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[Albion] Marc Cucurella *Signed For Chelsea 05/08/2022*



Johnny RoastBeef

These aren't the players you're looking for.
Jan 11, 2016
3,471
Indeed opinions but he made the position his at the time due to the fact we didn't have anyone else and made it a priority to replace him. If Cucurella goes someone will come in to replace him, I think we will agree on that.

I think its fair to say that should Cucarella jump ship, we are still in an unbelievably strong position. None more so than because with Tariq on the right, injury free and with a proper pre season behind him, he can take up the attacking slack felt by Cucurella 's absence.

On top of this there are 4 reasons to be optimistic about the club replacing Cucurella successfully. Most of which were not true prior to us signing him last season.

1.) we've only just signed him, which means we still have up to date reports on all the other targets we were scouting before we opted for him. We're not starting from scratch.

2.) Now we can demonstrate that joining us can turbo charge a potential targets career.

3.) Whoever we sign is guaranteed to be our first choice LB/LWB, so no risk of becoming a bench warmer.

4.) Through the sale of Bissouma, Cucurella and Ostigard, coupled with our increased Premier League prize money, we have more than enough budget to go after any up and coming talented we want. Money is no longer a restrictive factor.
 




Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
12,113
Indeed opinions but he made the position his at the time due to the fact we didn't have anyone else and made it a priority to replace him. If Cucurella goes someone will come in to replace him, I think we will agree on that.

It's pedantry on my part, but terms like "made it a priority" aren't how I believe the club operate.

At the time Cucurella was signed, the whole world agreed the club needed to sign a striker as it's no1 "priority"
We didn't, and ended the season with more goals scored, less conceded and more points.

I'm sure the club will have a plan on how best to spend any transfer fees they get.
But that might not be to find a player as good as Cucurella.
 


Brok

🦡
Dec 26, 2011
4,373
:)

I love these threads.

At the moment we are, literally, dealing with tens of millions of pounds every week.
YET... of course we know better than the club on how to do business? Yeah, right.

None of us knows what goes on behind the scenes. And nor should we, most of it is none of our damn business.

I often think if it were down to NSC to run the Albion, we'd be playing bloody Crawley in the opening match next season, not Manchester bloody United.
 


portlock seagull

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2003
17,777
:)

I love these threads.

At the moment we are, literally, dealing with tens of millions of pounds every week.
YET... of course we know better than the club on how to do business? Yeah, right.

None of us knows what goes on behind the scenes. And nor should we, most of it is none of our damn business.

I often think if it were down to NSC to run the Albion, we'd be playing bloody Crawley in the opening match next season, not Manchester bloody United.

Don’t do down the collective knowledge of this website. Of course the club has experts, paid experts. They don’t always get it right though. Just as I’ve met some proper business brains in my time, I’ve met some terrible ones in lofty positions because of family or more political acumen than ability as sure we all have. Plenty of experts on here down the years that both club and beyond have consulted.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,321
:)

I love these threads.

At the moment we are, literally, dealing with tens of millions of pounds every week.
YET... of course we know better than the club on how to do business? Yeah, right.

None of us knows what goes on behind the scenes. And nor should we, most of it is none of our damn business.

I often think if it were down to NSC to run the Albion, we'd be playing bloody Crawley in the opening match next season, not Manchester bloody United.

Meh :shrug: Suddenly the gormless echo chamber falls completely into line with 'well, we'll just replace Cucurella with the next Fantasy Football equivalent from our sooper dooper database'. Funnily enough, that's not how it works IRL. The smart move would be to upgrade the players AROUND Cucurella, maybe get another season - and potentially a World Cup - out of him. But nah, let's just flip him to The Big Six, bank the money and hope for the best. Sake! :rolleyes:
 






Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
37,339
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
It's pedantry on my part, but terms like "made it a priority" aren't how I believe the club operate.

At the time Cucurella was signed, the whole world agreed the club needed to sign a striker as it's no1 "priority"
We didn't, and ended the season with more goals scored, less conceded and more points.

I'm sure the club will have a plan on how best to spend any transfer fees they get.
But that might not be to find a player as good as Cucurella.

Not the whole world. [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] was talking about a left wing back for much of last summer and I posted this as part of my pre-season preview article.

"So, while the usual striker threads remain on NSC, surely we have to sign a full back or wing back of some description?"

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/content.php?892-Season-Preview-2021-22-Hedging-My-Bets

Left wing backs do not grow on trees, good ones even less so, which is why Pep wants Cucurella. Selling him will seriously weaken us and I think the best we could do next season would be back to 14-18th.
 


scooter1

How soon is now?
The whole Cucurella story seems to be gathering a little bit of pace, with the broadsheets starting to report it. Bissouma going was pretty much a given, but this one worries me a bit. The club know what they’re doing, for that I’m sure. I just hope we have time and a list of players prepared, should this happen a year or two earlier than perhaps the club expected
 




Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,267
Withdean area
We’re not in an unbelievably strong position if Cucurella departs.

Overnight he solved our very longterm achilles heel of being weak at LB, just as Veltman did down the right.

We have no other quality LB or LWB.

Solly can do a job, but Cucurella took us to another level, we saw that last August.

Unless …. the recruitment team pull another signing rabbit out of the hat.
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
Meh :shrug: Suddenly the gormless echo chamber falls completely into line with 'well, we'll just replace Cucurella with the next Fantasy Football equivalent from our sooper dooper database'. Funnily enough, that's not how it works IRL. The smart move would be to upgrade the players AROUND Cucurella, maybe get another season - and potentially a World Cup - out of him. But nah, let's just flip him to The Big Six, bank the money and hope for the best. Sake! :rolleyes:

Your suggestion would be more of a punt/"hope for the best". £50-60m is an opportunity that might not come again. What if he went on to have a shit season or if he gets injured? He'd turn into "poodle", "poor mans David Luiz", "sideshow Bob" rather than "our world class LB" in no time.

I agree with some of what you're saying though - it won't be as easy to replace him as some might think. Yes, the club obviously got a list of options but it is just unlikely that they'll be able to find two Manchester City-level left backs in two years. Cucurella is a special player, nerds have known it since he demolished Ajax while playing for Getafe, and people shouldn't expect the club to make such a catch every year.

On the other hand, most seem to be underestimating Solly March who was easily one of the five best LB/LWBs in the 2020/21 season before he got injured. There is no desperate need for the "sooperdooperdatabase" to find a like for like player.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,321
Your suggestion would be more of a punt/"hope for the best". £50-60m is an opportunity that might not come again. What if he went on to have a shit season or if he gets injured? He'd turn into "poodle", "poor mans David Luiz", "sideshow Bob" rather than "our world class LB" in no time.

I agree with some of what you're saying though - it won't be as easy to replace him as some might think. Yes, the club obviously got a list of options but it is just unlikely that they'll be able to find two Manchester City-level left backs in two years. Cucurella is a special player, nerds have known it since he demolished Ajax while playing for Getafe, and people shouldn't expect the club to make such a catch every year.

On the other hand, most seem to be underestimating Solly March who was easily one of the five best LB/LWBs in the 2020/21 season before he got injured. There is no desperate need for the "sooperdooperdatabase" to find a like for like player.

File Solly March in the same bin as Kerry Mayo. Loyal Club Servants both - mainly on account of no other club rating them enough to ever put in an offer
 




Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,267
Withdean area
Not the whole world. [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] was talking about a left wing back for much of last summer and I posted this as part of my pre-season preview article.

"So, while the usual striker threads remain on NSC, surely we have to sign a full back or wing back of some description?"

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/content.php?892-Season-Preview-2021-22-Hedging-My-Bets

Left wing backs do not grow on trees, good ones even less so, which is why Pep wants Cucurella. Selling him will seriously weaken us and I think the best we could do next season would be back to 14-18th.

:bowdown: your memory.

And great minds think alike …. losing Cucurella, if not replaced almost like for like, will be a big blow. We achieved top 10 at the wire, in no small part due to Bissouma and Cucurella.

Bong/Bernardo/Montoya were sometimes exploited defensively, whilst being levels below Cucurella creatively. The Albion will be more predictable and easier to defend against without the wonderful quality of Cucurella.
 


Seaber

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2010
1,130
Wales
For city they're bringing in Haaland and then surely a DM to replace Fernandinho as a priority. Would imagine LB would be the next port of call after that. Jesus and maybe Sterling out will bring in big bucks, don't know if Cucurella would be too steep this season from a financial fair play point of view though, considering the Champions of Europe's Phillips is the rumoured DM.
 


Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
If only Tony wanted BHA to be the next Man City
There is no fun in that.

If all you have to do to win everything is spend loads of money, and then you spend loads of money then.... job done.

No challenge, no jeopardy.


I think Tony likes the challenge, likes the game. And the game is to do well... but not by just throwing maximum cash at it.
 




Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
:bowdown: your memory.

And great minds think alike …. losing Cucurella, if not replaced almost like for like, will be a big blow. We achieved top 10 at the wire, in no small part due to Bissouma and Cucurella.

Bong/Bernardo/Montoya were sometimes exploited defensively, whilst being levels below Cucurella creatively. The Albion will be more predictable and easier to defend against without the wonderful quality of Cucurella.

While I won't expect the club to find a player as good as Cucurella, I sure hope it will do better than signing someone similar to that lot... still have occasional Montoya-related nightmares.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,267
Withdean area
For city they're bringing in Haaland and then surely a DM to replace Fernandinho as a priority. Would imagine LB would be the next port of call after that. Jesus and maybe Sterling out will bring in big bucks, don't know if Cucurella would be too steep this season from a financial fair play point of view though, considering the Champions of Europe's Phillips is the rumoured DM.

Unlimited petro funds and FPP cheats (look up Project Longbow).

The Sportswashers can fill all those positions with ease this summer, money no object.

They’ve somehow contrived the same commercial income (sponsors) as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, more than Barca and Manure, despite being JCL’s without a global fanbase. It’s a funny old world.
 


Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
They’ve somehow contrived the same commercial income (sponsors) as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, more than Barca and Manure, despite being JCL’s without a global fanbase. It’s a funny old world.

City Group bought clubs in the US, India, Japan, Australia, South America... pretty good outreach when they want to promote their flagship club.
 






Swansman

Pro-peace
May 13, 2019
22,320
Sweden
Cripes.

Just catching up on this now.

Rinse 'em, Tony. Until the pips squeak.

Make their eyes water.

Would only be fair considering what my eyes might look like when he goes.

I avoided getting too attached to him, similar to how I would avoid getting too attached to the rich, hot, intelligent blonde initiating a conversation with me on a night club, but when he scored that goal against United and started tearing up... man, it was like the hypothetical blonde had flashed her boobs.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,267
Withdean area
City Group bought clubs in the US, India, Japan, Australia, South America... pretty good outreach when they want to promote their flagship club.

Bigger than Barca and Manure commercially almost overnight.

Anyone would think that a load of sponsorship comes from sports washing family.
 


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