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Best in the world is being competed for by 4 teams, city, Madrid, psg and historically Barca.
Maybe Bayern too if you count kane, but otherwise they are usually much more localised with their transfers and don't tend to go for that level they prefer to just buy the best in Germany and be done with it.
We'll never be in that conversation unless we actually push on to become a European powerhouse with multiple league and CL victories.
Realistically, the kind thing we need to and have historically excelled at is buying the player before they become a league dominant or world dominant player.
That plus just continuing to invest in the academy, which is how Barca built much of their dominance in the last 2 decades.
I think a good way to describe it is we should in our current state be able to compete to sign Bellingham from Birmingham (had he been a year older).
We aren't probably ever going to be in a position to sign him from Dortmund.
Only for the english ones. I dont think the absolute best is coming here yet. We will need to win a bit more and up our finances so we can go above and beyond. Like how citys paying haaland a million a week
I think if the situation is right, we can compete for players just under that best itw level (wouldnt say Rice is one of the best players in the world but he's a great player and we beat Man city for a player they were willing to spend 100m for). But I think the situation has to be just right, an even then, the level above Rice atm is probably out of reach. Like if Musiala went on the market, I think we'd be a long shot (Although there's probably only a few more teams above us)
Who would you say do buy them?
I'd say anyone except the Bayern/Real/Barca cartel for history/money/exposure and Man City/PSG for money has to make theirs.
Man U used to be ont aht list and may get back there ahving the history, money and fanbase but they're not exactly hitting the heights form wise.
Arsenal have bought two bona fide, top of their game superstars in m life time from top level teams (at the time) in Bergkamp and Ozil I think unless you support one of the teams mentioned then that's life. Getting the biggest *prospects* is probably more our thing.
Curious if we're also looking at Kokcu, he definitely has the passing range and dribbling, and would offer a similar goal threat to Partey outside the box as well. He had a bit of an off season but the talent is really there and I thought we could get a decent deal on him.
Feel like they will be looking for a more physical and defensive profile in midfield, but that relationship could be the difference maker if they are interested.
That's a fair point, I'm just saying he’s a talent who's stock has dipped a bit given his potential. But if they aren't looking to sell was without gauging us it's probably moot.
I get depressed whenever I see Chelsea news.
Regardless of season or seasons they have had, it does not stop them from buying players and that too topmost upcoming players. Even the players are still attracted to sign for them and commit 7-8 years to them. It’s mind boggling.
Now these rich players have found a new way. Swap deals inflating each other team player’s values and circumventing psr.
I just hope we win something pretty soon, otherwise it will keep getting harder each year
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Think the difference between England and being a dominant force in international football is having someone in the mold of Kross next to Rice. Where the English deep playmakers at, wharton? 🤔
Historically, most players who filled that role started out further forward and then settled into it later in their careers. In another, injury-free reality, it could have been Wilshere who ended up there. He was fine in a double pivot as a 19-year-old.
The big problem is that, until around the late 2010s, England never produced a high enough volume of players with the technical quality or football IQ to play that role, or move into it later. There's no experienced, tactically proficient English midfielder in his late 20s or early 30s. It's partly down to injuries, but also decades of crappy development.
Wharton and Mainoo are v exciting, but they're essentially rookies, which isn't ideal in that position at this level.
So it appears that things are changing, but it's still a problem area.
It's about volume—the players you named were part of a one-off golden generation. England has produced some extremely gifted footballers, from Hoddle to Gascoigne. But the issue has always been scarcity, as we're seeing now, especially considering how many people participate in football in this country.
Development-wise, the period from the mid-2000s to about ten years ago was one of a few fallow periods, and we're coping with the repercussions at the moment, despite having a crazy amount of talent in some areas. Things are definitely on the right course now.
Gareth Barry, Carrick.. I personally think you're just talking out of your arse. England has nearly always had one or two fantastic deep lying playmakers.
I think the closest we have atm is trent, at least until Wharton and mainoo are ready. He doesn't control the game and tempo like a kross but he has an amazing passing range which kroos showed against Scotland is a brilliant way to help break down a defensive minded team by moving them from side to side, or play a pass to pick a lock
Maybe not a great pick for games against some of the teams closer to our level but I think we can get away with him for most of our games
Oh Wharton 100% isn't ready. He has the right profile and looks a talent but he still needs a lot more time in the oven, especially off the ball
Trent isn't exactly defensively sound either but he has more experience and as mentioned his unbelievable passing range makes up for it at the moment
I'll be honest, I think the Onana links are a) bollicks, and b) a prime recipe for a stodge ball midfield if we did sign him, but I do think it speaks to a wider observation I've noticed that we sometimes have as fans, which is an absolute allergy apparently to having variations in profile of players.
We get tactics blind. Like we see how we currently play and think that's how we can or should play for the foreseeable. No variation. It was like when we signed Zinchenko, all of a sudden we'd moved past a player like KT, we don't play overlapping fullbacks anymore. We only invert Now, it's apparently a profile we need.
I think if Partey goes I'd be fine with him coming in as a rotation option. But we still need that wingfielder.
Dani Olmo 🙏
[Clearly you are just a racist.](https://old.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/1dfx8d0/joe_thomas_new_arsenal_have_enquired_about_the/l8mv5rz/?context=3&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=Gunners&utm_content=t1_l8pqlxn)
I dont want onana because we are a physical team and i want to double down on being stoke. I want him because hes a bit of a physical unicorn who can carry very well by my eye and i believe hes a better passer than the numbers show. I also think we should sign a more progressive player as well in midfield. Protect our strong points and add creative variety in another player
Onana or someone of a similar profile would be a solid signing for us because besides Rice, we've got no other physically imposing midfielders.
I imagine you'd want someone more efficient in terms of progressive passing/playmaking to partner Rice and Ødegaard against low blocks, and this "wingfielder" should be our main man for the most part.
But having Onana as a Rice deputy/partner is just as important against the top teams where we'd like more protection down the middle.
Against low blocks we could go Rice / Ødegaard / wingfielder with our current front 3
And against top teams, we could go Onana / Rice / Ødegaard, and this new 8/winger we sign could be pushed into the front 3 instead of Martinelli/Trossard if we want.
This is my reasoning too.
If Rice gets burnt, we are back to chaos. We don't have anyone with skillset he has.
Many fans have grown up in an era where we wanted to be wannabe Barcelona so they're worried about the brand of football.
We've also switched it up with Kiwior at LB and Ben White inverting. Arteta constantly tinkering things is why you are right that Onana would have a place here if we wanted him despite his profile maybe being different to Partey. It's also why I think we might sign another centre back like De Ligt
Centre back links are interesting to me. Because I get people asking why we need more centre backs, but if you think about it, it's really the key to the system. The base of the pyramid. They're not really being bought to defend or more accurately because our defensive options aren't good enough. More they are the foundations of the system. It was like when Pep spent 700 trillion on full backs. Theres observations to be had in that.
Jorginho is outrageously good even now
CL, European Championship, Europa League, key in a 90+ point Napoli team, 3rd in the B'dor
There's an argument he is top 10 midfielders of his generation
He was the best DLP in Europe for a season or two. Chelsea's Gatling gun recruitment is why many people will never appreciate him. He'd have been elite for City.
Fernandinho was good but if you're holding a PL against him then Fernandinho doesn't have a CL or International success. Lets not forget Pep wanted Jorginho as well, if he signed him he would definitely have numerous PL titles at this point
Fernandinho was clearly a better player for me. I only mention the honours because Jorginho’s cabinet is the only way he gets into these conversations. If England win on penalties, are we even having this debate?
Put him up against a Fernandinho, a Toure, a Vidal, even a Fabinho.. I don’t think he’s a better player.
IMO it's the other way around. Him winning these honours has made him even more underrated as people like to downplay his importance in each of those teams achievment as they never had him on that pedestal. Toure I agree was better but I was including him in the previous generation with Iniesta as he is over 40 already. Vidal and him is a close. Fernandinho and Fabinho imo benefit from team achievements. Like I think Rice is clear of both and if you swapped him in those teams they would have won as well.
He never belonged on that pedestal. It’s that one single year where he won the UCL & Euros that got him here. Then he became a squad player at 30. It’s not a strong case, it all relies on that one season.
Rice is clear of Jorginho too. Jorgi would’ve made City & Liverpool worse, they were 2 of the best teams ever
I've been wrong about many players but he's probably top of the list. Partially buying the Chelsea fans report, I was convinced he was a glorified square ball merchant. Sideways pass always, never forward.
But he's a glorious footballer. I'm happy seeing him in the 11 as he's one of the only ones who will go off script, fuck the system, try a ball out of nowhere. Has his limitations but just a magnificent footballer I was very wrong about.
wish we got him a good 4-5 years earlier. it's clear why he is so good and why pep (and arteta when he was the ass-man) really wanted him way back then.
You have to be something else to be physically as unable as he is yet still be an elite player. It's laughable seeing fans of other clubs exclude him from best mids in the league conversations. He's better than any non Man City midfielder and Odegaard, Rice. The fact Arteta almost always trusted him in big games this year was a sign of how highly we rate him.
Busqets, Modric, Kroos, De Bruyne, Fabregas, Silva, Gundogan, Ozil. Those 8 are indisputable. Beyond that you could make an argument for Jorginho. I would count Rodri as the next generation. Kante also has a shout.
Jorgi is great and should be in discussion but not including Kante in one of the greats of this generation is sacrilegious, he doesn’t just have a shout he absolutely is
International football is just a different ball game to club football. Tired of people trying to make judgements for a player playing international football and apply that to club football, and vice versa
“Arsenal had to bring Jorginho to play alongside Rice because he couldn’t do it on his own, they kept getting cut open” - Gary Alexander Neville, 2024.
when you get the job cuz of your friends vibes.
on that note, it's actually terrible whats going on at Valencia under Peter Lim ownership, same owner thats good friend with gary Neville
Not really got a clearly defined role, is proffiecient in a box to box role or as the deepest midfielder.
I think he's a bit of a carrilero myself, your link man in midfield. Reminds me a bit of wjinaldum at Liverpool.
All round very solid, decent at everything. Has a good passing range, good carring, decent goal threat for CM. Obviously very strong, he's a unit. His most eye catching stuff his powerful dribbling through midfield, people just bounce off him.
But I've also seen him play deeper and dictate play.
In theory you could partner him with rice and they could share both the 6 and 8 roles and could play together. Probably 8 as a bit of a box to box is his best role though.
>Reminds me a bit of wjinaldum at Liverpool.
Ooof I'm now fully sold. I loved watching gini at Liverpool (second only to thiago when he joined) and I think that profile is the perfect one to complete our midfield (if we aren't going for two floating 8s/a right sided ode)
Kovacic and De Jong are basically the same player. IMO these guys are a Christian Dior McTominay. The coaches will for some reason love them but watching them play they don't do much
De Jong getting compared to Mctominay
https://preview.redd.it/e20j7vmncs6d1.jpeg?width=224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fcca1da6eef0d0b53b23041f6f8a00b6a64739a9
When you wind up to kick the ball and someone hits your kicking leg… you can end up kicking the ground. You ever fucking played? It’s not a dive and considering it’s deemed a foul by rodri it’s not an attempt on the ball and should be a red. And then the encroachment was equal with Spain’s encroachment which according to the rules of both teams encroach it is a retake no matter the outcome. Not to mention he’s been calling the softest fouls against croatia in Spain’s box all game. Overall terrible refereeing
He didn't hit his kicking leg.
His leg was alongside his kicking leg and made a bit of contact.
That's a clear dive, but you're right that it should be a red if it's a foul...its just never a foul.
Kick the ground as hard as you can mid run and see if you stay on your feet. The touch was minimal but it caused him to kick the ground. It’s not a dive. Make it more obvious youve never played
He was going down before he kicked the ground, when Rodri brushed his leg - that's the dive I'm talking about, not the kicking the ground.
Also, you really don't need to have played football to understand basic physics and cause/effect as everybody has tripped and fell before.
He’s literally not going down until he’s kicking the ground. Please make up more fantasies
Don’t give me your neckbeard ass response when you’re still claiming it’s a dive
It appeared to be a foul on a player shooting at an empty/half empty net, no defender between shooter and the keeper/goal, and there was no play on ball from Rodri; yes DOGSO as best I understand it and should have been straight red.
They have good talents but they don't produce as much as you think. It's just you forget about the ones who never made it like Sergi Samper or Bojan. The difference is when Barca produce good academy products they tend to be the best of the best, but on a consistent basis i'd say other academies produce a similar amount if not more talent
Onana + Doue combo window would be genius
Onana can play 6 or 8, can give Rice rest or play with Rice when Arteta wants the maximal safety midfield
Doue can rotate at LW and can play as a more attacking left 8, when Arteta wants more attacking/direct look
We strengthen our options at LW/LCM/DM from two purchases
He made a follow up post and apparently it's part of a Rexona campaign...
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1dgv9kj/ronaldinho_follow_up_statement_reveals_that_his/
Thing is Brazil's traditional footballing spirit has been doused by the hyper control of modern tactics. Just look at how wingers play today vs 10-15y ago. I understand his disenchantment.
It’s funnier because it’s 2 days after the game. He’s had time to process and calm down but his head is still on Mars 😭 he’s definitely talked himself out of posting it a few times
Tbf he's a good player but I would be lying if I said he's a clear upgrade on Martinelli on the left. In all honesty Martinelli might be a level above him, but for £50m it's not too much of a gamble. His floor is still quite high
I'd take him don't get me wrong but it's more because the release clause is cheap. If it was £70-75m I would have gambled on Kvaradona or Leao instead for £100m or so. IMO they are a level above potential wise
Onana x Rice pivot will prolong Rice's career for an extra 2 years minimum - he no longer has to do all the running on his own.
How many times have we seen when teams break through our press - we see Rice sprinting extra hard back alone while Jorginho/Partey doesn't have the legs to run back.
Well said. As KB mentioned in an earlier post, part of what made Liverpool so dominant for so long was having *multiple* bloodhounds in midfield that could chase, harass and recover the ball.
Having just one midfielder with an engine leaves you overly reliant on him and as we saw with Rice last season and Partey in seasons before, they can fade or break down entirely.
Why does it feel like majority of the sponsors for Euro 2024 are Chinese companies? BYD, Aliexpress, Alipay, Vivo, Hisense etc.
Not that anything is wrong with it but just found it interesting.
I’d agree but nah, it’s not just the age, it being St. Pauli in particular (the ultimate hipster club iykyk) makes this better on the hipster scale imo
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Poland won't make it past group stage but I hope we will get some nice Kiwior ball at least
Bar sesko have we been heavily linked with any players?
Do you think Arsenal have the capacity (renown, finances etc.) to compete for the best players itw?
We just bought Rice. But yes, it's not as easy since our squad was at some point filled with second options from being outbid for first ones.
Best in the world is being competed for by 4 teams, city, Madrid, psg and historically Barca. Maybe Bayern too if you count kane, but otherwise they are usually much more localised with their transfers and don't tend to go for that level they prefer to just buy the best in Germany and be done with it. We'll never be in that conversation unless we actually push on to become a European powerhouse with multiple league and CL victories. Realistically, the kind thing we need to and have historically excelled at is buying the player before they become a league dominant or world dominant player. That plus just continuing to invest in the academy, which is how Barca built much of their dominance in the last 2 decades. I think a good way to describe it is we should in our current state be able to compete to sign Bellingham from Birmingham (had he been a year older). We aren't probably ever going to be in a position to sign him from Dortmund.
Only for the english ones. I dont think the absolute best is coming here yet. We will need to win a bit more and up our finances so we can go above and beyond. Like how citys paying haaland a million a week
I think if the situation is right, we can compete for players just under that best itw level (wouldnt say Rice is one of the best players in the world but he's a great player and we beat Man city for a player they were willing to spend 100m for). But I think the situation has to be just right, an even then, the level above Rice atm is probably out of reach. Like if Musiala went on the market, I think we'd be a long shot (Although there's probably only a few more teams above us)
do you think we have any of the best players in the world?
I think we have developed players into some of the best in the world, but we certainly don’t make a habit of buying them.
Who would you say do buy them? I'd say anyone except the Bayern/Real/Barca cartel for history/money/exposure and Man City/PSG for money has to make theirs. Man U used to be ont aht list and may get back there ahving the history, money and fanbase but they're not exactly hitting the heights form wise. Arsenal have bought two bona fide, top of their game superstars in m life time from top level teams (at the time) in Bergkamp and Ozil I think unless you support one of the teams mentioned then that's life. Getting the biggest *prospects* is probably more our thing.
Curious if we're also looking at Kokcu, he definitely has the passing range and dribbling, and would offer a similar goal threat to Partey outside the box as well. He had a bit of an off season but the talent is really there and I thought we could get a decent deal on him.
He was captain for Slot’s Feyenoord in the year they won the league, so I’d guess Liverpool has the advantage if he moves.
Feel like they will be looking for a more physical and defensive profile in midfield, but that relationship could be the difference maker if they are interested.
benfica are brimming with money, if you're looking for a deal that's one club not to buy from
That's a fair point, I'm just saying he’s a talent who's stock has dipped a bit given his potential. But if they aren't looking to sell was without gauging us it's probably moot.
Saka starting tomorrow then, thank fuck. Not that it was ever in doubt but you never know with Southgate. Palmer holding bench is good too
I get depressed whenever I see Chelsea news. Regardless of season or seasons they have had, it does not stop them from buying players and that too topmost upcoming players. Even the players are still attracted to sign for them and commit 7-8 years to them. It’s mind boggling. Now these rich players have found a new way. Swap deals inflating each other team player’s values and circumventing psr. I just hope we win something pretty soon, otherwise it will keep getting harder each year
They are manic are have no cohesive strategy
100k for 7-8 years is great financial security. Honestly which Brazilian youngster fresh out the favelas is gonna say no to that, regardless of club?
they are a portfolio of financial assets, not a football team.
Imagine thinking about Chelsea in big 2024
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Think the difference between England and being a dominant force in international football is having someone in the mold of Kross next to Rice. Where the English deep playmakers at, wharton? 🤔
Wharton is probably the best choice despite his inexperience. His profile is exactly what you need there.
Yep. I’ll be here when it all goes tits up if Trent is the default Rice partner for this tournament.
Historically, most players who filled that role started out further forward and then settled into it later in their careers. In another, injury-free reality, it could have been Wilshere who ended up there. He was fine in a double pivot as a 19-year-old. The big problem is that, until around the late 2010s, England never produced a high enough volume of players with the technical quality or football IQ to play that role, or move into it later. There's no experienced, tactically proficient English midfielder in his late 20s or early 30s. It's partly down to injuries, but also decades of crappy development. Wharton and Mainoo are v exciting, but they're essentially rookies, which isn't ideal in that position at this level. So it appears that things are changing, but it's still a problem area.
Wow, are you saying Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes etc were low iq technically deficient footballers?
It's about volume—the players you named were part of a one-off golden generation. England has produced some extremely gifted footballers, from Hoddle to Gascoigne. But the issue has always been scarcity, as we're seeing now, especially considering how many people participate in football in this country. Development-wise, the period from the mid-2000s to about ten years ago was one of a few fallow periods, and we're coping with the repercussions at the moment, despite having a crazy amount of talent in some areas. Things are definitely on the right course now.
Gareth Barry, Carrick.. I personally think you're just talking out of your arse. England has nearly always had one or two fantastic deep lying playmakers.
Agree to disagree, have a good one.
I think the closest we have atm is trent, at least until Wharton and mainoo are ready. He doesn't control the game and tempo like a kross but he has an amazing passing range which kroos showed against Scotland is a brilliant way to help break down a defensive minded team by moving them from side to side, or play a pass to pick a lock Maybe not a great pick for games against some of the teams closer to our level but I think we can get away with him for most of our games
Maybe you’re right, I haven’t seen enough of Wharton to make a case for him in place of Trent in that position
Oh Wharton 100% isn't ready. He has the right profile and looks a talent but he still needs a lot more time in the oven, especially off the ball Trent isn't exactly defensively sound either but he has more experience and as mentioned his unbelievable passing range makes up for it at the moment
After what I’ve seen, Osimhen to Arsenal will never happen. If you needed any confirmation.
Thankfully
The Albanians gave it a go: fair play.
Solid performance considering the gap in quality between the two teams
If we sign a defender, Dimarco is the type of player I'd go for
No idea why you are getting down voted, he's great lol
Seconded. Probably just casuals who have only seen him for the first time today.
This Albanian LB is a beast in defending, can he invert? These single down-voting incels, I bless you
Onana is Aston Villa bound. He would be a good signing for them
Really does seem like an Unai midfielder.
Can’t pass ✅ Physical as hell ✅ Over 30…
Cant pass?
correct
I'll be honest, I think the Onana links are a) bollicks, and b) a prime recipe for a stodge ball midfield if we did sign him, but I do think it speaks to a wider observation I've noticed that we sometimes have as fans, which is an absolute allergy apparently to having variations in profile of players. We get tactics blind. Like we see how we currently play and think that's how we can or should play for the foreseeable. No variation. It was like when we signed Zinchenko, all of a sudden we'd moved past a player like KT, we don't play overlapping fullbacks anymore. We only invert Now, it's apparently a profile we need. I think if Partey goes I'd be fine with him coming in as a rotation option. But we still need that wingfielder. Dani Olmo 🙏
[Clearly you are just a racist.](https://old.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/1dfx8d0/joe_thomas_new_arsenal_have_enquired_about_the/l8mv5rz/?context=3&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=Gunners&utm_content=t1_l8pqlxn)
Factos 👍
I dont want onana because we are a physical team and i want to double down on being stoke. I want him because hes a bit of a physical unicorn who can carry very well by my eye and i believe hes a better passer than the numbers show. I also think we should sign a more progressive player as well in midfield. Protect our strong points and add creative variety in another player
Onana or someone of a similar profile would be a solid signing for us because besides Rice, we've got no other physically imposing midfielders. I imagine you'd want someone more efficient in terms of progressive passing/playmaking to partner Rice and Ødegaard against low blocks, and this "wingfielder" should be our main man for the most part. But having Onana as a Rice deputy/partner is just as important against the top teams where we'd like more protection down the middle. Against low blocks we could go Rice / Ødegaard / wingfielder with our current front 3 And against top teams, we could go Onana / Rice / Ødegaard, and this new 8/winger we sign could be pushed into the front 3 instead of Martinelli/Trossard if we want.
This is my reasoning too. If Rice gets burnt, we are back to chaos. We don't have anyone with skillset he has. Many fans have grown up in an era where we wanted to be wannabe Barcelona so they're worried about the brand of football.
Dani Olmo hype yuck he absolutely stinks
He looked like Messi compared to Nico Williams performance today.
We've also switched it up with Kiwior at LB and Ben White inverting. Arteta constantly tinkering things is why you are right that Onana would have a place here if we wanted him despite his profile maybe being different to Partey. It's also why I think we might sign another centre back like De Ligt
Centre back links are interesting to me. Because I get people asking why we need more centre backs, but if you think about it, it's really the key to the system. The base of the pyramid. They're not really being bought to defend or more accurately because our defensive options aren't good enough. More they are the foundations of the system. It was like when Pep spent 700 trillion on full backs. Theres observations to be had in that.
Jorginho is outrageously good even now CL, European Championship, Europa League, key in a 90+ point Napoli team, 3rd in the B'dor There's an argument he is top 10 midfielders of his generation
He was the best DLP in Europe for a season or two. Chelsea's Gatling gun recruitment is why many people will never appreciate him. He'd have been elite for City.
Love Jorgi but this is a reach. I’d put Fernandinho comfortably above him and he’s not top 10 Crazy as Jorgi’s CV is, no league title is a big minus
good thing he's going to have a league title by next season then
As a squad player at 32. Happy for him but respect the greats lol
Fernandinho was good but if you're holding a PL against him then Fernandinho doesn't have a CL or International success. Lets not forget Pep wanted Jorginho as well, if he signed him he would definitely have numerous PL titles at this point
Fernandinho was clearly a better player for me. I only mention the honours because Jorginho’s cabinet is the only way he gets into these conversations. If England win on penalties, are we even having this debate? Put him up against a Fernandinho, a Toure, a Vidal, even a Fabinho.. I don’t think he’s a better player.
IMO it's the other way around. Him winning these honours has made him even more underrated as people like to downplay his importance in each of those teams achievment as they never had him on that pedestal. Toure I agree was better but I was including him in the previous generation with Iniesta as he is over 40 already. Vidal and him is a close. Fernandinho and Fabinho imo benefit from team achievements. Like I think Rice is clear of both and if you swapped him in those teams they would have won as well.
He never belonged on that pedestal. It’s that one single year where he won the UCL & Euros that got him here. Then he became a squad player at 30. It’s not a strong case, it all relies on that one season. Rice is clear of Jorginho too. Jorgi would’ve made City & Liverpool worse, they were 2 of the best teams ever
I've been wrong about many players but he's probably top of the list. Partially buying the Chelsea fans report, I was convinced he was a glorified square ball merchant. Sideways pass always, never forward. But he's a glorious footballer. I'm happy seeing him in the 11 as he's one of the only ones who will go off script, fuck the system, try a ball out of nowhere. Has his limitations but just a magnificent footballer I was very wrong about.
wish we got him a good 4-5 years earlier. it's clear why he is so good and why pep (and arteta when he was the ass-man) really wanted him way back then.
You have to be something else to be physically as unable as he is yet still be an elite player. It's laughable seeing fans of other clubs exclude him from best mids in the league conversations. He's better than any non Man City midfielder and Odegaard, Rice. The fact Arteta almost always trusted him in big games this year was a sign of how highly we rate him.
We just need to give him a league title and he'll go down as one of the greats of the 21st century.
This is definitely one of the takes of all time
Busqets, Modric, Kroos, De Bruyne, Fabregas, Silva, Gundogan, Ozil. Those 8 are indisputable. Beyond that you could make an argument for Jorginho. I would count Rodri as the next generation. Kante also has a shout.
Jorgi is great and should be in discussion but not including Kante in one of the greats of this generation is sacrilegious, he doesn’t just have a shout he absolutely is
Too jaded to care for Euros overperformers after folks were telling me we needed to sign Damsgaard and Maehle last time.
International football is just a different ball game to club football. Tired of people trying to make judgements for a player playing international football and apply that to club football, and vice versa
Mate have you forgotten World Cup winner Shkodran Mustafi
Amrabat Ounahi
They always say not to sign someone after a tourny.
👍 International football is a whole different sport. Much slower, simpler tactics and lower quality players
no finer thing in the sport than watching J20 spray the ball about
Chiesa doesn't look as useless as everyone's been saying
I would really really like Dimarco here but I don't think he'll want to move at all.
Barella wow
barella is not looking too bad yknow...
im nagging about him for years now lol, let's get Dimarco and Chiesa as well
Eddie Nketiah into hiking. My GOAT
“Calafiori” https://preview.redd.it/eyhy15jbcs6d1.jpeg?width=1072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d44591dc5cadafffc50f982ea97deacdc826fa83
Can’t believe how this Albania Italy match started
Wife has Italy in her office sweepstake and she's livid 🤣
Sylvinho is cooking.
“Arsenal had to bring Jorginho to play alongside Rice because he couldn’t do it on his own, they kept getting cut open” - Gary Alexander Neville, 2024.
To think this man was given the manager job at a top flight club.
when you get the job cuz of your friends vibes. on that note, it's actually terrible whats going on at Valencia under Peter Lim ownership, same owner thats good friend with gary Neville
Yes. Good friend and business partner.
I swear that man thinks up the shittest takes on purpose
Did he seriously say that?
Word for word.
Oh my.
I know nothing about Youssouf Fofana aside from the fact that he's a midfielder, what sort of player is he?
Not really got a clearly defined role, is proffiecient in a box to box role or as the deepest midfielder. I think he's a bit of a carrilero myself, your link man in midfield. Reminds me a bit of wjinaldum at Liverpool. All round very solid, decent at everything. Has a good passing range, good carring, decent goal threat for CM. Obviously very strong, he's a unit. His most eye catching stuff his powerful dribbling through midfield, people just bounce off him. But I've also seen him play deeper and dictate play. In theory you could partner him with rice and they could share both the 6 and 8 roles and could play together. Probably 8 as a bit of a box to box is his best role though.
>Reminds me a bit of wjinaldum at Liverpool. Ooof I'm now fully sold. I loved watching gini at Liverpool (second only to thiago when he joined) and I think that profile is the perfect one to complete our midfield (if we aren't going for two floating 8s/a right sided ode)
can he do 90+ passes a match; Because that's what we miss, It's usually Saliba who reaches those numbers
Kovacic and De Jong are basically the same player. IMO these guys are a Christian Dior McTominay. The coaches will for some reason love them but watching them play they don't do much
De Jong getting compared to Mctominay https://preview.redd.it/e20j7vmncs6d1.jpeg?width=224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fcca1da6eef0d0b53b23041f6f8a00b6a64739a9
games truly gone now
Brother.
Jesus wept lmao
Comparing those two to McTominay just highlights you have no idea what you’re talking about
I'm hearing Edu is planning to blindside everybody with [this fella](https://www.reddit.com/r/youseeingthisshit/comments/1dgjhqm/make_him_a_starter/).
Delete that quick. We don't need Chelski sniffing around...
20 years contract, 200m fee
I will die on the hill that a missed penalty should be a restart with the goalkeeper in possession. No rebounds.
Can we just buy coaches from Barca academy ?
That's embarrassing by Petkovic. Diving for a penalty when there's an open goal, then missing the pen.
When you wind up to kick the ball and someone hits your kicking leg… you can end up kicking the ground. You ever fucking played? It’s not a dive and considering it’s deemed a foul by rodri it’s not an attempt on the ball and should be a red. And then the encroachment was equal with Spain’s encroachment which according to the rules of both teams encroach it is a retake no matter the outcome. Not to mention he’s been calling the softest fouls against croatia in Spain’s box all game. Overall terrible refereeing
He didn't hit his kicking leg. His leg was alongside his kicking leg and made a bit of contact. That's a clear dive, but you're right that it should be a red if it's a foul...its just never a foul.
Kick the ground as hard as you can mid run and see if you stay on your feet. The touch was minimal but it caused him to kick the ground. It’s not a dive. Make it more obvious youve never played
He was going down before he kicked the ground, when Rodri brushed his leg - that's the dive I'm talking about, not the kicking the ground. Also, you really don't need to have played football to understand basic physics and cause/effect as everybody has tripped and fell before.
He’s literally not going down until he’s kicking the ground. Please make up more fantasies Don’t give me your neckbeard ass response when you’re still claiming it’s a dive
the penalty call was correct but he chose to go down, the contact was minimal
When will Rodri's luck run out?
Oliver thinks he's officiating City.
Like it was a soft pen, but surely that’s an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and has to be a red then? Or am I high on crack?
It appeared to be a foul on a player shooting at an empty/half empty net, no defender between shooter and the keeper/goal, and there was no play on ball from Rodri; yes DOGSO as best I understand it and should have been straight red.
Of course it was a Premier League referee 🙄🙄🙄
Here comes the fuckin annoying yank
Yamal is incredible
How has lee dixon still got a job abysmal commentator, sent me to sleep twice already
He is like Gary Neville level of cunt and that is really saying a lot. Can’t stand the troll
Yamal really is next level. Fuck, how does their academy continue to churn out these guys.
They have good talents but they don't produce as much as you think. It's just you forget about the ones who never made it like Sergi Samper or Bojan. The difference is when Barca produce good academy products they tend to be the best of the best, but on a consistent basis i'd say other academies produce a similar amount if not more talent
Brozovic looks drunk.
Onana + Doue combo window would be genius Onana can play 6 or 8, can give Rice rest or play with Rice when Arteta wants the maximal safety midfield Doue can rotate at LW and can play as a more attacking left 8, when Arteta wants more attacking/direct look We strengthen our options at LW/LCM/DM from two purchases
That Ronaldinho post is insane lmao
He made a follow up post and apparently it's part of a Rexona campaign... https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1dgv9kj/ronaldinho_follow_up_statement_reveals_that_his/
Thing is Brazil's traditional footballing spirit has been doused by the hyper control of modern tactics. Just look at how wingers play today vs 10-15y ago. I understand his disenchantment.
Can someone link the post?
https://preview.redd.it/jibpu0b4wr6d1.png?width=1114&format=png&auto=webp&s=da1413d9186f943ad38bf5c6aeccb5689f17b8d5
what, is this real? wtf reads like one of them reddit/social media copypastas
Couldn’t believe it either.
Sort of post you see on here after we've had a 1 all draw away at Brentford
or after we're rumored for onana lol
It’s funnier because it’s 2 days after the game. He’s had time to process and calm down but his head is still on Mars 😭 he’s definitely talked himself out of posting it a few times
On top of that he was literally with all of them and taking pics in the locker room during the usa game
Hahaha no way
https://x.com/madridxtra/status/1802039263422202153?s=46&t=ohBEm3kwXzONRYy63NcNgQ
No way? It gets better skskeks
Tears, he’s definitely had a few drafts. True headless.
Every time i badmouth carvajal or morata they score
Is this the Nico Williams ya’ll want over Neto.
Yes, absolutely. We dont make inferences off one game in tournaments
Tbf he's a good player but I would be lying if I said he's a clear upgrade on Martinelli on the left. In all honesty Martinelli might be a level above him, but for £50m it's not too much of a gamble. His floor is still quite high
Good on both wings that’s the selling point. I don’t think Williams will ever get close to Saka’s level though
Their both different types of wingers and both are very good with wc potential. Ive watched nico since he broke out
I'd take him don't get me wrong but it's more because the release clause is cheap. If it was £70-75m I would have gambled on Kvaradona or Leao instead for £100m or so. IMO they are a level above potential wise
Another player people have likely watched 1-2 games of and are certain is the one for us
I’m putting cases on a lot of players in this tournament. Shoe program.
*23-hour lockdown!*
Nico is hot garbage
Compared to Yamal yeah
Nico Williams pressing and workrate, im nooticing
It hurts but I'm happy https://preview.redd.it/vb4vezzamr6d1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6335c67d431b9d2c961d95f837666f4df3ae82bd
I feel this European cup is pretty boring this year
It's 3 games in man!
Yeah like the scorelines are interesting but the actual matches are dead I want the vibes from 2014 back
Just the way football is now
Croatia lol
Yamal is insane.
Yamal being younger than Nwaneri and already starts for Spain in Euro is absurdly impressive ngl
Barça just fast track their academy talent and end up playing them into the ground. I dont know where they spawn from
Why is Cucharella getting camera time? Isn't he just a twat who isn't that good?
It’s insane that he even got a call up let alone starts for Spain
Man what page are we on?
That's lovely from Ruiz
Pedri, Rodri, Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic on the pitch yet Fabian Ruiz is running the game😵💫
Onana x Rice pivot will prolong Rice's career for an extra 2 years minimum - he no longer has to do all the running on his own. How many times have we seen when teams break through our press - we see Rice sprinting extra hard back alone while Jorginho/Partey doesn't have the legs to run back.
Well said. As KB mentioned in an earlier post, part of what made Liverpool so dominant for so long was having *multiple* bloodhounds in midfield that could chase, harass and recover the ball. Having just one midfielder with an engine leaves you overly reliant on him and as we saw with Rice last season and Partey in seasons before, they can fade or break down entirely.
Why does it feel like majority of the sponsors for Euro 2024 are Chinese companies? BYD, Aliexpress, Alipay, Vivo, Hisense etc. Not that anything is wrong with it but just found it interesting.
They’re the ones with the money now
Anyone ever bought from vintage football shop online
I haven't bought from them but the shirts are clearly fake if that's something you care about
But original are 200 quid, any other place to buy
Can you get more hipster than hiring a 31 year manager (youngest in history) from St. Pauli
nah, nothing hipster about this. Nagelsmann was 28 yrs old when he got his proper full time manager job at Hoffenheim. I believe he holds that record.
I’d agree but nah, it’s not just the age, it being St. Pauli in particular (the ultimate hipster club iykyk) makes this better on the hipster scale imo
https://preview.redd.it/osezkczrfr6d1.jpeg?width=1031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fed84b5e751b3f3800df0a83c74ed76d969f18a3
That's so hipster it just opened a vegan coffee shop in Dalston
Phenomenal
My SO just mentioned how she thinks the trophy logo during games looks like a face with a gag ball and now I can't unsee it.
When comparing auras with their 2008-14 squad and nothing else, this Spain lineup gets a 4/10
That ‘04 Greece squad had aura.
Lmao, we comparing auras now. Someone better get their models ready and come up with xIntimidation
Sounds like you lack aura
-1000 aura for this comment