Douglas Luiz - coming back?

[cdbearsfan]

I want a defensive midfielder, someone who does what Kamara does, not Barkley. Someone who tackles, not Barkley. I'm not sure how many other ways I can explain that tbh mate. Not Barkley. Barkley not.

[LeeB]

I want a defensive midfielder, someone who does what Kamara does, not Barkley. Someone who tackles, not Barkley. I'm not sure how many other ways I can explain that tbh mate. Not Barkley. Barkley not.

Well I'm afraid the manager wants someone that can take a pass from the keeper, turn and pick a pass to send us on our way, more.

[cdbearsfan]

I'm not sure why a proper defensive midfielder can't do that. One that can also tackle, unlike Barkley.

[LeeB]

You're going to be 'cdbarkleyfan' by the end of the season you wally.

[cdbearsfan]

I hope so, mate. I just worry that unless we get a proper tackley player to replace Kamara, we are always going to be capable of chucking in a Tottenham at home type performance. Get that player and watch our already better than Barkley midfielders fly. Like they generally did when Kamara was playing.

[Monty]

But he's not being signed for the Kamara role, he's being signed for the Luiz role, which is obviously not the same as the McGinn or Tielemans role. I don't get why you keep bringing up Kamara.

[kippaxvilla2]

I wouldn't touch this Argentinian player with a barge pole. Sounds like a plan D and we'll get ripped off.

Given Emery’s willingness to go without previously rather than getting a body in for the sake of it, you’ve got to presume they’ll only sanction folk they want.

Russ said it all. I’d never condone the alleged Monchi assault on Isco that resulted in him leaving Sevilla, but he does sound like someone who won’t suffer fools gladly.
(Was tempted to leave the autocorrect of “won’t suffer fools Gladys” but no idea what punathon that would KO!)

I read it slightly differently - whilst agreeing that PSR is shit, and a mechanism that allows clubs that have been financially dodgy in the past to try to block the progress of clubs, like the Villa, that will challenge their current dominance.

I think all the noise about different players is coming from Juve and reflects their desperation to sign Luiz. I think Monchi is a better international operator than we have ever had and far less likely to get bullied - by Juve or anyone else.

It's a shame that a quality player, so much a part of what we have achieved in the last two years, looks like he has to move because of PSR, but I trust Monchi, Emery, et al to get the best deal possible for us. UTV.

That sounds about (Ark)right.

[cdbearsfan]

You have to play them somewhere. Unless you play twelve players or without wingers one of the much better midfielders will be missing out. I don't think the Luiz role is as specialised as you do. All our midfielders can play anywhere in midfield. Except defensive midfield, which is what we need.

[Monty]

I can't be bothered to bring up some average position heat map thing, but every single one of them showed Luiz in a very particular space on the pitch. It's extremely distinct from the further-forward positions.

[cdbearsfan]

It's not defensive midfield, which is what we need. Hence some people want Enzo, who plays there, rather than Barkley, who doesn't.

[Monty]

It's deep midfield though. Which is where Barkley plays.

I don't know what the argument is here, it's just literally where they play! Mostly further back! Luiz is going, Barkley's coming in! It makes sense whether you like the player or not!

[PeterWithesShin]

Barkley is a cheap squad option. If he was our main summer signing it would be a problem, but he isn't. We played 56 games last season and our form dropped a lot March onwards, we saw how gassed the squad was towards the end. We won 3 of the last 11 league games. We're guaranteed 48 games this season, Barkley will be here to hopefully stop there being such a drop off when we do rotate during the season and so stop us dropping off a cliff at the end.

[LeeB]

Plus the defensive role isn't just tackling as such is it? Like Petrov for us, positioning is half the battle, maybe they've seen that Barkley is better at reading the play from that area than Luiz and and would help more to maybe relive the stress on the 'Kamara' role a bit. I don't know, but these are the kind of details you know will be pored over by the manager.

[villadelph]

It's not defensive midfield, which is what we need. Hence some people want Enzo, who plays there, rather than Barkley, who doesn't.

Does it have to be one or the other though? We lost Chambers, Donk, Tim, Doug and Kamara is out for months. We need depth for next season.

[cdbearsfan]

It's literally impossible to play a defensive midfielder AND Barkley AND not drop one of those more talented midfielders.

Any of them can play in any position better than Barkley. Who is shit.

We will end up letting Ramsey or Rogers go, and it'll be the new equivalent of fucking off Gary Cahill to make way for Zat Knight.