Sort our defence out with two realistic transfers

Murder on Zidanes Floor

You'd better not kill Giroud
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Jun 11, 2015
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I think defence is more important than attack given the current state of our squad.

Rules: You can only sign two players and they have to be realistic targets (no VVD).

Which two signings help us the most and give us the biggest boost?
 
For me, a DM and a CB would do it. Maguire would be and has been better with better protection in front of him, but I think mentally it'll be really hard to turn it around for him.

Pau Torres for CB.
Not sure on the DM.
 
Maybe something like Marc Guehi from Palace and Livramento from Southampton? It’s a stretch to say they’d sort our defence but I like them both and they are definitely realistic.
 
Don't think a CB is high up on the list of needs for immediate action, next summer though as Varane, Lindelof and Maguire aren't young. the biggest problem with our defence is coaching and outside of Shaw who is always injured, garbage fullbacks. Also horrid defending as a team, no midfield balance, no on ball care or control meaning we give it away stupidly and are exposed constantly. Coaching should fix a lot of this.

To answer the question, I'd say RB and DM as a partner to De Jong. I think it's likely that GK is a bigger issue than CB even.

Priority wise for me our squad would be:
  1. Frenkie de Jong
  2. RW
  3. RB
  4. Replace telles
  5. Frenkie partner
  6. Replace De Gea
  7. Younger CB
  8. Replace Ronaldo
You can't really fix the defence without fixing the midfield or attack though, IMO. It's all related.
 
bosnian_red said:
Don't think a CB is high up on the list of needs for immediate action, next summer though as Varane, Lindelof and Maguire aren't young. the biggest problem with our defence is coaching and outside of Shaw who is always injured, garbage fullbacks. Also horrid defending as a team, no midfield balance, no on ball care or control meaning we give it away stupidly and are exposed constantly. Coaching should fix a lot of this.

To answer the question, I'd say RB and DM as a partner to De Jong. I think it's likely that GK is a bigger issue than CB even.

Priority wise for me our squad would be:
  1. Frenkie de Jong
  2. RW
  3. RB
  4. Replace telles
  5. Frenkie partner
  6. Replace De Gea
  7. Younger CB
  8. Replace Ronaldo
You can't really fix the defence without fixing the midfield or attack though, IMO. It's all related.
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I agree, I just think without the defence, the attack will never get the ball.
 
- Any half decent right back (it's easy to upgrade on Dalot or AWB, both terrible)
- Shaw and Varane both staying fit (big ask) we'd be fine. A left back cover probably more important because Telles is barely Championship standard.
 
CB: Timber doesn’t want to come, so Pau Torres. He’s been heavily linked to us, he’s realistic, he can pass, he’s not slow, he reads the game very well and he can generally defend. He’d also probably only cost up to £35m. Job done.

RB: Lamptey. Genuinely, the only concern I’d have about him is that he’s 5’5. He’s rapid, he can cross, he can dribble and he doesn’t get beat very often. In fact, I can’t remember a single Brighton game where he’s been truly rinsed. While Lampard isn’t exactly a top manager, there’s a reason he trusted Lamptey to come on at a crucial juncture of a 1-2 away win against Arsenal in 2019 when he had never played first team football and was only 19. I wouldn’t even be too concerned about his height if we bought him and Torres (6’3), which would be the case if it was him and Timber (5’10), as we’d get bombarded with crosses. Brighton rarely take teams to the cleaners with transfer fees too, so I think £30m would do. They’d also make a huge profit anyway.

That would give us a back four of Lamptey-Varane-Torres-Shaw. It’s not a title winning backline, but it would definitely be a top 4 one, with the potential to grow into a title winning one.
 
I think we need a CB and a CDM urgently, I have no idea who. After those two are sorted then the way forward becomes easier.
 
Dec9003 said:
Maybe something like Marc Guehi from Palace and Livramento from Southampton? It’s a stretch to say they’d sort our defence but I like them both and they are definitely realistic.
Click to expand...
Livramento did his cruiciate a month ago, probably best to steer well clear at the moment
 
Gopher Brown said:
Livramento did his cruiciate a month ago, probably best to steer well clear at the moment
Click to expand...
Id still pick him over Dalot. :lol: In all seriousness though that is a shame he looks a talent.
Maybe Spence from Forest/Middlesborough as an alternative but we’d have the same problem as Laird where we’ve not seen much of him in a back 4.
 
Pau Torres. Probably should have signed him last summer. I think he was probably in the plan before Varane became available

I really like the look of Timber. I think he has a lot of qualities we need. Short-term he would probably be a bit of a utility man for us and spend some time at right-back. Perhaps the money would be better spent on a specialist right back this summer and we obviously need a DM too.

Im not sure that there’s a clear candidate for either of those positions at the moment.

So I’ll say Torres and Timber for now and hope that United have some better irons in the fire.
 
You can have Cannavaro and Nesta at the back but if the rest of the team isn’t up for it and there’s clearly no game plan (like last season) it doesn’t matter. Varane, Maguire, Lindelof isn’t a bad set of defenders in fact it’s much stronger than what we have in midfield with McFred or in attack with Rashford and Elanga.

We’ve bought a new CB every summer for the past 4 years ffs.
 
Pau Torres and Lamptey. If I was allowed more cash I would gave got Bissouma before Tottenham and I would get Cucurella while I was at it. Thats about 150. Sell WB 30, Telles 20 and Bailly, Williams, Tuanzebe for another 30. Thats it all sorted for 80/90 mill
 
I think midfield and attack is priority. Would not want to spend big on a defender.

I think Coady is decent and would not cost insanly much. Maybe get Cucurella before City.
 
kthanksbye said:
Easy. Maguire to Burnley. AWB back to Palace.
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Oh happy day.

I’m changing my vote to N’Dicka over Gvardiol as he’d be cheaper and is further along in his development right now.

So Mazraoui and N’Dicka.
 
I think we only need 1 back-up CB, but we need to ship Tuanzebe, Jones and Bailly out.

If Telles wants to leave, sell him and replace him with someone that's probably an upgrade like Raum / Malacia.

RB is our biggest problem by far. There isn't really anyone obvious. We really should've got Trippier even if he's not that great either.

Also, Lisandro Martínez would be great if he's as versatile as people say.
 
Counterintuitively, a DM and a GK would do more to sort out the defense than any upgrades to the back four.
 
Big Ben Foster said:
Counterintuitively, a DM and a GK would do more to sort out the defense than any upgrades to the back four.
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Wouldn’t help our defenders going on walkabout or their complete inability to hold a line. Never mind the fact that we’ll be playing a high pressure game with a high line under ETH. We need a CB and a RB as much or more than any other positions on the pitch.

Also a cheap LB with upside would be worth the outlay just to never have to see Telles play for us again.
 
Dont think you can with only 2 signings. Goalkeeper and right back would by my first port of call. Think we need another cb and lb too. And a defensive midfielder if you want to include midfield.
So 5 signings.
 
croadyman said:
Would say RB is bigger priority than CB
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Well we have some urgent needs all over the pitch. I have absolutely no faith in Maguire, Bailly is always injured and Jones surely wont be here next season. That leaves just Varane and Lindelof in the CB spots. I think CB is more urgently needed, we dont have any cover at all.
 
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