The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 31st January

[Scot-Spur]

WLB did like post 141 in this thread that suggested two names.

 

[HildoSpur]

To clarify, are we saying that @What Lies Beneath isn't suggesting it's Nico Williams?

He is on the list but not our top target

 

[felmani26]

WLB did like post 141 in this thread that suggested two names.

Alex Baena and Ander Barrenetxea cc @jpascavitz

 

[Ghost Hardware]

I believe he's going to City already agreed.

My guess is one of Alex Baena, spanish winger from Villareal with similar assist stats to Nico Williams so maybe the data suggests he can play similar for a cheaper fee? Although he's more of a CAM that also plays in the LW position, so not as much tricks.

Ander Barrenetxea would be my other guess. 22 year old for Real Sociedad who is in the 93rd percentile compared to other wingers in successful take ons. Really stumped on both of these

I really like Baena, fantastic prospect. Leading the league in assists. Ahead of Nico Williams. He’s very versatile. He has very poor successful take on stats on the wing tho, they are much better centrally. like you say despite playing lw this season I think he’s best as an AM

 

[felmani26]

I really like Baena, fantastic prospect. Leading the league in assists. Ahead of Nico Williams. He’s very versatile. He has very poor successful take on stats tho and like you say despite playing lw this season I think he’s best as an AM

Must admit I don't know too much about either so if you have the time for a breakdown that would be grand!

I take it these are free to discuss in the Scouting Thread as we haven't had official links instead of a Players Thread (@Archibald&Crooks ?)

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Must admit I don't know too much about either so if you have the time for a breakdown that would be grand!

I take it these are free to discuss in the Scouting Thread as we haven't had official links instead of a Players Thread (@Archibald&Crooks ?)

Let’s wait and see if WLB confirms ether and if a thread gets made I’ll do a write up. Don’t want to bloat this thread. For me Baena is the bigger talent, i really like him, clever player, I just think despite playing wide this season he would be more a versatile AM rather than a pure WF. He’s on the list of the big clubs in Spain tho. Very highly rated.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Let’s wait and see if WLB confirms ether and if a thread gets made I’ll do a write up. Don’t want to bloat this thread. For me Baena is the bigger talent, i really like him, clever player, I just think despite playing wide this season he would be more a versatile AM rather than a pure WF. He’s on the list of the big clubs in Spain tho. Very highly rated.

Spot on. Baena doesn’t make any sense whatsoever as a wide player in our system. He’s an AM, he’d be more of an Odegaard type CM for us with the way we play. Does all of his best work in central areas and is a creative midfielder.

If we want Baena or Barrenetxea as a winger it doesn’t bode well for us in that area imo.

 

[What Lies Beneath]

I really like Baena, fantastic prospect. Leading the league in assists. Ahead of Nico Williams. He’s very versatile. He has very poor successful take on stats tho and like you say despite playing lw this season I think he’s best as an AM

Boom

 

[felmani26]

Boom

Time for a Baena thread

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Boom

Very interesting target. Great prospect absolutely no doubt but see him more as a Gio replacement rather than a WF. If anything I wonder if we would use Gio in the deal going the other way.

 

[felmani26]

Very interesting target. Great prospect absolutely no doubt but see him more as a Gio replacement rather than a WF. If anything I wonder if we would use Gio in the deal going the other way.

Could very well be a makeweight or perhaps Gil considering we have established a good trading relationship over the years with Villarreal.

 

[cjsimba]

Definitely looks more like a Gio replacement from the highlights I've seen

 

[Singaspursofsixspence]

Time for a Baena thread

off to youtube we go...

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Could very well be a makeweight or perhaps Gil considering we have established a good trading relationship over the years with Villarreal.

Gil and Gio possibly considering Gio’s history there. Would cover them on both fronts and make the deal easier for us considering he has a 60 mil release clause and they know a lot of clubs are interested. As an alternative to MGW i really like him. Kinda annoyed at myself for not thinking of suggesting him in the scouting thread as he really does have a lot of potential like @What Lies Beneath says. I just struggle to see him as our WF addition, like he’s a world away from Neto.

 

[zonbon32]

Just watched some youtube, Baena looks a good player but definitely not a dribbly winger like Williams. Would take him as a 8/10 option for sure though

 

[HildoSpur]

Just watched some youtube, Baena looks a good player but definitely not a dribbly winger like Williams. Would take him as a 8/10 option for sure though

I'm assuming the plan is to sell Gio and Gil and replace them with Baena who can play in that number 10 role and also fill in on the left. Makes sense in terms of squad building.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

I'm assuming the plan is to sell Gio and Gil and replace them with Baena who can play in that number 10 role and also fill in on the left. Makes sense in terms of squad building.

Definitely comparable to the role MGW and Guðmundsson would likely play in this system. Not so much to Neto. Ideally we bring in a versatile AM and a pure WF.

 

[mill]

I believe he's going to City already agreed.

My guess is one of Alex Baena, spanish winger from Villareal with similar assist stats to Nico Williams so maybe the data suggests he can play similar for a cheaper fee? Although he's more of a CAM that also plays in the LW position, so not as much tricks.

Ander Barrenetxea would be my other guess. 22 year old for Real Sociedad who is in the 93rd percentile compared to other wingers in successful take ons. Really stumped on both of these

We have been linked before to him

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

We are making a bad squad building mistake imo if we think Baena is a winger in any way and/or solves our 1v1 issues out wide.

He is a Gio replacement/Maddison competition.

As a complementary signing to a top winger, replacing Gio etc then it would be a potentially superb piece of business.

 

[HildoSpur]

We are making a bad squad building mistake imo if we think Baena is a winger in any way and/or solves our 1v1 issues out wide.

He is a Gio replacement/Maddison competition.

As a complementary signing to a top winger, replacing Gio etc then it would be a potentially superb piece of business.

I'd guess a top winger is still very high on our wish list.