23 Jun 2025 14:44:42
I was reading that Christensen is being allowed to leave Barcelona.
I have no idea about the circumstances when he left us other than it was for free. Anyway. I'm not sure I would want him back. I don't seem to recall seeing him play much for Barcelona in recent times.
23 Jun 2025 17:58:50
Tom
Even when he was with us he was always injured and could not wait to leave.
Keep qwll clear.
24 Jun 2025 11:39:16
No thanks Tom, he couldn't wait to leave so way back in my eyes and would just get in the way of the young players we have and their pathway into the first team. We are well stocked at CB and the Levi/ Fofana partnership is developing well as is the Levi/ Tosin partnership. I would like to keep Trev as back up/ starter and then use Sarr and Josh when game time allows. Hopefully sell Disasi and send Anselimo on loan. Looks like Veiga is off so we might need to keep BB as back up to Levi unless another left back comes in who could cover LCB?
24 Jun 2025 12:29:23
RPD, I think we are looking at the lad from Ajax for the left sided defensive role.
24 Jun 2025 12:46:59
Who is that Tom? any good?
24 Jun 2025 13:16:48
RPD, it’s a lad called Hato. Young, quick and highly rated. Can play left side as a CH or LB.
The only downside is he could be seen as a block to our academy player Samuel’s-Smith who is also highly rated but predominantly a LB.
24 Jun 2025 13:36:26
Thanks Tom, I will check him out. A bit of competition won't go a miss but I take your point we do need to leave clear pathways for our academy players, someting which didn't really happen that much under the old regime especially with experienced managers like Jose.
24 Jun 2025 19:26:23
Over recent years how many top class players has our academy produced. I can only think of Terry and James (when he’s fit) . True, Jose wasn’t one to play academy players but we did used to win things.
24 Jun 2025 20:25:21
To be fair to Jose, he was our manager (first time) early in the RA academy investment.
We certainly have raised a lot of cash selling academy players over the last 10 years or so!
24 Jun 2025 21:06:00
Tom, fair point but it’s a shame a few more don’t stay and reach top level.
24 Jun 2025 21:22:45
We will never know if a few would have become better players if they had stayed or maybe they improved more for moving away.
Anyway, little point in looking backwards and live in hope for our next academy top player.
24 Jun 2025 21:32:03
The academy has produced a lot of talent but you are right Jimbo in suggesting Neil Bath and Co. could of done better.
24 Jun 2025 21:40:47
Jimbo, do you mean academy players who've made it into our first team, specifically? Or just players the academy has produced beyond Terry and James? In terms of defenders, Guehi has been excellent at Palace and looks like he's going to move to a top club very soon (Liverpool interested, which tells you something) . Hall and Livramento both excellent players in a Newcastle team that, if not for an abysmal start to the season, would have finished above us. Mount (when he's injury-free) is undoubtedly an excellent player capable of changing games, then you've got Rice who is obviously excelling at Arsenal. To top it all you've got Musiala, perhaps one of the best midfielders currently playing in world football. Not bad. La Masia it ain't, but there aren't many of those.
24 Jun 2025 22:57:30
EdW you had me for a minute until you mentioned Mount?????.
25 Jun 2025 07:16:45
EdW, I didn’t really think it through. I guess meant academy players who had made it to the first team. So Rice etc. didn’t come into my mind. I think Guehi is decent but not top class. Liveramento and Hall have potential. I have to agree with RPD, Mount was a flash in the pan a player who is a legend in his own mind.
26 Jun 2025 12:46:17
I think it's unarguable that until the injuries/ leaving the club Mount was quality for us. It remains to be seen if he's still good – has had a terrible time with injuries. Definitely don't think United is the place to come back from all that - that was a bad career choice. If he's lost that bit of acceleration he had on the turn that'll be a big blow for his prospects. Think what you want, I don't wish the lad badly.
I don't know, sometimes the difference between really top-drawer and just a solid PL player (which is, also, let's remember, a pretty incredible level) can sometimes be confidence/ faith of a manager or staff/ fans and a lack of serious injury (time to develop) . Ed002, Harvey Elliott seems to be falling into this category at the moment – not really getting a sniff at Liverpool but always looks good to me when I watch him (admittedly u21 international football isn't the best marker of standard, but he was class yesterday) . Could be an excellent signing for a mid-table team with ambition – what do you think?
{Ed001's Note - I assume you mean me? I love Harv, he was excelling in preseason last year and then picked up an injury that ruled him out for a few months. It was just bad luck as he had been a standout, but he came back to a team that was flying without him and none of the midfield dropped off in form to give him am opening to push himself into contention. Only thing he really lacks is blistering pace, but he is a very good player. Not the best defensively as he is still learning that part of the game and only played in positions that needed him to be defensive minded in fits and starts. Given a run of games, I think he could be a very good and creative Prem player. He certainly has an eye for a pass, as well as being able to score.}
27 Jun 2025 10:24:31
Sorry Ed001, I did mean you, yes – keyboard habit on this site to ask Ed002 a question. : (
Do you think he'll go? The competition is quite fierce for midfielders at Liverpool this summer. Not going to happen, but I'd prefer him to Enzo in Chelsea's midfield, personally (if we're replacing one midfielder with another with a similar lack of speed) .
And out of curiosity can I ask what your opinion is on Mason Mount (pre his string of injuries)?
{Ed001's Note - I do think he will leave, I think he has to for the sake of his career.
I think Mount was really good when played as a wide forward, scored and created goals, but never impressed in midfield. He lacked the little bit of pace that people seem to think is vital but so did Muller and it never stopped him becoming one of the best ever. Mount had that same intelligent movement characteristic that enabled him to be able to get on the ball in tight areas and do something with it.}
27 Jun 2025 14:00:08
Thanks Ed001. I agree about Mount. No idea why people bash him so hard on here besides annoyance at the way he left (and who knows how all of that actually went down – the club's PR machine are obviously going to have the upper hand in that one) .
What team do you think would be a good destination for Harvey Elliott to aim for? Maybe a European team, even?
{Ed001's Note - very welcome.
Tough one, for me the key is regular playing time, not sure it matters if they are in Europe or not. All that matters is that he can play and get going once more. Klopp said his biggest regret was not playing more and I can understand that view, he is a very good technician. If he was playing in Italy or Spain, he would be tearing up their league. Unfortunately here in England all people seem to worry about is that he is small and not blisteringly quick.}