04 Sep 2025 00:23:31
Hello all, hope everyone is well.
So thrilled to see the club go out and really attack the market in young world class talents. This window has been brilliant don't get me wrong, but the planning for seasons ahead has impressed me even more!
We all know Mo inevitably will call it a day for us and that’s part of age unfortunately catching up on him. However the planning of buying Wirtz, Isak, Palindrome and all the other arrivals. It shows a real promise of us investing in WC players who still have another level to go too, but also some who are ready to reach WC heights Ie Hugo.
I was looking at the majority of our players ages and nearly all of them are very young fantastic players. The exception is only obviously Mo, Virg and potentially Ali however GK slightly different.
I honestly hope this YLFP can become a real machine like Virg, because if he does even get half the levels of him we could be in for some really good couple of years! Think CB is the only issue i can see for us long term atm.
Interesting because if any of Eds could kindly answer, who is even out there that could be the next “Virgil” if you like to an extent. I understand no one will be like him but similar to that real dominating CB for many of years.
Any opinions on who we all think could fall into that brackets Eds and Users? I know some will be obvious but interesting to know.
04 Sep 2025 01:12:02
Murillo is a decent CB with prem experience
Diomande at Sporting is a great CB too but more a Konate replacement
Bastoni is extremely solid too, just worry about Italians in the prem.
04 Sep 2025 03:31:57
I think the lad at forest Murillo shows a lot of class . but it seems Arsenal are in for him.
04 Sep 2025 04:01:40
That’s a of words for “do you still think Isak signs? ”.
04 Sep 2025 07:20:31
TB2, can you imagine KingKenny buying tickets at the cinema?
04 Sep 2025 08:09:35
I haven't watched anything of the other 2 youngsters we were supposedly after but Leoni is the nearest youngster i've seen to VVD. Having said that, Id much rather he put his head down and try to become the next "Leoni" - sure learn from VVD but I personally think it hindered Quansah.
04 Sep 2025 09:02:28
I don't think there is another defender in world football who has Virgil's combination of passing ability and range from the back, composure on the ball, pace, athleticism and awareness. The only young center half who looks like he could get somewhere close to that level in terms of all around ability is Huijsen, and we missed out on him. Leoni has the build and calmness but his ability on the ball is an unknown quantity and his top end speed is not close to Virgil's. For such a young defender though he is exceptional at reading danger and almost never goes to ground unless he is certain he will win the ball, otherwise he is muscling people off the ball or getting there before them, Virgil style.
His Italy team mate Scalvini is probably also a good shout as a left-sided front foot defender who is calm on the ball, covers wide areas well, is used to playing in a high line and stepping out with the ball. He has played his senior career in a back 3, though.
04 Sep 2025 09:17:28
Tbh, I think the next best CB in the league is Saliba. It's a shame for us that he is an Arsenal fan and loves playing for them. Otherwise he would be the CB that I would personally go for.
04 Sep 2025 09:34:50
Did you miss off the top of my head, Di Canio, Di Matteo, Ravinelli, Zola, Jorginho and Vialli @Shughes?
04 Sep 2025 12:26:41
WDW, it just goes to show that a lot of narratives that people just accept and spout out as fact, are actually myths when you really drill down on them.