Robin Koch- Signs pre contract with Eintracht Frankfurt

[Smudge3920]

Koch has said in an interview its an important year for him and he needs to be back for the spring, probably more got his eye on European championships than featuring for us again - so looks like late March, April time, so just the 4-5 months out - need a new CB in January, knowing our luck Cooper or Llorente will limp off vs west ham

So we have lost him for 4 to 5 months?... this gets stranger and stranger.

[Fridge]

Aren't we missing Pontus now? he'd relish a battle at the back famed for his headed clearances, scored a few too unlike our current CB's.

Missing him in a lot of ways 64.

Became clear that his personality and attitude wasn’t going to fit in with Bielsa’s regime.

Certainly had Leeds in his heart but if it is between Jansson and Bielsa then we know who wins every time.


Spending £18m on a bench player (Llorente) may have seemed mad at the time but looks like it’s paid off now Koch is gonna be out for a couple of months.

[weasel]

Aren't we missing Pontus now? he'd relish a battle at the back famed for his headed clearances, scored a few too unlike our current CB's.

Apart from Smith/Terry/Grealish, Jansson's departure is another reason why I despise Aston Villa.

Ali is our new star-studded left-back

F*cks sake here we go again with Pontus the messiah. Not a single premiership club came in for him when we made him available for a price that was pocket change for all premiership clubs - not a single bid. Next to no interest from the rest of the world yet to some he is the solution to all our problems.

Put simply if we retain the ball better we concede less chances, we also tire the opposition out more, we also create more chances for ourselves. Pontus was made to look better in the air than he is by the fact that we also had Bartley and Wood defending set pieces when he was at the club. Monk gave PJ a free role to simply attack the ball rather than man mark.

Our biggest problem against Chelsea was that we kept giving away the ball needlessly. Give the ball away less and the opposition have less chances, get less corners, spend more time defending etc.

[Lumiukko]

Not much to add that others have not already said, but we absolutely need a CB in January. I would have said we need one anyway to be a Cooper replacement, so it's now more important than ever. Sh1tting bricks we lose Llorente or Cooper to injury as they both seem susceptible to injury niggles, and haven't long since both come back from injury. MIght be our needed January #8/#10 will have to be put on the back burner.

[Carrick Dave]

Struijk did little wrong when called upon, I don't think we'll buy a CB in January, having just brought two in. A centre-mid is more likely, no signings most likely of all.

[Smudge3920]

F*cks sake here we go again with Pontus the messiah. Not a single premiership club came in for him when we made him available for a price that was pocket change for all premiership clubs - not a single bid. Next to no interest from the rest of the world yet to some he is the solution to all our problems.

Put simply if we retain the ball better we concede less chances, we also tire the opposition out more, we also create more chances for ourselves. Pontus was made to look better in the air than he is by the fact that we also had Bartley and Wood defending set pieces when he was at the club. Monk gave PJ a free role to simply attack the ball rather than man mark.

Our biggest problem against Chelsea was that we kept giving away the ball needlessly. Give the ball away less and the opposition have less chances, get less corners, spend more time defending etc.

[Lumiukko]

Struijk did little wrong when called upon, I don't think we'll buy a CB in January, having just brought two in. A centre-mid is more likely, no signings most likely of all.

Probably right there. Not expecting to see any to be honest, unless some more investment is incoming from the 49ers (which I feel very conflicted by as it is).

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Looked awful at corners for a season an a half, draw your own conclusions. Always good to have footballing centrebacks but first and foremost they have to do the bit they are employed for .

[Smudge3920]

Looked awful at corners for a season an a half, draw your own conclusions. Always good to have footballing centrebacks but first and foremost they have to do the bit they are employed for .

exactly same as full backs...

[1964white]

Missing him in a lot of ways 64.

Became clear that his personality and attitude wasn’t going to fit in with Bielsa’s regime.

Pontus still gets on well with many in our squad,

Jansson cooked his goose when he made an attempt to stop that Villa goal fiasco. I'd have done the same, I wouldn't have given them nothing after they had feigned injury & disrupted the game all afternoon.

Had he played in the Derby play-off we wouldn't have conceded four goals at ER

[1964white]

F*cks sake here we go again with Pontus the messiah. Not a single premiership club came in for him when we made him available for a price that was pocket change for all premiership clubs - not a single bid. Next to no interest from the rest of the world yet to some he is the solution to all our problems.

Put simply if we retain the ball better we concede less chances, we also tire the opposition out more, we also create more chances for ourselves. Pontus was made to look better in the air than he is by the fact that we also had Bartley and Wood defending set pieces when he was at the club. Monk gave PJ a free role to simply attack the ball rather than man mark.

Our biggest problem against Chelsea was that we kept giving away the ball needlessly. Give the ball away less and the opposition have less chances, get less corners, spend more time defending etc.

At least he won many heading duels in the air as a CB should do, also popped up at the other end & scored goals, rarely happens now as we have players who can't head a football

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Look at all successful sides no matter the talent they do the basics correctly.

[1964white]

Struijk did little wrong when called upon, I don't think we'll buy a CB in January, having just brought two in. A centre-mid is more likely, no signings most likely of all.

Agree Davy, made his full CB debut v the best front three in the country, Pascal did well & I would seriously consider him if Cooper or Llorente can't handle the pressure aerial pressure

[1964white]

Looked awful at corners for a season an a half, draw your own conclusions. Always good to have footballing centrebacks but first and foremost they have to do the bit they are employed for .

Absolutely spot on MJ

[weasel]

exactly same as full backs...

No. For Bielsa's system to work centrebacks and full backs have to be comfortable on the ball. The centrebacks need to be able to bring the ball out of defence and find teammates and also be comfortable receiving the ball. That is why Cooper is a much better fit than PJ in Bielsa's system. The full backs have to be the duracell bunny types that Ayling typifies. That is why Dallas and Alioski were kept and Douglas was allowed to leave. That is why Man City spent over £50m on each full back - they wanted fullbacks that can do the attacking side and also be strong defensively. However even with their fullbacks it would be true to say they are better going forward than defending.

If we are simply trying to put square pegs in square holes then we may as well sack Bielsa and hire Southgate. If we want to watch fluid football that takes our breath away and sees our players punching above their weight as a collective unit then let Bielsa put the player in that he wants to. Forget all the sh*t about him not winning trophies and name me one team that he has managed that would have been expected to even be top 4 let alone challenging for a title.

We are where we are because Bielsa knows what is required to make his system work. Sure the players we have don't have exactly what he requires for every position but he knows what are the most important attributes to making his system work. It ain't perfect, maybe if he had City or Chelsea's budget he could get perfect fits, but by eck it f*cking beautiful to watch when in full flow and even when we play poorly we were still able to give Chelsea a good game, Poveda goes down for the penalty and we probably take at least a point from the match.

[Fridge]

Pontus still gets on well with many in our squad,

Jansson cooked his goose when he made an attempt to stop that Villa goal fiasco. I'd have done the same, I wouldn't have given them nothing after they had feigned injury & disrupted the game all afternoon.

Had he played in the Derby play-off we wouldn't have conceded four goals at ER

Trouble with Pontus (in my opinion) is it was all ‘me me me’ with him.

Loved being the centre of attention. Seeing him come and sit on the pitch alone in front of all the cameras after that play off loss never sat right with me.

Side before self, everytime.

That being said he loved the club and we loved him. Will always be remembered fondly by me.

[Allrounder]

According to BBC back in December 2020 Koch would be out for 3 months and now he has almost been out for 3 months. I saw a tweet from him the other day where he was working out. Can we expect him to be back in late March?

I am desperate to see us field our full side with all the 4 foregin signings. Add a couple of more players in the summer and we will have a very competitive side come next season. (I am confidient we will stay in PL )

[mothbanquet]

According to BBC back in December 2020 Koch would be out for 3 months and now he has almost been out for 3 months. I saw a tweet from him the other day where he was working out. Can we expect him to be back in late March?

I am desperate to see us field our full side with all the 4 foregin signings. Add a couple of more players in the summer and we will have a very competitive side come next season. (I am confidient we will stay in PL )

Survival has to be all but assured now, maybe not mathematically but just by virtue of being plain better than enough teams in this league. Once Koch gets back in and playing our goals conceded will drop significantly.

[gessa]

Starts back training with the squad tomorrow

[Smudge3920]

Starts back training with the squad tomorrow

Great news mate