28 Jul 2021 15:03:24
I know I don't watch as much European football as a lot of you do but those of you saying over the last few days that "Varane wouldn't have been my first choice"etc then who would have been? i'm just curious.

{Ed0666's Note - Kounde, Konate, Camara, to name 3 of the top of my head


1.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 15:09:49
Yh i agree especially if our first choice was torres. He looked way too similar to lindelof in my opinion, good on the ball, but lightweight and suspect in the air.

Would much prefer Varane.


2.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 15:14:58
Varane would have been my first choice. While I feel that long term there might be players who could be better options such as Kounde.

One of the real weaknesses of our squad is a lack of experience.

This time next season Mata, Matic and Cavani will be gone. As will Pogba most likely, maybe even DDG.

That means the regular players we would have playing over the age of 27 would be Maguire, Fred, DDG maybe, Telles, Lindelof and Bruno who'll just have turned 27.

Of those who has top level winning experience. I'd argue that 4 of those 6 won't be first choice. That is a very young, fairly inexperienced first team.

Adding another 22/ 23 year old defender doesn't make sense.


3.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 15:45:37
Varane was my first choice as what we needed is pace.
He also brings winning mentality and experience at the highest level.

I watched Kounde getting torn apart against Dortmund last year and Ed02 had mentioned his height was a concern for Chelsea.
Konate has horrible injury record and he was all over the place when we thumped Leipzig 5-0.
On the return leg he conceded a penalty too, so wasn't really impressed with him.


4.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 15:49:12
Is that the same Konate that has only managed 22 Bundesliga appearances over the last two seasons? The same Konate that has played less than 100 senior games but he’s now somehow better than World Cup winner and 4 times champions league winner Varane. I’m all for considered, rational debate, I’m sure when fit he’s a fine player with bags of potential but better than Varane? That’s some bold claim! I can’t even be bothered with the others!

We’ve got an excellent defender, I’m hopeful he’ll make a brilliant partner for Maguire (nothing is ever guaranteed) and let’s just be grateful we haven’t signed Tyrone Mings on deadline day!


5.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 16:13:37
Varane is a top cb. From what I've seen of him anyway. Big strong good 8n the air. good at defending set pieces. Good in opposition box can score. Good passer and good pace.
Give him a chance to prove himself. I'm sure he won't disappoint.


6.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 17:29:45
Varane was a player who I genuinely believed was out of reach for us. Thought he'd sign a new deal or he was bound for Chelsea or PSG.

Didn't have his best season last season but he's a massive upgrade on Lindelof individually and compliments Maguire better than any of our other centre backs.

For me he's as proven as anyone we could have signed and he's at worst the 3rd or 4th best centre back in the league. Overall an excellent signing for us.


7.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 17:35:26
I prefer Varane to Torres or Kuonde. Torres lack physicality needed for PL while Kuonde is a bit on the shortish side even if he has a great leap in him.
What's important is that aerially Varane is the best of the trio.
Re Konate - great prospect but a bit injury prone over the past two years. I thought we have enough of those already.


8.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 17:37:06
Im happy with Varane - What I've seen of Torres he looked less than domineering - Kounde looks great bringing the ball out, good passer too but despite what "experts" say being under 5ft 9 in the premiership would worry me . Pleased we steered clear of Koubilaly (2021 version) and Umtiti.


9.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 18:32:04
I love how all of a sudden Varane isn’t that great now he’s signed for us. You don’t win the medals he has without having something about you.

Great signing, great experience and most importantly he is widely considered a great pro.


10.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 18:35:27
Varane all day. Leave the other players to the hipsters who like to be different. You don’t play at the heart of Real’s defence for 10 years unless you’re top drawer.


11.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 18:54:26
BFB, Kounde is 5'10, I'm not sure his height will be a huge issue in the EPL. Lindelof is 6'2 and poor in the air. Its about leap, timing, positioning and core strength.

Fabio Cannavaro is as far as I'm aware the only defender to ever win the Balon d'Or, he won titles and a world cup. He was also a centre back who only stood at 5'9. So height isn't everything.


12.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 19:02:55
Konate is injury prone
Camara untested
Kounde all about potential

Varane is the best choice for me.


13.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 19:36:39
C'mon who are we kidding. If we could sign ANY centreback in the world - surely Varane would be a name on most people's lips, wouldn't it? At least in many people's top few. Awesome signing!
Looks like Pogba's staying/ going might dictate anything else.
Then the rumour mill begins again for next season's centreforward to replace Cavani. Still only two names on that list as far as I'm concerned, but maybe someone else will get there first in the coming weeks.


14.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 20:56:28
Funny how Varane is now useless because we signed him.


15.) 28 Jul 2021
28 Jul 2021 22:00:22
The trick is to ask the pool/ afc supporting lot who they think is good BEFORE the transfer window. That way you get honest answers rather than the usual nonsense as above.


16.) 29 Jul 2021
29 Jul 2021 07:26:39
Shappy, I've only ever seen Kounde s height mentioned as 5ft 9 - one of the tabloids has him today as under 5ft 9 -Im sure you could be right I take your point about Cannavaro but was an exception of course - there are always exceptions.

If we take every PL club having 3 centre halfs available to pick from that's 60 over a weekend fixture list -over 1300 since the PL started, how many under 5ft 10 of note can you recall or even playing in a top 6 side?


17.) 29 Jul 2021
29 Jul 2021 09:05:07
BFB, everywhere I've looked his height has come out as 5'10, but what's an inch among friends.

I agree that in the EPL teams have always traditionally favoured physicality over technical quality. Which means we haven't seen a large number of CB's below 6ft.

That said traditionally EPL teams would play with a hulking centre forward who was strong, tall and physically imposing as a "target man".

In recent years we have seen most sides in the league play with relatively smaller more agile forwards, some teams play with a false 9 and don't even have someone battling the CB's and trying to out jump/ muscle them.

As such the need to match size and strength with equal or greater size and strength has decreased.

Victor Lindelof is 6'2 and taller than 99% of opposing forwards, yet is regularly beaten in the air by far smaller opponents. Opponents who time their jumps better, who have better core strength, and better reading of the game to be in the right place at the right time.

Kounde wins over 70% of his aerial duels in la Liga, the average aerial duel success of CB's in the EPL is 58%. Obviously in the EPL there are probably more aerial duels, and maybe the defenders are stronger. But I don't see his size as a weakness.

Plus he is likely to play as the RCB of a back three with at least two taller CB's at Chelsea. I think his experience as a RB make him ideal for that role and I think he will be a huge success.


18.) 29 Jul 2021
29 Jul 2021 10:43:06
The thing is regarding varane. Opposition fans are always going to find x amount of players they think are better. Part and parcel of signing a good player. What it comes down to is, does he improve us? Yes. Is he what we needed? Yes. Was it a good deal? Yes. So in reality yeah, he was the best deal out there for us. Arsenal fans are banging on about white as if he's hot property. Chelsea fans will bang on about kounde too. Both good players don't get me wrong but Varane is a serial winner, experienced and has recovery pace. Any epl fan who can say they wouldn't have varane is just sour.


19.) 29 Jul 2021
29 Jul 2021 11:38:41
RedWhiskey, you can go one further and try and name an EPL side that Varane WOULDN'T start for?

I can't think of one, he would be the best defender at every club bar maybe Liverpool and City with VvD and Dias being at a similar level or better. But even at those clubs he'd start along side those players.

Anyone from another club who say they wouldn't want Varane, especially for 40m is just bitter.


20.) 29 Jul 2021
29 Jul 2021 12:40:17
Completely agree with you on this one shappy. Always a good player until they've signed for a rival. That's the fickleness of football fans.


21.) 29 Jul 2021
29 Jul 2021 14:23:08
No problem with Varane signing it clearly strengthens us. I do like Kounde though, he is good enough to overcome that lack of height. I think he is an excellent player now but will bevome a top top CB in the future.