You mentioned you felt Bilic wanted players first team ready suggesting this chap isn’t. I was pointing out if he is a regular in a team 6th in the Portugal top division I would think he’s ready
Sorry for the confusion - I meant that I think he wants players who would be undoubtedly in the team if everyone is fit. I think this guy looks decent and will fight for a place for sure. But I’m not certain he fits the bill of going straight into our team…and from Bilic’s public comments, I think that’s what he’s been angling for given he’s talked down our business so far. I think a few people on this thread are misconstruing what I’m saying - I’m in no way endorsing Bilic’s comments or saying I agree with them. I agree with @UEA_Hornet post above. Bilic is grating with his demeanour about our business IMO. All I’m doing is giving a different angle on this signing and how it may play out. And as I said, the player looks decent - but I don’t really give much credence to him playing for a team that is 6th in a historically weak league where the top few teams leave the rest for dust every season. Arouca are far closer to those below them than those above (very much like ourselves).
Fair enough. I think like one or two others I get a little frustrated with how he goes about press conferences especially when talking about new signings. He’s hardly been welcoming to Ferreira or Porteous. I’m sure he wants a first team ready guaranteed starter but they cost money. This kid has done well in a side who I imagine are playing well above their station and I think Bilic needs to remember that we are more likely to go for players like this than paying £2-3m. For me, a player playing for a top half team in Portugal on a regular basis can play in The Championship.
Bilic probably wanted more experience players but the club maybe are looking longer term and see him as just a short term manager as we do with all of them !
A reminder that the joint 2nd top scorer in the Championship this season was playing for the team which finished 6th in the Portuguese league last season. Pellistri cost Utd €8.5mil and they don't seem to want to loan him anyway (at least not to us); so I don't see on what grounds Bilic could criticise the club for not signing him (or similar).
Amad Diallo went to a newly promoted Sunderland. So not beyond the realms of possibility that United might let Pellistri go elsewhere in the Championship on Deadline Day for instance.
Estupinan also went on a run of 1 goal in 17 games this season. Would that have been tolerated by our fans? And I wouldn’t agree if Bilic did criticise the club - I’m merely saying, seeing as he’s been sh1tty in his comments regarding some of our signings, and the fact he publicly stated his want of Pellistri, it’s not hard to imagine a scenario of him making comments based around him wanting a player of that calibre but being given this new guy. Not once have I said I endorse the things he says about our signings. Any manager in this league would be waxing lyrical about Araujo for example - but Bilic just seems to want to moan.
A reality check here, we're not a Premier League club currently so our attractiveness for players like Pallestri is lower compared to other options. I'd say arguably our January signings are all first team ready and are all young. Koné - looks good and has already played in 4 games. Ferreira - played in the first team Martins - also has made an impact Araújo - not played yet but on paper looks a good signing. Porteous - looks a potential captain, HG and must be first team ready.
Did he? Looking below it seems it was 1 in 14, and actually 1 in 10 if you only count starts. Funnily enough, Keinan Davis has also got just 1 goal in his last 10 starts for us prior to his injury. https://www.whoscored.com/Players/343090/Fixtures/Óscar-Estupiñán His goalscoring record has also come while playing for an utterly crap Hull side mostly flirting with the relegation spots over that time. He's been a very successful signing for the Championship - coming from the 6th placed Portuguese club - however you wish to spin it. He'd probably have been at least as good, if not even better for us than "£15mil" Davis for example.
Indeed - so I don't know why you seem to mostly be echoing his moaning , rather than taking it apart.
All depends what Bilic was sold to get him in the job really, but our signings probably do represent what we are, a championship club with a roughly 13% chance of promotion.
Because it takes itself apart from my opinion. I think his moaning is stupid and misplaced, I’d be surprised if anyone felt the need to take it apart because it’s ridiculous to begin with.
He has to be realistic though, we were never going to give him top quality players, especially with autos basically out of reach. At least we've actually thought long term a bit with what we've brought in, unlike in most January windows
What, a bit confused by this? Knight said - He's been a regular in the top Portuguese league You said - So have players playing for teams at the bottom of the division Knight said - They are 6th Aka a player playing regularly for a team performing well this season is likely to be a more impressive achievement than one playing at the bottom of the league. A Premier League example would be Trossard at Brighton vs whoever is left wing for Southampton right now. It's a nice observation that if paired with other positive performance metrics is a good sign of his ability no?
He’s not been that explicit - there’s more context. He’s said he is looking into it but initial contacts say it’s not accurate. Andrew French has said (privately) that Manga and Costa are secretive and only speak to Gino. So I’d be surprised if Leventhal got the lowdown on this one.
