2025 08:50:46
Ed001 I’ve not said we have more bite with Mac mate.
I was trying to imply that we lack bite with and without him.
My original question was in reply to “Gives bite and tenacity in midfield that Macca lacks in certain games”
Personally I think we lack a bit of bite and tenacity all over the pitch.
{Ed001's Note - ah but you did say someone would manipulate it while putting it there regarding a conversation about bite.
And I agree, we do lack bite and tenacity. We only have one midfielder who truly provides it and Slot barely uses him.}
19 Jan 2025 09:01:17
Mac isn't strong enough on the ball imo and depending on the ref he either wins a soft foul or is left on the floor while the opposition attacks the space he should be occupying.
That being said, he played some wonderful forward passes yesterday and could of had a few more assists over the last few games had we taken chanced more clinically.
His passing in midfield through the lines is as close to thiago level that we have although he isn't on that calibre but us obviously fitter than thiago.
I think we scrutinise him more because he isn't playing a 10 but a double 6 with grav and doesn't do any of the work that grav does. Give us another mid like grav and push mac up and we would see his real quality shine through.
19 Jan 2025 09:34:59
Mc Allister is heading to bench if we sign someone like Baleba or Zubemendi. Make no mistake, Mac is Technically excellent but he isn’t a deeper player. We are doing a Thiago mistake with Mac. He has been the victim of an incompetent board for failing to sign a proper deeper player. He is being played out of position and that is not his problem. He should be competing with Szob and Elliot for the ACM role.
19 Jan 2025 09:38:13
Ed001 I think the point i was trying to make was lost a little in translation (text) mate.
Was going to ask you your thoughts on the game yesterday but I’ll save that to read in your match write up.
{Ed001's Note - sorry it might take a while though as my parents are staying at the moment. They got here Thursday night.}
19 Jan 2025 10:21:21
he does not have energy of Szoboszlai, and even Elliot.
Elliot is not known for pace either.
The place he operates is open for grabs and no one to push him as per slot.
19 Jan 2025 10:35:00
For me, someone with very limited football knowledge, McAllister is more like a riquelme and i would prefer someone more like a xabi alonso in there.
19 Jan 2025 11:07:47
"It seems like it is more a common theme with South Americans"
Err, no. This rhetoric is old news and dare I say, a trope.
Sorry but with known diving cheats like Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Jaime Vardy, Jack Grealish, Kai Havertz and even Salah (for a while there) etc. still roaming these PL pitches, safe this is now more than ever, a common theme in the PL, regardless of nationality.
19 Jan 2025 13:56:16
Oli that is true and I should have probably said amongst our South American players.
I know you like to tell other posters what they can and can’t do and that they shouldn’t mention other clubs or players. Despite you just reeling off a load of other players.