2024 January transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm not sure I'd read too much into Duran to Chelsea , his agent seems a total chancer . Two weeks ago he was going to AC Milan.

Which (shit) former player of ours was it whose agent kept linking him with Napoli and other unlikely destinations?

Bacuna probably linked himself.

No, I think it might have been Reo-Coker. Possibly.

[brontebilly]

Does he run around a lot and chase down defenders like Watkins?

Maybe it was tactical to drop off but I was expecting him to be Watkins esque last night pressing from the front. He did nothing of the sort in the first half, to be fair Boro seemed a rabble tactically. He's a big unit with a nice first touch on him to get turned quickly. But he seems half a yard short of pace on last night's viewing. I didn't notice him at all against us.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Would anyone take cutting short Zaniolo’s loan and looking for someone else in that position, if we could contractually?

Edit. I meant another loan.

Absolutely. Zanilio has shown that he's decent without showing anything special though he can hit a ball. Not good enough to start and not really offering anything from the bench. If it's true he's playing out of position and he's better on the right then it must be disappointing for him. He has my respect for giving it a go and helping out the team.

Who did you have in mind?

[VillaTim]

I'm not sure I'd read too much into Duran to Chelsea , his agent seems a total chancer . Two weeks ago he was going to AC Milan.

Which (shit) former player of ours was it whose agent kept linking him with Napoli and other unlikely destinations?

Jores Okore . That bloke was seriously deluded .

[ozzjim]

The problem with an understood to Kamara is the drop off in quality is always going to be a huge gulf in quality. He’s so good at that role.

Yup. The sort of player who could do what Kamara does 80% as well as him, is still a £40m midfielder who would probably be good enough to start for the likes of Man Utd and Newcastle.

I don't disagree, but we need something in the squad to play there.

[Dave]

The problem with an understood to Kamara is the drop off in quality is always going to be a huge gulf in quality. He’s so good at that role.

Yup. The sort of player who could do what Kamara does 80% as well as him, is still a £40m midfielder who would probably be good enough to start for the likes of Man Utd and Newcastle.

I don't disagree, but we need something in the squad to play there.

That's probably Iroegbunam though, isn't it?

If we thought it was that important, we could probably throw half our budget at (say) Kalvin Phillips who would easily get more minutes here than at Man City and we're probably more attractive than West Ham.

But the upgrade from Iroegbunam to Phillips, while substantial, isn't enough that it's our big-budget signing for the next year or so.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Would anyone take cutting short Zaniolo’s loan and looking for someone else in that position, if we could contractually?

Edit. I meant another loan.

Absolutely. Zanilio has shown that he's decent without showing anything special though he can hit a ball. Not good enough to start and not really offering anything from the bench. If it's true he's playing out of position and he's better on the right then it must be disappointing for him. He has my respect for giving it a go and helping out the team.

Who did you have in mind?

Well there were tenuous links to Reyna and a German attacker who I’d heard of but can’t remember who he plays for. I wouldn’t be against swapping the loan, as it were, but the chances are they’d come in and have to earn the trust of Emery and get used to how the team plays, all of which takes time.
Do we know if the loan has an obligation to buy or just an option?

[john2710]

Dendonker has started 1 game in the Premier League this season & another 33 mins from the bench. So he won't be much of a loss, when Kamara was out Emery didn't turn to him. I doubt we'll replace him in this window.

Emery may have seen enough in iroegbunam to think he could offer at least the same cover as Dendonker.

[Gareth]

Dendoncker I see the same as Hause…if you have to bring him in for a single game he’d do a decent job, if you put him in for half a dozen on the spin he gets more an more average.   6/10 player, I’d far prefer to give irogbenum his chance, will never know until he is given a chance.

Odd signing, always the poor link alongside Neves and Moutinho

[pauliewalnuts]

Dendonker has started 1 game in the Premier League this season & another 33 mins from the bench. So he won't be much of a loss, when Kamara was out Emery didn't turn to him.

Except for Man United away.

[ozzjim]

But our record without Kamara, when Emery has turned to Luiz or McGinn deeper, has generally been poor. I think we are a quality central midfielder light, and I see Tielemans much more of a number ten, I don't think he has the energy to play in the centre of midfield in an Emery team effectively.

[robleflaneur]

But our record without Kamara, when Emery has turned to Luiz or McGinn deeper, has generally been poor. I think we are a quality central midfielder light, and I see Tielemans much more of a number ten, I don't think he has the energy to play in the centre of midfield in an Emery team effectively.

True,but it was a pity that Tielemans was also missing.A midfield trio of him,Luiz and McGinn with Iroegbunam as back up would have enough physical presence to compensate for the absence of Kamara.Jacob Ramsey would cover if other midfielders were absent.

[edgysatsuma89]

But our record without Kamara, when Emery has turned to Luiz or McGinn deeper, has generally been poor. I think we are a quality central midfielder light, and I see Tielemans much more of a number ten, I don't think he has the energy to play in the centre of midfield in an Emery team effectively.

True,but it was a pity that Tielemans was also missing.A midfield trio of him,Luiz and McGinn with Iroegbunam as back up would have enough physical presence to compensate for the absence of Kamara.Jacob Ramsey would cover if other midfielders were absent.

I still don't think it works that well. For me Tielemans has to be playing with Kamara/other DM and Luiz. You replace Kamara with McGinn as DM and it's a drop off. I agree with ozzjim that Tielemans isn't very effective as one of those 2 either, particularly replacing Kamara. Personally I would always put a DM alongside Luiz because he loses his effectiveness also without one with him, even if that means a youngster like Tim.

[tomd2103]

But our record without Kamara, when Emery has turned to Luiz or McGinn deeper, has generally been poor. I think we are a quality central midfielder light, and I see Tielemans much more of a number ten, I don't think he has the energy to play in the centre of midfield in an Emery team effectively.

True,but it was a pity that Tielemans was also missing.A midfield trio of him,Luiz and McGinn with Iroegbunam as back up would have enough physical presence to compensate for the absence of Kamara.Jacob Ramsey would cover if other midfielders were absent.

I still don't think it works that well. For me Tielemans has to be playing with Kamara/other DM and Luiz. You replace Kamara with McGinn as DM and it's a drop off. I agree with ozzjim that Tielemans isn't very effective as one of those 2 either, particularly replacing Kamara. Personally I would always put a DM alongside Luiz because he loses his effectiveness also without one with him, even if that means a youngster like Tim.

Yep, agree with that.  Tielemans looked a lot more effective in the 'number 10' role before he got injured and I think him in that position with Kamara and Luiz behind looks solid.

Think we are missing that mobile, physical.option who can come on and give us some energy in the closing stages as well as deputise for Kamara when he is missing.

[brontebilly]

But our record without Kamara, when Emery has turned to Luiz or McGinn deeper, has generally been poor. I think we are a quality central midfielder light, and I see Tielemans much more of a number ten, I don't think he has the energy to play in the centre of midfield in an Emery team effectively.

Tielemans played in that role at Bournemouth when Kamara was out and was a complete passenger. At 10 or at times covering for Ramsey on the left but that's it. He hasn't the athleticism to play that role. Don't think Emery will trust him there again bar in an emergency.

McGinn on occasion has stepped in and done ok next to Luiz or Kamara but again it's not his best position, taking the ball from the back on the half turn.... McGinn has been running on empty last few games but it's not helping moving him all over the place from game to game. CM, RM, LM, 10....We will be badly short if even one of Luiz or Kamara are out, we saw that over Xmas.

We are already short of cover for McGinn or Ramsey on the sides as is. It worked for a while with Bailey coming in on the right but now it's a tactical problem as Diaby and himself are getting in each other's way a lot of the time. I'd say Tielemans will come back in at 10 on Friday night with one of Diaby and Bailey on the right. McGinn back on left and Luiz/Kamara sitting. Might be a better balance to the team as a result.