Winter Transfer Rumours 2018/19

Kante doesn't play attacking mid though

I'm currently seeing Kante in an AM position so someone is lying here.

Maybe you are are you sure you aren't confusing him for CHO?

Kante plays on the right of the midfield 3, back and forth, the same role that Allan played for Sarri, or that Gattuso played, or Vidal for Conte, or Matuidi (left) for us. Every Italian manager of the last 20 years would play him there if they had a regista.

rincon wrote:Maybe you are are you sure you aren't confusing him for CHO?

Kante plays on the right of the midfield 3, back and forth, the same role that Allan played for Sarri, or that Gattuso played, or Vidal for Conte, or Matuidi (left) for us. Every Italian manager of the last 20 years would play him there if they had a regista.

It was a false alarm, he was attacking at the start but has now gone back to central midfield. There is light again in the world of silliness.

Also, all black people don't look the same to me damn it. I know what Kante looks like

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:

Unique wrote:Bayern Munich table fourth bid for Callum Hudson-Odoi, matching Chelsea’s £35m asking price – Sky sources @hans

GOAT youngster

Tbf he did look very talented in pre season.

Not sure why he hasn't seen more game time considering Pedro plays regularly.

From what I've seen, a very good youngster who can become a very good winger - but if I'm really honest I don't see anything special.
More of the Coman kind, but with a bit less pace and maybe a bit more vision.

This is no Mbappe, and it is also no Sancho. No Pulisic either.
35m is too much, but ok whatever. Can't expect too much inspiration from our poor board and DoF. They're jelly of BVB and Sancho and they want in at any cost.

Well he's a B2B right player who supposed to support the attack with Jorginho playing the holding mid position.

They're asking him to play like Matuidi basically is a better comparison.

sportsczy wrote:Well he's a B2B right player who supposed to support the attack with Jorginho playing the holding mid position.

They're asking him to play like Matuidi basically is a better comparison.

And what's wrong with that

He's a DM Hans...  he's 4 feet tall.  Sarri recently criticized him for not supporting the attack enough (about 6 weeks ago).

He's trying hard... because that's what he does.  But Sarri isn't using his biggest strength:  Recovering the ball when his team loses it and covering up the passing lanes to slow down attacks.  At his best when he covers a horizontal zone in the defensive midfield position as opposed to playing a vertifical area near the right sideline that covers attack and defense.

You're taking the best DM in the world and asking him to play out of position. It's like asking Pogba to play the holding mid position.

They should sell him a get a better fit for that role.

He is perfect for the role he is asked to play. He is a mobile player, no need to pin him back. He presses hard from the opponents backline to Chelsea's box.

Except everyone, both in France and England... including Deschamps who commented on it, disagree with you.

He's doing ok but looks like a shell of himself.  

It's absolutely not his perfect position.  He loves to read a play and intercept passes by either jumping passing lanes or pressuring players.  He can only do that if he sees the play develop in front of him...  he's really good at tracking back a play as well.  But you're literally taking his biggest strength away from him.

And his technique and passing is good for a DM (not a regista).  He's very average technically if you're asking him to play in advanced positions where space is tighter.

It doesn't need to be his perfect position, it needs to be what his clubs needs. I'm sure everyone in France is looking out for Chelsea and not Kante.

Yeah but Sarri (as he said himself) wants more of an attacking threat on the right side (indirectly referring to Kante).  They are incredibly reliant on Hazard, especially since the CFs can't score either.

The attacking threat from Chelsea is mainly Hazard, some Willian, Pedro if you can call him a threat these days and CFs who can't score.  Marcos Alonso brings it from fullback too.

It's going to be extremely tough to make top 4 in EPL with that.

Purchasing Higuain would solve a lot... but I'm very dubious that happens.

Claudio Lotito claims he rejected €160m for #Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. “I don’t think any other President in world football would’ve done what I did” https://t.co/ohPvzpebkC pic.twitter.com/Kq5Yh8wDwm

— footballitalia (@footballitalia) January 9, 2019

Yeah because you didn't do it.

sportsczy wrote:Except everyone, both in France and England... including Deschamps who commented on it, disagree with you.

He's doing ok but looks like a shell of himself.  

It's absolutely not his perfect position.  He loves to read a play and intercept passes by either jumping passing lanes or pressuring players.  He can only do that if he sees the play develop in front of him...  he's really good at tracking back a play as well.  But you're literally taking his biggest strength away from him.

And his technique and passing is good for a DM (not a regista).  He's very average technically if you're asking him to play in advanced positions where space is tighter.

Okay, but Deschamps is not a good coach, so his opinion is not very important. As for Kante's technique, he can't be worse than Matuidi and everyone loves that scrub.

Kante's technique is quite good, he regularly demonstrates it in tight space; he can dribble out of pressure or 1 touch passing. His general technique is very good, and in fact it has surprised me. He is playing well.

He is playing in a advanced role in midfield, but often time the LCM plays a little bit higher that would be either Barkley, Kovacic, or RLC.

Even though he is playing i am also in the camp who think he is being a little bit wasted. He is a great DM, arguably the best in the world. In his new role he is not as influential, because he doesn't have the offensive awareness, vision, or a final ball at high level to excel high up the pitch.

rincon wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Hapless_Hans wrote:


GOAT youngster

Tbf he did look very talented in pre season.

Not sure why he hasn't seen more game time considering Pedro plays regularly.

Sarri is very stubborn, you watch Hudson Odoi on the same pitch with Willian and Pedro it is really no doubt who you would want on the pitch. He just turned 18, he has the physical and technical ability to be as good as he wants to be. He has started the last two games, but both Pedro and Willian haven't been 100%. I guess next game is a great indicator if he has changed his stance on him.

Wait did Di Marzio really say that we offered 160 mil for SMS?

What a melt

VALVERDE BACKS COUTINHO

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde insists he wants Philippe Coutinho to stay at the club this month despite reports linking for the former Liverpool man with a move away just 12 months after his £142m move.

The Brazilian has been left on the bench in each of Barca's last four La Liga matches, but Valverde said: "Coutinho has played great games with us and we hope he will continue to do so. The other day was not a good match on our part; Coutinho has had great games and we hope he will continue to do so."

seen reports about a return to liverpool. no way we could afford him.

Wait a minute, I haven't watched a single Barca game this season, but why has Coutinho been benched? He is easily talented enough to start every game for them.

He isn't though. Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Rakitic have 4 spots nailed down. Then Dembele, Vidal and Arthur are there. Coutinho is just 1 more guy. His role isn't the easiest to accommodate.

Playing someone like Vidal ahead of Coutinho is just madness. I'd take Coutinho over Rakitic every day of the week, too. Never seen this Arthur guy, but judging by the name he's probably fantastic.

Coutinho does play more than Vidal, but what they offer is totally different. Rakitic is much more needed in midfield than someone like Coutinho. He plays a good amount, but he isn't at all talented enough to warrant starting every game against the team needs.

Art Morte wrote:Playing someone like Vidal ahead of Coutinho is just madness.

Why? Vidal is world class player and one of the best midfielders of the last decade. On the other hand, Coutinho is an overrated one trick pony.

Hapless_Hans wrote:

Art Morte wrote:Playing someone like Vidal ahead of Coutinho is just madness.

Why? Vidal is world class player and one of the best midfielders of the last decade. On the other hand, Coutinho is an overrated one trick pony.