Goncalo Inacio

Wharton should be obvious by now but we're obviously in the England player twilight where the cost is going to be catching up with Eze and Olise amounts.

Wharton would cost more than them at the moment. We’ll need to wait a couple of years for it to come down to Eze and Olise amounts, assuming he keeps progressing as he is.
 
He looks good in those clips - tall, good in the air, decently quick, excellent in the tackle. What’s he like at passing?
 
If we sign another CB for £50m I think I'm done with this club altogether. Watch far less than I used to and it's just one moronic transfer window after another, wasting a large chunk of our spend on a CB every year when we need better midfielders and an actual attack
 
If we could get him and Todibo for 75-85 million I'd be very happy.
 
Snap mate, if we signed two midfielders this summer these would be the two I’d want over Neves.

Think we only need one of them. Neves would be a dream, but those two would be my DM choices.
 
Think we only need one of them. Neves would be a dream, but those two would be my DM choices.

I’d imagine that from what we currently have in midfield that next season we’d only have Mainoo, Fernandes, Mount and McTominay unless we sign Amrabat permanently so two defensive midfielders would be needed to avoid being over reliant on just one.
 
Your assessment of Inácio is spot on and in line with the general consensus at Forum SCP (Sporting forum).

I'm very reluctant to let Inácio go. If United pays the release clause, of course we would have no choice but if United isn't willing to pay full clause I prefer for him to stay and do the Champions League campaign and then leave next year. He's our most important defender, along with Sebastian Coates. His National team performances under Martinez have been very good as well. It's important as it shows he can mantain his high standards in a different environment.

I'd prefer to sell Diomande. As you have read in the previous paragraph, I don't even consider him one of our top two defenders. Diomande had a very good half a season when he joined but this year, although we were champions, he wasn't that good. In fact most Sporting fans didn't panic when we missed him. It isn't a good sign when you have a growing number of detractors in Sporting game day threads. He's also the number 1 player the vast majority of Sporting fans want sold for our yearly big transfer fund needs.

Diomande has a very big potential but frankly it wasn't a good year for him. At least for the standards he showed in the first half a season. May be form fluctuation since he's very young, still evolving and gaining experience but it can also be that we overrated him and over inflated our expectations. I'd prefer to sell him now while his stock is still high.

I'm intrigued. What's his pace like, and does he not win most of his physical duels?

That picture Adnan painted with him as an inverted left back is interesting too, though we might require a more creative player on the left wing if we are sacrificing a left-wing back for the overlap to gain numerical advantage in the first phase of build up.
 
Gonçalo Inácio plays as a CB or LCB, although he played a whole year as a RCB (in a back with 3 CBs) before Diomande arrived at the club. I wouldn't use him as a LB, although he can remedy that position decently, in case of need.

His strong points are the passing, progressive passing, ball control, positioning. He's faster than he looks.
I think he could be better in concentration. There's some games that he looks he has his head somewhere else and commits some errors. It looks like it's because sometimes he thinks he's better than the adversary and misjudges how easy it will be. That's something that can be worked and he has been improving in that regard.

Under Ten Hag, his good long passing and vision will be useful to launch counter attacks. But I think the best use of his skills is in a tactic where we want to keep control of the ball, as he offers a lot of solutions with his positioning, passing and vision. He's not afraid to have the ball and go forward. He doesn't lose his cool when the adversary is trying to press high and force errors. Although sometimes he goes for the nice pass instead of just throwing the ball away, when it would be safer the later. But he's getting better at this, more pragmatic.

He's rarely injured (only once, since he joined the main team), which is a good thing.
Alright when we have the ball but what about when we are defending: what’s he like?
im skeptical about him because all I hear is that he’s a good passer and rarely injured. Sounds like a different defender who came from the Portuguese league and who can’t actually defend very well
 
I'm intrigued. What's his pace like, and does he not win most of his physical duels?

That picture Adnan painted with him as an inverted left back is interesting too, though we might require a more creative player on the left wing if we are sacrificing a left-wing back for the overlap to gain numerical advantage in the first phase of build up.
We wouldn't be sacrificing anything mate imo. The altered shape would be a 352/3232 once someone like Inacio inverts, which would open up even more possibilities to connect and combine due to the stability the players at the back will potentially provide on the ball. Other teams who are setting the standards in the league setup in similar ways but you need to have a high technical floor to get things going and then back your technical players with pace and power.to control the game out of possession.

And as far as Inacio is concerned, he's a far superior player to Lindelof at the same age imo. He's better on the ball and he's arguably better defensively as well. And unlike Lindelof, Inacio seems to be aggressive when going into defensive duels, which might not be the best course of action at times. But he can be moulded because his fundamentals are strong, especially on the ball.
 
He looks good in those clips - tall, good in the air, decently quick, excellent in the tackle. What’s he like at passing?
I'd say he is top 5-10 best passing centre backs in the world. But he isn't very successful in the air and his tackling is average. I do think he improve aerially though considering he has a good build.
 
Alright when we have the ball but what about when we are defending: what’s he like?
im skeptical about him because all I hear is that he’s a good passer and rarely injured. Sounds like a different defender who came from the Portuguese league and who can’t actually defend very well

He defends well, he usually positions himself very well and is fast enough to recover passes to beyond his back. He plays in a team that usually concedes very few chances to the adversary (in some games, they barely get a chance to test the goal keeper, even from afar). Usually the team tries to recover the ball as soon as possible and still in the adversary midfield. In the rare games where our defence really had to work hard , like agains't Atalanta, he did well. He is tall and has a good build, but he's more about good positioning, anticipating the adversary moves and stealing the ball, than just trying to be physical. But he's not a pushover and wins several physical confrontations, when needed.

But in the physicality department, Diomande is stronger and much more agressive. But sometimes commits unnecessary fouls because of that.
 
Alright when we have the ball but what about when we are defending: what’s he like?
im skeptical about him because all I hear is that he’s a good passer and rarely injured. Sounds like a different defender who came from the Portuguese league and who can’t actually defend very well

Alex Telles / Victor Lindelof. There, I said it!
 
He defends well, he usually positions himself very well and is fast enough to recover passes to beyond his back. He plays in a team that usually concedes very few chances to the adversary (in some games, they barely get a chance to test the goal keeper, even from afar). Usually the team tries to recover the ball as soon as possible and still in the adversary midfield. In the rare games where our defence really had to work hard , like agains't Atalanta, he did well. He is tall and has a good build, but he's more about good positioning, anticipating the adversary moves and stealing the ball, than just trying to be physical. But he's not a pushover and wins several physical confrontations, when needed.

But in the physicality department, Diomande is stronger and much more agressive. But sometimes commits unnecessary fouls because of that.
So, it's about getting the new Lindelof or the new Bailly? :D
 
He defends well, he usually positions himself very well and is fast enough to recover passes to beyond his back. He plays in a team that usually concedes very few chances to the adversary (in some games, they barely get a chance to test the goal keeper, even from afar). Usually the team tries to recover the ball as soon as possible and still in the adversary midfield. In the rare games where our defence really had to work hard , like agains't Atalanta, he did well. He is tall and has a good build, but he's more about good positioning, anticipating the adversary moves and stealing the ball, than just trying to be physical. But he's not a pushover and wins several physical confrontations, when needed.

But in the physicality department, Diomande is stronger and much more agressive. But sometimes commits unnecessary fouls because of that.
Maybe it’s because I feel disenchanted because of Lindelof but nothing you’re saying is particularly grabbing me. I mean hoping the midfield win the ball back before he has to get involved. I think we’ve already seen that. I know, grumpy old man who hasn’t seen enough of him to be convinced
 
If we sign another CB for £50m I think I'm done with this club altogether. Watch far less than I used to and it's just one moronic transfer window after another, wasting a large chunk of our spend on a CB every year when we need better midfielders and an actual attack

Varane has left the club, Evans is ancient, Martinez has been out for most of the season while Maguire and Lindelof has 1 year left in their contract. We need 2 CBs especially if we're selling one between Maguire or Lindelof
 
Maybe it’s because I feel disenchanted because of Lindelof but nothing you’re saying is particularly grabbing me. I mean hoping the midfield win the ball back before he has to get involved. I think we’ve already seen that. I know, grumpy old man who hasn’t seen enough of him to be convinced

I think he's a better defender than Lindelof, no doubt about it. And he's very intelligent. If next season's Man Utd will be more dominant, with better pressing and with more ball circulation, he's the man to help make it happen. A center back that likes to have the ball and always find a solution for a pass. Has good vision and passing skill for those through balls, so even a more conter-attack minded Man Utd should benefit with him.
 
the kid is a good defender, he's young and will continue to learn. He's a solid ball playing CB which we don't have at the moment. you can't keep possession and be a possession based team if your CB's are shit on the ball
 
If we sign another CB for £50m I think I'm done with this club altogether. Watch far less than I used to and it's just one moronic transfer window after another, wasting a large chunk of our spend on a CB every year when we need better midfielders and an actual attack

As we have seen this season no defenders and we have been actual shite, decent defenders and we have played well. If we don't buy defenders who are you playing there?

We have:
Maguire
Martinez
Lindelof

I havent seen any sign we have young players who can come in, so not sure what your plan is?
 
We wouldn't be sacrificing anything mate imo. The altered shape would be a 352/3232 once someone like Inacio inverts, which would open up even more possibilities to connect and combine due to the stability the players at the back will potentially provide on the ball. Other teams who are setting the standards in the league setup in similar ways but you need to have a high technical floor to get things going and then back your technical players with pace and power.to control the game out of possession.

And as far as Inacio is concerned, he's a far superior player to Lindelof at the same age imo. He's better on the ball and he's arguably better defensively as well. And unlike Lindelof, Inacio seems to be aggressive when going into defensive duels, which might not be the best course of action at times. But he can be moulded because his fundamentals are strong, especially on the ball.

I'm not averse to an inverted full back, but I do think that the current team we have (all being fit, obviously) has a combination of Shaw-Rashford, Shaw-Garnacho that works in an attacking sense, while the right side is a couple of levels below that. If Shaw is either injured or deputising for an injured Martinez, it could well work having Inacio capable of deputising there and chance the balance of the team somewhat. I think Dalot is that player if both him and Shaw are at full back, he'll go into midfield and he's looked quite capable of doing so and Erik certainly likes him in that role.

Inacio could be a two-in-one type of deal then, if he can deputise for both Shaw and Martinez, and I think we cannot go into the new season expecting the pair of them to be fit throughout (I think Malacia would be best served by going out on loan, preferably at another Premier League team, maybe Leicester if Ole goes there).

Is there any reason to compare him to Lindelof? I would have thought he'd be much much much (much much) better in every regard, no?

But it's a hefty price tag - and for someone pivotal for Sporting, would he move without being an undisputed starter at United?
 
Maybe it’s because I feel disenchanted because of Lindelof but nothing you’re saying is particularly grabbing me. I mean hoping the midfield win the ball back before he has to get involved. I think we’ve already seen that. I know, grumpy old man who hasn’t seen enough of him to be convinced
Based on what he said, he would be great addition to improve the team and improve the squad depth of the left side defense. We missed proper ball playing like Martinez and Shaw on the left side all season, which affected our season. Since he said he’s fast enough to recover passes beyond his back means he also fits to play in high line.
 
I'm not averse to an inverted full back, but I do think that the current team we have (all being fit, obviously) has a combination of Shaw-Rashford, Shaw-Garnacho that works in an attacking sense, while the right side is a couple of levels below that. If Shaw is either injured or deputising for an injured Martinez, it could well work having Inacio capable of deputising there and chance the balance of the team somewhat. I think Dalot is that player if both him and Shaw are at full back, he'll go into midfield and he's looked quite capable of doing so and Erik certainly likes him in that role.

Inacio could be a two-in-one type of deal then, if he can deputise for both Shaw and Martinez, and I think we cannot go into the new season expecting the pair of them to be fit throughout (I think Malacia would be best served by going out on loan, preferably at another Premier League team, maybe Leicester if Ole goes there).

Is there any reason to compare him to Lindelof? I would have thought he'd be much much much (much much) better in every regard, no?

But it's a hefty price tag - and for someone pivotal for Sporting, would he move without being an undisputed starter at United?
I don't think he's like Lindelof at all.

It's been obvious for a while now that Inacio is very talented on the ball but the only way this move makes sense for us if he's utilised in the hybrid role because we have Martinez as the LCB, and if the plan was to buy Inacio then he surely must be utilised as the LB/LCB hybrid whilst also rotating with Martinez at LCB. I'm not sure it's a good idea to rely on Shaw on anymore, so I can see why signing a player at LB is probably seen as being important due how badly wee were effected on the left in the season just gone.
 
Wharton would cost more than them at the moment. We’ll need to wait a couple of years for it to come down to Eze and Olise amounts, assuming he keeps progressing as he is.
Wait? In two years time he's going to go for Declan Rice money. Maybe more. If we want to sign him, it has to be this summer.
 
We wouldn't be getting him cheap this summer. They'd want Rice money for him immediately.
You're probably right. Its already too late to sign him for any cut price deal. Best time to get him would have been at Blackburn. But he is a profile that we desperately need. Deep lying midfielder with great passing range. If we can't get him then we need to have players like that in our youth system.
 
Wait? In two years time he's going to go for Declan Rice money. Maybe more. If we want to sign him, it has to be this summer.

They simply won’t sell him at all this summer. As a selling club, they tend to sell players for reasonable prices once they have done a reasonable amount of time. If he becomes a top player, Palace know he is always going to leave them. However, leaving within 6 months is a hostile sale and in bas faith. After 3 years, they wouldn’t stand in his way.
 
You're probably right. Its already too late to sign him for any cut price deal. Best time to get him would have been at Blackburn. But he is a profile that we desperately need. Deep lying midfielder with great passing range. If we can't get him then we need to have players like that in our youth system.

We've a lot of excellent young midfielders but I'm not sure any of them are great with their long range passing. Can always be worked on of course but the modern focus has become more about manipulating the ball and one touch passing for midfielders. I'd love to see McAllister break through though, he's a workhorse with a bit of class too. Deluxe Tunnicliffe maybe.
 
We've a lot of excellent young midfielders but I'm not sure any of them are great with their long range passing. Can always be worked on of course but the modern focus has become more about manipulating the ball and one touch passing for midfielders. I'd love to see McAllister break through though, he's a workhorse with a bit of class too. Deluxe Tunnicliffe maybe.

We had one with Garner and got rid. So it doesnt seem to be what this manager is looking for in a young midfielder. Granted he did also sign a peak 20s player who can play long passes in Amrabat and Casemiro likes a long pass. But yeah the evidence from Garner is that long passes arent a big deal to him in a young player.
 
We had one with Garner and got rid. So it doesnt seem to be what this manager is looking for in a young midfielder. Granted he did also sign a peak 20s player who can play long passes in Amrabat and Casemiro likes a long pass. But yeah the evidence from Garner is that long passes arent a big deal to him in a young player.

I think Garner has improved an awful lot this year and is a very solid player but he's not of the required level for me. I do agree that he's a good long range passer though.
 
I’d prefer this guy over Branthwaite. But if we’re signing a CB from sporting it has to be Diomande.
 
Allt his tactical talkof inverted full backs, tactical shape,his great passing. he is a goodleft sided cb, which we dont need and for £50m wouldnt be my firste choice either....Its £50mthat doesnt improve our first eleven neither is it a huge upgrade on our current options inthe squad.

100% not a tansfer forour current needs, good player that shouldnt come here,we shouldnt sign and is a big dent in our budget.Glad we didnt sign the Fulham defender just wentto Chelsea just because he was free as no betterthan what wealready have, Inacio isbut not enough or the right position to warrant spending £50m
 
You're probably right. Its already too late to sign him for any cut price deal. Best time to get him would have been at Blackburn. But he is a profile that we desperately need. Deep lying midfielder with great passing range. If we can't get him then we need to have players like that in our youth system.
Apparently his younger brother Scott is showing even more promise at Blackburn. Snap him up
 
@Sly
@SCP
@SportingCP96

Can Inacio play as a CDM?

I've been looking at CB's that can play as CDM or vice versa and one of the names that put up is Inacio.

I feel like we will go for a CDM that can drop in and play as the third CB. In your view is he an all out CB, a CB that can play as a CDM or an inverted fullback that can play CDM?

@Acheron
@giorno

What's your opinion of Tchouameni - has he been good for real madrid to the point they will be defintely keeping him or is he potentially sellable say for example because Camavinga is better etc? Just interested because of him recently playing CB aswell whilst being a CDM.
 
@Sly
@SCP
@SportingCP96

Can Inacio play as a CDM?

I've been looking at CB's that can play as CDM or vice versa and one of the names that put up is Inacio.

I feel like we will go for a CDM that can drop in and play as the third CB. In your view is he an all out CB, a CB that can play as a CDM or an inverted fullback that can play CDM?

@Acheron
@giorno

What's your opinion of Tchouameni - has he been good for real madrid to the point they will be defintely keeping him or is he potentially sellable say for example because Camavinga is better etc? Just interested because of him recently playing CB aswell whilst being a CDM.

We need a specialist centre back as Varane is gone and Evans should not Ben starting. He needs to be right sided as well, as Martinez has the left hand side (and hopefully is over his injuries). My preference would be, in order, Antonio Silva, Todibo then Diomamde.

Tchouameni is not leaving Real.
 
I’ve not really seen him play but on paper it sounds like he’d be coming in so we can play 2 out of 3 of him, Martinez & Shaw. If he’s able to play both LCB and LB that’s a huge win with both Martinez & Shaws fitness history.
 
Can Inacio play as a CDM?

I've been looking at CB's that can play as CDM or vice versa and one of the names that put up is Inacio.

I feel like we will go for a CDM that can drop in and play as the third CB. In your view is he an all out CB, a CB that can play as a CDM or an inverted fullback that can play CDM?

Amorim played him as a CDM a couple times this season. He sees in Inacio the potential, due to his good position, passing skills and vision. But he's clearly a CB. In a 3 CB defence he can play in any side.