Jarrad Branthwaite

VP89 said:
We will play one of the three midfielders in an advanced midfield position. Zirkzee Bruno and Mount can all do that. Casemiro is probably better as an 8 too. I'd argue Bruno is a capable 8 if needed on top.
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Completely disagree that Casemiro is better as an 8, he can’t come close to taking the ball on the turn even if he’s decent in the opposition box. Mainoo is literally the only “connective” 8 we have as even Bruno struggles more at that position where his dribbling issues become more apparent and he can’t be as creative.

My hope is the McT/Fofana deals go through as the latter would provide another natural option to Mainoo. Feels like those two deals are related so we’ll see.
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
Completely disagree that Casemiro is better as an 8, he can’t come close to taking the ball on the turn even if he’s decent in the opposition box. Mainoo is literally the only “connective” 8 we have as even Bruno struggles more at that position where his dribbling issues become more apparent and he can’t be as creative.

My hope is the McT/Fofana deals go through as the latter would provide another natural option to Mainoo. Feels like those two deals are related so we’ll see.
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Bruno has proven time and time again to be a very capable 8. Casemiro is also still useful in that role moreso than an isolated 6. I'd also argue Mount is a very good connector in that 8 role if called upon. We certainly have options. Fofana doesn't look like he'd add any more value as an 8 than what we've seen from Bruno and Mount at least.

We certainly have options if we sell McT for Ugarte, that's for sure.
 
VP89 said:
Bruno has proven time and time again to be a very capable 8. Casemiro is also still useful in that role moreso than an isolated 6. I'd also argue Mount is a very good connector in that 8 role if called upon. We certainly have options. Fofana doesn't look like he'd add any more value as an 8 than what we've seen from Bruno and Mount at least.

We certainly have options if we sell McT for Ugarte, that's for sure.
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You and I see football very differently then I’m not in the mood to argue this.

We can circle back when Mainoo has to miss time and I’m watching Ugarte and Casemiro treat the ball like a bomb when pressed and our forwards are struggling to ever get on the ball if it happens. Fielding a midfield 3 of players that struggle to dribble or carry the ball at all is a recipe for disaster. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
You and I see football very differently then I’m not in the mood to argue this.

We can circle back when Mainoo has to miss time and I’m watching Ugarte and Casemiro treat the ball like a bomb when pressed and our forwards are struggling to ever get on the ball if it happens. Fielding a midfield 3 of players that struggle to dribble or carry the ball at all is a recipe for disaster. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.
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Sure, we don't need to go to deep into it. I don't think Casemiro and Ugarte would play together in that situation. It would be a Bruno/Mount 8, Ugarte 6 and Zirkzee 10.
 
VP89 said:
Collyer Ugarte Casemiro all for the 6 is enough, you then have Mount, Mainoo, Bruno / Zirkzee for the other 2 positions. Doubt we need more.
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Zirkzee is either WF or a 9, shouldn’t be counted as midfielder - he’s a forward
 
VP89 said:
He isn't really a 9, in his own words.
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I don’t mean like classic #9 but rather the way we have tried Sancho and Bruno a sort of false 9.

Either way he looks a lot more like forward than a midfielder or #10
 
Enigma_87 said:
I don’t mean like classic #9 but rather the way we have tried Sancho and Bruno a sort of false 9.

Either way he looks a lot more like forward than a midfielder or #10
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Yeah, a 9.5 if you will. It depends on the system but Ten Hag will have plenty of options in midfield if he has Collyer, Ugarte, Casemiro, Mainoo, Mount, Bruno + Zirkzee as a more advanced option. It's actually a wealth of options, with only Casemiro really looking like he wont have the legs over a prolonged period.

Back to my point - it gives more options in midfield than it does at CB. This is because we are still one injury away as it stands from turning back to Maguire at CB. Maguire isn't bad but I feel we have more injury concerns at CB with Yorro out for 3 months, Maguire having fitness issues, De Ligt/Martinez coming back off a season with injury too etc.
 
I'd want a joao neves or de jong type midfielder before a 4th centre back too. He needs gametime and i wouldn't expect him to get loads, if he does it would probably be at the cost of Yoro.
60m would go too far elsewhere and theres no indication they'd accept, quite the opposite.
Theres the left back argument but I dont know why you wouldn't just buy a left back. Neither he or Martinez look that suited to it. You could probably get a better full back for half the price.
 
Ish said:
Yeah, would give us “city” type options at the back, especially with the inverted CB/LB hybrid nonsense like Ake/Gvardiol has been deployed. Martinez & Branthwaite could both fill that role down the left.

Anyway, with how tight PSR and cash is, and how we’re struggling to shift our existing players, I don’t see this happening. Next signing has to be a DM.
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I don’t think PSR is tight at all. I think it was until June 30th but isn’t anymore. Not even a little. On the other hand, I think cash is tight to some degree (although we have plenty of credit available), but most likely is that our own internal limits on wage and transfer expenditure to revenue ratios are getting tight, and the reality of existing transfer debt and amortised transfer fees schedules are being considered.

I think Ineos isn’t just running the club with a mind to make better recruitment decisions and bring more success on the field, but also to make it a more sustainably profitable company by curbing the preposterously reckless spending (on mostly shite) over the last decade. We have a reputation for being a soft touch and over paying, and in one window Ineos has completely changed the narrative over not only the type of budget we are working with, but also the sort of fees we are unwilling to pay, as well as being prepared to walk away from overpriced deals. It’s quite brilliant, and I think driven more by our own internal controls and strategic thinking, than it is by any real cash or PSR concerns.
 
Steve 007 said:
I can’t understand why people want this? We aren’t chelsea do we need to have 4 centre backs competing for two positions when we cannot shift Maguire and Lindelof and we already have Evan’s. Shaw can also step in.
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If we can shift Lindelof and Maguire then yes sign him. Sounds like Lindelof is gone and rumours Maguire may consider his position

Its not a priority though and midfield signings are essential.
Also none of Lindelof or Maguire can play the way we want.

Regarding having 4 CBs both title favourites City and Arsenal do
 
simonhch said:
I don’t think PSR is tight at all. I think it was until June 30th but isn’t anymore. Not even a little. On the other hand, I think cash is tight to some degree (although we have plenty of credit available), but most likely is that our own internal limits on wage and transfer expenditure to revenue ratios are getting tight, and the reality of existing transfer debt and amortised transfer fees schedules are being considered.

I think Ineos isn’t just running the club with a mind to make better recruitment decisions and bring more success on the field, but also to make it a more sustainably profitable company by curbing the preposterously reckless spending (on mostly shite) over the last decade. We have a reputation for being a soft touch and over paying, and in one window Ineos has completely changed the narrative over not only the type of budget we are working with, but also the sort of fees we are unwilling to pay, as well as being prepared to walk away from overpriced deals. It’s quite brilliant, and I think driven more by our own internal controls and strategic thinking, than it is by any real cash or PSR concerns.
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Sound point, yeah. Tbf, I’m not fully up to date with PSR and its workings. Only on what I’ve read on here and the entire narrative of having around a £100m budget going into the summer and thus needing to sell to buy, if we wanted to spend more. So I’ve based it mostly on that assumption.

You’re spot on and I’ve loved what Ineos are doing. After years and years of us being a joke with no real transfer strategy and paying over the odds for big name players who either didn’t want to be here or on the decline, it’s been a breathe of fresh air recently.
 
crossy1686 said:
This is probably dead now, but I expect us to come back in next summer. Everton will budge at some point once they realise he won’t sign a new contract.
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I think that was our plan anyway. Keep him one more season, and hoping he plays well again so there is a bidding war.
 
We already have 3 top CBs, getting 4 when we have other holes is moronic.

Get a young versatile CB/LB option next season on the cheap.
 
Highfather_24 said:
We already have 3 top CBs, getting 4 when we have other holes is moronic.

Get a young versatile CB/LB option next season on the cheap.
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If we keep Maguire we have four good options. Don’t thinl many teams have better depth than that, and with Martinez and De Ligt/Yoro, our starters are potentially top quality.
 
Don't think he's needed anymore (and was never a fan): we got two defenders for less than he would have cost
 
SilentWitness said:
I think that was our plan anyway. Keep him one more season, and hoping he plays well again so there is a bidding war.
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Yes, it seems Everton really need him to stay this season, and maybe if he continues on upward trajectory, there could be competition for his signature next summer.
 
Let him stay 1 more season. Will be easier to buy from the Championship. And they will have spent a year paying him increased wages, unless a £60m player doesn't deserve a pay raise?
 
I'd look to cash in before the end of the window. Same with DCL who looked disinterested and isn't going to risk injury after christmas for them. They desperately need reinforcements. They probably need to have enough money stashed away to sack Dyche that could easily get toxic pretty fast
Newcastle are offering decent money for Guehi and need a cb a lot more after today. I'd straight up offer him to them and drop the silly opening price.
 
People still thinking we will be in for him are crazy, as of today we have Licha, De Ligt, Yoro as starters also have a solid back up in Maguire plus we have Evans and Lindelof. Thats 6 CBs, for 2 positions. As soon as we signed De Ligt this ship has sailed. Luckily for us as I dont think he's worth was Everton is asking for.

We dont have infinite funds and have way more pressing needs in midfield and LB before thinking about CB again.
 
Can imagine Everton fans will be delighted that their bitter local rivals rate one of their players so highly. No way Liverpool try to get him on the cheap, no sir.
 
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