Izzy Brown

[Zebedee]

Our 3 signings so far this summer are our 3 most expensive transfer fees ever.

And arguably so they should be with all the extra income we can expect to receive in the Premier League.

 

[Rod Marsh]

I may be wrong, but I don't really see him as a no. 10 (in the sense of playing in the hole between midfield and a loan striker), more as an option if we want to play a more traditional 4-4-2, perhaps coming on if we need a goal later on or want to be more attacking at home.

Strangely I thought that was his role for the entirety of last season. He's a perfect number 10 that works hard in front of a midfield four and links with the lone striker.

 

[chaileyjem]

And arguably so they should be with all the extra income we can expect to receive in the Premier League.

of course. but its ludicrous to say after 3 £4-5m signings, some credible reporting that we've bid £10m elsewhere for players, new expensive contracts for Baldock, Knockaert, Dunk, Stephens etc that we're doing things "on the cheap" as the OP is convinced we are.

 

[Zebedee]

of course. but its ludicrous to say after 3 £4-5m signings, some credible reporting that we've bid £10m elsewhere for players, new expensive contracts for Baldock, Knockaert, Dunk, Stephens etc that we're doing things "on the cheap" as the OP is convinced we are.

I'd say that we're being cautious and I understand that since the last thing we want is to spend our long awaited Premier League money unwisely. But I think we will need to invest at least £30M plus on our front line this season if we're to stand any chance at all of staying up..in my humble opinion, of course.

 

[Aristotle]

Strangely I thought that was his role for the entirety of last season. He's a perfect number 10 that works hard in front of a midfield four and links with the lone striker.

Fair enough, in that sense I guess he did play that role. But his strengths are his work rate and running, pulling defenses out of shape and sometimes getting behind them. I was thinking of the need for someone who's more happy to put their foot on the ball in the final third and play the killer pass, which seems more what's Gross is about, but not really Baldock's thing.

 

[lizard]

I'm really not sure about this one. Izzy Brown is definitely a massive talent and will no doubt be an immense player in a few years. But from Chelsea's point of view, is it really the best place for him to sit on our bench week in week out, the lad needs games to achieve his full potential and I really can't see him starting a lot here.
Yes I'd be very happy if he signed for us, but expect Chelsea may well want guarantees we just can't offer for that to happen.

I'd also question if he's the right sort of player to get stuck in to a relegation fight, he was decent at Hudds in having decent Champ players around him and them often being in a position to allow him a certain freedom on the pitch. How's he going to be with Hazard running at him or tracking Sanchez when we're already three down?

Unless Hudds buy him, which according to Chelsea isn't an option, I could see him rocking up somewhere like Villa or Norwich before a big move either January or next summer.

Of course that's only my opinion, and as I've said I think he'd be a good squad player for us should he arrive.
(Now I've said all that he's bound to be 'imminent')

 

[Weststander]

I'd say that we're being cautious and I understand that since the last thing we want is to spend our long awaited Premier League money unwisely. But I think we will need to invest at least £30M plus on our front line this season if we're to stand any chance at all of staying up..in my humble opinion, of course.

If Bournemouth, Stains and Huddersfield were all able to in their promotion summer, why not us? I don't think anyone would claim that at that stage, they were bigger clubs that BHAFC summer 2017.

 

[Rod Marsh]

Fair enough, in that sense I guess he did play that role. But his strengths are his work rate and running, pulling defenses out of shape and sometimes getting behind them. I was thinking of the need for someone who's more happy to put their foot on the ball in the final third and play the killer pass, which seems more what's Gross is about, but not really Baldock's thing.

I've only seen Gross play once so am not sure exactly what his attributes are. I can also imagine us playing 3 attacking midfielders behind a target man. He could play as one of them or as a more standard centre midfielder. From what I've read he can play a number of positions. We shall see!

 

[Berty23]

I don't understand people putting values on how much we need to spend. If all the players had cost 12 million then would people be happy? People will say "these guys are not worth it" but how do we know? We bought a tricky little French chap for a small fee and people might agree with me when sometimes cheaper players are brilliant and expensive are crap. Let's trust the scouts and manager and relax. We needed a number 10, left back and a keeper. What have we signed? Now let's get a goalscorer.

 

[severnside gull]

You can laugh but if we succeed with current bids for Moses and Delaney we will be spending around £25m

 

[Machiavelli]

I may be wrong, but I don't really see him as a no. 10 (in the sense of playing in the hole between midfield and a loan striker), more as an option if we want to play a more traditional 4-4-2, perhaps coming on if we need a goal later on or want to be more attacking at home.

Yup. Aristotle has got to the form, the matter and the essence of things, both in this post and his assessment of Brown as cover for Gross.

 

[Machiavelli]

I've only seen Gross play once so am not sure exactly what his attributes are. I can also imagine us playing 3 attacking midfielders behind a target man. He could play as one of them or as a more standard centre midfielder. From what I've read he can play a number of positions. We shall see!

FWIW, I'm slightly more with [MENTION=11767]Aristotle[/MENTION] in your engagement. Gross describes himself as a number 8 or number 10, which I see as playing ACM in a 4-2-3-1 or the most offensive of the central midfielders in a 4-5-1 respectively. We played most of last season as a 4-4-2, with Baldock as the support striker to Murray or Hemed, and his key attribute was his movement and work-rate, stretching defences and making space for (and, at times, supplying) the main striker. I really can't see Baldock fitting in anywhere in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-5-1 formation as his vision and passing ability aren't up to much. I suspect Baldock will play when we adopt a 4-4-2 formation which will happen either when we're chasing a game (which we will become all too familiar with) or in the much rarer situation of when we take the game to the opposition (when we're playing at home against rival opposition teams).

 

[Rod Marsh]

FWIW, I'm slightly more with [MENTION=11767]Aristotle[/MENTION] in your engagement. Gross describes himself as a number 8 or number 10, which I see as playing ACM in a 4-2-3-1 or the most offensive of the central midfielders in a 4-5-1 respectively. We played most of last season as a 4-4-2, with Baldock as the support striker to Murray or Hemed, and his key attribute was his movement and work-rate, stretching defences and making space for (and, at times, supplying) the main striker. I really can't see Baldock fitting in anywhere in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-5-1 formation as his vision and passing ability aren't up to much. I suspect Baldock will play when we adopt a 4-4-2 formation which will happen either when we're chasing a game (which we will become all too familiar with) or in the much rarer situation of when we take the game to the opposition (when we're playing at home against rival opposition teams).

That's fine. I wouldn't agree however that we played 4-4-2 last season. I saw it very much as a 4-4-1-1. Whatever though

 

[Machiavelli]

That's fine. I wouldn't agree however that we played 4-4-2 last season. I saw it very much as a 4-4-1-1. Whatever though

That's also fine. It's always interesting how we conceive of the front 2 and what they're doing. We might not quibble that Murray and Hemed were more target men, and played more centrally, i.e. stayed predominantly within the goalposts and certainly rarely beyond the penalty areas, while Baldock buzzed around and was far more unpredictable positionally; or maybe we will.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

We've done well so far in the transfer market, but I'm not convinced we'll sign Brown.

As we can only have 1 loan from Chelsea, we may prefer Tomori to Brown if we can't get Gomez from Liverpool. So we may be waiting on that outcome.

Anyway, not expecting this transfer any time soon, and maybe not at all.

 

[blockhseagull]

As we can only have 1 loan from Chelsea, we may prefer Tomori to Brown if we can't get Gomez from Liverpool. So we may be waiting on that outcome.

Agree, been thinking this for a while

 

[chaileyjem]

Agree, been thinking this for a while

PS: Tomori is playing for a Chelsea dev squad 11 at Crawley on Saturday .
http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/ne...in-their-squad-to-face-crawley-town-1-8054422

Not many reports about him this summer, post the world cup win, but most talk of Chelsea looking to loan him.

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

This one seems to have gone cold?....

 

[bhanutz]

This one seems to have gone cold?....

I heard the other day that it was close... No reason to disbelieve the source!

 

[HantsSeagull]

This one seems to have gone cold?....

patience.......