Emerson should start but I think Sarri is showing a little loyalty to the guy's who started last season and just like under Conte when we eventually get a spanking he will change the players ie bring in Emerson

On 03/08/2018 at 01:11, dansubrosa said:

Azpilicueta left back, and Moses or Zappacosta right back. Problem solved.

Emerson should be good enough anyway

No not again! And Moses and Zappacosta are on most fans exit list so thats not problem solved at all.

Hmm....

Real Madrid are set to target Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso, according to Don Balon. 

New manager Julen Lopetegui is said to want the Spain international at the Bernabeu and has asked the club to make a move.

Didn't want him in the world cup squad though...

1 hour ago, Luca Vialli said:

Hmm....

 

 

His value will drop significantly if he underperforms at LB this season, we should perhaps sell while we still have the chance. I rate him as possibly the best left wing back around but at LB he's nowhere near the same level.

6 minutes ago, the special one said:

His value will drop significantly if he underperforms at LB this season, we should perhaps sell while we still have the chance. I rate him as possibly the best left wing back around but at LB he's nowhere near the same level.

And who comes in to replace him? we don't have time to sell any of our players now unless we have players already lined up to come in. I don't care about his value dropping, having a full squad is more important.

Emerson would play 95% of games as Sarri doesn't rotate and Zappacosta can fill in when needed. 

At a pinch, you could reconstitute him as a #8 - he works hard, is dangerous in the box and is a decent passer. 

I concur that he is unsuitable at LB where there is a high defensive line - he simply doesn't accelerate quickly enough.

At a pinch, you could reconstitute him as a #8 - he works hard, is dangerous in the box and is a decent passer. 
I concur that he is unsuitable at LB where there is a high defensive line - he simply doesn't accelerate quickly enough.

Just because he possesses a few qualities you'd want your #8 to have doesn't mean we can just shoehorn him in there. Crouch is big and has a good leap on him, doesn't mean we should sign him up to fix our goalkeeping issues.

Can't see us selling Alonso this close to the window closing with little to no time to source cover, especially as he appears to be Sarri's (current) preferred starter. 

13 minutes ago, CFCholland said:

41 minutes ago, DaRick said:

At a pinch, you could reconstitute him as a #8 - he works hard, is dangerous in the box and is a decent passer. 
I concur that he is unsuitable at LB where there is a high defensive line - he simply doesn't accelerate quickly enough.

Just because he possesses a few qualities you'd want your #8 to have doesn't mean we can just shoehorn him in there. Crouch is big and has a good leap on him, doesn't mean we should sign him up to fix our goalkeeping issues.

That's why I said at a pinch. 

At any rate we've made radical positional changes like that in the past with some success. Who could have predicted at the start of the 2016-17 season that Moses would make a good WB? 

EDIT: Not sure about the Crouch as GK analogy TBH - a box-to-box midfielder is more similar to a left back than a goalkeeper is to a striker. 

Edited August 7, 20187 yr by DaRick

Rumours are that Real want him back. 

Would you be sad to see him go? He was a beast in our title winning season. I still rate him personally. 

Chances are he won't go anywhere, since we only have Emerson as back-up. 

Rumours are that Real want him back. 
Would you be sad to see him go? He was a beast in our title winning season. I still rate him personally. 
Chances are he won't go anywhere, since we only have Emerson as back-up. 

At least Real's interest might mute the people who constantly slag him off. Oh Real are interested, must be good!

Dave can always play left back. We do have versatile defenders.  Depends on the price I think. We bought him for £20m so if Real offered £30m, would you take it? 

I possibly would but sarri would have to happy with the cover. 

13 minutes ago, EmeraldBlue said:

At least Real's interest might mute the people who constantly slag him off. Oh Real are interested, must be good!

Is it coincidence that our three best ball players have all been chased by the Spanish giants this window ? Thankfully so far we have held them off, bar letting the moody bitch Courtois leave.

37 minutes ago, Blueblur said:

Rumours are that Real want him back. 

Would you be sad to see him go? He was a beast in our title winning season. I still rate him personally. 

Chances are he won't go anywhere, since we only have Emerson as back-up. 

I like Marcos but if the right offer came in I’d let him go as long as he can be replaced. 

On 07/08/2018 at 18:03, DaRick said:

At a pinch, you could reconstitute him as a #8 - he works hard, is dangerous in the box and is a decent passer. 

I concur that he is unsuitable at LB where there is a high defensive line - he simply doesn't accelerate quickly enough.

I think he's more suited to be a centre back. He hasn't got enough foot for a wing back, but has enough pace to be effective centrally. Similar in style to John Stones possibly, skilful on the ball, good in the air and a good passer. 

The Real Madrid rumour seems to have come from the Daily Star via some Spanish tabloid. They even admit (although it's kind of buried in the article) that the rumours are dubious.

Quote

And Spanish publication Don Balon, who are known for their outlandish transfer claims, say that Alonso’s versatility has impressed Real’s top brass.

So I guess that means he's crap after all?

1 hour ago, Munkworth said:

I like Marcos but if the right offer came in I’d let him go as long as he can be replaced. 

Which he can't be til Jan =/

We’re not going to sell our first choice left back and I’m not sure Alonso would leave to play second fiddle to Marcelo. 

I dont understand why people are on Alonsos back. Id rate him as one of our best players these past years, including this season. 

Depends what Real offer. Anything close to £50m and we should consider it whilst his stock is high. 

6 hours ago, EmeraldBlue said:

At least Real's interest might mute the people who constantly slag him off. Oh Real are interested, must be good!

Exactly, its funny how much he adds in an attacking sense to our team, and to be honest hes the perfect leftback/left wingback in a Sarri system. Against Huddersfield he was arguably our best player. Look at Man City, their central defenders aren't neccessarily the best at defending but they fit the managers playing style perfectly.

Not to mention the amount of goals he scores, we cant afford to lose another player to them.

Edited August 16, 20187 yr by Oli

Alonso is a good player, but I think the question is whether he offers that same attacking threat that walker and mendy do at city, or Alexander-arnold and Robertson at Liverpool do at Liverpool.  All 4 of those players have pace to burn. 

He has a great left foot on him, and at wing back he was excellent for us. The big question for me, is whether he has the pace to make those overlapping runs, which is vital in the type of football we are pursuing with sarri. 

Also has he got the pace to get back in, and deal one on one with attackers, without a centre back being dragged out of position to help him, which we can't afford to do now with a back 4. 

I also doubt whether Azpiliucueta will offer enough threat going forward, but he is much better defensively than alonso, and he's a real leader, so the pro's outweigh the cons for him.

It looks like alonso is going to get a chance to prove me wrong, which is more than fair as he has earned the chance after 2 good seasons, if alonso was quick, he would probably be the best left back in the world.

35 minutes ago, big blue said:

Alonso is a good player, but I think the question is whether he offers that same attacking threat that walker and mendy do at city, or Alexander-arnold and Robertson at Liverpool do at Liverpool.  All 4 of those players have pace to burn. 

He has a great left foot on him, and at wing back he was excellent for us. The big question for me, is whether he has the pace to make those overlapping runs, which is vital in the type of football we are pursuing with sarri. 

Also has he got the pace to get back in, and deal one on one with attackers, without a centre back being dragged out of position to help him, which we can't afford to do now with a back 4. 

I also doubt whether Azpiliucueta will offer enough threat going forward, but he is much better defensively than alonso, and he's a real leader, so the pro's outweigh the cons for him.

It looks like alonso is going to get a chance to prove me wrong, which is more than fair as he has earned the chance after 2 good seasons, if alonso was quick, he would probably be the best left back in the world.

None of the Liverpool fullbacks hold a candle to Alonso.