Summer 2025 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[olaftab]

We need to find a way to get value out of Malen and Guessand before we sign more attackers. 

As it stands I'd be tempted to play them either side of Watkins and try to get the beating of both fullbacks.

Yes to this. Let's make  use of one CL proven player and the other potentially a good one first before we spend on wasters like Jackson.

[paul_e]

We need to find a way to get value out of Malen and Guessand before we sign more attackers. 

As it stands I'd be tempted to play them either side of Watkins and try to get the beating of both fullbacks.

Yes to this. Let's make  use of one CL proven player and the other potentially a good one first before we spend on wasters like Jackson.

More than this my thinking is that we've looked narrow and little vulnerable on the wings ourselves for a while so instead of picking players who need to tuck inside and are, at least partially, getting games because they protect their fullback we might as well give it a go of pushing them both as high and wide as we can and make teams worry about what we'll do to them on the counter-attack.

I'm happier than most with our fairly methodical build-up but I think we need to add a little counter-press threat to it and these 2 picked out wide is a great way to do that. The only real problem is that it means we're throwing all of our viable forwards at the problem at once, which leaves us with little option to change things up or rest players but that's something to address once we have teams scared of playing us.

[London Villan]

The plan on saturday would have been to bring one or both of these guys on for the last 20 minutes. We shot ourselves in the foot with that one.

[ozzjim]

You could happily play Rogers, Watkins, Malen as a front 3 in a similar way we did with Diaby.

[brontebilly]

We need to find a way to get value out of Malen and Guessand before we sign more attackers. 

As it stands I'd be tempted to play them either side of Watkins and try to get the beating of both fullbacks.

Yes to this. Let's make  use of one CL proven player and the other potentially a good one first before we spend on wasters like Jackson.

More than this my thinking is that we've looked narrow and little vulnerable on the wings ourselves for a while so instead of picking players who need to tuck inside and are, at least partially, getting games because they protect their fullback we might as well give it a go of pushing them both as high and wide as we can and make teams worry about what we'll do to them on the counter-attack.

I'm happier than most with our fairly methodical build-up but I think we need to add a little counter-press threat to it and these 2 picked out wide is a great way to do that. The only real problem is that it means we're throwing all of our viable forwards at the problem at once, which leaves us with little option to change things up or rest players but that's something to address once we have teams scared of playing us.

Also very light in midfield in a 3. As seen under Gerrard. Don't think it would suit any of our midfield players, particularly Tielemans or McGinn. Ironically Ramsey could have been a perfect fit with his engine. Would be a bit more expected of our full backs in that setup too, not their strength either.

4231 , 3 of McGinn, Rogers, Guessand and Malen maybe.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Can they sign him before Saturday please.

Wissa's removed reference to Brentford from his social media accounts, so even if he's still with Brentford, I doubt he'll be playing for them against us.

[paul_e]

We need to find a way to get value out of Malen and Guessand before we sign more attackers. 

As it stands I'd be tempted to play them either side of Watkins and try to get the beating of both fullbacks.

Yes to this. Let's make  use of one CL proven player and the other potentially a good one first before we spend on wasters like Jackson.

More than this my thinking is that we've looked narrow and little vulnerable on the wings ourselves for a while so instead of picking players who need to tuck inside and are, at least partially, getting games because they protect their fullback we might as well give it a go of pushing them both as high and wide as we can and make teams worry about what we'll do to them on the counter-attack.

I'm happier than most with our fairly methodical build-up but I think we need to add a little counter-press threat to it and these 2 picked out wide is a great way to do that. The only real problem is that it means we're throwing all of our viable forwards at the problem at once, which leaves us with little option to change things up or rest players but that's something to address once we have teams scared of playing us.

Also very light in midfield in a 3. As seen under Gerrard. Don't think it would suit any of our midfield players, particularly Tielemans or McGinn. Ironically Ramsey could have been a perfect fit with his engine. Would be a bit more expected of our full backs in that setup too, not their strength either.

4231 , 3 of McGinn, Rogers, Guessand and Malen maybe.

I disagree on the 'light in midfield' thing, and particularly the idea that anything we saw under Gerrard is remotely relevant to the current squad. Of the 4 main central midfielders in the squad (Tielemans, Onana, Barkley and Kamara) only the latter ever played for Gerrard and that was 8 appearances. We could easily work with the 3 '8s' system that Newcastle use. In fact I think McGinn and Rogers would be viable options in that as well and with Hemmings coming through we have plenty of choice. Also, as I said, the idea isn't to always play the same style but for this to be something we can use against teams who, like Newcastle, try to pin us back with a high press, making it harder for teams to plan how they play against us.

[PaulWinch again]

If Newcastle offered £65m for Ollie tomorrow, buying Jackson would make sense for Emery.

If we went back to 4-3-3 and Jackson played off the right like he did at Villereal sometimes it wouldake sense.

If neither of those happen, it's not happening.

No thanks on a number of levels.

[jwarry]

The thing is I know it feels shit selling some of our better players eg Doug, Jhon, JJ but somehow it doesn’t feel the same as the old selling club days.  We must trust in Unai, Monchi, and Vidagny

[brontebilly]

We need to find a way to get value out of Malen and Guessand before we sign more attackers. 

As it stands I'd be tempted to play them either side of Watkins and try to get the beating of both fullbacks.

Yes to this. Let's make  use of one CL proven player and the other potentially a good one first before we spend on wasters like Jackson.

More than this my thinking is that we've looked narrow and little vulnerable on the wings ourselves for a while so instead of picking players who need to tuck inside and are, at least partially, getting games because they protect their fullback we might as well give it a go of pushing them both as high and wide as we can and make teams worry about what we'll do to them on the counter-attack.

I'm happier than most with our fairly methodical build-up but I think we need to add a little counter-press threat to it and these 2 picked out wide is a great way to do that. The only real problem is that it means we're throwing all of our viable forwards at the problem at once, which leaves us with little option to change things up or rest players but that's something to address once we have teams scared of playing us.

Also very light in midfield in a 3. As seen under Gerrard. Don't think it would suit any of our midfield players, particularly Tielemans or McGinn. Ironically Ramsey could have been a perfect fit with his engine. Would be a bit more expected of our full backs in that setup too, not their strength either.

4231 , 3 of McGinn, Rogers, Guessand and Malen maybe.

I disagree on the 'light in midfield' thing, and particularly the idea that anything we saw under Gerrard is remotely relevant to the current squad. Of the 4 main central midfielders in the squad (Tielemans, Onana, Barkley and Kamara) only the latter ever played for Gerrard and that was 8 appearances. We could easily work with the 3 '8s' system that Newcastle use. In fact I think McGinn and Rogers would be viable options in that as well and with Hemmings coming through we have plenty of choice. Also, as I said, the idea isn't to always play the same style but for this to be something we can use against teams who, like Newcastle, try to pin us back with a high press, making it harder for teams to plan how they play against us.

It's not about Gerrard, I don't think we have the players to consider 2 x 8s not to mind 3. When tried previously under Gerrard it was a disaster. Tonali etc aswell as being good footballers are also good athletes.

Rogers doesn't have the mobility for midfield and struggles out wide already. McGinn maybe but he's 30 now and it seems Emery has doubts about his stamina to finish 90+mins in his current position. He was completely lost under Gerrard in that 3. Barkley as an 8 against midfielders who can run would be lost, he couldn't do it 5 or 6 years ago. Tielemans doesn't have the mobility either. Onana, maybe, he doesn't show for the ball in current setup so couldn't be any worse.

Emery went ultra conservative at the weekend but put Martinez back in goal and Tielemans in midfield and that's a big improvement on our passing from deep, especially with Kamara at RCB with Konsa out. Rogers and Watkins down the middle should give a shaky Brentford lots to think about.

[Gareth]

The thing is I know it feels shit selling some of our better players eg Doug, Jhon, JJ but somehow it doesn’t feel the same as the old selling club days.  We must trust in Unai, Monchi, and Vidagny

Absolutely agree, it feels like an ends to a means rather than Ellis’s wide eyes at the thought of an extra fiver in his pocket

[kippaxvilla2]

Ascension good player on the way down imo, really tailed off last season after brilliant early match’s I think a 3 year deal is crazy.

After ascension comes descention.

[PaulWinch again]

Right two players down now - sign some players Villa.

[brontebilly]

That seems a bit of a desperate deal for us on Bailey. Maybe just shows how far his star has fallen in 12 months. Loan fee + option. Donk and Coutinho on frees. Buendia and Moreno, won't be selling for much either.

[Clampy]

Right two players down now - sign some players Villa.

Priority for me is a defender. I'd get Disasi back in.