I think you will see this year that Rieldewald and Schlupp will be important players. They are also both versatile, something you need in a squad. Hodgson likes both of them, so you will be seeing them.

Schlupp has been unlucky with injuries, but did you not see him at the end of last season, he was on fire, it was just hard to get into the team as everyone was!

Sell two decent players and buy two less quality players because they are cheaper? Is that what you are saying?

Quite the opposite. He wants us to sell the squad players and sign another first XI player. And I understand the reasoning. Apparently in the papers they were saying we are looking to offload Riedewald. Assume it is so we can buy someone superior and hope it is RLC.

We need some squad depth, I wouldnt trade Schlupp and Rieldwwald for Loftus-Cheek, who is injury prone. His back has to be managed apparently.

You do realise that will be agent bollocks, or another club testing the water to get a bite and see if we're interested in selling.

Right now our squad has two spaces we have 23 over 21 players. Funnily enough the exact two midfielders we are missing. How does selling another two midfielders fix that? Moronic so we'd have to buy four midfielders instead of two ******* brilliant. Talk about the brains trust FFS.

The only players worth anything more than what we paid for them are Andros, Luka, PVA, Tonka, Vicente and Wilf that's how you raise money for more players and at the same time replace the 1st teamer that you've sold. But doing that apart from selling Wilf for £80M would be suicide.

Offload him? If our two friendlies in Scandanavia are anything to by, I think we are looking to play him in Cabaye's spot.

If last year Asian friendlies were anything to go by last year Luka was a CB and Lokilo starting on the wing.

In Denmark he sure looked like Cabaye, after 95mins at that was at the start of the game, reminded me of KG!

Yes Lukas talent was wasted he is a far better player then allowed to show.

Assume the KG comment is about his size although that has been done over and over on here. He prefers the fan style shirt over the players fit and it has the effect of making him look bigger.

However he has come from a much slower paced game in Holland and even when he played last season he showed he was not quite up at the pace of the PL, especially in terms of the athleticism.

At Ajax he would play 60-70 passes a game. yes they would have more possession but there didn't need to be as much movement. Cabaye's skill was partially in how much he moved to always be available for a pass and to always be able to get on the ball. Jario's average passes were down in the 30s (based on 90 minutes played) but he doesn't move as well to be able to get on the ball. His successful passes dropped from Ajax too as space is more compacted and players are better at stopping you keeping the ball.

Like all young players, especially those coming from abroad, the step up to PL football week in week out is a huge one. He will take time to develop, if indeed he does, just like Sorloth. Interesting that Kirby said the first friendly was a big step up in the pace of the game compared to what he is used to.

We had an idiot in charge back then! I may well be wrong, but Jairo got more game time than most I believe, and I just wonder if roy is trying to get him ready as much as possible, so that if we don't sign a Cabs replacement, then he will be set to go. That is just the impression I am getting.

As for the comment someone else said about Luka not looking as good for Serbia, I honestly believe Cabs was a big part of that. In a Palace shirt, Luka was often a much better player when he had Cabs in the middle with him. Both were excellent on the ball and determined to break up play. Quality often enhances quality and I think they made each other better players because they worked as a pair. Cabs will be a bigger loss then many give him credit for.

Wouldn't take any notice of team selections just yet, nor care about results of friendlies, they mean nothing

Who calls him cabs?

:supergrin:

Replacing Cabaye with Reidelwald is absurd. He may come good in time, but you cant compare them in terms of nouse, skill, experience, even playing style. Cabaye needs a like for like replacement and JR should be brought in as a squad player and as cover. Anything else is asking for trouble...

If you ask nicely most pubs will do that for you.

Was it only me who thought he looked overweight in the recent friendly at Halmstad?

No one has suggested it at all

Fdb.

Although I agree, he is still the closest centre mid ball playing midfielder to Yohan. Off the ball vision and awareness is all outstanding for someone his age. I think he will come good this year but has to play with Milivojevic in middle