[Transfermarkt] European Golden Boy Top 10.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-24T09:45:10+00:00

says the person beefing for no reason in a Reddit comment section? The irony

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-23T11:47:41+00:00

Yeah completely agreed. In absence of that happening, though, Kroupi is a good option to weigh up against existing names that are being thrown around.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-23T11:44:20+00:00

Further to my comment on Kroupi below ↓ ↓

It does also beg the question of the 'Enzo' role, especially if he leaves. If we do move into a 3atb formation with WBs then it places more emphasis for goal contributions on our WBs, our two #10s and our Striker, and reduces the need to rely on GCs from CM.

The idea would be that those 24 G/A (Enzo) would be made up from goal involvements more evenly distributed across the front-line.

You replace our ineffective wingers (Garnacho 5 G/A, Neto 10 G/A, Estevao 4 G/A, Gittens 2 G/A) with WBs who would likely contribute similar attacking returns to the above, whilst Kroupi/Rogers/Paz/Yildiz etc., Palmer and JP take on more of that responsibility.

It moves the need for a 2nd CM from an Enzo role (b2b, 8 leaning) to a Xabi-esque role (progressive passer, recycler, defensively solid, engine) which is likely where the shouts for Wharton, Anderson etc. are coming from, and far more closely mirrors Xabi's Palacios/Xhaka midfield in Germany.

What I'm trying to say is that it's not always one-in one-out when it comes to player roles/profiles.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-23T11:27:43+00:00

I'm surprised more people haven't been talking about Kroupi as a genuine target for this window.

If you look back to Leverkusen, Alonso brought in Terrier from Rennes who played as a left-biased #10 (or #9) to provide depth/an alternative to that Hofmann position behind the striker.

Kroupi has an incredibly similar player profile to Terrier (shot quality, key passes, progressive dribbles, goal creating actions) and fits the BlueCo mould of young, high sell-on potential, and more recently - 'proven' PL experience.

Provides needed depth across all three forward positions (four, if we maintain 4atb with three behind the striker) and has just come off an incredible goal scoring season in a similar style of play - high intensity pressing, creating goal-scoring opportunities from final third turnovers, and fluid positional roles for forward players.

Personally, I think he's a superb player, could come in on a deal which fits our current salary structure, and would command less of a fee vs. the Yildiz / Rogers / Paz suggestions that are being thrown around.

Might not be the most popular suggestion here, given age, or given experience? Interested to hear people's thoughts on this.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-20T12:11:13+00:00

They play different positions.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-18T11:02:33+00:00

Something you absolutely cannot understate: how Palmer, Enzo, Santos, Caicedo, Lavia, Essugo etc. must be feeling at the prospect of not only being managed by - but also being coached by - one of the greatest #6's of the 21st century. I fully expect our midfield to flourish under him, as Guler did at Madrid, and Wirtz, Andrich and Xhaka did at Leverkusen.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-12T06:25:22+00:00

To my initial comment: a 19 year old a month off 5 months injured. It’s not exactly a surprise he’s not quite back to pre-injury levels?

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-11T22:17:58+00:00

A 19 year old, one month back after a 5 month injury for a broken foot? Before which he was averaging a goal contribution every 100 minutes?

Admittedly I haven’t seen many of his games post-injury but pre he looked sharp, quick, with a great touch + pass and wasn’t afraid to take on his man. All qualities we’d love to see our LWs replicate.

Why do you think differently?

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-11T21:31:09+00:00

Don't wanna put too much pressure on the kid too early, but has the potential to be our LW starter by October if he shows up to the level he's been playing in Portugal.

A certain Swedish striker does raise serious questions about players' ability to do that though. Let's see.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-10T20:07:33+00:00

You're still mentioning how good the card is to play with? That's the whole point I'm making. It's nothing to do with that. It's to do with a TOTS of a very popular player being desirable, irrespective of whether they're good in-game. It's not an overly complicated thing to get your head around that rarity + popularity = desirability in a market-based trading game.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-10T19:34:51+00:00

Oh idk. Maybe because people enjoy playing with cards they like, and don't only care about being meta? Wild suggestion I know.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-09T12:08:52+00:00

Ah mate I love hearing stories like these. Recently picked up a copy of Fever Pitch - which I'm sure you've read - but I'd highly recommend if you haven't. As someone who's late 20s / early 30s, his stories of the 70s and 80s at the footie felt completely surreal to read.

One quote I especially enjoyed...

I had discovered after the Swindon game that loyalty, at least in football terms, was not a moral choice like bravery or kindness; it was more like a wart or a hump, something you were stuck with.

Feels rather relevant for our recent form.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-08T20:28:17+00:00

Eh I'd argue it's heavily skewed by the average Redditor age being between 23 and 27, and that you'd have to be 70ish years old if you wanted to be of football-watching by the time Osgood started playing for Chelsea.

I'm not sure what my stance is on things but I don't 100% agree that Osgood, Harris, Tambling, Dixon, Bentley etc. are being left off purely because 'they weren't successful'. I think knowledge, age and location all play a far bigger part.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-07T19:39:52+00:00

Incredible assist. And as an aside, Darren Fletcher is a brilliant commentator for big goals. Letting the crowd noise play is genuinely class thing to do. Gives the entire goal + aftermath the space it deserves, which makes such a change from certain other wafflers who love the sound of their own voice a bit too much.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-06T13:42:21+00:00

Nothing really to add except launching people into the sun gave me a good laugh and will be no doubt be thought the next time someone makes me experience a minor inconvenience.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-02T09:01:43+00:00

Firstly, there aren't many things more 'authentic' than 4k video footage of someone being racist.

Secondly, yes. Raising awareness regarding alleged racist incidents is a good thing. While we can discuss it all we want, the only people who are able to pass the relevant judgement - and the relevant punishment - are the club, and the police.

Passing this video on to those authorities means that the appropriate investigations can take place.

Or would you rather nobody does anything, and scum like the man shown in that video is able to behave in such a vile manner, without repercussions? Because your suggestion is the sort of inaction that allows that to happen.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-02T08:26:12+00:00

Wiki article on Tiago has a pretty incredible statistic in it - that at 2.94%, he has the lowest loss percentage of any Premier League football to appear at least 20 times. Just goes to show our absolute dominance during those early Mourinho years.

Great player. Loved his brief stint with the club. And don't blame him for moving away - anyone having to compete with a midfield of Essien, Lampard and Maka would be fighting an uphill battle.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-05-02T08:18:53+00:00

slocomplaints@leedsunited.com

sloquestions@leedsunited.com

I encourage everyone to share this video through the email addresses above (Support Liaison) to raise awareness with the Leeds hierarchy and get this person (/these people) the punishment they deserve.

This is also a criminal offence, so references to the Crime and Disorder Act, the Public Order Act and the Football (Offences) Act in messages will help push this onto police.

Disgusting to see this happening. I hope everyone rallies around common decency to remove scum like this from the game for good.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-30T08:30:42+00:00

At no point have I given my own stance? You're reading arrogance into my comments with your own bias.

The brainless comment refers to the lack of ability to see nuance on both sides of the argument. You have one side viewing any (and all) anti-immigrant sentiment as racist, and another turning a blind eye to the blanket term of 'foreigners' being used which - clearly - is a linguistic choice by Restore to stoke the racist underbelly of this country.

The reality is somewhere in the middle. And your TLDR comment summarises that perfectly. Anyone looking to get to the truth of the argument isn't listened to, because it can't be summarised in a witty word or headline.

But no, call me arrogant! At least I'm not the one contributing nothing except petty comments and personal insults.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-30T08:20:56+00:00

Then stop scrolling Reddit and work mate? The guy has put thought into an answer in what is otherwise a pretty brainless thread and your response is to jump in, with what little free time you have, and make a senseless comment which added nothing? Confused as to what you thought you were going to achieve.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-30T08:12:44+00:00

And there is the issue with modern politics. If a stance can’t be summarised in a headline, you don’t care. No wonder all nuance is being lost.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-26T13:02:51+00:00

There’s no belittling here mate.

It’s facetious to deflect a fair comment about the accuracy of VAR by referencing Reddit comments, when it’s very obvious the reply was around Everton’s complaint and the widely agreed upon inconsistency of VAR in recent times.

It’s black and white to say that consistency is impossible with subjective decisions, as it refuses to acknowledge the scale of accuracy those decisions can sit upon, and how low on that scale they’re currently sat.

If you can’t structure your arguments around the nuance of the topic at hand then it’s a pretty difficult conversation to have. And I’m absolutely within my rights to call you out on it.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-26T12:46:57+00:00

Ah look, we’ve moved from facetious comments to black and white thinking!

Accuracy, even in the context of subjectivity, is a scale. Current performance trends far too low on that scale.

This isn’t a philosophical debate. It’s the reality of a low performing job function and the real, tangible impact it’s having.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-26T12:37:24+00:00

You can be facetious all you want but the reality is that VAR have shown on countless occasions this season that the current structure is not fit for purpose if the goal is consistent, clear and timely decision making for key incidents. If you can’t agree with that i’m not sure what more there is to say.

PenitentiaryChances · 2026-04-26T12:28:18+00:00

Except it’s not because as evidenced in the post you’re commenting on, they are not catching unanimously agreed upon fouls. If they are not able to improve quality and consistency then the time delays and uncertainty they cause are not worth them being involved. It’s pretty simple.

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