• The first stage of the forum upgrades has now been completed but they remain in a degraded state and are still being worked on.
    Please read this thread for more details.
    New user registrations are currently disabled.

Jhon Lucumi - Transfer Rumour

Ballard is a warrior. There is absolutely no way he’s satisfied to be on the bench. He might accept it but he won’t be satisfied.
Agree, and which is exactly what you want from a professional footballer. Personally I think he'll keep his place for now and Lucumi (if he joins) will either start alongside him (with Alderete as sub) or more likely on the bench until he's properly integrated. Ballard should absolutely be rewarded for a MoM performance with a start against Burnley IMO - I think it would be a big mistake to drop him after that and send the wrong message to all the other players from last season who we also want to nurture (eg Rigg, Mundle).
 
Last edited:

He didn’t really say that he just said we’ll see if we can get the right profile of player in if not we’ll stick with how we are but sounded like we are more likely than not to get the positions we need in. I think Lucumi will get done, they’ll sell he only has 1 year left and they are just holding out for the best deal but won’t risk getting nothing for him in the Summer. The winger could be anyone really, seems like they haven’t got a specific player in mind and just seeing if an opportunity comes up, if not I think they’ll be more content with missing out on a winger than a centre back.
He has had an extra years extension triggered reportedly, so 2 years left
 
Agree, and which is exactly what you want from a professional footballer. Personally I think he'll keep his place for now and Lucumi (if he joins) will either start alongside him (with Alderete as sub) or more likely on the bench until he's properly integrated. Ballard should absolutely be rewarded for a MoM performance with a start against Burnley however - I think it would be a big mistake to drop him after that and send the wrong message to all the other players from last season who we also want to nurture (eg Rigg, Mundle).
Lucumi wont play until hes worked with the team . Its Dans shirt to lose but it wont take much of a drop off to lose it , way it should be too playing for your spot . He'll get that
 
Quite possibly but that doesn’t mean he’ll be happy on the bench and nor should it.

Its a long season and you’d like to think we’re going to be trying to be competitive in cups as well

The main issue we’ve had over the last few years is a paper thin squad that was knackad by November with no options to play alternative formations or game plans

Ballard would get plenty of games and you’d imagine it would be rotated regularly but not frequently
 
Lucumi or nothing then? Worrying.
I think either way, we'll be ok. Lucumi looks great but we have decent depth with players that can play multiple positions and some unknowns/guys returning to fitness. I think if Alese can stay healthy, he can do a job, Seelt can do a job in a pinch, Reinildo and Mukiele can play there, I don't want to write off O'Nien in mop-up duty. Winger is the position I'd say we really need to get some depth at.
 
Agree, and which is exactly what you want from a professional footballer. Personally I think he'll keep his place for now and Lucumi (if he joins) will either start alongside him (with Alderete as sub) or more likely on the bench until he's properly integrated. Ballard should absolutely be rewarded for a MoM performance with a start against Burnley IMO - I think it would be a big mistake to drop him after that and send the wrong message to all the other players from last season who we also want to nurture (eg Rigg, Mundle).
Didn't RLB also mention potential to play a back three based on personnel, too? I think there'll be plenty of minutes and players will pick up knocks. Ultimately, competition will help the entire group.
 
We will defs lose something from the team if Ballard and Hume are dropped. Spirit etc
I love both of those lads and think they'll have a good season for us but the club has recruited personalities as well as playing qualities. I can tell that Diarra, Sadiki, Reinildo (just to name a few) are very motivated players.
 
I’m hearing he won’t sign until the south stand is opened for the Huddersfield game

Would pull out the deal now. Can’t have childish mentalities like this around our great club
 
Agree, and which is exactly what you want from a professional footballer. Personally I think he'll keep his place for now and Lucumi (if he joins) will either start alongside him (with Alderete as sub) or more likely on the bench until he's properly integrated. Ballard should absolutely be rewarded for a MoM performance with a start against Burnley IMO - I think it would be a big mistake to drop him after that and send the wrong message to all the other players from last season who we also want to nurture (eg Rigg, Mundle).
I think there’s a lot of sucession planning going on personally if we keep up the good start by January likes of Hume and Ballard will be hot properly and offers will be flying in, in step Mukiele & Lucumi if that’s the case, humes just signed a new big contract and he looked class on Saturday.
 
Back
Top