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• Been wondering the sam all season. He scored an absolute screamer against us for Burnley. (NT) -- Al, Tuesday, March 04, 12:24:58pm (NoHost/193.17.86.157)

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• If he started scoring goals on a regular basis, would just about make him the complete midfielder, then you can guess what happens next! (NT) -- Straw Clutchers Anonymous, Tuesday, March 04, 01:16:16pm (NoHost/90.205.198.168)
  • That's an £80m midfielder right there. His passing numbers (posted below) are absurd. Right now FBREF has his No 1 statistical comparator over the past 365 days at Matic. Matic with goals would be just absurd! (NT) -- eganonoa, Tuesday, March 04, 01:32:35pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
    • He will never be an 80m player due to his age, which is why I have issues with our transfer strategy given that’s how we should be looking to generate income long term, player sales. Same as why Robbo wouldn’t fetch that value, only some of their value is derived from how good they are now. He’ll end up being a really good mid table prem CM, nothing wrong with that, but that’s where he’s at, how whole career his talent never been in doubt; but he’s never gone on and regularly scored. (NT) -- Henry1879, Tuesday, March 04, 03:57:01pm (82-132-221-49.dab.02.net/82.132.221.49)
      • Shame to write off the fella at the tender age of just 27. Palhinha was 2 yrs older when we flogged him off for a princely sum. Amidst all the wailing and gnashing of teeth at the time, really, how much do we miss him now? Berge (and Lukic) arrived largely unheralded and now have repaid us in spades. Some things you can’t put a price on. Innit? (NT) -- Bad Boy, Tuesday, March 04, 05:00:22pm (NoHost/2.222.160.125)
        • Who’s writing him off? He’s a good prem CM, who’ll never be worth 80m. Young players, even if they haven’t achieved as much, are worth far more money, just look at the biggest prem transfers last 5 years. You think caicedo was better than palhina when CFC paid 100m for him? Or why they paid £50m for lavia based on half a season. We can either hope the team stays together, or we understand the reality of who we are, the need to sell and reinvest, best sellers are 20-24 y/olds innit. (NT) -- Henry1879, Tuesday, March 04, 05:26:41pm (croy-26-b2-v4wan-167127-cust1611.vm24.cable.virginm.net/82.38.22.76)
          • Yeah wait for it Muniz is 22 , so we should sell him for a princely £28 m so you and your mates can earn a commission . Because we need to invest . You were the handle saying it’s too late to get Muniz a new contract because Fulham are a little ickle club and can’t risk his wages necessary to keep him . Then we spent £90m on three players we hardly even needed . (NT) -- alanos, Tuesday, March 04, 06:54:23pm (82-132-212-14.dab.02.net/82.132.212.14)
            • It was me arguing with you that we shouldn't be extending Muniz immediately upon a good run of form and that a club our size cannot hand out extensions whenever a player does well. We must maximize good contracts and extend players when their stock isn't the very highest. I'm sure Henry agreed with that, as I'm sure many others do, because, beyond the looney minds of conspiracy theorists or those who understand football through Championship Manager, it's hardly a radical position. (NT) -- eganonoa, Tuesday, March 04, 07:15:29pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
              • Contracts is tricky as nobody really knows anything bar the people involved. However I agree don’t reward short term form with a new contract every time, I believe with 2 years left this summer that will be a time to offer an extension, don’t want to get to 18months left. Long term club interests aren’t always aligned with fans/manager, need more Muniz, less Anderson type signings. (NT) -- Henry1879, Tuesday, March 04, 07:49:03pm (croy-26-b2-v4wan-167127-cust1611.vm24.cable.virginm.net/82.38.22.76)
              • Of course he should have been offered a massive pay rise ( to around Mitro level when he was here) after scoring 9 in 9 , in return for a longer contract . That way he would be incentivised to carry on in the same manner . Otherwise you encourage rival clubs to try to get him on the cheap by offering sign on fees . All he has to do is ‘forget how to score ‘ and then remember again after he moves . (NT) -- alanos, Tuesday, March 04, 11:23:29pm (82-132-214-92.dab.02.net/82.132.214.92)
                • You live in an alternative universe. We have Muniz contracted until June 2027. Why in all god's name would we increase his salary to "Mitro level" in March 2024, more than 3 seasons before his current deal runs out, on the basis of a bunch of goals scored in his first ever scoring spell for the club!? What's that, a 1300% increase based on nine matches!? (NT) -- eganonoa, Wednesday, March 05, 12:56:47am (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
                  • tbh, the kind of logic being exhibited by alanos here is pretty much exactly what an agent trying to get a better deal for his player would say...... (NT) -- Same Old Story, Wednesday, March 05, 09:46:32am (webdefence-pool-02.cluster-a.forcepoint.net/85.115.52.202)
                    • Too true! (NT) -- eganonoa, Wednesday, March 05, 02:55:55pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
                • But he’s done well this season without a new contract and I’d say a new big long term contract can have the opposite effect and cause complacency and not motivate to keep going and show it wasn’t a flash in the pan. Rashford, ozil, a.Sanchez obvious examples where they got their big contract then switched off. TBH it’s not something I’m overly excited about either way, as long as we don’t let it run down past 18 months then we are golden. (NT) -- Henry1879, Wednesday, March 05, 07:13:53am (croy-26-b2-v4wan-167127-cust1611.vm24.cable.virginm.net/82.38.22.76)
                  • Your ‘reasoning’ stinks unless you’re an agent . Why when he finally comes good and gets all those goals ( 9 in 9 games ) would the club not want to extend his contract at once . There is no reason other than total idiocy or colluding with other clubs who want him on the cheap . I mean we have SUCH a good record with players signing who begin to run down their contracts . Yes indeed why on earth panic . If he goes for a fifth of his value to another club who cares . You’re ‘golden’ (NT) -- alanos, Wednesday, March 05, 11:48:03pm (82-132-214-224.dab.02.net/82.132.214.224)

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• Going to stick my neck on the block here and say Berge is better than Palhinha. Or at the very least, as good as. Palhinha was a beast, don’t get me wrong, but Berge has much more to his all round game. An exceptional piece of business to bring him in. (NT) -- Spencer, Tuesday, March 04, 04:49:50pm (cpc115930-epso6-2-0-cust526.6-3.cable.virginm.net/81.107.246.15)
  • I’m gonna have to disagree, this is surely recency bias. Palhina scored goals, covered ground enabling us to play more attacking players, won the ball back more than anyone in Europe. Berge is a class footballer, but from the outside is mentally the same as palhina. We are better team as we have better players elsewhere and silva is a brilliant coach, but I can’t agree as an individual Berge is better than palhina. (NT) -- Henry1879, Tuesday, March 04, 05:33:08pm (croy-26-b2-v4wan-167127-cust1611.vm24.cable.virginm.net/82.38.22.76)
  • Palhina what a wasted talent. Top 4 prem player. He found his mojo with us and this division. But sadly like so many has almost disappeared. Cash/allure more appealing than self-satisfaction with so many. How happy is he? We could do well financially out of Berge sadly. Berge does his job well but nat a Palhina yet? (NT) -- CB, Tuesday, March 04, 06:59:14pm (213-18-174-131.customer.gigaclear.net/213.18.174.131)
    • Disagree. Different player. Passing range & ability to carry & operate in tight spaces are miles ahead. But he's nowhere near the defensive destroyer. To me that makes Berge a superior player today & and worth what we sold Pal for. If he added goals he'd be worth even more. I don't think he will though. I think his future is us putting more of the ball through him but continuing to restrain him in the final 1/3. I like the Matic comparison. (NT) -- eganonoa, Tuesday, March 04, 07:25:10pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
      • Pal tried more things, scored goals, long range, headers, all sorts. Had a win at all costs, sheer will &desire others fed off, covered ground far better than Berge. Whoscord has berge our 9th best player this season, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 MOM. Matic was a fine player, but now he’s an immobile DM in the French league. Berge is quality, but same way Muniz wasn’t ever League1 as some claimed, Berge hasn’t approached what pal did for us. (NT) -- Henry1879, Tuesday, March 04, 08:17:42pm (croy-26-b2-v4wan-167127-cust1611.vm24.cable.virginm.net/82.38.22.76)
        • You could argue that the way we play football now, more possession and control and playing on the front foot, there'd be less to do for someone like palhinha. In the same way he doesn't have much to do for Portugal or bayern as they don't need a cleaner upper. On that basis, berge suits our current style more. I prefer berge with the ball, I preferred palhinha as a scoring threat. (NT) -- Jim © (The Devon IP), Tuesday, March 04, 09:15:51pm (host86-171-24-234.range86-171.btcentralplus.com/86.171.24.234)
          • Not sure I agree, feel we are at our best now when we let teams have the ball, we struggle when teams sit deep and we play with more possession, we put in more crosses and lots of long balls and thrive with chaos and end to end, like CFC away. Berge is a v.good prem DM, pal was above that, pal nailed on in our best prem XI, surely people don’t put berge in that yet. (NT) -- Henry1879, Tuesday, March 04, 09:26:28pm (croy-26-b2-v4wan-167127-cust1611.vm24.cable.virginm.net/82.38.22.76)
          • Completely agree. It's stark if you compare Berge this year vs Pal last. Berge is progressing the ball 195 yards per 90 to Pal's 178, with a league-leading 89% long-ball completion rate (Pal 62%), O.92 key passes/90 to Pal's 0.43, 4.85 passes into the final 1/3rd vs 3.20. He's carrying the ball 67.5 yards/90 vs 35, miscontrolling 0.18 vs 0.97, and winning 67% of aerials vs 56%. Pal leads in volume of tackles (3.43 per 90 at 68% success vs 1.17 at 70%) & shots (1.5 per 90 to 0.12) (NT) -- eganonoa, Tuesday, March 04, 10:08:16pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
            • All of this is consistent with their career numbers, except shots (where Berge's been better overall) and carries (where Berge's been even better). Pal's destroyer capabilities cannot be denied. But we're clearly better without him than with him, including defensively. Last season we conceded 1.61 goals per game; this it's 1.33, and that's with a drop-off from Leno (Andersen replacing Tosin's been a bit of a wash). We're doing better with more control of the ball and Berge's a big part of that. (NT) -- eganonoa, Tuesday, March 04, 10:13:49pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
              • You have to take formation into it though. We didn’t need to play with two dms when palhinha played, and we never played with two dms and 5 at the back when he was with us either. (NT) -- Hg, Tuesday, March 04, 10:42:03pm (cpc141402-brnt4-2-0-cust971.4-2.cable.virginm.net/86.9.199.204)
                • I think, beyond the occasional five at the back, the system that we've played this year have been very similar to last. For about 50% of last year we played with two inside forwards (Cairney and Andreas) and this year we've done the same (ESR and Andreas). Then we played the more traditional 4231 with Lukic/Reed pairing Pal, just like we do now with Berge and Lukic. (NT) -- eganonoa, Wednesday, March 05, 12:17:34am (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
                • I think goals scored are on a par and I think goals conceded are less this season, so the 'two DMs' isn't really having a negative effect. (NT) -- Jim© The Devon IP, Wednesday, March 05, 01:51:28pm (62-64-192-58.virtual1.co.uk/62.64.192.58)
                  • That's correct. We're scoring at a slightly better rate than last year. But defensively we've been seriously improved in fact and "expectation" (i.e. but for under-performance by Leno, we'd have an even better defensive record). But the "two DMs" is a misnomer. We've played with a sole DM quite a bit, whenever only one of Berge/Lukic has played, but when they've played together, Lukic has performed the same role he did with Pal last season, and Reed did the season prior (i.e. more box-to-box). (NT) -- eganonoa, Wednesday, March 05, 02:55:01pm (pool-108-18-149-21.washdc.fios.verizon.net/108.18.149.21)
            • Wow very interesting. (NT) -- HemelRog, Wednesday, March 05, 08:03:42am (5ec0f8a7.skybroadband.com/94.192.248.167)