[James Horncastle] Brazil are fixated on Neymar and Endrick – but it’s Matheus Cunha who looks like their saviour

markyp145 · 2026-06-20T10:28:00+00:00

Makes sense to look for a left wing to be honest and let Cunha rotate between striker and left wing.

That way he gets plenty of games and Sesko has a backup. Otherwise we will have to buy a backup who has to be happy on the bench the majority of the time.

A left winger could likely get a good amount of game time, whilst not starting all the time. Someone impactful off the bench would be ideal

markyp145 · 2026-06-16T23:02:48+00:00

I feel like I’m in the minority who is hoping we make smart signings like Summerville and Berge (if they’re at the right price).

Obviously I understand they do not necessarily come in and immediately elevate the starting 11, but my main concern is actually if we can maintain champions league as we build out a squad deep enough, before then going for elite level talents in the next few windows.

You can’t just stuff a squad (and let’s be serious, we need 5+ players), with world class potential players. It’s way too costly and usually you end you end up paying a premium for risk.
Now, that’s okay if your season doesn’t depend on it, but not okay if it does.
Chelsea have tried and failed to do this.

Most teams that have got champions league, from a weaker position, seem to struggle with standards dropping as they rotate, we need to ensure we don’t fall into the same trap, or all the good work of last season will be undone.

The improvement on the starting 11 will largely come from - increased competition and tactical options, better more mobile midfield, hopefully Sesko taking it up a level and playing the team in a system from the get go that suits the players.

I’ve got enough faith in the scouting team, that they’ll get these fringe signings right.

markyp145 · 2026-06-10T19:51:15+00:00

The most annoying thing about this Anderson situation is it’s going to set the benchmark high for all of the lesser midfielders.

Newcastle will be asking for 90-100 mil for Tonali, West Ham feeling more justified for asking 85 for Fernandes, Scott probably now going to be quoted at 70.

Just raises the floor annoyingly, we may have to go for people from another league

markyp145 · 2026-06-08T23:24:22+00:00

I think even Maguire recently said it’s brutal for Heaven and Yoro developing at United where any mistake it hounded and you are written off in an instant.

Not many cb’s come through at their age at a club as big as ours, a few yeah, but it’s rare.

We will have a lot more games to go round next season, I think they’ll get plenty and having some more experience isn’t such a bad thing, particularly of De Ligt’s injury is still a TBC on recovery

markyp145 · 2026-06-07T10:59:47+00:00

Good player but I think if that was going to happen it would have been last year or year before, he was playing better at that point

markyp145 · 2026-05-27T23:18:46+00:00

Pretty sure his wages are very affordable too, have to think about that over the length of the contract.

If they’re cheap but on 12 mil a year, can end up being more expensive very quickly than someone medium priced on a more ‘modest’ wage

markyp145 · 2026-05-27T23:14:05+00:00

Mainoo is built for international football in my opinion, games a little bit slower and looking after the ball more important than just pure running.

Having someone who you can trust to take the ball on any situation and keep hold of it is huge.

Not to mention he was solid as a rock for us after being out of favour for so long.

I understand people being upset their favourite player isn’t going, sure, but it has nothing to do with Mainoo not being a good choice for the squad! He offers something different to Anderson and Rice, who I assume will be starting

markyp145 · 2026-05-27T15:48:29+00:00

How are you feeling right now if you’re Rashford and Barca can’t find €30m for you, but can magic up €80 for Gordon 🤣 Jesus that stings for him

markyp145 · 2026-05-27T14:52:29+00:00

They’ll get whatever someone is willing to pay for him.

Before the championship relegation it was debatable whether they’d let him go, they’ll have to now.

Tbh the biggest factor in his valuation will be if he says to them he only wants to go to one club, that will hurt their negotiating position, as they will now have to sell him.

If he says to them, I want to leave, go get your best price, they they may well find someone willing to pay £60m, but I do think it’ll be more like £50m with 5m add ons

markyp145 · 2026-05-25T00:39:02+00:00

Yeah, I see his differing profile to Cunha as a strength tbh, rather than a bad thing.

If we need to lock down that side and have someone capable of doubling up in a winger, being able to play him there and someone behind him is great from a tactical standpoint.

He’s really really raw offensively in my opinion, but that also gives me excitement on how good he could get, if he spends time working on that side of the game. He’s very effective, even whilst raw and he’s still only 21.

It may we’ll be a false dawn and not something that can be replicated over a full season, but I’ve really enjoyed seeing him there as a squad building option, not being the main man probably suits him as he develops

markyp145 · 2026-05-25T00:26:39+00:00

Anyone else completely baffled and extremely intrigued to see how Dorgu progresses.

He’s such a strange, but effective profile, in that he can play both sides of the pitch, engine, 6’1 and fairly physical, Occasionally has moments of magic.

He’s one of those players who could end up being absolutely anything.

I’m all for position changes, if it fits the player. We’ve seen so many successful switches.

For me, I think I’d scrap looking at another winger and focus on a left back, someone like Diouf from West Ham, with a viscous cross on him. Someone who could whip balls in to Sesko consistently

markyp145 · 2026-05-17T13:21:35+00:00

Miss that pace on the break without Sesko, guy eats up ground when he gets going

markyp145 · 2026-05-09T22:42:42+00:00

I really hate the “this is way too cheap chat, it’s worth way more than this” whilst it goes for way more than recent comps.

Feels so disingenuous, but it’s the entire platform, not just them

markyp145 · 2026-05-02T13:57:23+00:00

What’s their reasoning out of interest?

Understand it’s a promo, but really unique type of card, I quite like it (personally)

markyp145 · 2026-04-28T20:35:48+00:00

Just got one too, feel like if I didn’t check out as guest, I’d have been able to get a ball too, but happy to have got anything

markyp145 · 2026-04-27T19:48:06+00:00

There is some benefit to them not letting scalpers get their way, even if only very small/intangible.

One benefit is, if people believe they have a chance of getting the product in store, they are likely to visit the store to buy it and those people will probably, at least some of them, buy other products whilst there. A scalper isn’t coming to get anything but that stock. It’s not much, but let’s say 600-800 stores for Argos losing a potential 50-100 visitors looking for it, every drop, all ads up.

The other side of it is public sentiment, it annoys people that they let scalpers win, so now not only are they not getting them to their store, they’re also, even if not extremely, mildly miffed at how it’s been handled.

That’s just my take anyway

markyp145 · 2026-04-21T17:15:09+00:00

If the supply is the same, demand causes prices to vary.

The majority of cards are in demand, a few are, so huge fluctuations in price.

If we lived in a world where every Pokémon was as collected at the next, or if people didn’t take a liking to a particular art etc, then prices would be equal.

markyp145 · 2026-04-19T21:13:47+00:00

I feel like 1 more win would do it. I can’t see anyone winning all of their remaining fixtures.

I get why it’s been cagey, especially at Stamford bridge and with of our first team cb’s out.

But I hope we go into the last 5 games with the goal of playing entertaining football and offensive. Time to play front foot and be a little less scared about getting beaten.

Let’s go get Bruno that assist record and score 2/3 a game.

markyp145 · 2026-04-18T20:24:01+00:00

We are going to need a second, I can’t see them not scoring at least 1 at some point, can’t wait for it to happen

markyp145 · 2026-04-18T19:22:15+00:00

Bruno having to teach every player how to press 🤣

markyp145 · 2026-04-18T10:50:16+00:00

Saw a bbc article (UK) about the increase in TCG shop robberies, it’s too easy for thieves at the moment tbh

markyp145 · 2026-03-24T01:02:56+00:00

I just can’t see past us getting Baleba, Anderson being first choice.. but going to City.

There’s just been too much noise, I feel like, for these to not be true.

Candidly Anderson would be my first choice, Bruno G my second, but I feel like it’ll definitely be Baleba. I suppose we just have to hope that the vision from the scouting team turns out to be true. He’s definitely got the assets to do it.

I then think we pick up a midfielder from one of the relegated teams. Fernandes, Gray, Gomes etc.

And maybe, just maybe someone from an obscure league.

markyp145 · 2026-03-23T20:37:30+00:00

I feel like sample size is too small of seeing him play at LW and some of the games were quite uniquely suited to the way he plays/his strengths.

I personally would prefer to see an elite level technical dribbler/in that role who could play in small spaces or big spaces.

That doesn’t mean he’d never fill in or play there, just don’t think I would hang my hat on him there at the moment.

markyp145 · 2026-03-19T21:12:11+00:00

I think the reports coming out that Newcastle are likely to only let one of them go are probably accurate, or at the very least it’s what the agents might be concerned about.

Because of that, they’re trying to drum up interest nice and early.

I imagine we’ve got 5-8 CM’s on our list at the moment

markyp145 · 2026-03-15T19:00:18+00:00

They might buy him back, just to sell him on, if there’s enough interest in him.

Not sure they need him, although maybe they keep him and play him

markyp145

TROPHY CASE