₦airaland Forum

iamoyindamola:
He smiled
That's a good sign

mostob:
Come on Spy, why are you talking like this bro? Man City have Laporte,Dias,Stone and Ake. Liverpool have VVD,Matip,Konate and Gomez. And you think we don't need a 3rd CB? Especially with Tomi's injury woes, we need Holding more than ever because White will be playing RB. Then when you think of the fact that we're playing in Europe this season, we need Holding.
@ the bolded, I'll disagree. Based on Ruggedness,pure defending and physique, Holding is our best defender. You forget he started manhandling Costa since he was 20 years old or so

Thank you for this.

Spy, this is exactly my thoughts too

donstan18:
Where did I say KDB is greater?

So why the comparison if he's not greater?

Trevor012:
Be calming down good Sir

Lol, I'm calm Sir

Unlimited22:

When goals and assists Favour you, we use them.

When trophies Favour you, we use them.

Donstan na cruise I swear.

donstan18:
Football abilities, KDB is very clear.

Cry today, cry tomorrow, it’s a fact. Most of you no even watch Zidane to see how inconsistent he was for his clubs, una just wan belong make e be like say una don dey watch match since.

What Giroud is to Aguero and Kane...
What Mikel is to Gerard...

That’s exactly what Zidane is, to KDB.

Getting rated because of achievements, not football abilities.

Drogba is greater than De Lima because of UCL achievements but Kdb is greater than Zidane because of...

Dem suppose slap you for this thread for your foolish and inconsistent takes Walahi

ObaIgwe1:
I don't think it is worth converting a natural AM to a Winger, I know it is working for ESR but it's better to let people play in their natural position. It s either Marquinhos matured quickly to play in that Saka's wing or as soon as Pepe is sold or loaned out we should get another great Winger.

Why I haven't said anything about the conversion is that maybe Viera have played there before seeing the way most people are talking how he could deputise Saka. Maybe the role wouldn't be new to him

ObaIgwe1:
Please replace Turner with Leno. That was a mistake. I know Leno should be already on his way out

Lol... I for say oo

Spy360:
So far so good. But more work needs to be done.

The squad is bloated with some areas of weakness still noticeable.

We need a back up for Gabriel. If we can sell Holding and Mari then get a decent left footed CB, that will be good.

Also, we if can offload the following- Pepe, AMN, Bellerin, Nelson, Torriera, and say Leno then use the proceeds to do a marquee signing especially in RW position. This would be 100%.

I don't know why you feel we should sell Holding sha. There are some players that are good squad depth and can see out a game when you need them to. Holding is one of Such players.
A good Squad doesn't need all players to be world class or sort. It also needs the ugly players who can help a team in terms of different tactics and Holding seems one of such players. Maybe the loss to tottenham is still playing on our mind since that's what made us lose the top 4 and Holding was at fault, but we should remember that the match against tottenham was Holding's only big flaw that season. He was very instrumental for us seeing out most of the wins last season.

Mari for me needs to be loaned/sold as well as the others you listed, then if we can get a decent winger, then it's perfect.

GK: Ramsdale/Turner

CB: Gabriel/Saliba, White/Holding/Walters

Lb : Zinchenko/Tierney/Tavarez (if not loaned)
RB : Tomiyasu/Cedric

DM : Partey/Elneny
CM : Odegaard/Viera/Zinchenko, Xhaka/Lokonga/Tielemans*

RW: Saka/Viera/Marquinhos/new player*
LW : Martinelli/ESR

CF : Jesus/ Nketiah

So that's 26-27 players in the squad (including Tielemans, Walter and new player)

Take away Tavarez loan and academy Walters and we'll have 24-25 players. Fit and ready to rumble

Spy360:
In such friendlies, it's hard to pinpoint. But he was alternating with Elneny from CM to No 8 (as it should) but it seems to me that Arteta didn't use a no8 at all in the formation. He had all CMs swinging in a zigzag manner. Lokonga was mostly on the left- the Xhaka role.

Cool... That's great.

You said he dominated Midfield that's why I wanted to know where he played cos I see him more as a left-sided 8(Xhaka role in a 433). I feel with his skillset that's where he might be more comfortable.

I hardly ever watch preseason games so I can't assess any player now sha. I just hope he keeps on improving and getting stronger and better

Spy360:
Sambi played as a CM. He is not a DM if that's what you are about to argue.

Did he play in one of the double 8s ystdy or the Partey role in the 433?

Unlimited22:
But for real, if we'd listened to him, by now, we'd have Eriksen, Coutinho, Alves, Marcelo, Hazard in our starting 11.

When this isn't 2014

Ahhh!!!
Una for just turn Qpr

andrewbaba44:


You have a point ,but what about guardiola strengthening Chelsea and arsenal ?

Na valid question you ask sha

Spy360:
Why include Turner?

Xhaka is an enigma. I see what he brings. He brings leadership, confidence and stability. He is slow, but with a good partner, he can be quite good. He is naturally intelligent which makes he good in any position he plays. He will make an excellent football manager.

Like I have said before, Lokonga is a very good player with high IQ. His challenge last season was his weak frame which made him lose midfield battles. He needs to bulk up just as Nketiah has done. Once this is done, he will easily replace Partey whenever he gets his usual injuries. He is better than Elneny.

You didn't reply my question on Sambi ystdy abi you no see am?

Spy360:
Vieira may compete with Saka.

Well, let's see how the season unfolds and how Viera will play in that wing if given the opportunity cos I thought he's a Midfielder

I'm having a good positive feeling about this upcoming season.

ObaIgwe1:
Arteta on getting rid of fringe players that causes bloated squad:

⚫️"We have to make some decisions as well on the players that we're not going to be using consistently"

⚫️ "We have a big squad and now we have to make things happen"

⚫️ "That's a process that is going to start very soon"

I guess we have to rid these excess to requirements players before any other signing...

Those I want to leave either on loan or permanent sale:

Runarsson
Turner
Mari
Pepe
Tavares
Belerin
AMN
Nelson
I heard Torreria left US to Italy on personal request already

I don't think Lokonga will leave.

I would have included Xhaka but I know he is also going nowhere. Especially after reading his recent interview on how he was at the verge of leaving us to Roma last season but it was Edu and Arteta that persuaded him to stay and he got a new contract on top of it. There is probably something about him we fans don't see but only his managers see or his juju strong gan ni.

After sorting these, we can bring Tilemans and another good RW. That will give us about 25/26 strong squad members.

Lol, Turner that is just recently bought, you want him to be loaned or Sold? E be things ooo

I agree with your list too except Turner tho. I believe Leno will be loaned/permanently sold.

Thank goodness you didn't include Xhaka sha. We need all the depths we can have and Xhaka will be a very good squad depth player.Remember the season is long.

If we can get all those people sold or loaned and get Tielemans and/or a good winger, then we'll be really ready for this season.

I'll prefer a Saka deputy to Tielemans if I'm to choose between the two. I think we're already stock up well in Midfield

BlueRayDick:
Tomiyasu that is injured again and doubtful for the start of the season.

Are you serious? Na wa ooo.

I thought he'll be available before start of season sef

Chilling Ramsdale

Spy360:
Your opinion. Cheers!

Good!!!

Ehen, you said Sambi dominated Midfield ystdy, did he do that as a DM, CM or as an advanced Midfielder ystdy?

openmine:
U too much joor!
I still dey wonder how U no be LFC fan
Well no disrespect to Arsenal sha!

FirstbornWds:
Wetin be this?

Lol.. Na exactly wetin Kounde dey do Barca and Chelsea be this

Kounde in negotiations with Barcelona and Chelsea pic.twitter.com/e07rtkAE2N

— 𝐄𝐑 (@ErlingRoIe) July 20, 2022

Kilishihunter:

Lol.... This wan funny.

So na wetin all these players dey go through when dem deh up for transfer? Omooorrr*10

iamoyindamola:
I just no want him to cry

Lol, no worry. Na we we wan win. If na him cry go dey make us win trophies and make top 4 next season, I'm all for it

Spy360:
I agree it was for last season. But any argument/differences about last season can be solved this season because it is a continuum and performances are cummulative . Tavares won't turn to Roberto Carlos this season after what he did. Even if so, it will take a gradual process.

Recall that I also said Lokonga was the second worst player, so it's not like I am hyping him. You said he was the worst player remember?

For clarity, I never said Lokonga was the worst player, that was Pepe. I said he was the 2nd least rated player after Pepe while you argued otherwise.

Meanwhile, it's not continuum. Have you ever see a match rating or season rating that is a continuum?? Where are you getting that from bikonu abi you just wan see W were e no dey at all?

Partey for example gave himself a rating of 4/10 as at December which means that he acknowledged his time here (before December)) was very very very poor and below par. Does that mean he's a bad player or doesn't have a higher ceiling? Didn't he turn to beast mode immediately after that interview?

I don't know the beef you have with Tavarez cos it's definitely looking as if you do. Nobody here ever called him world beater or potential world beater neither did I say Sambi doesn't have the talent to excel here, so I don't understand you thinking I meant Tavarez would turn to prime R.Carlos this season

I'll reiterate it one more time an : TAVAREZ HAD A BETTER PERFORMANCE THAN LOKONGA LAST SEASON.

If you have points to tackle it, let's hear it. Anything outside that in relation to the bolded is another discussion entirely which I'm not a party to.

iamoyindamola:
This zinchenko wife enter my eyes oo
Make I no too talk before he start to they cry

Lol... Wetin Zinchenko do you na, you just deh tackle dey slide tackle am

iamoyindamola:
Btw zinchenko is around for medical
If we can get a midfielder (tielemans) and winger(sane)
Omo we Dan hammer
Nelson is confusing me or thunder

I wish we can just sell Nelson sha if any offer comes.

How ongoing discussion quickly escalated to Agenda is funny sha

CAPdan21:
Omoh leave that guy, u sure say he be Liverpool fan sef...Na only utd thread I dey see all this kind unnecessary lamentations before, mk e kukuma follow mane go bayern na...Mane nor lament, his agent nor lament, random person for NL nor go let us rest...Smh

Lol... Mik.uz na conc Mane fan than Liverpool fan. He seems to me he's all those guys who supported Madrid and juventus because of Ororo

Spy360:
It seems you are assuming that players transform each season. So that a Tavares last season can automatically become a Cafu this season. Bros it's just 30days apart. If Tavares is poor now, it is an offshoot of last season's performance. The same can be said of Pepe.

As for Lokonga, having studied him, I made a bold claim that he will do well because he has the talents and football brain but only lacks stamina. It is the same mind that I used to convince you of Nketiah. Have you seen how he is dragging starting position with GJesus?

My point is simple. I gave rating of last season and it was solely on performance based on last season only. We never discussed/debated who'll have a higher ceiling or who will be better. So telling me about Lokonga now doesn't mean anything in this context.

You said Lokonga was better than Tavarez in terms of performance and influence last season and I said otherwise. Bring facts in what Lokonga did last season and stop telling me what he did in preseason or what he'll do this coming season cos the latter is not our contention here.

It's simple

Spy360:
I told Jo.dera he was our worst player last season him dey argue. He said it's Lokonga, see how Lokonga was dominating midfield alone that first half

Lol... This is a new season not last season.
Btw, You see how you quickly brought how Lokonga dominated Midfield as a point to prove that he was good without bashing Tavarez?

Why didn't you do so last season for him?
You see say you no get any case for lokonga last season shey?

That's the point I've been trying to make since