2024/25 Charly Alcaraz

[billyblue80]

Which begs the question on is it better to buy Alcaraz and have Ndiaye out of position or skip on Alcaraz and get a proper winger in to get the most out of Ndiaye

We need both, options mate

 

[blulouie]

…I really don’t think it’s about Doucoure v Alcaraz, with games we have coming up I’d be surprised if Doucoure doesn’t start. It’s more whether Moyes sees him as a starter next season with a better balanced squad.

Moyes mentioned ‘lack of quality in certain areas’ again yesterday. It could suggest he’d want a conventional no10 if he’s able to strengthen where he wants. Hopefully we’ll now have a proper transfer strategy, be interesting if that includes Alcaraz.

You mention the run of games coming up , obviously they are agst the better teams in the league .
We have very little of the ball unless it's in transition yet you still see the reasoning in playing Doucoure when every man & his dog see's the move break down as soon as he gets possession ( same with Harrison btw ). He should be nowhere near the team let alone in the starting lineup.

If its Alcaraz plays that position we will look far better in possession as the lad is not wasteful with the ball and actually has a football brain.
You say it's not Alcaraz v Doucoure , well it very much is atm . Moyes favours N'diaye out wide and favours Harrison over better players out wide on the other side.

This just smacks of Moyes shoehorning Doucoure ( and Harrison ) into the side just because he likes them , when almost everyone else wants to see actual footballers with brains and creativity allowing us to be on the front foot far more often.

 

[Zatara]

I don't think Moyes fancies him,he's not the profile of a usual Moyes no10.

Charley was Thelwell signing.

Moyes doesn't seems comfortable talking about him in pressers either.

If you read Moyes's interview when he first signed he hardly give the transfer a ringing endorsement..he finished the his comments with "hopefully he can help us from now till the end of season".

Not..."if everything goes well we hope to keep him"

The problem is Blues seems to have fell head over heels with him over a short space of time so if he doesn't end up signing everyone will be up in arms.

I just think some Blues like the thought of having and Argentinian in the squad,some Blues...not all Blues before you lot start kicking off.

He's got a handful of games to show Moyes why he should be in the team before Doucoure, hopefully he goes on and does it.

Thelwell has made far superior signings and player transfer decisions with us than Moyes has in 11 years.

I know who i trust and its not the bloke who destroyed Sunderland and West Ham with dreadful ageing high wage players.

I think he’s just lacking that real magic where you can’t leave him out and his work off the ball/physicality don’t make up for that yet.

Watch someone like Cahill/Richi and they didn’t have real magic in their boots just real work rate and positional intelligence (combined with good instincts in the box). I thought Alcaraz had a bit of that but it doesn’t really seem like it. His quality doesn’t really mask the lack of work the other way currently (in this side).

Perhaps, but surely we'd actually need to see him play multiple games before we can pickout patterns of effort or magical consistent play?

Makes me angry as he may turn out to have a glaring weakness -- but ive not seen it so far at Southampton either.

 

[Zatara]

You mention the run of games coming up , obviously they are agst the better teams in the league .
We have very little of the ball unless it's in transition yet you still see the reasoning in playing Doucoure when every man & his dog see's the move break down as soon as he gets possession ( same with Harrison btw ). He should be nowhere near the team let alone in the starting lineup.

If its Alcaraz plays that position we will look far better in possession as the lad is not wasteful with the ball and actually has a football brain.
You say it's not Alcaraz v Doucoure , well it very much is atm . Moyes favours N'diaye out wide and favours Harrison over better players out wide on the other side.

This just smacks of Moyes shoehorning Doucoure ( and Harrison ) into the side just because he likes them , when almost everyone else wants to see actual footballers with brains and creativity allowing us to be on the front foot far more often.

1000%

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Think he has been bought in as a Kudus type but Alcaraz doesn't actually have his versatility of positions and does need to play in the middle if we want to see what he can actually do.

Maybe so mate...What's interesting is why would Moyes insist on playing a 32 year old, who's out of contract in summer, instead of getting Charley in the team,settled and fully acclimatised for next season?

 

[EFC_FRANCIS]

We need both, options mate

Hes the 4th choice option though. I'd rather the money goes to 2 wingers or a holding a midfielder than our 4th best -in the managers eyes- number 10

 

[MACCA75]

Hes the 4th choice option though. I'd rather the money goes to 2 wingers or a holding a midfielder than our 4th best -in the managers eyes- number 10

How is he 4th choice number 10? Doucs won’t be here next season, this guy will. He’s young with room to improve, it’s a no brainer to sign him.

 

[dixiesdisciple]

The drop off from when he plays 10 to an outside position is frightening. First time it happened at Goodison you could see he was sulking. That needs to stop.

Some of the excellent and well considered posts earlier are exactly right about team balance and the reason Doucoure gets the nod against certain high possession, play out from the back teams. Plus he was definitely supporting the return to work of Ndiaye yesterday too!

Moyes is a wily old fox and he’ll want him chomping at the bit, I think the Forest game might be telling as it should be far more suited to his attributes. Lots of transition.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Thelwell has made far superior signings and player transfer decisions with us than Moyes has in 11 years.

I know who i trust and its not the bloke who destroyed Sunderland and West Ham with dreadful ageing high wage players.



Perhaps, but surely we'd actually need to see him play multiple games before we can pickout patterns of effort or magical consistent play?

Makes me angry as he may turn out to have a glaring weakness -- but ive not seen it so far at Southampton either.

Obviously thats your opinion mate and you're fully entitled to it.

But that will have obviously not baring on Moyes's decision to keep or sign Charly.

I just thinks it's odd that he's not getting full 90s or at least getting a proper run.

Moyes will have an idea of what he wants and Blues might have to accept Charly might not be it... I hope he comes through,I like the lad.

 

[Simon Buttle]

Maybe so mate...What's interesting is why would Moyes insist on playing a 32 year old, who's out of contract in summer, instead of getting Charley in the team,settled and fully acclimatised for next season?

I dunno we just seem to have a bit of a block when it comes to Doucoure and managers always play him, thankfully it looks like he will finally be gone in the summer.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

From the echo yesterday:

"Alcaraz has settled quickly and is keen to remain on Merseyside.

Asked whether his contract situation could impact his use of Alcaraz, Moyes said: “It is coming into my thought process a little bit. He has done well but obviously we want to give ourselves every chance to see what we are going to do with it.”

I guess it's down to Charly to perform these next few weeks, I do think he is worth buying myself even at 12m you could double your money even if it doesn't work out, but I am not the manager.

Too double our money on him he's going to have to play.

It's clever in hindsight but Moyes isn't going to sign a player just to make a profit on him in 12 months,he's going to sign players he thinks will push us on.

 

[blulouie]

Maybe so mate...What's interesting is why would Moyes insist on playing a 32 year old, who's out of contract in summer, instead of getting Charley in the team,settled and fully acclimatised for next season?

Which makes it even more baffling.

If the 32 yr old was putting in the odd MOTM performance , contributing and scoring goals don't think anyone would complain.
But he isn't, he's been absolutely woeful in most games apart from having a decent engine that's gets him around the pitch he virtually offers nothing.
He's not the only one btw , there is no justif ication Harrison being picked either.

As for Moyes interview after the game yesterday that's equally baffling.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

I dunno we just seem to have a bit of a block when it comes to Doucoure and managers always play him, thankfully it looks like he will finally be gone in the summer.

Or is it us as fanbase that seem to have blind spot when it comes to Doucoure?

Are us as a fanbase just not tactically astute enough to see what he's bringing to the team?

At time he's is Bambi on ice but maybe we just don't pick up on the rest.

I want better than Doucoure but he's been massive in our survival over the past few seasons,you can't deny it...to deny it is to be pig headed ha.

 

[Lanolin]

How is he 4th choice number 10? Doucs won’t be here next season, this guy will. He’s young with room to improve, it’s a no brainer to sign him.

I wouldn’t be too sure on either of those points at the moment to be honest. I’d be happy if that was the case but the evidence doesn’t really support it at the moment.

 

[SuperKev91]

Thelwell has made far superior signings and player transfer decisions with us than Moyes has in 11 years.

I know who i trust and its not the bloke who destroyed Sunderland and West Ham with dreadful ageing high wage players.



Perhaps, but surely we'd actually need to see him play multiple games before we can pickout patterns of effort or magical consistent play?

Makes me angry as he may turn out to have a glaring weakness -- but ive not seen it so far at Southampton either.

I don’t think he’s a bad player at all, but shouts of ‘no brainer’ for me just seem a little off the mark.

He’s got great ball striking and looks fantastic on the counter in transition. The off the ball stuff is a worry though, do you think we can carry anyone currently? The reason doucoure is playing is entirely because we can’t. If however Alcaraz had James esque magic or anything then clearly it’s a different conversation. Or Cahill/Richi work rate/business. He doesn’t though (it appears) which is why he’s not a nailed on starter here.

Balance of everything I’d probably roll the dice for the fee, we do need to figure out how he’s going to be in the side though (especially if Moyes sees Iliman in the 10).