24 Aug 2020 05:31:25
Morning all!

Fair play to bayern. We're always saying they play in an inferior league, but in that case I think that just makes their European successes even more fantastic. But there are some good teams in that league imo. Might not be Premier league or la liga but surely the 3rf best league in the world?

Anyway, welcome to the 6 times club! (that's right isn't it? )

Anyway, I have a question for ed01 if you're about. We keep getting linked to thiago, and it seems to me that there's something in it, but I'm only guessing really.
And obviously we have signed a left back.
But how badly do you feel we need a 4th centre back? To me that seems the most vital signing, especially when you look at gomez and matip's injury records. I really rate gomez, do you think we should look to sign someone to take his place thus hampering his progress? Do you feel we have enough as it is with some promising youngsters?

{Ed001's Note - personally I think the 4th centre-back should really be a promising youngster, always, if you are a team that plays with a back 4. How else are they going to get a game? The questions is whether you judge Gomez as a promising youngster still or if he is now deemed an experienced first teamer? If you still see him as a promising youngster, then we need to go out and buy a first team centre-back as a priority. If, like I do, you deem him now as a first teamer, then it is not that urgent.

Though I have to say, if it was up to me I would probably look to replace Matip if possible. The problem is that there are very few top class centre-backs out there, which is why I would have liked Malang Sarr, who is a free agent and can also play left back. But we signed a left-back, so there is no real need for him now.}

1.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 07:53:10
So ship matip out, get an upgrade (with a much better injury record), class gomez as an experience 1st teamer (I think he is. Played cl football, international football and lots of premier league football. I think he's no2 of our cbs, including lovren) and give the youngsters a chance.
Seems a good plan, I'd be happy with that.
I'm all for giving the youth a chance. It's a tough one, it's such an important position cb, really have to be on it 100%. And we're a club with the highest ambition. If we were down to the 4th cb in a big game could they handle it? Only one way to find out.

Cheers for the reply. Surely we're going to see some activity at cb. Another bonus from selling matip, is any fee we get is 100% profit as he was signed on a free. He's done quite well for us in the last season or two, but I can't understand why people think he's better than gomez.

{Ed001's Note - to be fair, Matip at times was exceptional, but he spent so much time injured it is easy to forget that. I do wonder why you feel it is more important for a centre-back to be 100% than any other position? We have a world class goalkeeper and partner alongside them to guide them through any games. We really are in the perfect position to blood a youngster right now.}

2.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 08:24:22
We need a player who can play across front three someone like a chiesa.

3.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 10:30:19
Billy keumieto should be blooded in then ed or sepp van dan berg, although the latter needs too be more urgent on the ball, nat Phillip's looks a bit shaky in possession also .

4.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 11:04:43
Hailstones, Mat Phillips is the most ready of all the young CB's at the club to take that 4th spot at CB right now, IMO cos he is the one with the most experience playing at a very good level of professional football after his loan at Stuttgart which by some accounts, went very well for him. Qlso played solidly well vs Everton in the Cup last season. Btw IMO, VDB is even more shaky in possession than Phillips is and the Billy fellow? Never seen him play and won't be bigging up teenagers after 30 mins of first team football in preseason.

The Billy what's his name and VDB are still teenagers learning the game hence, Phillips is the one I would go with if we decide to go the ED01 route cos well, Phillips is more experienced than VDB and Billy. I cannot discount such a thing as experience.

5.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 11:12:53
Nat Philip's is older than Gomez. If he's not ready to be 4th choice now both he and the club are wasting each others time.

6.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 14:18:37
Irishman, your comparison is a false one, IMO. Gomez is a phenomenal talent and his potential was already there for all to see at 18. Nat Phillips was not blessed with that type of ability so comparing him to a superior CB even tho younger, is unfair and a false argument.

IMO, If both had the same ability levels at the same age and Phillips fell of then, your comparison would make sense. It does not. Also, Billy nor VDB are not a Phillips' level esp. in terms of experience at this level of football so I don't see where they play ahead of him esp. if neither are actually as more blessed ability-wise than he or Gomez is.

7.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 15:25:34
I’d rather take Thiago than a CB. From what I’ve read he’s a proven top class player and different to what we already have. In some / most games I’m sure we could fit him into the system / play a slightly different system. Gomez and Matip are good enough to fight for a first team place and bring in a youngster for 4th place. We have minimino, ox, brewster and Origi to cover the front 3. That’s enough for me.

8.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 18:09:08
Ed, the reason I say it's important for them to be on it 100%, is because mistakes at cb are usually costly. More so in mf and fw. Of course you want them all to be 100% l, but like I say cb mistakes are one thing that sees you concede

I'd be happy to go into the season as it is. I like magjp too. It's the injury record. I'd be pleased if we kept him but not adverse to selling either.

I expect hoever and Philips are possibly in line before sepp but I'm excited by vbd. He's grown so much this summer, he's a beast. If you think we have enough I bow to your wisdom.

Of course forwards need to be on it 100% to get us goals but if the rest of the team are at 100% goals will probably come.

Ill retract said statement: Cb is a vddy important position to winning (or not losing) games.

{Ed001's Note - VBD is only 17 or 18 isn't he? Plenty of time for him to come good. I get what you mean about centre-backs, but if the midfield is doing their job, defenders have little to do. If forwards are doing their job well, then midfielders have it easy too. It is a team game and we should be good enough to protect a youngster in any position by now. We certainly managed to do so with Trent in his early days and we are a much better team now.}

9.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 19:04:38
If we sign Thiago, doesn't Fabinho become a viable 4th choice at CB, if we need experience there?
Not necessarily my preference but finances and standard of opposition may dictate that.
More and more we see players utilised acrossa variety of roles; Alaba, Fernandinho, Milner etc, could this be another example for this coming season?

10.) 24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020 22:58:39
I famously helieve we need for cbs. 4 of them.
As it is ew have 3. If gomez is no longer a youngster. Won pl and played most gamed at rcb. Won cl matkp shone in yhe latter stages (bayern srlticks out) but I think Jo played cl games.

{Ed0666's Note - Can you please try and write in coherent sentences chum I’m the wrong side of 40. I have read your post 8 times and I’m still none the wiser.

11.) 25 Aug 2020
25 Aug 2020 02:46:15
I'm really sorry ed666 - intoxicated perhaps? "

Sincere apologies.

{Ed0666's Note - you’re sloshed that makes sense now lol