Would love Leno on a permanent transfer bags of potential and seems to have a good attitude I am sure JJ and Euell could improve him
There you go, first rumour - we're signing Bernd Leno. Not sure if it's good value, pretty sure £14million plus could be better spent on purchasing an entire squad.
Leko is only 22, and on his day, certainly in this league - he is pretty much a cheat code.
Certainly need to work hard on him on the training pitch to improve his decision making, but if we can do that, and can get him at a decent price it's a no brainer for me.
Would love Leno on a permanent transfer bags of potential and seems to have a good attitude I am sure JJ and Euell could improve him
There you go, first rumour - we're signing Bernd Leno. Not sure if it's good value, pretty sure £14million plus could be better spent on purchasing an entire squad.
Signing Leko on a permanent deal will settle him down as his future is sorted it will help him concentrate on his playing & not worry where he will end up at the end of the season.
That said, there is certainly room for improvement but his raw talent there to be seen. Step up JJ and Euell to hone that.
Leko hasn't had an easy season. He's been played out wide in a non-performing team that Messi would have looked average in, then started really well at RWB before getting injured, and has since been switched between RWB and striker which are very, very different roles, He's still learning the RWB role while regularly being thrown in as a forward all while returning to fitness. We'd do well to get him in permanently but I think he needs a run of games. It took him 5 games to score for us in his first season, then another 4 after that. He then got 3 in 3 games and an assist and started to look like a real threat at Championship level. He got 4 assists in his brief time with us as well. When he first came there was a lot of skepticism about his style but he'd won most over right before his bad injury. Give him a run alongside a consistent partner like Washington and I think he'll be great at this level. Add to that he's 22, we know he can play at Championship level and if he does find his form has sell-on potential and it's a sensible signing
Leko hasn't had an easy season. He's been played out wide in a non-performing team that Messi would have looked average in, then started really well at RWB before getting injured, and has since been switched between RWB and striker which are very, very different roles, He's still learning the RWB role while regularly being thrown in as a forward all while returning to fitness. We'd do well to get him in permanently but I think he needs a run of games. It took him 5 games to score for us in his first season, then another 4 after that. He then got 3 in 3 games and an assist and started to look like a real threat at Championship level. He got 4 assists in his brief time with us as well. When he first came there was a lot of skepticism about his style but he'd won most over right before his bad injury. Give him a run alongside a consistent partner like Washington and I think he'll be great at this level. Add to that he's 22, we know he can play at Championship level and if he does find his form has sell-on potential and it's a sensible signing
That loan spell with us in the Championship is the only time he's had an adequate scoring record, it's worrying that he failed to score in 41 Birmingham appearances
Are we after a wing back or are we after a striker, as we can probably do better than Leko for either position?
Leko's shown enough that he can make it as a striker - his hold-up play is pretty decent and he can take on defenders. The problem is that all of our current forwards' biggest strength is their hold-up play, which means that we are really, really good until the final third
Leko hasn't had an easy season. He's been played out wide in a non-performing team that Messi would have looked average in, then started really well at RWB before getting injured, and has since been switched between RWB and striker which are very, very different roles, He's still learning the RWB role while regularly being thrown in as a forward all while returning to fitness. We'd do well to get him in permanently but I think he needs a run of games. It took him 5 games to score for us in his first season, then another 4 after that. He then got 3 in 3 games and an assist and started to look like a real threat at Championship level. He got 4 assists in his brief time with us as well. When he first came there was a lot of skepticism about his style but he'd won most over right before his bad injury. Give him a run alongside a consistent partner like Washington and I think he'll be great at this level. Add to that he's 22, we know he can play at Championship level and if he does find his form has sell-on potential and it's a sensible signing
That loan spell with us in the Championship is the only time he's had an adequate scoring record, it's worrying that he failed to score in 41 Birmingham appearances
Are we after a wing back or are we after a striker, as we can probably do better than Leko for either position?
He only played as a striker in about half of those appearances, being shuttled between both wings as well, and only played about 50% of the minutes available in those games, often as a sub. He was also coming back from a cruciate injury still (missed the first four games of that season). It was a pretty rancid Birmingham team too. I think Leko benefits from a bit of love and being valued and I don't think he ever got that at Birmingham. I doubt we can do a lot better than him in the striking position, get him, Stockley, Washington and another there and we'll be luckier than most.
If we’re going to bring anyone in, those two positions definitely need a bit more punch. I posted on the Norwich PMV thread that Lee and Gilbey have a combined 3 goals in 36. I mentioned I’m giving them some slack because half of those games were under Adkins and Gilbey was recovering from Covid, but as the season goes on and we take an eye to what sort of team we need to get us out of this league next season, they’re both as much under the spotlight for me.
i agree those 2 are the priority positions but i also think we need cover for dobson coz if he gets injured, if watson or morgan come in, its game over - if it isn't already.
We aren’t going to get 2 absolutely superb players in every position, it’s just not realistic and hard to keep everyone happy.
Assuming we carry on with the same formation I’m happy with the centre back options, we’ve just been very unlucky with injuries, and Pearce and Gunter who were scapegoats look good enough under JJ.
Wing backs again fairly happy, not that keen on Souare but again it’s unrealistic to think we’ll get quality x2 in each role.
DM - not sure where we go if Dobson picks one up, don’t want to return to Watson, maybe Clare will do that role should he be out.
CM - two of our better players, it’s a worry if one is out particularly Lee, and the back up has been poor there, maybe one in that role would be needed.
Up top the biggest concern, we’ve no real replacement for Stockley should the rumours be true that’s he’s out long term and no back up for him when he’s fit full stop, we haven’t had this all season so that position of target man is vital if we have any chance at all this season, I see Leko as the back up to Washington personally, although we don’t know Leko’s best role yet, I can’t see us getting back up for Washington.
i agree those 2 are the priority positions but i also think we need cover for dobson coz if he gets injured, if watson or morgan come in, its game over - if it isn't already.
I feel we do have cover there in Sean Clare. With the centre backs coming back to fitness, I can see the first choice three being Lavelle, Inniss/Pearce, Famewo. This means that Clare can then come back in and provide competition for the midfield three.
Wholly agree with you that Morgan and Watson are no answer for that position.
Lavelle in no universe displaces Clare at the moment. He is the long-term Pearce replacement. Inniss clearly can play LCB or RCB; he's a super-powered bench option or can be rotated with Famewo and Clare if need be.
Lavelle in no universe displaces Clare at the moment. He is the long-term Pearce replacement. Inniss clearly can play LCB or RCB; he's a super-powered bench option or can be rotated with Famewo and Clare if need be.
Clare has been a revelation at RCB. It's his best position within our current set up.
Lavelle in no universe displaces Clare at the moment. He is the long-term Pearce replacement. Inniss clearly can play LCB or RCB; he's a super-powered bench option or can be rotated with Famewo and Clare if need be.
Clare has been a revelation at RCB. It's his best position within our current set up.
Another non goal scoring midfielder. Playing brilliant at RCB and shouldn’t be moved.
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https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bernd-leno/profil/spieler/72476
Certainly need to work hard on him on the training pitch to improve his decision making, but if we can do that, and can get him at a decent price it's a no brainer for me.
Oh, well. Back to reading @addick1956 posts.
That said, there is certainly room for improvement but his raw talent there to be seen. Step up JJ and Euell to hone that.
Are we after a wing back or are we after a striker, as we can probably do better than Leko for either position?
We aren’t going to get 2 absolutely superb players in every position, it’s just not realistic and hard to keep everyone happy.
Wing backs again fairly happy, not that keen on Souare but again it’s unrealistic to think we’ll get quality x2 in each role.
Up top the biggest concern, we’ve no real replacement for Stockley should the rumours be true that’s he’s out long term and no back up for him when he’s fit full stop, we haven’t had this all season so that position of target man is vital if we have any chance at all this season, I see Leko as the back up to Washington personally, although we don’t know Leko’s best role yet, I can’t see us getting back up for Washington.
Wholly agree with you that Morgan and Watson are no answer for that position.