Summer 2010 Transfer Thread: B*llsh*t, Rumours & Wishes

[KevinGage]

DM/ CM

Any one from:

Parker
Alou Diarra from Bordeaux
Sami Khedira at Stuttgart

Attacking Mid

Any one from:

Rosicky
N'Zogbia
Ireland
Moutinho at Lisbon

Forward

Any one from:

Keane
Owen
Rodallega
Fernando Llorente at Bilbao
Guiza at Fenerbahce
Nihat at Besiktas
Luis Suárez at Ajax


I'd also give Ivanhoe back to Steve Bruce free of charge in return for the name of the contacts who got him Valencia, Palacios, Figueroa and Rodallega on the cheap.

[Monty]

Not sure about the consistency of the type of player you've got there, Kev. I can't judge for Khedira as I can't say I know much about him, but Parker and Diarra are as different as two holding players can be, really, with Parker more as a driving, scrapping sort of player and Diarra as more conservative, slower but more powerful etc. Similarly, the attacking midfielders couldn't be more different from each other: whereas Rosicky is a player who prefers the centre but can also play on the wing, N'Zogbia prefers the wing but can play the centre (even when played there he'll drift to the wing). Ireland is very much a final-third central playmaker who also likes to score goals, whereas Moutinho's developed into more of a deeper, dictate-tempo type of playmaker.

The forwards are all, again, exceptionally different. Robbie Keane likes to play behind another striker, either of the Owen (goalpoacher) type or the Llorente (target man) type. Rodallega is somewhere between N'Zogbia and a hold-up player, but Guiza is a player a bit more like Gabby, only less fast but with better finishing. Granted, there are similarities between Nihat and Keane, but Nihat certainly drifts wide more than Keane does, and Suarez is frankly a left-wing forward rather than a striker like Owen or Guiza.

Not meaning to have a systematic go, I just wonder how the team would be affected in the right way - and it's a very tricky balancing act - by one (or three, however to look at it) of very different players indeed that you've selected there.

[KevinGage]

Simple Monty, any three of those from the positions and sub positions listed would improve us.

Diarra is more a beast of a player, the type we could do with to stop the midfield getting overrun if we insist on playing with two out and out wingers.

He also provides height in the middle of the park and that might (hopefully) be enough for MON to stick with an orthodox RB. Three big buggers in the side should be enough to deal with Blackburn- style teams in the league, either from open play or set pieces. On top of that he can also play in a back 4 if required.

Khedira is more of a technical player, better in possession and comfortable sitting deep. Parker is -as you know- closer to a Petrov type only with a better engine and keener to get forward.

Of the strikers listed, Llorente is probably absolutely ideal for the way we play at the moment. The others would however give us a different dimension, would force us to alter the way we play. That in itself would be no bad thing, lets face it.

Some of those listed (like Nihat for example) aren't known for fantastic scoring records. But might be capable of getting the best out of either Gabby or Carew and linking from the midfield better.

[Monty]

Interesting about Khedira, like I say, don't know much about him. Parker I feel has less technical ability than Petrov, but like you've said, a better engine. Would he necessarily get forward more in our team like he does for West Ham? Depends who he's playing with. Maybe in a midfield three with, say, Milner and Petrov, but not in one with Milner and Delph, and so on.

My main point, though, is that you've got to be absolutely sure what direction you want to take the team in, and that balancing act is very difficult to achieve and looks very bad when you get it wrong, and this is why I approve very highly of MON's general policy on this: if you can't get the exact player you want, don't buy anyone for now. Be totally sure who you want to buy, who would fit the team, and never compromise because that leads to a muddled vision for your team as to how to play. I'm not totally convinced that most of those players there (can't judge for Khedira, what's his ability to dictate possession like?) would necessarily be able to help the rest of our team play better, and the only one who almost certainly would - Suarez - is unattainable, I believe.

[KevinGage]

I don't think you can be that inflexible, unfortunately.

Even with a stubborn old coot like MON, you have to bend with the prevailing wind to a certain extent. Unless you have unlimited finances and can build a team 1-11 of your first choice targets - in their set roles.

Even then, there is the capacity for change, the element of surprise. Footballers aren't robots or specific components. A player signed with one role in mind might surprise you with adaptability in another - he might even excel in that other position. See Milner as a case in point.

Aston Villa share at least one thing in common with Chelsea, Man Citeh and the rest. We sign the best players our resources will allow.

MON might have a preference for familiar comforts in a few key areas, namely big no-nonsense centre backs, tall forwards, wingers and the like. But he's a pragmatist too. If a player comes along like Sneidjer for instance or he inherits a player of the calibre of Larrson he isn't going to refuse to sign (or play) them on the basis that they aren't typical MON style players (to borrow a well worn out phrase).

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Regarding previous posts.
We won't be spending anything like £25m net.

[LeeB]

Outs:

Any from or all of:
Reo Coker
Sidwell
Beye
Shorey
Osbourne
Davies
Carew
Heskey

Ins:
A N Other at left back, some young cover for Warnock.
Adam Matthews (Cardiff RB, young, rapid and very talented)
O'Hara (not too costly, technically better than Sidwell and Reo Coker, maybe do a deal with Reo Coker) or,
Parker (older, but again could do the deal at a good price and is better than we already have, never loses the ball) which would leave us with a few bob to spend hopefully on two centre forwards which for me would be
Kallinic (who will be a natural, killer goalscorer, trust me) and, because it doesn't hurt to take a gamble sometimes on a great pedigree......
Van Nistelrooy (if nothing else, the sight of him coming on chasing a game with ten minutes left would make the oppositions hearts sink, as opposed to Emile.)

It might not look all that impressive, but with those additions we'd keep the ball better and be far more dangerous in the box, which is pretty much all we need to improve.

[Mazrim]

I dont yet see the fuss with O'Hara. I think we need better.

[PeterWithe]

Parker I feel has less technical ability than Petrov, but like you've said, a better engine. Would he necessarily get forward more in our team like he does for West Ham?

You would have thought that given the advances in sports science, diet, training regimes etc there would be a way of giving Petrov this 'better engine'.

[Mr Diggles]

Van Nistelrooy (if nothing else, the sight of him coming on chasing a game with ten minutes left would make the oppositions hearts sink, as opposed to Emile.)

How much chasing can he really do on crutches?

I think Stephen Ireland is a good shout. I like the look of Kalinic and think he'll develop into a good premiership player. Other than that I have no idea, but I get the feeling it's going to be one of the most frustrating summers since 2005 transfer-wise. We will have to watch Spurs, Man City, Liverpool and probably even Everton strengthen whilst MON ums and ars over potential buys.

I hope we can keep NRC, but wouldn't mind losing a few others. If we get a decent bid (anything over £20-odd million) I'd be tempted to let A Young go too.

[LeeB]

I dont yet see the fuss with O'Hara. I think we need better.

He's impressed every time I've watched him, in a shite side and he's 22/23. I don't have much else to go on, but his range and type of passes are good and he not afraid to have a dig, which is something we could do with.

If we could do a swap deal all the better, because the transfer budget for this summer needs to be mostly blown on the forward line.

[LeeB]

Van Nistelrooy (if nothing else, the sight of him coming on chasing a game with ten minutes left would make the oppositions hearts sink, as opposed to Emile.)

How much chasing can he really do on crutches?
I think Stephen Ireland is a good shout. I like the look of Kalinic and think he'll develop into a good premiership player. Other than that I have no idea, but I get the feeling it's going to be one of the most frustrating summers since 2005 transfer-wise. We will have to watch Spurs, Man City, Liverpool and probably even Everton strengthen whilst MON ums and ars over potential buys.

I hope we can keep NRC, but wouldn't mind losing a few others. If we get a decent bid (anything over £20-odd million) I'd be tempted to let A Young go too.

I meant with 'us' chsing the game, not him personally. Ruud on crutches would be more of a goal threat than Emile though.

[Mr Diggles]

He'd probably be more of a goal threat than all our current strikers!

[Merv]

Striker wise, I'd like us to have a look at Mladen Petric of Hamburg. Tore us apart last year. Like Olic from that side, too (though he's at Bayern now, so not much chance). But Petric I'd consider gettable.

[LeeB]

Striker wise, I'd like us to have a look at Mladen Petric of Hamburg. Tore us apart last year. Like Olic from that side, too (though he's at Bayern now, so not much chance). But Petric I'd consider gettable.

I like the cut of your jib. Good call.