2025/26 Charly Alcaraz

[TheBigIguana]

Decent squad player at 12m. Not seeing anything to suggest he’s better than that.

If he applied himself more and worked harder he’d instantly go up a notch or two. Currently when he’s on we’re carrying a player off the ball but without the luxury on the ball a player like that usually brings us.

He’s sharp and bright but nothing special, certainly not for his off the ball ‘effort’.

It’s very funny that people think he doesn’t work out of possession and that KDH is like Kante. They’re much closer than that. In fact looking at the stats for defensive actions it’s basically even, or Alcaraz even comes out ahead.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Beginning to think we signed him to turn a profit if I'm honest.

We probably should have given him a longer deal then.

 

[Neiler]

We probably should have given him a longer deal then.

That’s why I half think that’s what we are doing mate.

 

[SJB]

Young, bags of potential, and with a fight to get into the team you'll see his hunger. Fantastic attitude, seems to love playing for the club and he's exactly the type of lad you want on the fringes of your team.

 

[TheBigIguana]

That’s why I half think that’s what we are doing mate.

But it doesn’t make any sense. You’re not getting money back in any real way for a guy leaving on a free in 12 months.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Outrageous that Mr Fantasy Eleven himself has got a cob on over us having actual competition for places for the first time in years?!

When we sign Soucek there will also be “competition for places” but is that really a good thing?

 

[Saint Domingo]

It’s a squad game, Alcaraz is a good squad player, up to him to get himself in the 11.

 

[Neiler]

But it doesn’t make any sense. You’re not getting money back in any real way for a guy leaving on a free in 12 months.

We can extend if we want until the summer of 2028 mate, so essentially a 3 year deal.

 

[TheBigIguana]

It’s a squad game, Alcaraz is a good squad player, up to him to get himself in the 11.

I’m not arguing for it being right or wrong but he’s not going to do this. He didn’t sign here to watch KDH play. We don’t have Europe and he will be able to find a club that does somewhere around the continent if need be.

 

[alex_w_]

I think we’re all just not used to actually having a squad and a bit of depth where it’s perfectly acceptable to have good players who can impact games on the bench.

I really like him- he will get opportunities throughout the season and it’s up to him to stake a claim in the starting 11.

 

[Simon Buttle]

I’m not massively overrating him. He’s just better than the guy we signed to play instead at impacting a game in the final third.

I doubt over the course of the season that KDH will continue too play in that position I find it a strange thing to complain about 2 games into a season tbh. When he does move further back Alcaraz certainly is not better than Grealish, Dibling, or Illy so he is still going to be down the list imo. When the AFCON comes about I expect he will be in the team every week.

 

[Simon Buttle]

When we sign Soucek there will also be “competition for places” but is that really a good thing?

Soucek isn't for sale thankfully, they rebuffed our enquiry, you are safe there mate.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I’m not arguing for it being right or wrong but he’s not going to do this. He didn’t sign here to watch KDH play. We don’t have Europe and he will be able to find a club that does somewhere around the continent if need be.

He’s been bounced from Southampton to Juventus to Flamengo. If he’s getting game time, which he is, then I doubt he’s going to want to move again potentially dropping down a level just so he can start every week. He’s one injury away from being the first choice number 10 for a PL team. He could easily make that position his own as well as KDH hasn’t pulled up trees in there and probably needs to move back and if it’s Grealish moving to 10 then he is not going to be hanging every game for 95 minutes.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I doubt over the course of the season that KDH will continue too play in that position I find it a strange thing to complain about 2 games into a season tbh. When he does move further back Alcaraz certainly is not better than Grealish, Dibling, or Illy so he is still going to be down the list imo. When the AFCON comes about I expect he will be in the team every week.

I actually think he is better in the center than all of those. I’d rather we didn’t shoehorn people in to that #10 role.

And this gets back to the old question of what actually is KDH?

 

[TheBigIguana]

He’s been bounced from Southampton to Juventus to Flamengo. If he’s getting game time, which he is, then I doubt he’s going to want to move again potentially dropping down a level just so he can start every week. He’s one injury away from being the first choice number 10 for a PL team. He could easily make that position his own as well as KDH hasn’t pulled up trees in there and probably needs to move back and if it’s Grealish moving to 10 then he is not going to be hanging every game for 95 minutes.

I disagree, I think he’s more than willing to make another move if need be.

He’s not going to play more than KDH. The money talks. Even if he displaces him for a period one poor showing and he will be dropped.