[Albion] Nicolás González

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Stato

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2011
7,367
This isnt in any way linked to the players above you mention or any losing of status for the PL imho.

Courtois went to Real Madrid, a massive club who pay mega money.
Lukaku wasnt wanted by Man U and was effectively binned off, rumours are though that Chelsea may come back in for him.
Vertonghen was on the wane and has moved to a much inferior league, I guess has more chance of first team football in a better climate.
Nunez is a young fella and imho chose Benfica over Brighton not Portuguese league over PL, european football and a team fighting for domestic honours over a relegation scrap in wet and windy English winter.
This was quoted of Wijnaldum in the press "Klopp confirmed Georginio Wijnaldum will leave Liverpool when his contract expires this summer, and the midfielder added: “I'm fighting against tears right now. The people in Liverpool have shown me love during the five years. I hoped to have played many more years for the club but unfortunately things went different." So that has nothing to do with the PL and everything to do with contracts offers.
Aguerro I'm sure wouldve stayed at Citeh if pep wanted him or played him, he did neither so he left as he was surplus to requirements.

I dont think there is a single player there who chose another league over the PL. It is still one of the top 2 with Spain

True, the EPL used to get the foreign stars either at the end of their careers, or before they made it internationally. The CL challengers over here now get their share of the best players in the world at their peaks and a lot move on to other countries when they start to wane. Aguerro and Wijnaldum are following this pattern.

However, there is no comparison between the top teams offering European football and stupid wages and us and teams like us. For all the talk of climate and friends in the Argentina squad, if he has chosen Fiorentina it will no doubt have something to do with our wage cap. Tony Bloom will risk transfer fees, but he won't saddle the club with an unsustainable wage bill, especially after the last 18 months.

Competing for the signatures of quality strikers will be a perennial challenge as a result. Given that the business model is to get them on the up and profit from them when we can't pay them what other teams will, it's a fact of life that we just have to live with. So far, the model looks like being successful with all positions except striker. That's not surprising as they are the hardest to find, cost the most and are in the most competitive market. You get the impression that our next Ward, Zamora or Murray is most likely to come from the sort of places that they all came from; Burton Albion, Bristol Rovers or Rochdale. Who knows, perhaps the modern equivalent for us might be something like the Swiss second tier.
 






West Hoathly Seagull

Honorary Ruffian
Aug 26, 2003
3,544
Sharpthorne/SW11
This isnt in any way linked to the players above you mention or any losing of status for the PL imho.

Courtois went to Real Madrid, a massive club who pay mega money.
Lukaku wasnt wanted by Man U and was effectively binned off, rumours are though that Chelsea may come back in for him.
Vertonghen was on the wane and has moved to a much inferior league, I guess has more chance of first team football in a better climate.
Nunez is a young fella and imho chose Benfica over Brighton not Portuguese league over PL, european football and a team fighting for domestic honours over a relegation scrap in wet and windy English winter.
This was quoted of Wijnaldum in the press "Klopp confirmed Georginio Wijnaldum will leave Liverpool when his contract expires this summer, and the midfielder added: “I'm fighting against tears right now. The people in Liverpool have shown me love during the five years. I hoped to have played many more years for the club but unfortunately things went different." So that has nothing to do with the PL and everything to do with contracts offers.
Aguerro I'm sure wouldve stayed at Citeh if pep wanted him or played him, he did neither so he left as he was surplus to requirements.

I dont think there is a single player there who chose another league over the PL. It is still one of the top 2 with Spain

I don't think it's lost it's appeal. I think its not just the best league in the world but the best league of all time. Not only that, its the richest league in the world, and let's be honest that's what motivates the players.

I still think the Premier League is the most attractive to players around the world, because its the best and pays the most.

Having said that players like Lukaku and Wijnaldum who have already earned a fortune here, could go join one of the biggest clubs in Italy, Spain or France, still get paid a fortune and probably find it slightly easier.

It was just a thought. I was struck by how many ex-PL players there are in some of the teams, and there seemed to be fewer current players. Against what I was saying, of course both finalists in this season's Champions League were from the Premier League.
 


GT49er

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 1, 2009
49,186
Gloucester
Room for crucifying him when he has to go with “happy with what I’ve got” though, and the players fail to deliver the multitude of opportunities made. Always a silver lining :wink:

No new strikers/goal scorers means progress will not happen….

Progress is happening. If you just take the second half of last season we were much higher up the table - about 11th, I think. Carry on like that and a top ten finish won't be that far off.
 


Sarisbury Seagull

Solly March Fan Club
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Nov 22, 2007
15,010
Sarisbury Green, Southampton
This is probably a controversial view, and I may get shot down, but I'm wondering if the Premier League is starting to lose its shine for players from other countries. It has struck me in the European games just how few current Premier League players there are in some of the teams. Sure, you've got Belgium and Spain who do have a number of PL players, but a good number have left too: Courtois, who never really wanted to be here, Lukaku, Vertonghen, who I think left Tottenham for Benfica at the same time as Nunez, Wijnaldum, who has left Liverpool for Paris St Germain, a number of Dutch players who used to play for Manchester United, and of course Aguerro. Wijnaldum is a particular loss for the PL. I wonder if our inability to get these deals over the line is a symptom of this.

You actually make a good point, it's been spoken about by world football journalists for a few years that the Premier League is not as popular with world players as fans and media in this country would have you believe.
 




Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Progress is happening. If you just take the second half of last season we were much higher up the table - about 11th, I think. Carry on like that and a top ten finish won't be that far off.

Hope so, losing Biss and maybe White with no goal scoring marquee signing will not fill me with as much confidence as you seem to have. Fully paid up Potter fanboy whatever does or doesn’t happen! I bloody love the way we play, even if we fall short on goal scoring quality. Happy to accept another relegation battle, if that’s what it comes to :shrug:
 


Mancgull

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2011
5,544
Astley, Manchester
True, the EPL used to get the foreign stars either at the end of their careers, or before they made it internationally. The CL challengers over here now get their share of the best players in the world at their peaks and a lot move on to other countries when they start to wane. Aguerro and Wijnaldum are following this pattern.

However, there is no comparison between the top teams offering European football and stupid wages and us and teams like us. For all the talk of climate and friends in the Argentina squad, if he has chosen Fiorentina it will no doubt have something to do with our wage cap. Tony Bloom will risk transfer fees, but he won't saddle the club with an unsustainable wage bill, especially after the last 18 months.

Competing for the signatures of quality strikers will be a perennial challenge as a result. Given that the business model is to get them on the up and profit from them when we can't pay them what other teams will, it's a fact of life that we just have to live with. So far, the model looks like being successful with all positions except striker. That's not surprising as they are the hardest to find, cost the most and are in the most competitive market. You get the impression that our next Ward, Zamora or Murray is most likely to come from the sort of places that they all came from; Burton Albion, Bristol Rovers or Rochdale. Who knows, perhaps the modern equivalent for us might be something like the Swiss second tier.

Agreed. At least it shows that we are fishing in the right pool with Gonzalez but we always risk getting beaten by a better offer in terms of salary or playing for a team in Europe.
It's never going to be easy but we aren't competing with the top 6, but rather the others and whoever can make best use of their cash will survive and prosper.
I saw someone mention a centre forward from Gent as a possible addition. Roman Yaremchuk. Ukrainian international. 47 goals in 121 appearances for Gent in the Belguim league. Could this be a realistic signing. He's a proper centre forward, and can certainly head a ball which is something we've been missing from our forwards.
 


miffy6

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2009
854
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GT49er

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Feb 1, 2009
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Gloucester
Hope so, losing Biss and maybe White with no goal scoring marquee signing will not fill me with as much confidence as you seem to have. Fully paid up Potter fanboy whatever does or doesn’t happen! I bloody love the way we play, even if we fall short on goal scoring quality. Happy to accept another relegation battle, if that’s what it comes to :shrug:
If you seriously think everybody who is less negative than you is a 'fully paid up Potter fanboy' ......... well, that really is something else. :shrug:
 


peterward

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 11, 2009
12,275
Agreed. At least it shows that we are fishing in the right pool with Gonzalez but we always risk getting beaten by a better offer in terms of salary or playing for a team in Europe.
It's never going to be easy but we aren't competing with the top 6, but rather the others and whoever can make best use of their cash will survive and prosper.
I saw someone mention a centre forward from Gent as a possible addition. Roman Yaremchuk. Ukrainian international. 47 goals in 121 appearances for Gent in the Belguim league. Could this be a realistic signing. He's a proper centre forward, and can certainly head a ball which is something we've been missing from our forwards.

Watching him in the euros, he's ok, smart finish yesterday ad great header v Holland, decent enough but not fantastic, gues thats the pools we're swimming in, reports that Moyes wants him at WHU?

https://www.hammers.news/transfer-news/west-ham-ready-to-spend-big-on-roman-yaremchuk-report/

he's 25 which is a good age, but is that an age that fits the clubs transfer policy?? seems to be more experienced/older on the cheap or younger (20,21,22)?
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,759
Chandlers Ford
Daryl Dike from Barnsley is still my preferred choice.
Big strapping lad and still very young and a get out clause of £20million.


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I like the look of him, too.

He isn't a Barnsley player though - he was on loan there from Orlando. Not sure you're right about the clause either. BARNSLEY had a 'right-to-buy' clause of £16m, as part of their loan arrangement. Doesn't necessarily follow that the same terms are available to another club, especially a year on, after a successful season in the Championship.
 




Stato

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2011
7,367
This is probably a controversial view, and I may get shot down, but I'm wondering if the Premier League is starting to lose its shine for players from other countries. It has struck me in the European games just how few current Premier League players there are in some of the teams.

I think your perception of how many EPL players are there is a bit off. Of the teams with the most players at the tournament, Chelsea are Europe's most represented club with 17. According to Transfermarkt: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/europameisterschaft-2020/abstellungwettbewerb/pokalwettbewerb/EM20 there are 118 players from the EPL and another 29 from the Championship. The EPL is the most represented league and the Championship is the sixth and has more players at the tournament than France's Ligue 1! League One has a couple, three if you count Man City's Matt Smith who is in Wales's squad after a loan season at Doncaster, but who is listed on the website as an EPL2 player. If my maths is not too far off, nearly a quarter of all players at the tournament are playing club football in England.
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
If you seriously think everybody who is less negative than you is a 'fully paid up Potter fanboy' ......... well, that really is something else. :shrug:

I was talking just about me being the Potter fanboy, I should have made that clear! I don’t speak for anyone else :smile:

I like to think that I’m a realist rather than negative
 
Last edited:


Braggfan

In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded
May 12, 2014
1,983
It was just a thought. I was struck by how many ex-PL players there are in some of the teams, and there seemed to be fewer current players. Against what I was saying, of course both finalists in this season's Champions League were from the Premier League.

In fairness you might be right to a degree. The premier league is a cash cow for players, but a very hard league to play in. It might be attractive to come here for a pay day for a couple of seasons and then go play somewhere a little less challenging. Di Maria is an example that springs to mind, but obviously there are lots.
 


DarrenFreemansPerm

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sep 28, 2010
17,446
Shoreham
In fairness you might be right to a degree. The premier league is a cash cow for players, but a very hard league to play in. It might be attractive to come here for a pay day for a couple of seasons and then go play somewhere a little less challenging. Di Maria is an example that springs to mind, but obviously there are lots.

Ha! As I was reading your post I was thinking that sounds like Di Maria.
 




Charlies Shinpad

New member
Jul 5, 2003
4,415
Oakford in Devon
I like the look of him, too.

He isn't a Barnsley player though - he was on loan there from Orlando. Not sure you're right about the clause either. BARNSLEY had a 'right-to-buy' clause of £16m, as part of their loan arrangement. Doesn't necessarily follow that the same terms are available to another club, especially a year on, after a successful season in the Championship.
I knew I wasn't far off with £20 million

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk
 


Coldeanseagull

Opinionated
Mar 13, 2013
8,353
Coldean
From the limited amount of reading I've done on this bloke, I don't think it was a done deal. Maybe we've enquired about him, as we probably do with a couple of dozen players, but I wasn't getting excited with this prospect as I feel sure there are agents stirring up the rumour mill to generate interest in their boys

Could be wrong and we've missed out
 


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