Apparently, according to Twitter, Gino Is personally in attendance wherever it is. Good to see we are focussing on keeping up the myth of the ‘Pozzo model’ rather than signing first XI quality defenders.
Isn’t it their job to be looking for players? In any case, the Pozzo Model is still alive and kicking. There were always duds, but Richarlison, Pedro etc. Fact is we are still in the Premiership on one of the lowest net spends. Cheer up!
Well Holebas is obsolete and Prodl and Janmaat are constantly injured. Surely we need an extra player than just Dawson, Cathcart, Kaba, Maps, Kiko and Masina for 4 positions? That’s if you are generous and say all of those are up to standard.
Holebas for me is still fine, just seems like people couldn't wait to criticise him after he came back from injury. I agree he needs replacing at the end of the season, like Prodl and Janmaat. But the performances from all the others you mentioned recently suggests they're all capable at this level. I just feel we were all a bit guilty of going overboard with our poor start to the season.
Holebas was absolutely awful at home to Brighton and West Ham at start of season. His rapid decline can’t be excused by his injury. Kabs and Cathcart are good enough of course. Jury out on Kiko, Dawson and Masina. All have looked good under Pearson though so let’s give them benefit of the doubt. Mariappa should only be a backup playing 5 or 6 games a season not a regular starter. So in my view 5 players of required quality for 4 positions. It’s too big a risk giving the position we are in in my opinion. We need another competent defender.
Holebas is seeing out this season then he's gone. He was chasing shadows against Wolves when he came on also. Age has finally caught up with him.
I hope so. But would we really be surprised at 1 year extensions for Holebas and Gomes at end of season!?
Actually Gino is not in Columbia watching the pre-Olympic tournament. However, we do have a representative (we being Udinese), and Rafa Monfort is watching a centre forward called Edwin Cetré.
Its almost impossible to achieve that though. Even the bigger clubs in the division struggle to have a capable backup to every position on the pitch. People moan about Holebas, but for a club of our size, finding somebody that is happy enough here to fill a backup role is no easy task. Going back to my original point though, our defence is actually pretty decent. Take the City result out of the equation and we're fairly miserly
Just google "CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament" and you'll see all the fixtures, results etc. A quick glance at the squads of those involved indicate that most of the players involved are between the ages of 19-22 and still based in the Americas. Sure, it seems unlikely there'll be (m)any players involved who could come in and improve our first XI straight away, but there could be a number of obtainable hot prospects that would improve our squad. Perhaps it's not impossible either that there could be a few players there that would improve our first team, after all Sarr has already managed to do so at the age of 21. (P.S. the matches seem to be split between either Colombia or Uruguay, for whatever reason).
Source? He seems to be more of a left-sided winger/wide forward, rather than CF (he played Colombia's first match of this tournament as an LF and he comes in from the left in basically all of the highlights clips I have below). He seems a bit similar in appearance and play to Mane. From his goalscoring record at his current club in the Mexican Premier League I would also hope he's a winger/wide forward (4 goals in 18 games, only just turned 21 though).
6 players to cover 4 positions is too thin. If Prodl, Janmaat and Holebas were ready to step in and produce a Mapps level of performance when needed then fine. But they are not fit for purpose. Surely we can get one rotation defender in on loan in case any of our 6 suffer long term injuries.
After the Clausura 2018 championship, Cetré was warned by Santos Laguna, on numerous occasions, about his indiscipline and nightlife; however, the midfielder ignored it. After his 21st birthday, on January 1, the player and his agent requested a contract extension. Due to his indiscipline, the club refused to offer him a new contract. The club then offered Cetré to go on loan at Tampico Madero, but he rejected the offer. Cetré started the preseason for the Clausura 2019 with the club, but was not registered to the squad. The player then left the club on 28 January 2019 and it was rumored, that he was looking for an Argentine club to play for.[4] However, he ended up joining Atlético Junior.[5] He's gonna love Popworld and Pryzm.
Argentina beat Colombia 2-1 in their encounter. Argentina had the best of the chances and clearly the better team and this is despite missing numerous players eligible for the u23. Gaich is one to keep an eye on if we could nab him. I was not overly impressed by his finishing skills a year ago but he has come on leaps and bounds. Alexis MacAllister was the star of the show running the midfield and creating the super second goal before being sent off for a second yellow. Already signed by Brighton. So where were we ? It is something we need to improve in scouting in Argentina. Beyond the obvious players there are others worth running the rule over. Fausto Vera is a tireless midfielder, good technique on both feet, good passer and marker and a solid overall package in a central or defensive midfield role.
I'm all for this, signing an entire tournament could provide the strength in depth we've been crying out for
I was impressed with Gaich at the Olympics back in May 2019 stating that he "looked to have everything necessary for a lead the line striker. Good in the air, strong, surprisingly quick for a big man, and good shooting technique. Seemed in the mould of someone like Rondon. Could give Troy a run for his money at some point" Transfer Suggestions But you completely poopooed the idea at the time responding that "Gaich is a clumsy so and so. His finishing skills and technique are pretty poor among recent Argentine u20 strikers". Transfer Suggestions I'm pleased to hear that he seems to have continued in the same vein in which I saw him in and that he's won you around. He should be moving to Europe one way or another and as it sounds as if the Udinese scout was in attendance at that match for Edwin Cutre then perhaps Gaich also caught his eye as well (it was another good finish from him vs Colombia).
What you say is fair enough I suppose but you do realise this ‘I told you so’ narrative hardly encourages people to engage right?
I reckon Rous has a Rolodex of players he has commented on in transfer rumours complete with page number so he can whip out his previous quotes at a moments notice.
Once the narrative has been established then further engagement isn't as necessary. Also, unlike some other people on this forum (thinking of three especially, though not Smudger), I am actually willing to acknowledge occasions when I have been incorrect about something previously, or when someone else has made a valid point which reasonably counters an argument or opinion I have put forward.
Which is fair enough - but is it needed? Why does Smudger need reminding of what was said? He even admitted that the player had improved from his initial assessment so I’m not sure of the benefit in further making the point with links? I know it’s not the case with you - but it can come across as ‘point scoring’ and smug when it’s just written on a forum and not in spoken word.
Because he said now that the player had improved since a year ago, but it was almost a year ago when I commented that I felt he was very good already (and when Smudger responded to me otherwise). At the time of the U20 World Cup I'd already been wondering on what basis Smudger had arrived at his critical opinion based on the evidence of what I'd witnessed myself.
MacAllister has been superlative. Last night Argentina beat the hosts Colombia 2-1 while Brazil drew with Uruguay 1-1 in the group of four qualifiers. These results mean Argentina are already qualified for Tokyo should it take place with six points, Colombia and Brazil are tied with two each and Uruguay have just the one. Argentina could knock Brazil out with just a draw and Colombia beat Uruguay.
