16 Jul 2025 12:39:52
In aftermath of CWC tyriumph but as new Premier League Season fast approaching the question is what additional signings might we need to make our squad able to compete on several fronts?
My thinking is that a priority would be left-back cover for Cucurella. Wehave been strongly linked with te 19yr old Jorrel Hato from Ajax and he can play CB as well as LB, but would this be the right move?
There is then the GK matter given the number of key games we lost through blinders last season. Yes RS performed heroically with shot stopping saves plyus some fine long distance distribution to the wings V PSG, but there was still that moment at 0-0 when Cucutella had to bail him out again to prevent us from going 0-1 down, and at least another I recall right near the end where RS positioning (and occasional indecisiveness) could have leaked a goal as well. He did give away more goals for reasons like this among all EPL GKs in the league last season. So Maresca may well sgtick with RS as number 1 for start of season, and perhaps RS deserves it after the PSG game, but imho we probablty still need for top class GK to be brought given waiting for Penders to 'develop may be quite some time away?
Also do we need further CB cover given BB injury, Fofana serially injured and although TC, LC and Tosin likely to feature in most games and we Acheompong and Mamadou Sarr as cover? or should any of existing CBs be sold? Seems as though BB may be. I think we all assume Disasi will and should be?
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16 Jul 2025 17:05:41
JBS, it’s difficult to say what we need until it’s clear on which players are going. Subject to any unexpected departures: no more forwards please especially not Garnacho! As for midfield if Santos stays and Lavia can stay fit we are probably okay. We need to concentrate on the back line. Although TC and Tosin are good neither is top class and Fofana has hardly kicked a ball for us since he joined. I also would expect Disasi to go. A top class CB is needed. As for the Goalkeeper. True Sanchez had an excellent game in the final but even then he made errors. He needs to be judged over the last two seasons. Frankly. he is one of the worst keepers in the PL.
16 Jul 2025 18:11:43
JBS, what I think should happen and what I think will happen are two different things.
We should sign Costa. He is in my opinion the best keeper in Europe but it ain’t going to happen. So I think the club will go with what it’s got.
We should sign Sesko but the only way I can see that happening is if we sell Jackson. If Utd offer about £65-70m I guess we will sell him and then it becomes interesting.
The LB posits interesting the lad you mention is class but so is our young lad Samuel’s-Smith, who I understand is likely to be going on loan to Strasbourg.
CH, I just can’t see us signing anyone.
16 Jul 2025 18:44:36
Tom, as for goalkeepers if we go with what we’ve got we are missing an opportunity to step up. It appears the club are we convinced the Penders is the future No 1 but if that is Ben whatever is name is influencing it that doesn’t fill me full of confidence. TBF, I haven’t seen him play but if he’s that good should be brought in as No2 plenty of games next season. I too would go for Costa and if in a couple of seasons we end up with two top keepers so what: we had Cech and Courtois then sell one if need be.
16 Jul 2025 19:10:59
JBS, you mention we lost lots of games last season due to blunders from Sanchez, would you mind expanding please and tell us what games?
16 Jul 2025 19:15:05
Jimbo, I repeat I am just saying what I think will happen.
So many fans saying we should go for the Villa keeper who I think is one step above useless. I can’t think of one English keeper I would want and the PSG keeper blows hot and cold and if he gets a shot down low I swear I can hear his bones creek.
If we can’t get Costa, who I think will be going to City, then I think the club will stick with what it’s got but I would also like to see Jorgensen given a run of games.
{Ed001's Note - what do you think of Cooper at Sheff Utd? I haven't seen a lot of him, but the little I saw was very impressive.}
16 Jul 2025 19:37:35
Ed001, I haven’t seen him play but I will now have a look.
I would take your keeper on a free transfer when his contract is up! ?.
{Ed001's Note - yeah I bet!}
16 Jul 2025 19:53:45
Tom, I realise that you are stating that you think that is what will happen but I hope you are wrong- we will see.
16 Jul 2025 20:32:59
Jimbo, we are all just guessing and giving our opinions. I am genuinely surprised that no other poster as far as I can remember has mentioned giving Jorgensen a run of games.
On the few occasions he has played, I can’t remember him doing anything wrong.
16 Jul 2025 22:17:27
RPD Apologies, I may have exaggerated Sanchez costing us but should have said correctly that Sanchez lost us vital points last season . eg in loss to Fulham with pass upfield that led directly to their winner at the Bridge plus error in sloppy pass to Palmer versus Palace that led to their equaliser with only a short time to go in game. Should have punched balkl but dripped it v GWolves that led to their equaliser. In all he was top of the league of goalies to make most errors that led to goals (5) last season. Looked shakey on v many occasiuons with ball at feet and with short passing, but his long ball distribution also a problem in terms of finding a CFC player only about 25% of the time.
Look he also had a wonderful game against Bournemouth away, is generally a good sgot stopper, and his long ball distribution really much better versus PSG. But over last couple of seasons has made a lot of errors and he was demoted to 3rd choice at Brighton for a reason.
Having said that, it is possible of course that he is or can be getting better. But even in that CWC final he had to be rescued by Cucurella cos of bad positioning by RS which would have put PSG 1-0 uop, and also a strange blunder roghgt at end of game - albeit it we'd won it by them - that should have led to a PSG goal.
But I was one of the first to praise him for his shot stopping in that game that helped us win it. The question is really whether he is quite at the top qulaity GK we need . or is getting there . or not.
16 Jul 2025 22:24:45
Just to add that if we bring in yet another goalie it has to be a world class one like Costa. Otherwise perhaps we have to stick with Sanchez until the club/ coach trusts likes of Penders or Jorgensen and gives the a run to demonstrate this. Perhaps if vSanchez is allowed to hoof the ball to the wings more often that doing the short passing his rate of producing goal chances and actual goals for opposition will drop? In which case his positioning still needs to improve but he is a not a bad shot stopper and in final v PSG was showing more correct decisiveness in coming for aerial balls either to punch or catch them.
16 Jul 2025 23:03:27
Sanchez is getting better but still not good enough is he one of the 5 best keepers in the league clearly not in fact which keepers are worse, we have boxed ourselves in slighly by sending Penders to Strasboutg if he is that highly rated I would have played him as nos 1 . Personally I would of kept Kepa who I really like as a keeper
Of the available keepers I would of gone for Trafford or Pickford or Kelleher now at Brentford or Donorumma at Paris not a huge fan of Maignon.
I expect we will start the season with Sanchez but he may well cost us the league.
A slight caveat to this rant all the keepers I have mentioned I think will get better another keeper we have been linked with is Martinez is a keeper who is getting worse hope we stay well clear .
17 Jul 2025 09:13:18
JBS, thankyou for your reply, I think Maresca mentioned the fact that punters and pundits alike tend to highlight the mistakes made that lead to a loss of points but rarely mention the saves that lead to points being gained!
Most of the critism on Sanchez is around his distribution, not his actual keeping, and that unfortunately was down to the ridiculous tactics of Maresca tipping toeing out from the back which we have now stopped doing and has seen us play a little longer in this end of season run of 13 wins in 15 games. He's a very good goalkeeper, stop the stupid playing out from the back, and we have a more than capable goalie. The great Petr Cech admits himself that he was hopeless at playing out from the back and would of struggled in todays modern game. That said, if Maresca goes back to the tippy tappy stuff we were playing until he changed it up we will almost certainly need a different style of keeper as Jorgenson is also pretty poor with his distribution from the back.
17 Jul 2025 10:58:27
RPD, I have to strongly disagree with you he is not by any means a very good goalkeeper. If by playing Sanchez you have to lump the ball forward all the time that is limiting our tactical play. His long distribution is very poor usually going out of touch or to an opponent. His shot stopping is no better than other goalies and his positioning can be very poor. Starting with him next season will be a poor decision.
17 Jul 2025 12:09:09
Whatever will be will be Jimbo.56.
17 Jul 2025 16:18:15
RPD, Que, Sera Sera we all love Doris Day. Leaving aside, incomings we need to get some more off the books to balance our transfers for Europe. Sterling and Chilwell are going to be hard to shift both on big wages.
17 Jul 2025 17:56:16
I’m not a massive fan of stats but in the back of my mind I seem to remember a stat that suggested Sanchez was close to the top in shot stopping last season. It’s probably wishful thinking.
17 Jul 2025 19:47:40
Tom, certain stats don’t really help in judging a player’s ability. Shot stopping by goalkeepers is IMO one of them. It can be very subjective: there are shots that any professional goalie should save and shots that only top class keepers would save. Similar to possession and completed passes . Stats aren’t my cup of tea: obviously goals and assists do indicate something worthwhile. I prefer the eye test.
17 Jul 2025 20:44:38
Now that is a test I recommend to everyone. Some folks are long sighted and some are short sighted.
17 Jul 2025 21:09:29
Speaking of goalkeeping stats, the keeper with the best percentage of penalty saves in the Premier League is Dimitri Karin 45.45 %.
17 Jul 2025 21:38:17
Another stupid stat is how high the stats are for the spuds keeper, who in my opinion is a total liability.
17 Jul 2025 22:26:44
JBS, in answer to your complete question I would have to agree with you that we need a left back to cover Cucu who is so vital to the way we play. Veiga was signed as that player until his national manager told him he must convert to become a CB. I know little about the Hato the Ajax lad, is he any good ED01? I don't think we need any more centre backs as Levi and Fofana/ Trev/ Tosin are all good enough and Josh can also fit in. Sarr looks very good and BB is still here. Disasi will leave as will Anselimo on loan so unless Trev (please not) gets sold we don't need another one. As for another forward I do think Jackson and Nkunku will leave and one of Eze, Morgan-Rodgers or Garnacho may come in and I suspect it would be Morgan-Rodgers with Jackson going the other way in a little over priced home grown deal to help Villa with their PSR issues. We seem to have a little something going on there or is that me imagining things? think Kellyman, Maatsen, Carney etc!
{Ed001's Note - Hato is very good but more of a centre back playing there for now as he develops than an out and out left back.}
17 Jul 2025 23:06:33
Thanks for explaining that ED01.
{Ed001's Note - very welcome mate. Very good player though.}
18 Jul 2025 09:37:03
I can’t believe he has agreed to join us?.