[SOLD] Luis Suarez

If you say so mate.

 

He's been given a club number, so it looks like he might be staying

 

Excellent news. Jerome Sinclair has one too so that must be a pretty strong indication that Suarez staying is confirmed.

 

So has Pussetto!

Means nowt

 

The bigger issue with Estupinan (And very likely) Suarez's sales is that we thought we were going to hold onto them and then we aren't. I think it was generally accepted they would leave when we were relegated, but the noises as the break went on became increasingly positive up until the game last night before it the carpet was swept away under our feet and they are likely to go again.

 

Exactly this. Pushing them on social media, making a massive deal out of it that they are here, to then do that is insulting.

I’m not expecting day to day updates from the club. I am expecting honesty and transparency.

A simple club statement of honest communication goes a long way.

Could have said something a long the lines of

We’re excited for the season ahead, we have a great wealth of talent in the younger players that we are hoping will stay with us. We are delighted to have Sarr, Suarez, Estupinan training with us. We are hoping they choose to stay. As we know though with relegation and the calibre of players they are, multiple teams are interested in their services. While we have no intention of selling them, if the right offer comes a long and the player expresses a desire to leave we will let them go. This will only happen if the deal suits all parties.

They haven’t said anything close to that. Duxberry came out with his usual drivel of best of the rest speech and got the fans all hyped up.

The way they treat the fans is wrong on so many levels.

 

Suarez would be good to keep, but of all of our 'big name' players, I definitely think Suarez is the most expendable. If he goes, we have Gray who'd I'd expect to be a regular, Pedro (and Sarr possibly) who can play there, as well as Murray and Perica who are useful for a front two or plan B. Estupinan on the other hand...

 

He's definitely staying or going.

 

There's still an element of the unknown as to how he'd adapt to English football, but he also potentially has a very big upside. If he can replicate his performances here that he managed in La Liga 2 then either he could fire us to promotion or if not maybe leave for Watkins-type money. If we get promoted, he could also then maybe do well in the PL next season. Meanwhile, Gray and Murray would not be up to the PL next season, Perica is an unknown, and JP is still very young.

Suarez is the only one of our current strikers who I reckon could possibly get to 20 goals this season (except for maybe Perica, who is hard to judge without seeing him play yet this season). I don't see any of our other current strikers getting close to that figure.

Strikers are also more difficult to find than full-backs, and tend to cost much more. Estupinan, even if he could be a better prospect (which is also tough to judge yet), would probably be easier to replace. Potential 20 goal strikers in this league would be more rare and more difficult to sign.

 

Said this in another thread but don't think there are enough goals without Suarez. Gray (15), Pedro (10), Sarr (10), Murray (5) isn't enough to get us promoted. We need a 20 goal striker and am not convinced any of the others are capable/ready to take that on. Add in another 15-20 though and picture becomes much more promising.

 

We'll be absolutely fine. We've got Perica who is apprently a born goalscorer (who hasn't really ever scored goals) according to some well spun stats.

 

Judging by his time in Israel, Ivic's teams don't score hatfuls, but they didn't have to, as the goals were well divvied up and their defence was tight. I doubt anyone gets to 20, even Suarez if he stays and can be motivated to play for us, but, say those players you mention get the goals you predict, then add Perica (let's say he gets 5 goals) goals from the midfield (wouldn't be surprised if Quina gets double figures), and the odd goal from the defenders (I liked our set pieces last night, could be a useful source of goals), that could be enough if our defence is up to the job. West Brom and Leeds only got 77 goals in the league last season, Fulham only got 64 in the regular season, and Brentford were top scorers in the division with 'only' 80, but the important thing was that Fulham and WBA were around about the goal a game mark conceded, and Leeds were well below that, so that is the benchmark for Wilmot and co

 

Goals per minute is a very reasonable way to "spin" (or just simply present) scoring stats.

 

Minutes per goal is not a 'well spun stat' ffs, say if you're only on the pitch for 20 games worth of minutes, then 8 goals is useful

 

We only have to score 46 goals if we don’t concede any and we score a goal a game

 

It's really not in regards to a 25 year old striker who, the fact is, has been forced to drop down the leagues and has scored 19 goals in the past 5 years.

19 goals. In 5 years. So yes, trying to make out like he is some sort of proven goalscorer is very much spinning things to fit a narrative.

 

Adding those up, including the ambitious stance that Sarr stays and Quina gets to 10, would only bring us up to about 60 goals.

As much as Ivic likes to keep us tight at the back, that'll be putting huge pressure on our defence, and we won't be as fortunate every week as against Boro.

 

The Belgian league is probably as good as the Champ.

 

Debatable. Even then, that is one very small sample point.

Again, 19 goals in 5 years.

 

Sign of a top top team that

 

Ighalo had 17 league goals in the 5 years prior to joining us, and he scored 20 goals in the Championship. I believe this means Perica will score 22 so it may be an idea to get your top scorer bets in ASAP

 

Again, an exception, not the rule. Even then, I'm seeing 32 goals for Ighalo. Where's 17 from?

 

You really never break character, huh? Pretty impressive at this point!

 

Just for argument's sake, let's do a quick totting up of all the goals I'd expect from our players this season:

Gray (14)
Murray (5)
Perica (5)

Sarr (12)
Joao Pedro (12)
Sema (3)
Penaranda (3)
(Obviously if Sarr goes, the others will have a more prominent role, although nobody would expect them to fully make up those goals)

Quina (7)
Hughes (3)
Cleverley (3)
Chalobah (3)
(Maybe a new signing? Gawd knows how many they'd score)

Ngakia (1)
Wilmot (3)
Cathcart (3)
Kabasele (1)
Sierralta (1)
Femenia (1)
(Expecting a LWB/LB to be signed, they might chip in with a few)

I don't think any of those numbers are beyond that set of players, and there could be some more to come. Obviously a lot depends on whether we keep Sarr, but I'd expect us to be in the 70-80 zone, which give our defence something to work with

 

Genuinely no idea what that's actually supposed to mean. Also 32 league goals for Ighalo in the 5 years prior to joining us, not 17. Almost 70% more than Perica.

 

The trouble with today’s way of the world is keeping an open mind is almost a thing of the past because everything has to be about instant opinions.

Far more sensible to just sit back and see how players perform over time, but that’s not how things are done any more.

For what it’s worth, my instant opinions on the signings so far are Ngakia is a very promising youngster, Perica is a gamble, Sierralta makes very little sense and Murray could be useful for his experience if he ever gets fit. However, I will reserve judgement and be brave enough to change my opinions if they are wrong. Half the ‘fun’ of this developmental season will hopefully be seeing players improve under Ivic.

The one potential signing I was most excited about was Grimes, as to me it showed we were thinking of exactly what was needed to do well in the Championship. But as has been the way of this disappointing summer so far, it didn’t happen.

 

West Brom last year are the perfect example that you don't need a 20 goal a season striker to get promotion. Nobody scored more than 10 for them! 10. Suarez would obviously be a huge help in this league and I'm sure he would outscore all our other strikers, but he isn't absolutely essential.

 

I've been to a couple of Belgian Jupiler League games and the top teams are championship level. The rest are league one at best.

 

Don’t worry lads, Cucho will get his passport application processed by January and he’ll come riding in to save the day.

 

It's not just about having a strong enough squad to get promoted this year. If we sell all of talent who have room for improvement we will be left needing to sign 11 first-team players to compete in 21/22.

 

Agreed. Horrendously bad league

The championship is most certainly in the top 10 leagues in Europe

Top 5

Prem
La Liga
Serie A
Bundesliga
Ligue 1

Then I would go

Eredivisie
Primeira Liga
Championship

It’s a very good league to play in. What our young players need to realize is that it’s one season in the 8th best league in Europe to win promotion into the best league in the world.

 

As it stands, I could definitely see Wilmot, Ngakia, Hughes, Sarr and Pedro being good enough for us next year in the Prem if we get there. We obviously need a LB/LWB for this season as well, and possibly a central/defensive midfielder, so let's see what happens there. Will Foster stick around until the end of next season? He's got a contract until then, but he will be 39 come the end of 21/22

How often does it happen where relegated clubs can plan for a Premier League squad the next season? Newcastle built a nicely mediocre Premier League squad for their season in the Championship the other year, but most of the time, relegated clubs are left with mostly average players like Hal Robson-Kanu, Tom Cleverley and an eclectic mix of loanees who may or may not be there the next season

 

Failing that, we'll sell him for a huge £10m, what a deal for us