3 hours ago, dermott said:

I think you overestimate Perez's acumen.

Yeah, quite possibly.

19 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

I think for Alonso to be a success here, we need an intelligent/adequate partner for Colwill and a midfielder capable of transitioning the ball to the attackers.

The latter is especially important. At Bayer he had Xhaka. At Real, he wanted Zubimendi because he recognized the midfield was dire in progressing the ball since Kroos left. He ultimately had Guler dropping deep and progressing, removing an attacker completely.

I do not want Palmer doing that.

Alonso got the best out of Guler, and even under Arbeloa he has excelled in that deeper, central position rather than a winger. Guler is proving to be another in the dynamic playmaking mould like Modric, and a perfect foil to Bellingham or Valverde in a more attacking position.

Barco scored from the edge of the box for Argentina yesterday. Apparently he had a good game, looks like we might have got a talent on our hands.... hopefully.

31 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

Barco scored from the edge of the box for Argentina yesterday. Apparently he had a good game, looks like we might have got a talent on our hands.... hopefully.

My concern is that he's two letters short of being a Newcastle player.

1 hour ago, The Rising Sun said:

Barco scored from the edge of the box for Argentina yesterday. Apparently he had a good game, looks like we might have got a talent on our hands.... hopefully.

Haven't watched Strasbourg games really so have to admit first time I've seen him albeit in what was only a comprehensive highlights first half package.

My first thought was, blimey he looks small lol to the point where for a minute I questioned whether I was watching a rerun of an episode of Michael Bentine's Potty Time - all it need was the footprints appear in the grass as he "ran" down the wing.

In all seriousness though was quite impressed with what I saw, always looking to get on the ball, seemed quick quick, not afraid to get stuck in, looked to progress the ball forward when the opportunity arose and not afraid to shoot as per the chance from which his goal came. Same height as Vitinha apparently.

Don't remember the guy previously at Brighton although don't suppose he played that many games.

12 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

I think for Alonso to be a success here, we need an intelligent/adequate partner for Colwill and a midfielder capable of transitioning the ball to the attackers.

The latter is especially important. At Bayer he had Xhaka. At Real, he wanted Zubimendi because he recognized the midfield was dire in progressing the ball since Kroos left. He ultimately had Guler dropping deep and progressing, removing an attacker completely.

I do not want Palmer doing that.

Those cost money; irony is we paid £105m for a player to be that player, but he doesn’t want to play there. Even if magically he ends up staying, I can’t see a scenario where he agrees to move back deep into midfield. Club should have nipped the situation in the bud when he & his father demanded that he be moved into an attacking role. Madrid aren’t keen, neither are City.

1 hour ago, markpitts said:

Those cost money; irony is we paid £105m for a player to be that player, but he doesn’t want to play there. Even if magically he ends up staying, I can’t see a scenario where he agrees to move back deep into midfield. Club should have nipped the situation in the bud when he & his father demanded that he be moved into an attacking role. Madrid aren’t keen, neither are City.

I think regardless of Enzo's situation, Alonso will be asking for that exact type of midfielder.

Good thing is that he has all this time to analyze the squad, bad thing is the sporting directors he's working with.