Boufal Begins

Boufal is back in full training. All indications are that Puel was good to his word, and he’ll be ready to make his first team debut after the international break.

We have not got a great track record with record signings. Ramirez, god love him, tried but just never fit. Osvaldo was about as close to complete transfer disaster as one can get.

Hopes? Fears? Thoughts on who he might replace?

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I dispute the premise that record signings aren’t great

well that 4 seconds was good in any case

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Can this be true ? …Boufals back in full training ?.. ready to return after the international break ?

Happy

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HERE WE COME !!!

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Our last two record signings have not been great. On Ramirez alone:-

No one shirks like Gaston
Gets off work like Gaston
Makes Cortese look like a berk, like Gaston
The Virgin Island loan did for him, baby
Oh what a guy, Gaston*

_*_Yes I ripped off Disney. It’s a fuckload more creative than dropping h.

In other news, Gardos also resumed full training.

May be equally important in the grand scheme of things if he allows VVD to rotate more.

Boufal in the Redmond or left side of the diamond in place of Davis?e orl

Originally posted by @pap

Boufal is back in full training. All indications are that Puel was good to his word, and he’ll be ready to make his first team debut after the international break.

We have not got a great track record with record signings. Ramirez, god love him, tried but just never fit. Osvaldo was about as close to complete transfer disaster as one can get.

Hopes? Fears? Thoughts on who he might replace?

Talking of Osvaldo…

Seems Graziano caught his disease.

MOD EDIT : Link was shite. Removed. Grudgingly accept that DP may receive undeserved upvotes for this piece of inspired moderation intervention. Bollocks.

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Here to save a click of your mouse:

Italy striker Graziano Pelle has been released from their World Cup qualifying squad to play Macedonia on Sunday for refusing to shake the coach’s hand.

The ex-Southampton forward, who now plays in China, was substituted by Giampiero Ventura in the 1-1 draw against Spain on Thursday.

But he walked past Ventura and ignored his outstretched hand as he made his way off the pitch for Ciro Immobile.

Italy were 1-0 down at the time.

“Being part of the national team begins with showing respect for the staff, team-mates and fans,” read an Italian Football Federation statement.

"The head coach together with the FIGC has decided to exclude Graziano Pelle due to his disrespectful behaviour.

“Players must share the values and assume an attitude which is in keeping with the Azzurra shirt.”

The 31-year-old frontman, who joined Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng in the summer, left the field with Italy trailing following Vitolo’s opener, before the hosts equalised through Daniele de Rossi’s penalty.

Ventura had said after the game: “I don’t think Pelle was angry because of the sub, but maybe because of his performance. I have seen something like that a lot in my career. It belongs in football, but when you wear the Italy shirt, you need to be more careful.”

Honestly haven’t seen him play too much. He’s been out too long.

Long term, I think Davis is the one that may lose his place. Interesting tussle. A bloke that gives 100% despite not being a world beater versus the next big thing. If that is the contested place, Davis could drive him on. If Boufal begins to feel that Davis’ industry is keeping him out of the team, could do a lot to allay the pragmatic concerns with these “continental types”.

Reckon Boufal is more likely to rotate with Tadic/Redmond.

Excited to see him play.

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Speaks only French with confidence. How on Earth will we get through to him?

https://youtu.be/_9qjSRwD1ns

We’ve got a decent record with wingers from obscure countries with girls’ names. I fancy his chances.

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But doesn’t Davis’ position in the diamond require him to drop back as cover, when SeeSaws bombs up the pitch ? I wouldn’t of thought they’d have Boufal doing that … you’d want him up front, ready to receive the ball and do his creative shit

I’m sure he gave his first interview in English and spoke well.

I predict he is going to be absolutely fucking shit hot :lou_smiley:

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Sofiane Boufal will be better than Pele, Maradona or Best, but not as good as MLT(that would be unrealistic). Come the end of season, he will have scored a good few goals(not as many as Austin) and have the most assists in the league(yes we will start scoring regularly).

As for predictions. Well hopes are covered above. Fears, i’m struggling with this one. The club and Boufal’s people have worked hard on this deal, i really don’t have any worries so another injury is about my biggest fear. Who he replaces? Davis would be the obvious choice but as Steve has said, they play different roles. I don’t see anyone getting dropped. Puel has stated on numerous occasions that the team will constantly rotate and our midfielders/forwards is were nearly all of the rotation will occur. So i see a team of fluid interchangeable players that all play their part.

Good luck with that Cluade

Gardos is decent positionally. A good defensive defender. Give him the ball at his feet though and he looks all at sea. I remember there were experiments with him at DM that probably shouldn’t be repeated.

100%. No chance he is playing deeper than number 10/tip of the diamond.

Hopefully his being fit is the catalyst Redmond needs to find his shooting boots.

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