Speculation The hysterical and annoying, but traditional, totally unfounded summer 2018 rumours thread.

[fitz]

I think the Maguire stuff is bollocks, but say Man Utd DO bid £80m for him, would you take it?

80m is a hell of a lot of money. Tbh, probsbly more than he's worth.

I like Maguire a lot and want him to stay, but feel you could buy better for that.

Problem is, it's now late in the window and we'd struggle to get a replacement. Ben Gibson has been announced by Burnley today so one of our apparent options is gone too.

If we had more than one cb and midfielder I'd take the money. Evans is injured which seems normal for a new signing but hopefully that's not too long. Defensively we could replace but we've also got to make up for Maguire being one of few forward playing players we had last season.

 

[Skitzo]

90 min ain’t much better.

The app I use is, very accurate tbf

 

[tedfoxxx]

*BEDWETTING* I still find it remarkable how little we’ve added and how little deadwood we’ve shifted this summer. Maybe there will be some panic buys but with some keys players missing preseason and then new players piled on top of that it’s not ideal preparation. I’m really do find the lack of a coherent transfer policy embarrassing. *BEDWETTING*

 

[popillius]

*BEDWETTING* I still find it remarkable how little we’ve added and how little deadwood we’ve shifted this summer. Maybe there will be some panic buys but with some keys players missing preseason and then new players piled on top of that it’s not ideal preparation. I’m really do find the lack of a coherent transfer policy embarrassing. *BEDWETTING*

How do you suppose we move on 'dead wood' if nobody wants to buy them and they have legally binding contracts? Should we just pay them out of these and cut our losses? So much shit on here about 'shifting players out - it really isn't that easy. I don't think there will be a huge amount of suitors for King and Ulloa, especially with what we are paying them. Why should they take a hit on their salary either - would you?

 

[Micky]

*BEDWETTING* I still find it remarkable how little we’ve added and how little deadwood we’ve shifted this summer. Maybe there will be some panic buys but with some keys players missing preseason and then new players piled on top of that it’s not ideal preparation. I’m really do find the lack of a coherent transfer policy embarrassing. *BEDWETTING*

We've lost Mahrez but...

We've added a class central defender, one of England's most talented youngsters, a potugese international right back. We've also shifted the failing, overpaid Ahmed Musa (for a great fee).

I expect a few more of the unwanted to move on and a couple more signings.

Not bad I think.

 

[Feriol]

Gezzal by all accounts has great close control, turns quickly and pick a pass. Is exciting to watch but just lacks on the end product.

Similar could be said of Mahrez career before our title win. Perhaps with regular games and confidence he could be good.

 

[tedfoxxx]

How do you suppose we move on 'dead wood' if nobody wants to buy them and they have legally binding contracts? Should we just pay them out of these and cut our losses? So much shit on here about 'shifting players out - it really isn't that easy.

Eh? Someone at the club gave them these contracts so now that the time for an overhaul has arrived we can’t have one.

If we’re not in a position to improve the squad, decided the club’s vast wealth, it’s the club’s own fault.

 

[tedfoxxx]

I’m just going to give it a rest. We’re heading for a shite season and it’s a ****ing shame because the club has blown the chance to entertain us by completely sacking off what made us a success. I’m royally ****ed off with the club. It’s accepted mediocrity through a mixture of incompetence and lethargy when we could have done something special. With every shit, overpriced player we sign and random squad selection we get further away from the best thing any club ever achieved. I’ll start posting again when there’s some football to talk about because I’ve got a bee in my bonnet and I’m just posting negative whiny shite at the minute.

 

[pork pie fox]

I’m just going to give it a rest. We’re heading for a shite season and it’s a ****ing shame because the club has blown the chance to entertain us by completely sacking off what made us a success. I’m royally ****ed off with the club. It’s accepted mediocrity through a mixture of incompetence and lethargy when we could have done something special. With every shit, overpriced player we sign and random squad selection we get further away from the best thing any club ever achieved. I’ll start posting again when there’s some football to talk about because I’ve got a bee in my bonnet and I’m just posting negative whiny shite at the minute.

*in your opinion* is missing Teddy Boy.

I’m not saying I agree with everything that’s gone on, but Mahrez leaving was an inevitability. If you asked most fans at the start of the window what our priorities would be in terms of signings I would guess a lot would say a new right back, a new centre half and a creative attacking midfielder, all of which we’ve signed.

A fair amount would also have wanted a new manager, which we haven’t got and is probably the root of most pessimism. On that front, I guess we’ll have to see how it goes, but at least we have a board who aren’t scared to change things if they think things aren’t going to plan.

I always thought I’d feel that our squad was going to be weaker, when I accepted Mahrez would leave and I would probably have favoured changing Puel, but hey, we are where we are, as someone once said.

 

[H T B]

We've lost Mahrez but...

We've added a class central defender, one of England's most talented youngsters, a potugese international right back. We've also shifted the failing, overpaid Ahmed Musa (for a great fee).

I expect a few more of the unwanted to move on and a couple more signings.

Not bad I think.

Feck me, dawning of a new era, I agree with Micky

 

[Skitzo]

I’m just going to give it a rest. We’re heading for a shite season and it’s a ****ing shame because the club has blown the chance to entertain us by completely sacking off what made us a success. I’m royally ****ed off with the club. It’s accepted mediocrity through a mixture of incompetence and lethargy when we could have done something special. With every shit, overpriced player we sign and random squad selection we get further away from the best thing any club ever achieved. I’ll start posting again when there’s some football to talk about because I’ve got a bee in my bonnet and I’m just posting negative whiny shite at the minute.

by 10 games in to the next season what got us that title had been sussed out and we had to start to move away from it, in fact the squad shouldn't have been given new contracts all round several should have been shown the door that same summer but sentiment and a refusal to accept that we couldn't just stick with the same 11 and tactics like teams much better than us found out previously meant that doing that would have caused outrage

 

[H T B]

I’m just going to give it a rest. We’re heading for a shite season and it’s a ****ing shame because the club has blown the chance to entertain us by completely sacking off what made us a success. I’m royally ****ed off with the club. It’s accepted mediocrity through a mixture of incompetence and lethargy when we could have done something special. With every shit, overpriced player we sign and random squad selection we get further away from the best thing any club ever achieved. I’ll start posting again when there’s some football to talk about because I’ve got a bee in my bonnet and I’m just posting negative whiny shite at the minute.

Don't slam the door to hard on your way out, and don't rush back either.
Next?

 

[Micky]

by 10 games in to the next season what got us that title had been sussed out and we had to start to move away from it, in fact the squad shouldn't have been given new contracts all round several should have been shown the door that same summer but sentiment and a refusal to accept that we couldn't just stick with the same 11 and tactics like teams much better than us found out previously meant that doing that would have caused outrage

I don't think it was sussed out. I think it was more to do with the fact that we didnt have the players to execute it - Kante!

 

[ThaiSweetChilli]

Ben Gibson to Burnley is a shame - I'd love us to sign another CB and Gibson has played in the PL before too.

As is it, I'm fine with the dealings so far.
Another CB and I'll be happy.
Another CB, LB and I'll be delighted.
Another CB, LB and striker and I'll ejaculate.

All quality signings of course.

 

[popillius]

Eh? Someone at the club gave them these contracts so now that the time for an overhaul has arrived we can’t have one.

If we’re not in a position to improve the squad, decided the club’s vast wealth, it’s the club’s own fault.

What the flying ****....? How do you have an 'overhaul'? How the bollocks do you think we can just cancel contracts or sell players when there are no buyers? Just think about it for a second. What do you suggest - should we pay out their contracts and make them free agents? Should we loan them out to clubs who haven't asked for them and continue to pay their wages? Yes, someone gave them contracts and with that are legal ramifications.

 

[popillius]

I don't think it was sussed out. I think it was more to do with the fact that we didnt have the players to execute it - Kante!

Precisely. Some people underestimate the huge hole left by Kante which was impossible to fill. We tried to play the same way but we just couldn't because we didn't have anyone like him breaking up play so effectively.

 

[Lako42]

Precisely. Some people underestimate the huge hole left by Kante which was impossible to fill. We tried to play the same way but we just couldn't because we didn't have anyone like him breaking up play so effectively.

And yet it looks like we are again going into the season with the intention of playing only 2 in the middle.

 

[popillius]

And yet it looks like we are again going into the season with the intention of playing only 2 in the middle.

Yep. That is the biggest concern.

 

[glyn]

by 10 games in to the next season what got us that title had been sussed out and we had to start to move away from it, in fact the squad shouldn't have been given new contracts all round several should have been shown the door that same summer but sentiment and a refusal to accept that we couldn't just stick with the same 11 and tactics like teams much better than us found out previously meant that doing that would have caused outrage

I agree that we should have shown some more intelligent evolution post May 2016 but the idea that it took teams the whole of 15/16 plus ten games to suss us our stretches credibility. We were on TV every week and any observer of football could see how we played.

As others have said we didn’t adapt to losing Kante. He really was the equivalent of having two players on he pitch.

 

[glyn]

Re Maguire I agree if we were offered a world record fee for a defender it would be reasonable to consider that a fair bid, and I could probably accept that it is the right move for the club. But only if we were prepared with spending big on others, and particularly a replacement well ahead of Thursday. Otherwise it would be a terrible deal.

Imagine ending Thursday with a profit of well over £60m