54 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Andy Carroll has got a bit of strength too

Did you see somewhere that we were going to bet the house on him then.

5 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Did you see somewhere that we were going to bet the house on him then.

Pardon? If you're saying Ekitike is a gamble then Sesko is a huge gamble too.

48 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Pardon? If you're saying Ekitike is a gamble then Sesko is a huge gamble too.

But as i have said all the way along i would rather we went for Gyokeres, anyway. I put Sesko in the same sentence because I was under the impression from what i read as well that Sesko was being quoted as being in and around £60m whereas Ekitike is currently being quoted as £80m, if any of this tripe is to be believed.

The other point is around the physicality, hence, presumably why you threw Andy Carroll in. I don't recall seeing any reviews of Sesko saying that he is lightweight and gets physically outmuscled, hence why Ekitike tailors his game into running behind. It might be the case, but i don't recall seeing or reading that anywhere about Sesko.

Edited May 27, 20251 yr by WhiteWall

4 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

But as i have said all the way along i would rather we went for Gyokeres, anyway. I put Sesko in the same sentence because I was under the impression from what i read as well that Sesko was being quoted as being in and around £60m whereas Ekitike is currently being quoted as £80m, if any of this tripe is to be believed.

The other point is around the physicality, hence, presumably why you threw Andy Carroll in. I don't recall seeing any reviews of Sesko saying that he is lightweight and gets physically outmuscled, hence why Ekitike tailors his game into running behind. It might be the case, but i don't recall seeing or reading that anywhere about Sesko.

I agree about Gyokeres.

I disagree that you need physicality to be a success in the premier league. Sesko might be stronger but he's slower, less agile and worse linking up play. I don't think as a top club we should be basing our number 9 on physicality alone.

25 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

I agree about Gyokeres.

I disagree that you need physicality to be a success in the premier league. Sesko might be stronger but he's slower, less agile and worse linking up play. I don't think as a top club we should be basing our number 9 on physicality alone.

I'm not sure you're right. Well in part I do but I also don't.

Gyokeres ticks most of the boxes. He doesn't have decent aerial stats but he is a strong, powerful forward that can play in a traditional 9 role but also drops deep and wide to work with the attacking midfielders.

Re Sesko, or Sesko like players, I was recently watching some analysis on how the pressing game has evolved in the PL and how more teams risk defensive solidity by man to man high pressing. Therefore playing out from the back has become harder as there is rarely a spare man and as such touch, control and accurate passing has become even more important. We ourselves have seen how hard this is with the bozo moments we've seen.

A developing answer to this is to break the lines directly from the back with clips into middle of the park from the keeper. A strong, physical forward that can win the ball and hold it up whilst our fast wide men and midfielders can join and get past in pacy transition is an aspect of the game that we just don't currently possess.

Edited May 27, 20251 yr by WhiteWall

Apparently this guy was the worst in the Bundesliga at under-performing his xG last season.

He's got "Jackson replacement" written all over him LOL

21 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Apparently this guy was the worst in the Bundesliga at under-performing his xG last season.

He's got "Jackson replacement" written all over him LOL

You would think they are not crazy enough to blow €100m on a player that won’t start. Most of the numbers been thrown around are for established players-dead certs not prospects. I guess we laid the marker that summer we went crazy on Lavia, Caicedo & Fernandez.

9 minutes ago, ducavis said:

You would think they are not crazy enough to blow €100m on a player that won’t start. Most of the numbers been thrown around are for established players-dead certs not prospects. I guess we laid the marker that summer we went crazy on Lavia, Caicedo & Fernandez.

Yes ... every other club in the world knows how bad they are at negotiating ... hence I expect us to get rinsed on any deal where their hand isn't being held by a contract buy out clause !

This one will likely drag out for weeks. Price is insane.

Seems like a great technician and a much more intelligent footballer than Jackson, but he’s a worse finisher if that’s even remotely possible.

Seems like a player you’d want both he and Delap on the pitch together.

Chelsea source:

“The Deal Is Not Done yet, don’t get carried away. The signs are positive as of now, and Chelsea are in active discussions with Frankfurt. Flexible terms in terms of payment structure, could lead to an agreement. Chelsea still want to pay a lower fee. Ongoing 🔥”

Fairly/proven reliable source. Sounds like it’s getting closer

The only thing I don’t get is that Marmoush was widely regarded as the best attacker at Frankfurt and he left for 59m to City.

Why do Frankfurt want more for Ekitike?

Apparently we were looking for a forward that could be versatile enough to play the wings. This was causing a delay with Ekitike because they were unsure if he could add this versatility.

So why aren't we going for Semenyo then. Surely he wouldn't be as expensive as this guy. Plays on the wings, scores goals. Strong, pacy and only three years older at 25.

Take this one with a grain of salt

Edited June 2, 20251 yr by NestorGarde

3 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

Apparently we were looking for a forward that could be versatile enough to play the wings. This was causing a delay with Ekitike because they were unsure if he could add this versatility.

So why aren't we going for Semenyo then. Surely he wouldn't be as expensive as this guy. Plays on the wings, scores goals. Strong, pacy and only three years older at 25.

He isn’t good enough to play on the wings though, and we are still after a LW. For a 9, he has decent ball control and is very quick, but his positioning, finishing, physicality, and shot power is lacking. And even if he's quick, he's not adept at 1 on 1 challenges against the last defender.

This whole narrative that he can play as a LW was based on his season at PSG where he couldn’t cut it as a CF. Then He was a CF that plays better on the wing but doesn't have the qualities to be a good winger. Club is very strange because the player they should have gone for then was Mammoush last Jan not Ekitike.

Don’t even get me started on the valuation; he moved to Frankfurt last season for €15m last summer, and he is suddenly a €100m a year after? This is a €30m at best and we are getting mugged off here.

Mbuemo is twice the player and half the price.

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Mbuemo is twice the player and half the price.

And not the same position.

Why are we in talks with this guy's agent? Should stop it now unless it's a smokescreen for Gyokeres.

Had enough of Bundesliga strikers

10 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Apparently this guy was the worst in the Bundesliga at under-performing his xG last season.

He's got "Jackson replacement" written all over him LOL

If that doesn’t scream walk away nothing will.

5 hours ago, PhilH930 said:

If that doesn’t scream walk away nothing will.

These directors will just see that as "potential". Surely he can only go upwards from there!

12 hours ago, NestorGarde said:

Take this one with a grain of salt

Piss?

Anyway my mate sh*tty Phil says that this is a smokescreen for the club's true intention: buying that Guirassy kid from Nantes. Unfortunately he is also a famous local racist so doesn't realise that the Guirassy all the noise is about is the Dortmund one. He does, at least, know a thing or two about Frankfurt: he once took a sh*t in the lobby of the Max Planck Society when on a five-day bender.

1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

Piss?

Anyway my mate sh*tty Phil says that this is a smokescreen for the club's true intention: buying that Guirassy kid from Nantes. Unfortunately he is also a famous local racist so doesn't realise that the Guirassy all the noise is about is the Dortmund one. He does, at least, know a thing or two about Frankfurt: he once took a sh*t in the lobby of the Max Planck Society when on a five-day bender.

L'Equipe reported it lol

19 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

The only thing I don’t get is that Marmoush was widely regarded as the best attacker at Frankfurt and he left for 59m to City.

Why do Frankfurt want more for Ekitike?

Frankfurt were asking close to 80m as well for him.

6 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Frankfurt were asking close to 80m as well for him.

Fair enough.

Honestly if they won’t budge, we should walk away. That would set the correct precedent for future transfers, clubs will know we’ll walk away if they try to rip us off.

Dilene Bakwa would be a huge loss.

17 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Dilene Bakwa would be a huge loss.

To who? Us or Strasbourg? Is he superior to this Ekitike lad?