Torres/Varane would be infinitely better than Maguire Lindelof that's for sure.
Pau Torres
- Thread starter Bebestation
- Start date
Torres is a good defender but he's too slow and not physical enough for us. We need to buy defenders who can comfortably defend from halfway against pace. I am not sure Torres is that.
Torres is better than what we have but that shouldn't be enough. We should be investing in fast, strong, centre backs who are competent with the ball. We are not Man City. We don't have so much or the ball and so much midfield dominance that we can afford to have Torres at centre back.
If we buy Torres it'll be another example of buying a good player, without properly considering the system and circumstances we expect them to play in.
Torres is better than what we have but that shouldn't be enough. We should be investing in fast, strong, centre backs who are competent with the ball. We are not Man City. We don't have so much or the ball and so much midfield dominance that we can afford to have Torres at centre back.
If we buy Torres it'll be another example of buying a good player, without properly considering the system and circumstances we expect them to play in.
Large sum of money for a position which we could clearly do with improving upon, feels like a second tier priority. I’d rather our big spending be in central midfield.
The key point though is that if ETH sets us up to play like his Ajax side, we'll be arguably more like City than any other side in the league. Their possession stats would be second only to City in this league if transferred across.
There's no point in buying for the team we are right now when we know that's going to immediately change. We're buying to for the team ETH is looking to build, a manager who currently opts for two 5ft 10 CBs such is the emphasis he places on ability on the ball. He's not going to do that in the PL I'm sure but it's very clear in which direction the emphasis in defense is going to shift.
You start buying City-like defenders before you become a City-like defence, not after.
I actually think it is the opposite. If we buy Torres it will be due to him being what EtH feel we lack to successfully implement his systen.
We heard similar last summer. Varane can't stay fit for two games in a row.
Well yes i'm talking ideals here but his durability is an issue.
So we're lacking physicality and looking to sign a pretty passive defender? Hmm ok
I was very impressed by him in the two CL matches against us.
Good positioning, good tackles, very good passing, incredibly calm on the ball. He would 100% fit perfectly in a ETH team.
Good positioning, good tackles, very good passing, incredibly calm on the ball. He would 100% fit perfectly in a ETH team.
He's also a beautiful, beautiful man. Hard to tell how he'd adapt out side of an Emery system, but as far as progressive ball playing CBs are, he's always looked amazing in possession.
Pretty sure Villareal will need the cash, so we could do a bit of account buffing for them that all the other european clubs do, with Bailly going the other way - everyone's happy.
Pretty sure Villareal will need the cash, so we could do a bit of account buffing for them that all the other european clubs do, with Bailly going the other way - everyone's happy.
If there’s a potential for a player + cash offer, then the player will always have to be Maguire.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, didn't expect Varane to miss so many games. Genuinely think Ole rushing him back from that first injury played a part in things.
Yeh think Ole was in Putins ear too. What a bastard…
He doesn't even play for Spain. Eric Garcia plays ahead of him. PASS.
Pretty boy defender, we need grit and ugliness.
Yeah like that young Harry Maguire fella', he will sort us out.
Yeah true, it's not that I don't rate Varane he's obviously a good player but his injury record is becoming very worrying.
Bailly + 6m euros, I think it's fair.
When I look at the way Ajax's defence plays under ETH and compare it to ours, the gulf in technical ability and tactical awareness is the obvious issue, not a lack of whatever "ugliness" is.
Unless ETH radically changes the way he plays, our requirements in defence are likely shifting towards being "pretty" on the ball and keeping possession as the first and foremost line of defence.
We need a left foot one. It will help a lot for our build up play especially for ETH system.
It wouldn't surprise me if ten Hag goes ahead and signs Timber. Timber is good on the ball but is also comfortable on either foot, as well being aggressive and explosive over the first few yards.
But for me the #1 left footed CB signing should be Josko Gvardiol. He's a rolls royce on the ball, both at passing and dribbling out of the defence. And also provides a aggressiveness that is missing, along with a turn of pace over the first few yards.
So what we need is a pair of CBs who provide a solid base in a high line if we're to transition into a team that has ambitions to play the game in the opponents half, which ten Hag wlll look to work towards. So the CBs in defensive transition will have to go body to body with the opposing attackers in a high line to maintain the squeeze on the opponent. But they'll also have to provide play making ability when the team is in possession, so for me Gvardiol would be the pick of the bunch. He's still very young but i'd personally be more excited if we signed him than Nkunku from RB Leipzig. And the reason I say that is due to my belief that the two CBs, two fullbacks and deeper midfielders, being of absolute paramount importance to a head coach who wants to work towards creating a proactive attacking team where everyone attacks and everyone defends with high tempo/high intensity. So the aforementioned positions create a platform/foundation for the forwards to then thrive in offensive transition and also effectively press high. And you can't effectively press high if the players behind you aren't strong in 'rest defence' which is to stay tight to the the opponent's most advanced attackers.
But for me the #1 left footed CB signing should be Josko Gvardiol. He's a rolls royce on the ball, both at passing and dribbling out of the defence. And also provides a aggressiveness that is missing, along with a turn of pace over the first few yards.
So what we need is a pair of CBs who provide a solid base in a high line if we're to transition into a team that has ambitions to play the game in the opponents half, which ten Hag wlll look to work towards. So the CBs in defensive transition will have to go body to body with the opposing attackers in a high line to maintain the squeeze on the opponent. But they'll also have to provide play making ability when the team is in possession, so for me Gvardiol would be the pick of the bunch. He's still very young but i'd personally be more excited if we signed him than Nkunku from RB Leipzig. And the reason I say that is due to my belief that the two CBs, two fullbacks and deeper midfielders, being of absolute paramount importance to a head coach who wants to work towards creating a proactive attacking team where everyone attacks and everyone defends with high tempo/high intensity. So the aforementioned positions create a platform/foundation for the forwards to then thrive in offensive transition and also effectively press high. And you can't effectively press high if the players behind you aren't strong in 'rest defence' which is to stay tight to the the opponent's most advanced attackers.
Another great post but doesn't timber's short height create problems in such a league that puts so much emphasis on crosses and aerial threats ?
I agree.
I want either Gvardiol or Torres.
Gvardiol is very young so i think I prefer him by a tiny bit.
For me, as great as the defenders are that are available- I'm just not going to be happy buying another right footed CB whether they are ambidextrous or not.
I just feel like if it's time to buy a defender then let's buy the best left footed one we can buy.
We need to open our mind a bit and realise that we might need to play 3 at the back occasionally or regularly and a left footed CB can be very useful in providing a balance.
I'd have Gvardiol over nkunku too (whilst I do want a false 9 in our squad aswell).
I think there's every chance Timber will come in and play at RB.
Ok than my objections are moot but surely he's too short to be good lcb for the premier league?
(I know some of the past greats like the majestic barressi weren't exactly the tallest but they usually had a great leap in them to compensate for it plus their great reading of the game)
If we are going to sign a centre back this would be the one for me, very good player. I hope there's enough money left to strengthen the other positions though.
He's certainly on the short side. As you say, that's not necessarily a problem if you have a decent leap (see Puyol, Cannavaro etc). Timber has only won 50% of his aerial duels in the Champions League this season, a stat that is well-below the minimum you'd want for a CB, but he's young and should improve in that regard (as Pau Torres has done in the last few years).
Your definitely correct, he can improve though his height is still a big hindrance compared to Torres who is rather tall.
He'll make a cracking rb for us i just won't trust him in the center of the defense.
Tell me you haven't watched him without telling me you haven't watched him.
Torres is certainly not slow, far from it.
There's concerns about his height which I can understand in relation to the EPL. But i'm of the opinion that we'd probably concede less goals with someone like Timber due to him being quick, nimble and good on the ball, rather than what we're seeing currently. I think if we concentrate on creating a attacking identity, then we'll concede less goals by default due to controlling both offensive and defensive transitions. But for that we need players of a certain technical ability, as well those players having the correct attributes to help us achieve those goals.
You'd have to expect Gvardiol would be one of the first names Rangnick recommends to the board/ten Hag.
Amen to that.
Fair assessment, his partner would surely have to take the aerial burden of his shoulder in that case.
Hopefully with hag coming in we build a stable and fruitful defensive line up for it to last long.
I think signing someone like him probably makes most sense for us for next season due to his ability to play in multiple positions and our need to prioritise other positions like midfield and forward roles.
But my #1 choice is Josko Gvardiol.
I haven't seen enough of Leipzig this season to make a decent evaluation of him but everyone is singing his praise so I'll watch their remaining europa league intently .
We definitely could do well with players who are comfortable playing several positions, kounde being another, though he isn't as technically sound as the names you've already mentioned .
He's not very good and would get badly exposed in the premier league. No thanks.
Maguire is not moting to Villareal.
He is the least gritty player I know so I guess not.
I have probably watched too much La Liga for my liking and one thing is for sure he is neither athletic or physical but he is better than what we have. I just give up on this shit, the club is cursed when it comes to players. We could sign prime Maldini and Baresi and they would become the chuckle brothers v 2.0
Last edited: