The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - The Mamas & Papas Edition

[elfy]

Presumably that rules out the likes of Coutihno.

I read a media report the other day (so, obviously salt) that the cost of a loan for the season was £27m. Definite non starter!

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Lamela out and Eze or Brooks in would be good business. I love Lamela but we need more end product from his position, and could really use with a player whose fitness is more reliable as well. Eze or Brooks would provide us with the Lo Celso alternative we currently lack.

spot on. and thanks as always for the ITK @Hercules
I like Lamela but we need a player who we can reply on throughout the season. If he's now over his injuries 100% finally then he's a great lad and would be handy for us but would equally be happy if he was replaced by Eze or Brooks as we re-build/overhaul the squad.

 

[Metalhead]

I don’t like this term “Levy signing”. I believe it to be misleading. I am quite certain that he has never signed a player solely off his own bat, without the say so of chief scouts, youth coaches, managers, or DoFs - or all of them. Rather, we should refer to such signings as something like “club signings”. They might not be the manager’s choice or bought to be instant first team players but the football department generally will still have made the call. At most, I reckon Levy might sometimes ask any of the aforementioned what their opinion is of such a player (either because he likes that player, has been told good things about that player or because he has been offered that player).

Also, the idea that Levy buys a player because that player “would have sell on value” also misses the mark somewhat, IMO. Rather, he understandably likes the idea of signing future stars when they are still comparatively cheap - first and foremost because that is our most likely route to having star players in the team. The fact that they will have a good sell on value in the event that they leave is only a secondary consideration.

Eze is potentially a future star, perhaps at the level of a Grealish of Maddison. If Jose can find a place for him often enough; if he takes to Premier League football as quickly as Dele, for instance; and if his signing doesn’t prevent Jose from signing key players that he wants; then I’m all for yet another “club signing”.

It wasn’t a criticism of DL - his job is to maximise revenue potential for the club and the ITK said that he likes the deal. Quite happy to label it a club friendly signing though.

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

I read a media report the other day (so, obviously salt) that the cost of a loan for the season was £27m. Definite non starter!

Probably includes add ins for league and cup success and obviously salary as well. I am not sure if the £27m is therefore too expensive?

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Yes, let's talk about that.

 

[wrd]

Selling Lamela would make logical sense given where he is in his contract and age. Be a shame as I like him though.

 

[PrettyColors]

I think Lamela looked pretty bright under Mourinho, and was actually impactful off the bench. I wouldn’t be heartbroken to sell him but the tenacity and defensive contribution he provides should not be taken lightly; Eze and Brooks are a) more wing than central players at this stage and b)have a long way to go to match that physicality and pressing.

Plus Lamela lives for a Europa League match, I think unless a great fee comes in we should keep him.

 

[Japhet]

Much as I like Lamela's attitude, I've always found him frustrating to watch. I'd be OK with selling him given his age and output and get some money to reinvest. We have quite a bit of bite now with GLC and probably Hojbjerg so if the financials stack up I'd let him go, preferably back to Italy.

 

[sausage]

Lamela, imo, offers something 'different' in his tenacity and aggression. Bring him on at the end of the match you're losing and you know he's got a good chance of making something happen imo. I can see why Mourinho would want to keep him, and I can't think of anyone we still have that, as Mou says, is a "stunt" on the pitch (maybe GLC). Word adapted for obvious reasons.

 

[brendanb50]

Lamela, imo, offers something 'different' in his tenacity and aggression. Bring him on at the end of the match you're losing and you know he's got a good chance of making something happen imo. I can see why Mourinho would want to keep him, and I can't think of anyone we still have that, as Mou says, is a "stunt" on the pitch (maybe GLC). Word adapted for obvious reasons.

This is my view. He offers something we just don't see from a good number of the players. For me, this is an upgrade option, i'd be reluctant to lose him without someone coming in who is measurably better in terms of injuries and output.

 

[wrd]

Lamela, imo, offers something 'different' in his tenacity and aggression. Bring him on at the end of the match you're losing and you know he's got a good chance of making something happen imo. I can see why Mourinho would want to keep him, and I can't think of anyone we still have that, as Mou says, is a "stunt" on the pitch (maybe GLC). Word adapted for obvious reasons.

Yeah, as I say I like him. I love his tenacity but just going on the last ITK I wouldn't be surprised or upset if he did move on just because this is going to likely be the last season we can properly cash in. I think his contract is done in 2022. If he stays 1 more season then we enter that final 12 month area where the fee sucks. If we signs a new deal then he'll be with us through his peak and so we'll never properly cash in unless we do so now. Depends what we'd do with the money I guess.

 

[snakehipsspurs]

If Herc is saying Jose isn’t 100% sold on Eze over his own targets, and he’s not also not 100% on selling Lamela, is there a chance they’re linked? As in Jose would be okay getting Eze if he could get who he wants too, but the only way to facilitate that is losing Lamela?

If we did shift Lamela and used his fee to bring in someone like Eze, then sign one of the wingers on a free (Willian/Fraser) we could really transform our attack and it would give us much more dynamism and options to switch from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2.

I love Lamela, I think he’s a proper bastard and gives everything for the shirt, but we can get lots of bastard out of Lucas/Dele/PEH/GLC and even Harry to make up for him leaving.

 

[rawhide]

I thought there was news which is why I couldn’t get on to SC!

Funtime Friday, I thought.

No, just a host error...

 

[Hercules]

Eze: I read in forum we weren’t really in for him. Well we were! Josè Mourinho obviously does not share the appetite of scouts and DL, which was a deal up his street. We 100% were seriously in for him. And had Poch stayed, would of been a ‘done deal’ as he liked him a lot. We just have to trust Josè here.

 

[rawhide]

Eze: I read in forum we weren’t really in for him. Well we were! Josè Mourinho obviously does not share the appetite of scouts and DL, which was a deal up his street. We 100% were seriously in for him. And had Poch stayed, would of been a ‘done deal’ as he liked him a lot. We just have to trust Josè here.

Thanks Herc - I’ve posted it in the Eze thread too, hope that’s ok. If not let me know & I’ll delete.

 

[mark87]

Wonder what it is Jose doesn't like about him.

 

[Bulletspur]

Eze: I read in forum we weren’t really in for him. Well we were! Josè Mourinho obviously does not share the appetite of scouts and DL, which was a deal up his street. We 100% were seriously in for him. And had Poch stayed, would of been a ‘done deal’ as he liked him a lot. We just have to trust Josè here.

This was my of thinking as well as Poch was the one who was interested in Eze, and as we know, Jose does not like flair.

 

[Hercules]

Thanks Herc - I’ve posted it in the Eze thread too, hope that’s ok. If not let me know & I’ll delete.

Please DELETE IT!!! Like my stuff staying here under the auspices

 

[tony0379]

Eze: I read in forum we weren’t really in for him. Well we were! Josè Mourinho obviously does not share the appetite of scouts and DL, which was a deal up his street. We 100% were seriously in for him. And had Poch stayed, would of been a ‘done deal’ as he liked him a lot. We just have to trust Josè here.

Hopefully he's got an alternative lined up, whic Levy is happy paying for

 

[Cochise]

Some ITK accredited to Dragon is in the N'Dombele thread but not in here.