[SIGNED perm] Ismaila Sarr - club record fee

Sounds like its close. He could be the man we need to whip in crosses to... oh.

 

He was properly good against Arsenal in the Europa League last season.

It would be an interesting signing, no doubt.

Who doesn’t love an exciting, frustrating, unpredictable winger? Given then development of Geri and Capone under Javi, I think it’s fair to say that if Sarr arrives, he’s playing under a manager that has decent form for improving consistency and end product from players who have frequently struggled in those areas.

A season or two of increased production and we’ll probably have a 60+ million weapon at our disposal.

 

Yes but don’t rule out the possibility that we would sign him just to play him out of position.

He’s an out and out winger and we don’t play with those. To play him in his natural position would mean changing formation and likely playing just one up front - and we don’t have a striker capable of doing that.

So far from the pre-season games, it seems we are playing the exact same tactics. Sarr looks an exciting season but I wouldn’t be surprised to see us not play to his strengths.

 

Tbf that's what we said about Sema when he joined.

 

Hardly surprising, as you're George Osborne

 

I have a feeling that signings like Sarr are aimed at how we best overcome the Top 6.

We are in a position where that is our main weakness. Which I guess is a nice problem to have. We need to be able to modify our tactics to compete against these top teams. If we get results not only will it pull them back, but it gives our previous season value add.

I think this means going to a 4-5-1 scenario with two wingers who can break, with yes, Troy (or Success) leading the line. We are clearly pursuing a winger which, unless Pereyra leaves, strikes me as not our weakest position. But clearly one in which we can identify a significant opportunity.

Interested to see how this plays out to be honest.

 

Going to 4-5-1 (4-2-3-1) is what it would mean to us fans and what we would like to see. But neither of those strikers are capable of playing as a lone striker and rarely (if ever) have for us. I’d sooner have Deulofeu trained to play that role than the above options. The unknown quantity is Lukebakio who played that role at times last season and indeed had joy with it against the bigger Bundesliga clubs.

But I just don’t see Gracia not religiously picking Deeney regardless when he’s available. He’s captain, and has always started under Javi. I think if there was a change in that regard, it would have been the first thing the club did over the summer...there are literally no indications that the club are looking to move Troy aside in any respect. As I said earlier in the summer, I thoroughly expect him to sign another contract with us before he moves on.

 

Yes. Ocerall the problem we have against the top 6 is pace. They have it all round and we don't. Certainly not pace with the ball. Adding more threats that they have to keep people back to defend helps keep the pressure off. We still need more pace at the back though. Until we get that, we'll still largely be in "bunker in and counter" mode against them.

 

Really don’t think pace was a problem with our defenders last season - Cathcart is not fast, but Mariappa, Holebas and Kiko are all fairly rapid. The problem with the defence (without going off topic too much) was basic defending and specifically anticipation/concentration. They can be as fast or slow as they like, but once you’ve anticipated a strikers movement wrong as Mariappa often did, the strikers from the Top 6 will punish you every time.

Hence why defenders like VVD, Maguire and De Ligt are going for a premium - because they read the game brilliantly. Pace is secondary.

As for our results against the Top 6, I genuinely think it’s mentality over ability a lot of the time. The Top 6 clubs know Deulofeu and Pereyra have ability that can hurt good teams. But too often last season we were beaten mentally against those sides before the game has started.

A change in fortune against those sides is made possible by adding better players. But it starts with a better mentality.

 

Have we signed this nobber yet?

 

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/s...rr-according-rennes-president-olivier-letang/

Only club to have shown an interest. I can see this going to the last day, then once no one else comes in, Rennes will sell.

 

I can see it going to the last day and Dawson will still be our only signing. Then the last day will pass, and Dawson will still be our only signing.

 

You're forgetting the couple of last minute cheap loan freebie's from Udinese who never play for us.

 

I'm still holding out hope for a released 19 year old for our boosted u23 squad. That Hertfordshire Senior Cup of Nations is coming HOME!

 

Rennes still trying to drive up interest, other clubs waiting for Rennes to agree a fee with us, then slip in and pip him. This either goes to the wire, or the player forces it sooner.

 

A lot of transfers in the current age rely on having a replacement lined up. I’m not entirely sure that UK deadline day means that much to European teams as don’t their windows remain open?

This will principally rely on 3 things:
Gino getting close to what they want as a fee...
Their ability to replace him...
And how much Rennes need the money...

In terms of their ability to replace him, given Lille seem to be interested in Lukebakio and his apparent openness to joining them, could we not offer Lukebakio to Rennes?

 

Could do, but if we try and force him to move to a club where he doesn't really want to move, there's a risk he'll Lukebakio in anger.

 

We should allow that to Cast No Shadow over this potential solution.

 

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/s...rr-according-rennes-president-olivier-letang/

Only club to show an interest says this source which I have previously derided. This is obviously now a fact.

One way or another we will or won't sign him and the transfer window will slam shut.

 

And you think he's angry now ? You ain't seen nothin' yet.

 

They do remain open which is why English teams have the disadvantage and it's a stupid idea. If Rennes think they may get a better offer from Europe they won't want to sell by our deadline. Basically it only goes to the wire for us, Rennes can still sell after we can no longer buy, accepting that the highest bids are likely to come from English teams...

 

I’m still waiting for Sven Arrives to Kum.

 

The other problem is us shedding goals against the top 6 like its our turn in the pirate barrel for a jolly rogering

 

The other problem is us shedding goals against the top 6 like its our turn in the pirate barrel for a jolly rogering

 

Right, because they run past us like Secretariat racing against a mule, so we drop more men, their FB's play in our half, causing us to drop more, leaving someone like Deulofeu to pull off a miracle. Having some more attackers would help - at least with respect to having them fear the counter more, but the real cure against the top 6 is better, faster defenders.

 

This is excellent news. The Pozzo scouting network strikes again as they identify a £30 million player in one of Europe's top leagues who has somehow escaped the attention of everyone else. He must be great, right?

#bestnetworkintheworld
#pozzopower
#isittoolatenowtosaySarri

 

Yes. A player who’s dream is to come to England and play only for us.
No one else interested in buying him.
As you can say, what could possibly go wrong?

 

To be fair, I'd never heard of him, before this thread.

 

This thread is a pathetic effort by the way. Pretty sure the Juan Iturbe one hit 100 pages. Now we can barely even be bothered.

 

EPL Mid table apathy .

It’s the penultimate part of a small clubs premier league cycle .

The final one is relegation .

 

Rennes have apparently agreed a deal with Laurent Koscielny but Arsenal want a fee for him. I wonder if that could put pressure on them to accept a deal for Sarr to get some money in...

 

Annoyingly, Bournemouth aren’t taking the bait for this one.

Maybe we can pretend that we’re bidding 25mil for Maximilian whatshisname.

 

Will be ours by the end of the week, sporting our new away shirt. Just for fun Allan Saint-Maximin will also be the photo shoot. Final week we will sign another CB followed by the departure of Doucoure.

 

That is probably the most concerning part of this pursuit. Even Muff are turning up their noses.

 

Rather keep the CB’s we have and Doucoure.


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