Loan Player options to buy?

[NewCorkSeth]

Full Iranian international at 21 or whatever and played in the WC. Iran a decent side - some of their other players are going for £20m

I’m pretty sure he is a decent player from what I’ve seen

Yep. But we should understand what sort of player he is.

He's not going to score or create many goals and win us games that way. He's a central cog in the machine that will protect the defence and move the ball out simply.

I'd love to see him alongside Rinomhota. Those two and the improved defence and we could definitely afford luxury players in attack. I'd fancy a pretty darn good defensive record with them infront of our improved back 5.

Am very much in agreement Ian.
From what we have seen so far he is not the box-to-box player that FDTW describes.
I do agree with FDTW that players so often become better in the eyes of fans the longer they are out of the team as, for example, Obita has become irreplaceable despite the faults that he had.

Obita has no faults. God realised he was too good for this world so injured him.

Also major +1 on Ezatolahi.

[From Despair To Where?]

I seem to remember Ezatolahi making a couple of the type of runs that Sidwell used to excel at, coming late into the box and getting on the end if crosses which is what leads me to think he's got more to his game than just being a defensive midfield minder.

I'm not saying he doesn't have more to his game than just that. Just don't expect to see it very frequently. Obviously difficult to be sure how Gomes will use him... look at how he's asking Aluko to do different things, but if he follows Clement's pattern and his own with Rino and Kelly I wouldn't expect him to spend very much time near the oppo box.

Which all goes back to my point that on the basis of 4 appearances in a team that was by and large on the back foot, does anyone really know what his game is with any certainty. Our team is more solid defensively which could give a licence to be more expansive, particularly if playing alongside someone like Rinomhota who will graft. It's all about partnerships.

[Snowflake Royal]

I seem to remember Ezatolahi making a couple of the type of runs that Sidwell used to excel at, coming late into the box and getting on the end if crosses which is what leads me to think he's got more to his game than just being a defensive midfield minder.

I'm not saying he doesn't have more to his game than just that. Just don't expect to see it very frequently. Obviously difficult to be sure how Gomes will use him... look at how he's asking Aluko to do different things, but if he follows Clement's pattern and his own with Rino and Kelly I wouldn't expect him to spend very much time near the oppo box.

Which all goes back to my point that on the basis of 4 appearances in a team that was by and large on the back foot, does anyone really know what his game is with any certainty. Our team is more solid defensively which could give a licence to be more expansive, particularly if playing alongside someone like Rinomhota who will graft. It's all about partnerships.

Fair.

[Lower West]

Ezatolahi had a physical presence (along with height). That provided a shield in front of the centre backs. The role that Clement signed Meyler for. I recall a game at Rotherham a couple of years back. Where Stam played Kelly in that role. After 21 minutes got subbed. As Rotherham set out to target the weakness. As Clement said in an interview last October. Kelly is best position is with the game in front of him. Ideally an experienced wise head will be found in the summer to anchor the team.