Lucas Digne

[Gwlad]

4 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I might be in a minority that can see a half decent player in El-Ghazi? 

I wouldnt say that I have watched him regularly but he is a good size, decent pace, very direct and I think he is technically OK. I don't really know about his attitude or workrate. I would describe him as a poor mans Richarlison.

So a big risk, not worth taking.

[StevO]

13 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I might be in a minority that can see a half decent player in El-Ghazi? 

I wouldnt say that I have watched him regularly but he is a good size, decent pace, very direct and I think he is technically OK. I don't really know about his attitude or workrate. I would describe him as a poor mans Richarlison.

Scored 55 goals in 258 games. 15 in 66 in the Premier League. Not a bad return for a midfielder. Not keen on him, but those numbers would help. 

[London Blue]

If its on loan as reported with option to but then its good. He is a fast, direct, technical player which we need.

Villa fans seem to rate him, but he has just lost his way / confidence at Villa.

[patto]

2 hours ago, SpartyBlue said:

That’s not true at all. Pickford, Gray, DCL, Doucoure etc..all awful? We shouldn’t lose our objectivity because the results aren’t what we want. 

I never said they were all awful some players have had good spells but don't forget the way we dropped from 2nd in the table to mid table and by the way I think Digne is a very good player but he was average last season like many others 

[MC11]

19 minutes ago, StevO said:

Scored 55 goals in 258 games. 15 in 66 in the Premier League. Not a bad return for a midfielder. Not keen on him, but those numbers would help. 

7 of the 15 are penalties 

[SpartyBlue]

17 minutes ago, patto said:

I never said they were all awful some players have had good spells but don't forget the way we dropped from 2nd in the table to mid table and by the way I think Digne is a very good player but he was average last season like many others 

You said the whole team was average to poor. I’ll take it then that you were being hyperbolic and didn’t actually mean that. There can be players that perform well in an average or poor side and players who perform poorly on a good side. It’s not all or nothing. 

[SpartyBlue]

30 minutes ago, London Blue said:

If its on loan as reported with option to but then its good. He is a fast, direct, technical player which we need.

Villa fans seem to rate him, but he has just lost his way / confidence at Villa.

I like it a lot as a loan to buy. We need something creative in the middle for sure. If he comes in and sets the world on fire we get him at a decent price. If not, on he goes and we find a longterm solution in the summer. Low risk move with decent upside that looks to address a real need in a window where there won’t be many options.

[RuffRob]

41 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I might be in a minority that can see a half decent player in El-Ghazi? 

I wouldnt say that I have watched him regularly but he is a good size, decent pace, very direct and I think he is technically OK. I don't really know about his attitude or workrate. I would describe him as a poor mans Richarlison.

I don't disagree with you, but with us currently having Grey, Richarlison, Townsend, Gordon and even Dobbin - maybe also Mykolenko and Patterson as players that will give us width. I just think other recruits should be in midfield and centre back if we have funds. I wouldn't like seeing the likes of Gordon getting less minutes if we had  El Ghazi. 

 

[SpartyBlue]

48 minutes ago, RuffRob said:

I don't disagree with you, but with us currently having Grey, Richarlison, Townsend, Gordon and even Dobbin - maybe also Mykolenko and Patterson as players that will give us width. I just think other recruits should be in midfield and centre back if we have funds. I wouldn't like seeing the likes of Gordon getting less minutes if we had  El Ghazi. 

 

Is he more of a winger then rather than a CM? It’s a shame Gordon is so clearly a winger. He’d have a real opportunity as a #10

[Bailey]

56 minutes ago, RuffRob said:

I don't disagree with you, but with us currently having Grey, Richarlison, Townsend, Gordon and even Dobbin - maybe also Mykolenko and Patterson as players that will give us width. I just think other recruits should be in midfield and centre back if we have funds. I wouldn't like seeing the likes of Gordon getting less minutes if we had  El Ghazi. 

 

I agree with that as well. I am surprised to see us mentioned with wide players. Central midfield is a key area to strenthen IMO.

Whilst El-Ghazi does play outwide, I don't see him as a winger. I think he is someone you want playing as an inside forward or maybe even as a second striker. Again, a bit like Richarlison. 

I don't see where he would fit with the other players we have in the squad.

[Hafnia]

1 hour ago, Bailey said:

I have already responded to most of these over the threads so I will keep it short and sweet.

1. Sorry to disappoint you. I will continue to analyse players on a game by game basis and reflect on them over a longer period of time too. 

2. I don't disagree with that in general but what matters is performance. £10 mil or £100 mil we need players to perform.

3. I accept the point but I think it is player-by-player. Coleman relied on his stamina and pace. Digne doesn't. 

4. Yes Ancellotti and Benitez. He was playing well early last season under the former when we used to play with some possession and attack teams.

5. I have already pointed towards Ancellotti previously. I have never just blamed Rafa.

6. We don't know how he ended in this situation, but players making their feelings heard is a good thing. That is exactly what this dressing room needs.

7. I don't agree.

Maybe that wasnt as short as I hoped!

Baines was a proven Premier League player and he was injured at the start of his Everton career. 

I don't think he did. 

I am just looking at the lad to see what he did well and what he didn't do as well. I am not expecting him to set the world on fire on day one, just to do what he has been brought in to do. He didn't do that against Hull in that one game, but that doesn't mean he wont set the league alight in time.

Baines wasn’t injured at all. He was a sub for a good few weeks. Moyes didn’t trust him defensively, he used lescott more often, only af the start of 2008 season did he get the spot full time.

[MikeO]

1 hour ago, RuffRob said:

....but with us currently having Grey

Oh my lord I've picked up on somebody else on this already but he's been probably our best player this year, and still people can't spell his name? It's not complicated guys.

[Bailey]

7 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

Baines wasn’t injured at all. He was a sub for a good few weeks. Moyes didn’t trust him defensively, he used lescott more often, only af the start of 2008 season did he get the spot full time.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leighton-baines/leistungsdaten/spieler/13507/plus/0?saison=2007

He missed the first 3 games of the season not being in the squad before playing 90 minutes up until he got injured.

I don't think you go from not making the bench to playing 90 minutes regularly if you aren't trusted.

[Btay]

7 minutes ago, Bailey said:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leighton-baines/leistungsdaten/spieler/13507/plus/0?saison=2007

He missed the first 3 games of the season not being in the squad before playing 90 minutes up until he got injured.

I don't think you go from not making the bench to playing 90 minutes regularly if you aren't trusted.

I remember Moyes being pretty cautious with Baines and bedding him in slowly. I might be corrected but he did similar with Jags who played defensive mid a few times before playing centre back?

[SpartyBlue]

24 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Oh my lord I've picked up on somebody else on this already but he's been probably our best player this year, and still people can't spell his name? It's not complicated guys.

Grhay?

[Hafnia]

21 minutes ago, Bailey said:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leighton-baines/leistungsdaten/spieler/13507/plus/0?saison=2007

He missed the first 3 games of the season not being in the squad before playing 90 minutes up until he got injured.

I don't think you go from not making the bench to playing 90 minutes regularly if you aren't trusted.

I thought you would be likely using some match stats, he was not first choice for a good season. He used a centre half at left back more than baines , baines was very inconsistent at the start….

he was 22 also.   You get my point. 

[Hafnia]

16 minutes ago, Btay said:

I remember Moyes being pretty cautious with Baines and bedding him in slowly. I might be corrected but he did similar with Jags who played defensive mid a few times before playing centre back?

Yep he was. 
 

rumours are it’s moshiri pushing for el ghazi. Twitter trending on it. Rafa does not want him. 

[Gwlad]

GO Rafa

[Btay]

1 minute ago, Hafnia said:

Yep he was. 
 

rumours are it’s moshiri pushing for el ghazi. Twitter trending on it. Rafa does not want him. 

Appreciate moshiri’s eagerness but he shouldn’t be anywhere near these discussions.

[c1982]

2 hours ago, MC11 said:

El Ghazi??? WTF is Benitez doing??? Where are we going signing players like this?!! He is surely doing this for a laugh. I can’t even describe how saddened I am by the current ambition of this manager. He has got to be here on the wind up. Please get rid of this conman 

In Benitez’s defence - supposedly, El Ghazi is being brought in by Moshiri from his agent mates against Benitez’s will. Very, very worrying if so… I don’t want Benitez here but at least let him do his job. We really are a recipe for disaster if things like this are true and I really fear it could be about to spiral out of control.

[Gwlad]

El Ghazi. No not as a make weight. If you want Digne there is a price.

[patto]

20 minutes ago, SpartyBlue said:

Grhay?

Predictive text ? 
and does it really matter 

[Btay]

1 minute ago, RPG said:

Jags was an absolute liability in midfield but became one of the first names on the team sheet when Moyes played him at CB.

Perhaps but it was more about bringing him up to speed with the prem whilst having cover behind him. Bedding him in and I don’t think anyone can say it didn’t work.

[MC11]

45 minutes ago, c1982 said:

In Benitez’s defence - supposedly, El Ghazi is being brought in by Moshiri from his agent mates against Benitez’s will. Very, very worrying if so… I don’t want Benitez here but at least let him do his job. We really are a recipe for disaster if things like this are true and I really fear it could be about to spiral out of control.

With all the rumours flying around I don’t know what to believe but genuinely I find it hard to believe that Moshiri is buying players off his own back. If that’s the case and Rafa doesn’t want him I can’t see him getting played. Unless Moshiri is picking the starting 11 now. 

[StevO]

2 hours ago, MC11 said:

7 of the 15 are penalties 

Good to know, thanks. 

[Shukes]

7 hours ago, Hafnia said:

I thought you would be likely using some match stats, he was not first choice for a good season. He used a centre half at left back more than baines , baines was very inconsistent at the start….

he was 22 also.   You get my point. 

I remember it clearly as I was a fan of his coming here, and was worried he would be moved on fast. Can even remember the interview where he hinted about not being given a chance.

Dont look too much into stats as they don’t really tell the whole picture. Assists is a great example of this.

[Hafnia]

10 hours ago, MC11 said:

With all the rumours flying around I don’t know what to believe but genuinely I find it hard to believe that Moshiri is buying players off his own back. If that’s the case and Rafa doesn’t want him I can’t see him getting played. Unless Moshiri is picking the starting 11 now. 

I think this has been subtly alluded to before, I’m pretty sure I heard someone say they had calls off him in the early hours to talk about players he likes.

trying to find the source

[Romey 1878]

Villa have now agreed a £25m fee for him.

Like I've said, it's a brilliant deal for us financially and it makes sense to sell him but I'm not going to pretend we're not losing a quality player when we have too few of them as it is.

[Newty82]

Weird one for me this. He's going to Villa? No offence to Villa, but Digne is meant to be a top class player and he's going to Villa???

From his point of view, I expected more. Maybe he's just another player that wants to tick over...happens plenty. Talent takes a back seat in such circumstances.

£25mill. Kind of expected more tbh. 28 years old. Peaking. 3.5years left on his contract. Wonder what we would pay if it was the other way round?

[Matt]

20 minutes ago, Newty82 said:

Weird one for me this. He's going to Villa? No offence to Villa, but Digne is meant to be a top class player and he's going to Villa???

From his point of view, I expected more. Maybe he's just another player that wants to tick over...happens plenty. Talent takes a back seat in such circumstances.

£25mill. Kind of expected more tbh. 28 years old. Peaking. 3.5years left on his contract. Wonder what we would pay if it was the other way round?

If I saw his assists etc I'd be really excited. £25m in this day and age for a potent attacking fullback is a steal.