Schar

[DaSpurs]

Medical opinion suggested 6 months for the recovery. Sounds like Moreno wouldn't have played any significant amount to judge how well he had recovered by January, so I doubt he'd be an option till next summer.

I think we'll need to strengthen by upgrading on Vlad or Eunice in Jan if possible, but January looks premature for Moreno to replace either.

Assuming he wants to try and add Schneiderlin and Rodriguez in January they would fill our HG quota, but we'd have to sell a non HG player if we wanted say Schar or maybe have another attempt at Musacchio or Moreno if he proves that much ahead of medical opinion

Had a look, and it does appear as though he had surgery. Suggests it was no remedial fracture. So you're more than likely right, the chances of Moreno being ready to go by January look bleak at best.

 

[spurs9]

Medical opinion suggested 6 months for the recovery. Sounds like Moreno wouldn't have played any significant amount to judge how well he had recovered by January, so I doubt he'd be an option till next summer.

I think we'll need to strengthen by upgrading on Vlad or Eunice in Jan if possible, but January looks premature for Moreno to replace either.

Assuming he wants to try and add Schneiderlin and Rodriguez in January they would fill our HG quota, but we'd have to sell a non HG player if we wanted say Schar or maybe have another attempt at Musacchio or Moreno if he proves that much ahead of medical opinion

I think Dier is the replacement for Kaboul, so we would only bring in another CB if we sold Vlad or as a replacement for Verts next season if we don't make the CL.

 

[spurs9]

Had a look, and it does appear as though he had surgery. Suggests it was remedial fracture. So you're more than likely right, the chances of Moreno being ready to go by January look bleak at best.

Do you think it will have any permanent effects on him physically?

 

[DaSpurs]

Do you think it will have any permanent effects on him physically?

I doubt it. Not any important nerves in that area, the cross-sectional integrity of the bone looks like it was mostly maintained, and I would guess the operation was likely to clean up splinters from the muscle that would indeed cause long term problems due to simply looking at the remaining scenarios after ruling out the more major fractures. So it may be awhile, but I'd guess he'll play top level football again.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Schaer is class and the everyone in Switzerland is very upset that he's not playing for us. Unfortunately the Swiss managers (Kuhn, Hitzfeld, now Petkovic) are consistently way too conservative with their team selections (basically everyone agrees we've never even fielded our best 11) and that's why guys like von Bergen and Senderos get the nod ahead of Schaer. Djourou is no surprise, he is a consistently strong player for us in defense (he's a good player despite what 5 sporadic Arsenal appearances might have suggested) and he offers pace and strength that we don't have in abundance. How von Bergen is still playing, I have no idea - and indeed, he was completely at fault for the second goal yesterday. 4 years ago he had some speed and was a smart player, but he's fallen way off - and even stranger, he's only just coming back from injury. I really have no clue what the our managers have seen in training or just envisioned tactically with our team selections of late. Schaer has been consistently outstanding for FC Basel for 2 years now, both domestically and in Europe. He's a very good player and would fit in well. He's a bit like a no-nonsense Vlad.

Our backline in the World Cup was immeasurably better when Schaer replaced von Bergen...clean sheet v Honduras and almost a clean sheet v Argentina in a game we should have won. Not sure why the managers can't figure out the best XI (or at least a better one) when the whole Swiss public knows it. Don't pay attention to Schaer not being first choice for us at the minute, he is genuinely very good. I said the same thing about Rodriguez a long time ago and he's turned out to be phenomenal. Also, I've posted this before, but Schaer would be cheap regardless. Basel are terrible at getting what they should get in this inflated market for their players.

Having Schaer along with say Verts, Fazio, and Dier would be outstanding.

 

[Barry Mead]

I think Dier is the replacement for Kaboul, so we would only bring in another CB if we sold Vlad or as a replacement for Verts next season if we don't make the CL.

I like Dier but two things worry me, first that he seems to be getting side tracked towards RB, I would rather him there than Naughton but in much the same way I'd prefer him to be eased in to cherry picked games to allow him to adjust and develop without literally being thrown in the deep end too quickly. Maybe Poch will do this but with Walker seemingly out for a while yet we are only an injury or as we have already seen a red card away from that deep end.
The other thing is having quality experienced players alongside him to help him settle. Kaboul is an experienced player but looks still to be struggling badly. Chiriches still looks a long way short of adjusting to the PL, Fazio will need to adjust to the PL himself and won't have the time initially to worry about how the others around him are developing. Then of course if he does play CB he'll have Naughton at RB. If he plays we are going to need Verts to shake of the poor form of last year and so far this and help him develop.
Of course bringing in other CB's with no PL experience like Schar or Musacchio won't address some of those issues, particularly the PL issue but should at least help by raising the quality.
I think currently we are finding ourselves in a similar situation to last season, an injured starter full back, lack of a decent cover full back, an experienced CB cover/challenger impacted by injury leaving us inexperienced unproven options and not allowing us any consistency of selection for the the back line

 

[spurs9]

I like Dier but two things worry me, first that he seems to be getting side tracked towards RB, I would rather him there than Naughton but in much the same way I'd prefer him to be eased in to cherry picked games to allow him to adjust and develop without literally being thrown in the deep end too quickly. Maybe Poch will do this but with Walker seemingly out for a while yet we are only an injury or as we have already seen a red card away from that deep end.
The other thing is having quality experienced players alongside him to help him settle. Kaboul is an experienced player but looks still to be struggling badly. Chiriches still looks a long way short of adjusting to the PL, Fazio will need to adjust to the PL himself and won't have the time initially to worry about how the others around him are developing. Then of course if he does play CB he'll have Naughton at RB. If he plays we are going to need Verts to shake of the poor form of last year and so far this and help him develop.
Of course bringing in other CB's with no PL experience like Schar or Musacchio won't address some of those issues, particularly the PL issue but should at least help by raising the quality.
I think currently we are finding ourselves in a similar situation to last season, an injured starter full back, lack of a decent cover full back, an experienced CB cover/challenger impacted by injury leaving us inexperienced unproven options and not allowing us any consistency of selection for the the back line

I was actually meaning he will replace Kaboul at the end of the season (when YK's contract ends). By then, Vlad will have had another year to get used to the league/more experienced and Fazio will have had a year to adapt. We will also have Yedlin to cover RB and whilst he would have to get used to the league too, it would be unlikely that we would need to play Dier and Yedlin at the same time in the league.

Also, I don't think Vlad is as far off adapting as you think. Under AVB he had a MOM performance against Man U and I don't recall him having a bad game until Tim became manager and let's face it, the whole defence looked shocking.

 

[bat-chain]

Tim was actually in charge for Man Utd away.

Vlad was awesome that day though, wouldn't shock me either if he has a great season.

 

[Barry Mead]

I was actually meaning he will replace Kaboul at the end of the season (when YK's contract ends). By then, Vlad will have had another year to get used to the league/more experienced and Fazio will have had a year to adapt. We will also have Yedlin to cover RB and whilst he would have to get used to the league too, it would be unlikely that we would need to play Dier and Yedlin at the same time in the league.

Also, I don't think Vlad is as far off adapting as you think. Under AVB he had a MOM performance against Man U and I don't recall him having a bad game until Tim became manager and let's face it, the whole defence looked shocking.

I hope you are right and Vlad does prove he can adapt, but I tend to think he looks an accident waiting to happen and think he'll never really fit well in the PL. From comments I read from his agent this summer it also seemed they feel the same and would prefer another league
Time will tell I guess, either way right now defensively we look just as weak as we did last season lack of experience and injuries wise, which is a shame because I feel both Davies and Dier are good long term additions

 

[HibeeSpur]

I know it's a more expensive and complicated deal but if Poch wanted Mussachio as badly as it has been reported then i'd like to see him come in over anyone else.

 

[dondo]

Far more important posistions to strengthen then another CB.

Not sure about that. We have the numbers but not sure about the quality. Kaboul looks a shadow of his former self since injury, fazio dier and vlad have to adapt to the EPL

 

[Barry Mead]

I know it's a more expensive and complicated deal but if Poch wanted Mussachio as badly as it has been reported then i'd like to see him come in over anyone else.

Fair enough, what we don't know though is how much he'd prefer him to Hector Moreno.Was Moreno his preferred target before injury and Musacchio his second choice or would he have tried for Musacchio regardless.
I guess there's another point, if Villarreal want too high a price are there other options Poch might have preferred at that price range but assumed Musacchio would be the better value at the price we hoped we could deal at?

 

[parklane1]

Not sure about that. We have the numbers but not sure about the quality. Kaboul looks a shadow of his former self since injury, fazio dier and vlad have to adapt to the EPL

Very true, but the only why they will do that is by playing. Another CB will mean it just takes longer for them to do so.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I know it's a more expensive and complicated deal but if Poch wanted Mussachio as badly as it has been reported then i'd like to see him come in over anyone else.

We went for Fazio when the Mussachio deal broke down so I doubt he or anyone else will come in.

As @spurs9 states, I think we will let Kabouls contract run down and then be left with Vertonghen/Fazio as first choice and Chriches/Dier as back up. With another centreback only being brought in if one of them is sold.

It makes no sense having more than 4 CBs. Especially with squad restrictions as they are.

 

[spurs9]

We went for Fazio when the Mussachio deal broke down so I doubt he or anyone else will come in.

As @spurs9 states, I think we will let Kabouls contract run down and then be left with Vertonghen/Fazio as first choice and Chriches/Dier as back up. With another centreback only being brought in if one of them is sold.

It makes no sense having more than 4 CBs. Especially with squad restrictions as they are.

Just to add to this, we also have Veljkovic, Capoue and Stambouli that can play CB if the situation becomes bad with injuries & suspensions.

 

[rabbikeane]

We seem sorted at central defence, but you know Levy will like the idea of signing Schär on a free to replace £10m rated Chiriches (or even a mega deal sale of Vertonghen).

Fazio, Dier, Chiriches, Vertonghen. All senior players next season, it's a good selection of centre backs.
Dominic Ball, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Christian Maghoma and Milos Veljkovic wanting to take the step up from academy football. If we want to we can go a decade without signing another central defender.