6m30s in. What's going on here then? Predictions please!
"In a couple of days you will understand why I played Lindelof and Smalling"
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
- Start date
6m30s in. What's going on here then? Predictions please!
Isn't it simply a case of Bailly being suspended for start of the season?
Perhaps is coded for the exclusion of Jones, which could suggest that he may be sold...
Perhaps is coded for the exclusion of Jones, which could suggest that he may be sold...
I just want to kick off by saying brilliant thread, Pogue!
I wouldn't be surprised if Smalling is off. If we're entering muppet mode, maybe he'll be part of a deal to get Alexis
I wouldn't be surprised if Smalling is off. If we're entering muppet mode, maybe he'll be part of a deal to get Alexis
Both of them starting in the Super Cup game?
Why would playing him mean he's off? Surely it's the contrary. Jones on the other hand...I just want to kick off by saying brilliant thread, Pogue!
I wouldn't be surprised if Smalling is off. If we're entering muppet mode, maybe he'll be part of a deal to get Alexis
We're buying Neymar!
Surely if Smalling is being sold, he would be less likely to be played rather than trying to establish an understanding with Lindelof.I just want to kick off by saying brilliant thread, Pogue!
I wouldn't be surprised if Smalling is off. If we're entering muppet mode, maybe he'll be part of a deal to get Alexis
But why would he say "you'll see in a couple of days" we've got friendlies before the Super Cup. If it was that, surely he'd have just said we're preparing for the Super Cup.
Perhaps Jones is to be sold?
Managers tend to play players they're trying to sell to gain interest. I'm sure if I wasn't so lazy, I could probably discover an example of Mourinho doing it before selling someone
because in a few days Bailly will start with Lindelof?
Simple. Bailly suspended for the super cup and rojo injured.
Smalling possibly played his last game for us against barca. So it could be a farewell.
This.
Unusual comment for sure. With Bailly being suspended for Europe, I'm leaning towards Jones being sold - perhaps we've had a solid enquiry and, given he's actually, shockingly fit at the moment, we're gonna strike while the iron is hot.
He said a couple of days. When is our next friendly?
I think he's predicting Jones' next injury.
Did Neymar play second half? If so, it was probably a safety clause by PSG to avoid Phil Jones crashing into him or heading the ball off Ney's feet as he dribbles through.
We play Valerenga on Sunday, followed by Sampdoria on August 2nd.
Smokescreen for us buying Perisic.
It sounds like the defence that start the friendly on Sunday will start the Super cup. In that sense it's would be a strange comment though, because it's not like the lineup on Sunday will make us think 'OK I understand now'.
So the alternative is Jones is being sold, but we're not in a position to be selling centre backs really.
So the alternative is Jones is being sold, but we're not in a position to be selling centre backs really.
The mind games have begun.
I'd say we are. Bailly, Smalling, Jones, Lindelof, Rojo and Blind are all in the mix. Tuanzebe pushing for minutes too. How many centre backs do we need?
Why do people think that we are going to sell either Jones or Smalling?
We ran out of defenders last year. We have Rojo out on long term injury, we have brought in Lindelof but don't know how he will do in the PL.
Why would we sell now?
As Bailly is out, I think that they will start in the game against Real Madrid and he will try out Bailly and Lindelof at the weekend.
We ran out of defenders last year. We have Rojo out on long term injury, we have brought in Lindelof but don't know how he will do in the PL.
Why would we sell now?
As Bailly is out, I think that they will start in the game against Real Madrid and he will try out Bailly and Lindelof at the weekend.
Yep if we were to sell Jones it needs to be soon. The windows where Jones is actually fit are short and sporadic and very rarely do they coincide with transfer windows. It's like Halley's comet.
From listening to that, I think Jones will be sold.
EDIT: Listening to it, all he had to say was Lindelof and Smalling because Bailly will be suspended. The bit he added emphasised why he specifically picked Smalling and Lindelof, it only leaves Jones as the odd man out... since Bailly is facing suspension.
EDIT: Listening to it, all he had to say was Lindelof and Smalling because Bailly will be suspended. The bit he added emphasised why he specifically picked Smalling and Lindelof, it only leaves Jones as the odd man out... since Bailly is facing suspension.
Hasn't Jones played well so far? I haven't seen last nights game, but from what people are saying Smalling has not been great. Ideally it should be Bailly and Lindelof, but unfortunately bans in the future are preventing that.
Its smalling who is off, player+cash for alexis sanchez. It was smalling's last game for us. Wenger has always wanted smalling.
^^Agreed^^
All are decent squad players but none are truly outstanding in the calibre of say a Vidic, Stam or Rio.
One of either Jones or Smalling are expendable, especially if they could be used as a part exchange with Arsenal for Sanchez (as a wildly optimistic example)
Feck knows what he's on about but if he's meaning it in the sense that someone's off then it could only be Jones.
Another smokescreen masterclass touche
Said with such conviction. Like you know something.
Smalling's actually been very good in pre-season. I'd go as far as saying him and Jones have been our most impressive central defenders. They're so frustrating. On their day they're immense but Jones is constantly one rash challenge away from being out for months and Smalling is constantly one game away from playing an absolute stinker. It's got to the point where you really feel Mou has to cut his losses and move one of them on. For me, it would be Smalling, if only because he's much older and less likely to change any time soon.
Sunday could easily mean "a couple of days".
Definitely. Genuinely had no idea when it was scheduled.
Smalling in the 2010-2011 season was absolutely immense. He needs a good run of games and more importantly a commanding partner next to him to get the best out of him. He along with our other central defenders have suffered in recent years due to constant rotation at the back.
Jones simply doesn't stay fit long enough to ever realistically fulfill his potential. I think he could be off to Arsenal, given that they're trying to offload Chambers to palace for £20m. With Mertesacker nearing the end and Wenger's liking of Jones, I think it'll be a good deal for all parties as long as we get at least what they'll get for chambers as a fee, if not a little bit more.
Jones has looked better than Smalling this preseason imo. I'd prefer to keep Jones, as ive always thought him the better of the two, even tho he is constantly injured
It's weird that he name checks Smalling and Lindelof though specifically but it could just be a language thing.
Rojo injured until January, Jones injured 50% of the last seasons, Smalling injured at least 30% of the time probably. Lindelof hasn't exactly set the world alight yet, and his specific profile suggests he's been brought in so we don't have to resort to playing Blind so much at centre back compared to last season, where he even had an unconvincing stint playing as the RCB because of all the injuries. Blind on his turn can fight it out with Darmian and Shaw for the left back spot and be used as 6th choice CB, maybe as 5th choice CM too in case we don't sign a CM and have injuries.
My prediction would be that we're not going to sell any central defenders. Hardly makes any sense when you think about replacing them. Someone like Jones would maybe get us 20 million, a proper upgrade on him would cost at least 45-60 million euro in the current market - if such an 'proper upgrade' is available in the first place.
My prediction would be that we're not going to sell any central defenders. Hardly makes any sense when you think about replacing them. Someone like Jones would maybe get us 20 million, a proper upgrade on him would cost at least 45-60 million euro in the current market - if such an 'proper upgrade' is available in the first place.
No I don't know anything just a hunch.....or hope!