16 Apr 2023 08:27:24
Gravenberch rumours seem to gathering pace. I know this doesn't confirm we are in for him but I'd be happy for us to bring him in. Still young and has lots of potential and if this can be done for £20-25 million then good business in my opinion.

McAllister hopefully next, seems the more likely of the two Brighton midfielders in demand who will leave this summer. Great little player and also still young but PL experience also. Rumours of a fee of £60-70 million seems doable for us.

1.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 09:38:49
Seen him against us for ajax couple of seasons ago in champ league, and he looked like a star in making then. Not sure what has happened him since, haven't seen r heard much about him.

2.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 10:06:03
I'd prefer many others. Gravenberch is overated for me but he is young so time to develop.

3.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 12:41:25
Gravenberch is a technically gifted footballer but I’m not sure he’s what we need we have them
I’m abundance . We need a presence in the middle.

4.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 12:42:07
For 20/ 25 mill would be a decent signing. Very little risk even if not successful and turned into a squad player.

5.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 13:57:56
Surely though joshkel
We are after 1st team midfielders not squad players our current 1st team miss should become the squad players.

6.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 14:09:27
Dhfc I agree and think he would be bought as a first team player but I was just highlighting that there would be little risk if it didn’t work out. Better than spending 50/ 60 million on mount. Rather us buy a couple of cheaper players that could be a miss and 1 top quality mid than 3 average.

7.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 14:10:53
A clever under the radar signing people wanted is it not? Doubt we've walked away from a deal with a generational talent to be signing 80 or 90m midfielders.

8.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 14:38:07
Jude that’s a very good point.

Could find us buying 3 midfielders for that combined price.

9.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 14:58:07
Caicedo, McAllister, Julio Encisco 19 year old Paraguayan midfielder looks like he will be better than first two mentioned.

Surely we need to sign Brightons Scout for South America pronto?

10.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 14:59:36
Under the radar since wanting him last summer? Or under the radar because he can’t get a sniff at an average Bayern that could afford to shed Sabitzer? :)

Kidding. Not kidding. Kidding.

11.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 15:14:53
I like Gravenberch as a DM and to a lesser extent as a box to box CM. Don't really rate him when he used further forward in AM though. His physicality and ability to cover the ground is what sets him apart. Always looks to be over playing when he's further forward receiving the ball with his back to the play. His awareness of his surroundings isn't good enough in tight areas to play that way in the Prem. Turns into trouble or takes one touch to many.

Pair him with a player like MacAllister/ Barella in a double pivot with player like Lindstrom/ Savic ahead of them and i can see that working quite well. Gravenverch is probably a cheaper option to the likes of Caicedo, Thuram and Neves. But cheaper for a reason. He's very raw.

Rumours do seem to be picking up but could just be paper talk.

12.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 16:27:35
We don't play double pivots though do we?

13.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 16:56:51
Thiago and Fabinho pretty much do to be honest Jude, as when you watch us play Thiago doesn't attack the left side in the same way Hendo does on the right. Thiago quite often drops deeper than Fabinho at times to take the ball off the defenders.

You'd just play Gravenberch in Fabs role, and MacAllister in Thiago's position, with someone like Lindstrom in the Hendo role breaking forward. As a 3 i could see them (or similar players) working with Gravenberch, but i just think we can do better than him. Is he significantly better than Bajcetic? I'm not so sure. Not seen Thuram play but heard a lot of positives. Caicedo is a moron but still a better player. Neves isn't as mobile but reads the game better.

Gravenberch has potential but tbh I'd rather just play Bajcetic if that's the requirement.

14.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 17:14:52
MKS Marcus Thuram is available on a free transfer I believe as his contract is up in Summer so “if” they rate him and can get him through door then frees up funds for MacAllister and another CM like Orkun Kokcu then still have some money perhaps to address RB/ CB.

{Ed077's Note - not Marcus Thuram, Khephren, his brother

15.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 17:22:44
We might as well give a contract to Adam as the new scout as he knows about 90% of all players on planet earth ?.

16.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 17:24:29
Gravenberch at number 6 would be horrendous MK. We’d concede goals left right and centre as he’s not very good defensively.

17.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 17:39:10
Think that's more thiago's inability to cover that ground as much tho is it not MK, not like we have Thiago/ Fab and a No.10 in front of dem. I know the formation changes during games n all. Surely though if we were say to say right"were going to go 4231 with two sitting holding there positions with three ahead a dem Thiago and Fab would still be theoretically top notch for dat?

18.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 17:59:32
Jude, I'd argue Wijnaldum didn't really get down the left on the overlap either. Probably did break forward a bit more than Thiago though so you have a decent point there. Seems a mix of tactical and personel taking onboard your point. MacAllister, Rabiot or Barella would all get forward more than Thiago though. They're all 5-10 goal a season players.

Frazer, I wish. Don't watch anywhere near as much as I'd like anymore. I only watch Prem, Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with any regularity. Occasionally a League Cup, Bundesliga, Conference League or Championship game. I used to use a stream site Ed002 posted (myp2p) to watch all sorts of games. I only ever use it now if Liverpool are the 3pm kick off. Once you have kids all of a sudden Gent vs Genk on a buffering stream isn't a priority ? £97.50 for all the Sports channels starting in May by the way. Disgusting. No wonder people use other means.

ViktorVaughn, I don't think he's bad defensively for his age. He's better defensively than he is offensively. But he's just really raw and inexperienced. I wouldn't choose him. Would strike me as a signing of convenience/ budgeting rather than him being the first choice if money was no object or others were available.

19.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 18:11:47
Think Gravenberch is what wuda been looked at as a "moneyball"signing back in the day. Seen as a huge talent from an early age who's career has stalled, available because of that at a good price. I see it as a good signing, with the right manager and confidence he could be a juggernaut. but i understand people are looking for 1st 11 ready signings from the off.

20.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 18:41:51
Last thing I watched that much was shindliers fist but it got stuck in my video cassette player! Big regret that! Almost as big regret as signing aqualani.

21.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 19:00:54
Gravenberch isn’t a DM really though, at Ajax he was more of a ball progresser, press resistant, the link between the front line and the rest of the team.

I think there’s an excellent player in there, similar situation to coutinho, everyone knew he had something but the love to inter wasn’t working for him moved elsewhere and boom!

For the money being quoted in the news it’s a great opportunity.

22.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 19:31:59
Jude, I don't think he'd have been a bad signing before we capitulated as a team. But now we need mentally strong players ready from the get go. Maybe Gravenberch is the right player at the wrong time? He's got the talent and he definitely improves our squad. Like you say though we might need players to improve the starting XI immediately.

Frazer, that's a good film that. Right up there with the Pianist and The Boy In Striped Pyjamas for films on that topic. Real gut wrenchers.

Jerry, I'll take your word for it as I've only seen him in a few of his cameos for Bayern. The Prem is brutal though. I think his touch is too heavy and his awareness is insufficient to play that way in the Prem. He's struggled enough with the pace of the Bundesliga. He's still young though. If he signed I'd get right behind him and cross my fingers he can reach his potential.

23.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 19:32:00
Ah it's a classic film it's right up there with Shaving Ryan's Privates. I'll see you Aqualani and see you Dossena?.

24.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 19:53:47
What ready made, big team experienced in their prime years come cheap though MK? I'd liken Gravenberch a like a jacob ramsey. Both good young but raw players, exciting but probably experienced nothing like the scrutiny they would be under here. Look at Elliott, in my eyes an elite talent but because he's not the finished article at 19 is already getting pushed aside by fans. I don't know what people expect, if we were going to break the bank we would have done it for the surest, best investment around in Bellingham. We are going to be in the market for "will it won't it"work players and we have to hope Klopp can do what he did what basically every signing bar Allison nd Van Dijk.

25.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 19:58:39
Kind of agree with MK. Gravenberch shouldn’t start for us if we are serious about the title. A decent squad player at best. He is poor in tight spaces.

26.) 16 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 21:48:32
With all due respect, you need to watch a player specifically in the ground for at least 12/ 13 games to form a definitive opinion on a player, to play in a certain position for a club, in a particular style of play.

Anybody on this thread done that?

27.) 17 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 22:56:00
Kemlyn, if that was a requirement to be able to post opinons, then this site would shut down. There are people who probably watch less games of our own players (in a season), so why would they watch at least as many from other teams and leagues? ?.

28.) 17 Apr 2023
16 Apr 2023 23:57:49
Probably not Kemlyn, which is why we're giving unprofessional opinions on an anonymous forum and not working as paid scouts ? what a ridiculous question.

Pack everything up Eds. No point having the forum anymore. Kemlyn has spoken. Stop giving a platform to normal people who just want to talk about football for fun and banter. Last Ed out, if you could turn off the lights? Thanks.

29.) 17 Apr 2023
17 Apr 2023 08:27:34
Comical melodramatics.

30.) 17 Apr 2023
17 Apr 2023 09:24:45
Kemlynroad65 I've done this with Henderson and Milner and decided they're both definitely crap. Can we get rid of the now I've signed it off?

31.) 17 Apr 2023
17 Apr 2023 12:19:21
And so the blatantly lower level of player and price begin, he looks to have questionable passing and touch, almost like he is a midfield Sakho on the ball, gives the impression he is about to push the ball to far away from himself, the price is what it is because he couldn't get in at Bayern, it's a questionable signing at best and a gamble signing, i will hope having Van Dijk and Gakpo will help him push on.

32.) 17 Apr 2023
17 Apr 2023 13:55:05
I agree Lancaster. His touch and passing is an issue. His ability to win 50/ 50's and hard work has stood out for me, but his quality with the ball leaves a lot to be desired.

33.) 18 Apr 2023
17 Apr 2023 23:59:18
@thomas194 — great servants of the club, who are unfortunately on the wain. I think they've earned more respect than being called 'crap'.

34.) 18 Apr 2023
18 Apr 2023 00:10:02
I agree and think RG is raw but I personally would be of the opinion he'd be a good fit. He can be both dynamic and direct which I believe would create extra space and help open teams up for us. I'm hoping if he does sign he'd compliment our front line.