Jean-Clair Todibo | signs for West Ham on loan with option to buy

amolbhatia50k said:
Surely he’d be 3rd choice. Lindelof finished last season very well but in general he’s been underwhelming over a long period now.
Click to expand...
Lindelof gets shitted on a fair bit, but he knows the league and we know what he's capable of in it, for the better and worse; he doesn't need blooding nor PT to develop (we've seen his best isn't good enough to usurp the starters) and he's happy with his role.

This kid needs games and lots of them, right? And he's also got to get a feel for the league and a higher calibre of opponent and pressure. His profile is that of a young, up-and-comer and that only partially fits with being a 3rd choice (vital PT lost if the 1st choice remain fit) because off chance games if/when Varane is injured just isn't enough - a KMJ made sense as the 3rd because he would actively challenge for a starting spot and he wouldn't need as much developmental time as prospective kids. A Lindelof or even Maguire currently fit that 3rd billing, but a youngster doesn't and a 4th is even worse (for a kid).

Surprises me because the profile for a 3rd isn't a youngster, and for a 4th, you'd actually want an older veteran who has been there done it all and won't complain or, more importantly, lose anything by being an almost permanent fixture on the bench. The whole rotation dynamic changes with a very young CB in the ranks, which is why this potential transfer raises more questions than answers for me.

Incidentally, the kid touches on the point that Barcelona couldn't give him the PT, and I just wonder how we would/could also.
 
TwoSheds said:
He's 23, has 110 league games under his belt across 3 different leagues, doesn't seem like experience is the issue really. You'd imagine training and playing with Varane and Martinez wouldn't hurt his game.
Click to expand...
Agree with the last sentence, but the previous; is that enough experience to come here and be ready or not in need of a lot more to become the finished article?

Rotation at CB is sparse compared to other positions and outside of managing Varane's fitness, he'd be getting tidbits relative to the permit fixture he currently is.
 
Fortitude said:
Lindelof gets shitted on a fair bit, but he knows the league and we know what he's capable of in it, for the better and worse; he doesn't need blooding nor PT to develop (we've seen his best isn't good enough to usurp the starters) and he's happy with his role.

This kid needs games and lots of them, right? And he's also got to get a feel for the league and a higher calibre of opponent and pressure. His profile is that of a young, up-and-comer and that only partially fits with being a 3rd choice (vital PT lost if the 1st choice remain fit) because off chance games if/when Varane is injured just isn't enough - a KMJ made sense as the 3rd because he would actively challenge for a starting spot and he wouldn't need as much developmental time as prospective kids. A Lindelof or even Maguire currently fit that 3rd billing, but a youngster doesn't and a 4th is even worse (for a kid).

Surprises me because the profile for a 3rd isn't a youngster, and for a 4th, you'd actually want an older veteran who has been there done it all and won't complain or, more importantly, lose anything by being an almost permanent fixture on the bench. The whole rotation dynamic changes with a very young CB in the ranks, which is why this potential transfer raises more questions than answers for me.

Incidentally, the kid touches on the point that Barcelona couldn't give him the PT, and I just wonder how we would/could also.
Click to expand...

Varane can't really play 3 games in 7/8 days anymore. Unless we drop into the Europa League there shouldn't be as much strain in that sense, but if we do well in the cups then playing weekend, midweek, weekend might still be a fairly regular occurrence.

Anyone signed to be 3rd choice would still likely play once a week, at least, even when Varane is fully fit. We also need to start thinking about replacing Varane long term, so there's every chance that Todibo may end up relegating him to 3rd choice at some point, this season or next, if he does well. I'd imagine he'll be happier with that arrangement and it's motivation than somebody like KMJ.
 
Fortitude said:
How are people saying he fits the profile of a 4th CB? He seems to be the antithesis of that as he needs [lots] or PT and development, which, if Varane is as fit as we hope, he's not going to get here. He's not the finished article so how would he benefit more from being here than remaining - or going to - wherever he plays every game?
Click to expand...

Because Varane won't be fit for large chunks. He'll get plenty of game time. How many games would he have got last season for instance if already here?

Plus a boat load more money in his bank account should help the move.
 
Crimson King said:
Varane can't really play 3 games in 7/8 days anymore. Unless we drop into the Europa League there shouldn't be as much strain in that sense, but if we do well in the cups then playing weekend, midweek, weekend might still be a fairly regular occurrence.

Anyone signed to be 3rd choice would still likely play once a week, at least, even when Varane is fully fit. We also need to start thinking about replacing Varane long term, so there's every chance that Todibo may end up relegating him to 3rd choice at some point, this season or next, if he does well. I'd imagine he'll be happier with that arrangement and it's motivation than somebody like KMJ.
Click to expand...
Marwood said:
Because Varane won't be fit for large chunks. He'll get plenty of game time. How many games would he have got last season for instance if already here?

Plus a boat load more money in his bank account should help the move.
Click to expand...

Sporadic, still. More a question of if it's enough PT and as beneficial to him (optimal?) and us as can be. The situation is different to KMJ because he is of the calibre where he might've even forced Varane to the 3rd spot outright and he'd have automatically made Lindelof a solid 4th. There's no certainty this kid comes to the PL and hits the ground running, and if he doesn't, he needs even more PT, not less.

Not shitting on this kid, btw, but logistics should be looked at and taken into consideration.
 
Fortitude said:
Sporadic, still. More a question of if it's enough PT and as beneficial to him (optimal?) and us as can be. The situation is different to KMJ because he is of the calibre where he might've even forced Varane to the 3rd spot outright and he'd have automatically made Lindelof a solid 4th. There's no certainty this kid comes to the PL and hits the ground running, and if he doesn't, he needs even more PT, not less.

Not shitting on this kid, btw, but logistics should be looked at and taken into consideration.
Click to expand...

Last season Varane and Martinez missed about 25 league games between them with injury. Plus whatever they missed in the cups.

Then there's general rotation.

So his appearances would have been more than sporadic.

A third choice CB at United gets loads of games. It's been that way for years.
 
If City can keep Stones, Ake, Akanji, Dias and Gvardiol happy - then we can keep Martinez, Varane, Lindelof and one other happy.

I appreciate I’m ignoring the fact that City play with 3 or sometimes 4 CBS on the pitch at times.
 
Fortitude said:
Sporadic, still. More a question of if it's enough PT and as beneficial to him (optimal?) and us as can be. The situation is different to KMJ because he is of the calibre where he might've even forced Varane to the 3rd spot outright and he'd have automatically made Lindelof a solid 4th. There's no certainty this kid comes to the PL and hits the ground running, and if he doesn't, he needs even more PT, not less.

Not shitting on this kid, btw, but logistics should be looked at and taken into consideration.
Click to expand...

He's not really a kid anymore, but yeah he might need time to adapt to a new league, but I think that's a good reason to sign someone who won't be expected to start straight away.

KMJ might have forced Varane out of the team, but other than fitness issues Varane is still an excellent defender. It would be a waste having either him or KMJ on the bench, especially as they'd both be on huge wages.

It's likely this guy wouldn't come in and suddenly be one of our best paid defenders, which is something else to consider.
 
Judas said:
Varane can't be trusted fitness wise, and Shaw shouldn't be the answer, and Lindelof isn't, so....buy him.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Everytime he goes down, I fear the worst. Even in the friendly against Lens, he was down for a couple of mins and I thought he was going to be out for a while again.
 
Jonathan Johnson says that Todibo is likely available for a reasonable price due to Nice not qualifying for European competition. Or else he would've been priced higher.



The vid below provides the thoughts of the person who runs the Get French Football News twitter handle who gives his opinion on both Disasi and Todibo from over a month back. Talks about Disasi from 1:40 onwards and Todibo from 9:27 in the vid.

 
Which Tier???

Seems we are eyeing the right players in our lifetime again.





 
Definitely in favour of this - hopefully it happens. Squad has started looking a bit decrepit in places - always good to see some talented U25 players coming in who haven't hit peak yet (ditto Mount & Højlund).
 
United fans and being unable to understand depth/squad rotation: you can’t name a better combo.

City have Akanji, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Dias but apparently getting a potential Varane understudy is too risky and we should just roll with Lindelof as first deputy and Evans as 4th choice.
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
United fans and being unable to understand depth/squad rotation: you can’t name a better combo.

City have Akanji, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Dias but apparently getting a potential Varane understudy is too risky and we should just roll with Lindelof as first deputy and Evans as 4th choice.
Click to expand...

Yeah their CB depth is insane
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
United fans and being unable to understand depth/squad rotation: you can’t name a better combo.

City have Akanji, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Dias but apparently getting a potential Varane understudy is too risky and we should just roll with Lindelof as first deputy and Evans as 4th choice.
Click to expand...
That’s… an interesting interpretation…
 
Utd finally signing hipster targets.

If we can shift Maguire and use that money to buy him it would be perfect.
 
Is he any good? I remember he failed at barca some years ago.
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
United fans and being unable to understand depth/squad rotation: you can’t name a better combo.

City have Akanji, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Dias but apparently getting a potential Varane understudy is too risky and we should just roll with Lindelof as first deputy and Evans as 4th choice.
Click to expand...

You do have point about bringing another CB if we sell Maguire but your mention of City in this regard is bit disingenuous because their CB's are also deployed as full backs as well in Midfield .
 
SAFMUTD said:
Is he any good? I remember he failed at barca some years ago.
Click to expand...
He was very raw back then and lost out to Araujo, who's blossomed into one of the best in the world, while Pique was also still a starter. That plus the constant managerial upheaval made it not the best situation for his developement.

He's developed nicely back in France and has all the tools to be a top CB long term.
 
I think it's about 99% certain he'd get the Nicky Butt/Possebon/Van de Beek chant if he joined.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.