We need someone close to Odegaard’s skillset to play ALONGSIDE him.
Paqueta would fit that profile perfecetly.
If you look at City’s squads in these years (closest system to ours), they have always been stacked with skilled, technical players in those 8/10 positions. The Silva’s, the KDBs, Foden, Gundogan, Kovacic etc. They also almost signed Paqueta too.
Who do we have? Odegaard.
Closest to that are Vieira and ESR who are barely dependaple enough to make some Europa league lineups.
Regarding Havertz in this context, can’t really say he was the most efficent way to use the funds to stregthten us in this department. He’s definitely better as a false 9… Someone please don’t start with that crap how he plays the same way in both those roles… Yeah! That’s the issue. We need an actual skilled midfielder 8/10 there. He isn’t one.
I’d say we have a better line up on our hands with a skilled 8 next to Odegaard, with Havertz as a 9, than with having Havertz as an 8 and while even having a top striker up front (Isak).
We need someone who can play with Odegaard not just be there in case of injury
Paqueta is a baller and works crazy hard off the ball like Odegaard too, we missed a trick not signing him from Lille and rolling the dice on someone like Viera.
Do you think Saka (long term) or even Zinchenko (in a pinch) could play inside there? There might be a deeper pool of players if we’re looking at wing options in the market rather than another creator?
Edit: I understand that would mean a true single pivot but I think Rice can actually handle that and we’ve got two incredible CBs.
And then West Ham paid out 20m to Sheffield United on account of the transfers being dodgy and Weat Ham avoiding relegation. Really two terrible transfers for them.
It’s moreso a combination of things, the strong rumour mill since January with Newcastle being open to sell him due to FFP.
I think he knows it and is probably pushing from his side to move on too.
Personally, I’ll be surprised if he plays for them next year.
He’s the sort of player Man City would buy to rotate.
He’s certainly good enough to start for Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea or spurs but would he want to play for another mid table side.
I bet the FFP people will be watching Newcastle like a hawk too. Part of why they’ve started enforcing the laws has to be to show they can keep a new oil club from buying their way to the title.
And by extension, there doesn’t need to be an independent regulator.
I think this is just evidence that Newcastle are desperate to keep him!
Reminds me of when we displayed a banner of Alexis’s dogs at the Emirates for no footballing reason whatsoever, but just so he would feel at home at Arsenal!
