19 Nov 2025 23:24:45
Evening all,
Ed01 i find some of the stuff you say about Konate comical i must say, it’s great to read. I know it’s all light hearted but there is genuine frustration in the way he plays at times!
Anyway if i could mate and ask you a question? I know you answered similar to this.
However i just wanted to query on us actually getting Semenyo? I understand you say he is good depth and runs his socks off, however that gives us a plethora of forwards then, especially this season.
Salah, Wirtz (off the left), Rio, Gakpo, Chiesa, Isak, Palindrome, Semenyo.
I was expecting us if such to move away from the traditional “Wide” players and see us using Isak and Palindrome as a 2. I think you had discussed this your self previously too post salah that is.
Begs the question, how would we even get Palindrome and Isak in the same side with the arrival of Semenyo?
I understand he is a great player but i am just abit unsure. As you said i think we massively need 2 CBs. As i assume Slot isn’t going to look to bolster the midfield with a Xabi type as you said.
Do you see us getting Guehi mate in Jan? It seems absolutely vital we do, if we are to have still a strong season. Do you think it’s a case of Semenyo, Guehi potentially and would we attack the market for another CB
Appreciate your insights always and hope your well too.
{Ed001's Note - why would we want to get our only two strikers in the team at the same time? If you develop a style that involves both and one gets injured, what do you do then? Or one needs a rest or is woefully short of form?
I expect us to get a centre-back, we will try again for Guehi but Palace might still be a problem.}
20 Nov 2025 09:07:05
This is the bit I really can't get my head around - having two top level players that can't play at the same time. I get the theory around it, but it doesn't seem right to have to have £210m in 2 players that aren't going to play at the same time.
I get rotation etc, but you always get one who is preferred. Surely it would have been more sensible to spend big on one of them being a more versatle, Alvarex-type (not him as I know his wife doesn't like the UK, but someone in that mould)?
20 Nov 2025 09:53:17
In a good season, we can play over 50 games. Players can't. It's that simple. If we can run two "A" teams in two major leagues, then it does make sense.
20 Nov 2025 09:56:42
ed1 - I have been saying exactly that about ripping up the system and playing with two strikers lol great shout. cos hellooooo WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE OF THEM GETS INJURED? rip the script up again? lol
yeah stick to the system and make adjustments within that.
20 Nov 2025 10:16:37
Agreed, Faith and Ed01. I never got the two striker stuff either. If you want to play two strikers, it means you have two other striker options on the bench. Playing both strikers with no cover is just bonkers stuff. Also, who says both are able to play together right away? No guaranties on that, btw.
It's like people saying we should play with a back 3. How are we going to do that with only 2 CB's (cos Slot doesn't rate Gomez) . Again, I don't get it.
Also, who says both are able to play together right away? No guaranties on that, btw.
20 Nov 2025 10:36:03
All those points are perfectly fair but I do wonder what the plan is considering that neither of them like to be on the bench or even get subbed off, I get that isak is injury prone and needs his minutes and fitness managed constantly, which was probably why we have a top shelf second option, but I wonder if it will eventually lead to some discontent.
That being said, ekitike naturally likes to play a bit deeper or off the left, so there are options if we want to play both in the same team sometimes without having them both start up front.
20 Nov 2025 10:56:27
We know that Isak is a 35-40 game a season player and needs managing.
And we have seen that Ekitike has some way to go to build the capacity to play 90 mins, never mind 3 games a week.
We need to accept that they will mostly share the no9 position, even if now and again they end up on the pitch at the same time.
20 Nov 2025 11:29:28
Ekitike and Semenyo are both versatile. You can easily play all 3 with Ekitike from the left and Semenyo from the right and you can even still have Wirtz in the team behind them at number 10. Gakpo, Chiesa and Salah are available from the bench if needed and Rio can be eased in to the squad over time.
When Salah plays Semenyo doesn't have to drop to the bench either. He can play centrally or from the left.
We can pick a team designed to exploit opponents weaknesses or rest players when needed. We would have cover for when players inevitably pick up injuries or head off to AFCON. Ekitike and Isak both played 30-odd games last season and I think we played 60-odd games so they wouldn't even necessarily be having their minutes limited in comparison even if they didn't play together.
20 Nov 2025 12:42:08
Where would we have been without Ekitike? Isak has been essentially injured since he joined. Semenyo would give Salah competition and if need be play on the left. It would be interesting to see Wirtz on the left Semenyo on the right inter-changing like the PSG wingers do.
20 Nov 2025 16:23:42
I will be amazed if Isak plays 35 games this season.
20 Nov 2025 17:53:45
Isak is a ticking time bomb on when he’s going to get injured. It’s not even managing his minutes because he’s almost guaranteed an injury
So you’ve just got to play him every single match, or else you’ll get to the point where it’s pointless having him. You rest him for a game, he’s just 1 game closer to injury, so you might aswel play him whilst he’s available.
20 Nov 2025 21:09:17
"We need to accept that they will mostly share the no9 position, even if now and again they end up on the pitch at the same time. "
I thought that was the idea to begin with cos both Jota and Darwin never played in together thru the middle except when we were chasing a game or when either one would play outwide.
Not sure where this whole new obsession with Isak/ Ekitike partnership is coming from.