03 Jan 2018 15:06:08
Silly season is in full flight! Whilst Phil is our best player, I don't think he's our most crucial (Firmino) or in-form (Salah) . I like the look of Lemar and wouldn't be against signing him but I do think he's very expensive. I wonder whether Nabil Fekir or Ante Coric would be more Coutinho-esque? Also, a path for Woodburn needs to be considered - he's got the talent.

1.) 03 Jan 2018
03 Jan 2018 15:45:25
I like Fekir, but i don't want to sign him because i have a very young child who is going to hear his name and pronounce it incorrectly. Aside from that, he'd be a class replacement. Coric is not ready yet.

I'm more than happy with Lemar though. If we had Lemar creating down the left side of midfield, Chambo creating down the right the right side of midfield, Mane-Firmino-Salah up top, and Keita launching attacks from deep and mopping anything loose up, we'll be as good as City going forward. Anything Pep can do, Klopp can do better 😂 If Fernandinho, De Bruyne and Silva works, then I'm confident Keita, Lemar and Chamberlain will work too. As Lemar and Chamberlain are much better defensively than De Bruyne and Silva, and Keita despite being a B2B player like Fernandinho, is a better tackler. Plus Mane, Firmino and Salah are at least as good as Sterling, Jesus and Sane. Maybe better?

Pep has proven this season that the best way to defend is to petrify the opposition into staying in their own half. Teams start games against City already thinking about damage limitation. I say we set up so teams do the same against us.

2.) 03 Jan 2018
03 Jan 2018 16:05:50
I don't disagree there. With the possibility of VVD (and maybe even Akanji) being able to start attacks from deep or carry the ball forward the need for a deep lying playmaker reduces. If we get a keeper that can kick a bit better than the ones we have today we'll also have an option to start attacks from deep that way too. But, I do think that we'd miss that bit of jaw dropping skill that Phil offers. You know that "WTF was that? " thing we see at the moment. I think a Fekir/ Coric could provide that touch of magic over and above a Lemar/ Ox.

3.) 03 Jan 2018
03 Jan 2018 16:21:50
I'd say Lemar has a moment of magic in him to be fair. Some of the goals he scores are unreal.

4.) 04 Jan 2018
04 Jan 2018 15:31:22
Totally agree, Adam. My boy's 5 and I'm not ready for him to be lauding Fekir just yet!

Lemar would be a great signing, and I like the look of that midfield/ front 3. We have players to come in to support too at the moment. I'd love to add Goretzka as an option from midfield, and I hope that Ojo's spell at Fulham means we can use him from the bench as support to Mane and Salah. I've a suspicion that TAA will be spending more time in the middle of the park in the next couple of seasons too.

Another CB (as I expect Joe toe make RB his own), and a GK and we'll be in a good position.

Sessegnon would be a great addition too, as he's more in the Moreno build (attacking) but has a far higher ceiling.