Diego Llorente

[rab_rant]

Kiko, Llorente, De paul, Rodrigo.
Does anyone else think Marcelo is building a Spanish speaking spine to the team?
Perhaps it would make his job easier if he could communicate in his native tongue.

[Smudge3920]

Kiko, Llorente, De paul, Rodrigo.
Does anyone else think Marcelo is building a Spanish speaking spine to the team?
Perhaps it would make his job easier if he could communicate in his native tongue.

Interesting point, but in todays game interpreters are an important new area of expense... thing is Marcello does speak English, he prefers to communicate in Spanish through an interpreter to ensure he does not say the wrong thing and his own words are transmitted, particularly for the press, as we all know they can misdirect any form of sentence, no matter how small... just another of his many loveable idiosyncrasies.

[Carrick Dave]

Radz, Orta, Marcelo.

[weasel]

Serious question

Having never played as a CB, how difficult is it play LCB if you are right footed?

From a logical point of view, I can't see it making much difference

But what do I know

I think it depends onhow comfortable someone is tackling with their 'weaker' foot. I played for several years as a centreback and despite being rightfooted preferred to play on the left. I was comfortable tackling with my left foot and even played left back for a full season without any problems caused by being rightfooted. In some ways it can also depend on who you are playing against as a right footed striker will likely be wanting to shoot with his right foot so whether you are on the right or left of defence you will have to tackle with your left if the striker is shifting the ball onto his right foot for a shot.

The major problem I found is if you are switching from right to left of defence rather than being settled. It doesn't seem like much of a change to people watching but it is completely different. If you are on the right of defence you don't want to be showing the person onto your left as you are showing them towards the centre of the goal and as such making it much easier for them to get a good shot in, if you are playing on the left though you want to be showing them onto your left as you are them pushing them wider and making any shot much harder. As such as long as you play either left or right and stick to that position after a couple of matches you should be fine.

[mothbanquet]

Kiko, Llorente, De paul, Rodrigo.
Does anyone else think Marcelo is building a Spanish speaking spine to the team?
Perhaps it would make his job easier if he could communicate in his native tongue.

South American Spanish is a bit different to European Spanish. Marcelo would still be able to understand/converse of course but if that were an issue I think we'd just see more Argentinians. I more suspect that's where Orta's expertise and contacts lie, being Spanish himself.

[andrewjohnsmith]

You'd think Coops is in the firing line but given Llorente and Koch can play DM probably Struijk to and maybe even KP who hasnt had the best of starts to Premier league life?

Watched the U-23's a couple of times this year and they played 3 center backs and a holding midfielder (McCalmont). He might be considering using that more often. Of course it wouldn't be defensive, the idea being that it allows the wing backs to bomb forward more. So its possible we could see Cooper, Koch, Llorente, and Phillips all in the same line up

[JackGiles]

I look at his stats and come up with the following. Llorente's last 8 matches with Sociedad have been 1 on bench - 3 not in squad - played 2, 90mins + 1, 45 mins. All these matches were draws. 29 appearences in 2019/2020, 1 appearence 2020/202. A lot of injuries. I quickly add that he is a Spanish International and was on bench last 2 internationals, read Guillim Ballagues biopic. I am no MB and we all know he is a genius but I can't help but think that the transfer policy is all over the place and he is bidding crazy amounts for players most people have never heard of. I want to believe that he is taking raw talent and moulding them into his tactics but the prices seems too high even for that. I cannot believe the brilliance of his tactics on the pitch but would like to see more younger / cheaper players moulded and some top strikers brought in. What do ye think???????

[The Subhuman]

Serious question

Having never played as a CB, how difficult is it play LCB if you are right footed?

From a logical point of view, I can't see it making much difference

But what do I know

I was two footed from a very early age so it didn't bother me which side of the park I played on. Being 6 foot at 13 meant I played both striker and centreback for my school and for a bit after till I broke my ankle for the second time (Also broke my right leg playing football at 11) I had no positional issues either..

I can bat left handed too

[Overman]

A cunning plan from MB, Cooper now to play at 10, creative midfield role. Could well save a fortune.

[rab_rant]

I was two footed from a very early age so it didn't bother me which side of the park I played on. Being 6 foot at 13 meant I played both striker and centreback for my school and for a bit after till I broke my ankle for the second time (Also broke my right leg playing football at 11) I had no positional issues either..

I can bat left handed too

I would give my right hand to be ambidextrous

[danhirons]

I look at his stats and come up with the following. Llorente's last 8 matches with Sociedad have been 1 on bench - 3 not in squad - played 2, 90mins + 1, 45 mins. All these matches were draws. 29 appearences in 2019/2020, 1 appearence 2020/202. A lot of injuries. I quickly add that he is a Spanish International and was on bench last 2 internationals, read Guillim Ballagues biopic. I am no MB and we all know he is a genius but I can't help but think that the transfer policy is all over the place and he is bidding crazy amounts for players most people have never heard of. I want to believe that he is taking raw talent and moulding them into his tactics but the prices seems too high even for that. I cannot believe the brilliance of his tactics on the pitch but would like to see more younger / cheaper players moulded and some top strikers brought in. What do ye think???????

You just said he was a starter in a top half table in la liga and in spain's national squad and yet then call him a player "most people have never heard of"?! We need some players this year who can slot straight in, we can't stay in the prem with young players who need a few years to develop and learn bielsa's tactics too. And, in any event, we've been signing several young players for the youth team as well this transfer market.

[danhirons]

saying that, no idea where/how he will slot into bielsa's plans with koch and coops, not been convinced by koch and can't see bielsa dropping cooper straight away (our captain and he tends to stick with those who have delivered for him)

[Irish Ian]

A cunning plan from MB, Cooper now to play at 10, creative midfield role. Could well save a fortune.

That might work.

[Smudge3920]

Jackgiles wrote...
I am no MB and we all know he is a genius

Then said...
but think that the transfer policy is all over the place and he is bidding crazy amounts for players most people have never heard of

I think you got it right mate in the first comment... he also has a world wide network of loyal people who scout for him, add Victor's knowledge and contacts to the mix and what have you got?
For me we have management we can trust... and as all this is going on (as DanHirons said)...

And, in any event, we've been signing several young players for the youth team as well this transfer market.

Also agree with Dan here...

we can't stay in the prem with young players who need a few years to develop and learn bielsa's tactics too.

Personally I could not be happier ...

Overman wrote...
A cunning plan from MB, Cooper now to play at 10, creative midfield role. Could well save a fortune.

Could well be mate... has a real good feel about it...

[whiteinfrance]

I was two footed from a very early age so it didn't bother me which side of the park I played on. Being 6 foot at 13 meant I played both striker and centreback for my school and for a bit after till I broke my ankle for the second time (Also broke my right leg playing football at 11) I had no positional issues either..

I can bat left handed too

Is that a euphemism ?

[The Subhuman]

No ..

[mothbanquet]

I look at his stats and come up with the following. Llorente's last 8 matches with Sociedad have been 1 on bench - 3 not in squad - played 2, 90mins + 1, 45 mins. All these matches were draws. 29 appearences in 2019/2020, 1 appearence 2020/202. A lot of injuries. I quickly add that he is a Spanish International and was on bench last 2 internationals, read Guillim Ballagues biopic. I am no MB and we all know he is a genius but I can't help but think that the transfer policy is all over the place and he is bidding crazy amounts for players most people have never heard of. I want to believe that he is taking raw talent and moulding them into his tactics but the prices seems too high even for that. I cannot believe the brilliance of his tactics on the pitch but would like to see more younger / cheaper players moulded and some top strikers brought in. What do ye think???????

I think if Bielsa can turn Kalvin Phillips from a mid-table Championship player no one ever heard of into a player worthy of an England call-up in two seasons, he'll do just fine.

[Overman]

Seems like a few Sociedad fans are more than happy to see him go and for such a price!

https://tbrfootball.com/?p=393714

[Smudge3920]

This deal opens up so many options for us, and if we get RDP wow... Anyway I like the idea of

(4-2-3-1)

Meslier
Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas
Phillips, Llorente,
Costa, Klich, Harrison
Bamford

Subs
Pablo (fingers crossed, fit)
Struijk
Rodrigo
Kiko
Up and coming

[Leeds1000]

Its like the Spanish International armada all of a sudden. Don't know owt about the lad. I've read a few comments saying he's had a few injury concerns? So if he passes the medical welcome to Leeds.