Boubacar Kamara

[OCD]

It's like when the Real Madrid team were made up of 'Galacticos' and they commented that Makele did all the dirty work that no-one else wanted to do so they could go and be stars.

Kamara allowed Luiz to go and play and made him look good. Then when he wasn't there, he struggled.

It's not such a drop-off having Onana alongside him but Kamara might make Tielemans look better.

[darren woolley]

It's great to see him back training again.

[ChicagoLion]

I can see a double pivot of Onana and Kamara in certain games.

[Dave]

I can see a double pivot of Onana and Kamara in certain games.

As discussed in the summer, I'm completely certain that it'll be our first choice midfield pair when both are fit.

[Steve67]

I can see a double pivot of Onana and Kamara in certain games.

As discussed in the summer, I'm completely certain that it'll be our first choice midfield pair when both are fit.

I hope so Dave.  I honestly think that any club in the Premier League would be happy with those two in that position. 

[OCD]

Tielemans has been one of our best players so far this season and I Barkley will be more involved once he's gone through the process of adapting to the system. It's good to have options there.

[Toronto Villa]

McGinn will be sacrificed once Bouba is fit. Tielemans will be the 10, supported by Bailey and Rogers behind Ollie. The defence will have the best protection it will have had in ages and allow our full backs to help in both phases of the game.

[PaulWinch again]

Kamara is uniquely talented as a defensive mid. If he stays fit once he’s back he will make a huge difference.

[Chris Smith]

McGinn will be sacrificed once Bouba is fit. Tielemans will be the 10, supported by Bailey and Rogers behind Ollie. The defence will have the best protection it will have had in ages and allow our full backs to help in both phases of the game.

Possibly but with two games a week I imagine we’ll see the squad used a fair bit. We’ve got the players to allow Unai to use multiple subs in games and rest key key players from the start at other times.

[London Villan]

McGinn will be sacrificed once Bouba is fit. Tielemans will be the 10, supported by Bailey and Rogers behind Ollie. The defence will have the best protection it will have had in ages and allow our full backs to help in both phases of the game.

I don't think we'll have an obvious starting 11 - there is going to be lots of rotation. McGinn (when on top of his game) brings an energy to the team no one else does. He still looks knackered though.

[OCD]

I don't see McGinn being sacrificed or Tielemans playing as a 10. I think Rogers will predominantly play as a 10.

There was actually a very good article in the Athletic yesterday about how he's been transformed by Emery. In it, it talked about how using Tielemans as a 10 gave him time to adapt to what Emery was asking him to do. He's come out the other side of that.

I agree with the following posts. What Emery wants is options which allow him to tailor his tactics to the opposition. We need to get away from this first choice XI thinking, the game at the top hasn't been like that for years. I'm sure Emery won't want a repeat of the players looking burnt out from March onwards and having to scrape results.

[Footy-Vill]

Although Kamara is a talented player and looking forward to welcoming him back into the squad, I believe that he has the least connection to the fans out of all the players who have been here for more than a season. He was ultimately a Gerrard acquisition, signed merely for a big contract what's his motivation ?

Does he have the same as others who signed under Emery or the longer term members of the squad like Konsa, Mings and Ginny who have a connection.

And given that we finished fourth last season without him, I could see him being sold in the summer for a respectable sum in order to raise funds for other investments and PSR purposes.

[DeKuip]

Although Kamara is a talented player and looking forward to welcoming him back into the squad, I believe that he has the least connection to the fans out of all the players who have been here for more than a season. He was ultimately a Gerrard acquisition, signed merely for a big contract what's his motivation ?

Does he have the same as others who signed under Emery or the longer term members of the squad like Konsa, Mings and Ginny who have a connection.

And given that we finished fourth last season without him, I could see him being sold in the summer for a respectable sum in order to raise funds for other investments and PSR purposes.

We didn’t finish fourth last season “without” him - he played in over half our leagues games (20) from which we picked up 41 of our 68 points. I’d say he contributed a hell of a lot and was very much appreciated by fans.

[Chap]

Well said!

[Villafirst]

Although Kamara is a talented player and looking forward to welcoming him back into the squad, I believe that he has the least connection to the fans out of all the players who have been here for more than a season. He was ultimately a Gerrard acquisition, signed merely for a big contract what's his motivation ?

Does he have the same as others who signed under Emery or the longer term members of the squad like Konsa, Mings and Ginny who have a connection.

And given that we finished fourth last season without him, I could see him being sold in the summer for a respectable sum in order to raise funds for other investments and PSR purposes.

We didn’t finish fourth last season “without” him - he played in over half our leagues games (20) from which we picked up 41 of our 68 points. I’d say he contributed a hell of a lot and was very much appreciated by fans.

Yes, agree. Some people should check their facts first. You can't simply offload players of Kamara's ability. We need a squad with quality in numbers to cope with all these games.