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

[Chris Smith]

A big chunk? He's figured in games in every month of it according to Soccerbase. NRC has missed a big chunk, Ireland has had a minor niggle in comaprison.

He's a good player but his attitude is shit, his work rate is suspect and his performances this season have been avaerage at best. In short, not what we need.

As you know full well, you don't haqve to have one bad injury to miss lots of games.  Ireland was out for nearly a month between the end of December and the end of January, and the same between March and April.  If you're questioning his work rate, dig out the stats for the last two seasons, you'll see his tackling AND passing were both top notch.  He's not a luxury player at all, he puts a decent shift in as well, which is partly why he was Man City player of the season last year.

I don't think we've any chance of signing him though, due to his no doubt vast wages at City.

As I said, he's a good player just not as good (imo) as some on here think, in that he doesn't do enough when they don't have the ball although his passing is very good. I accept that we have different opinions but the one thing I will not accept is that he's a good tackler, he's weak and ineffective, which is why, if he plays, it is usually with Barry and De Jong to mind him.

[Merv]

Wages would be the big obstacle, yes.

I do think he'd give us something we need. We're not exactly plundering goals from midfield and seeing players running beyond the strikers to get into the danger areas (Milner's goal return has been good, granted).

Not sure where the attitude thing comes in. He's obviously had his problems with the Rep of Ireland and the excuse to miss one game was a bit daft, though I believe he had a genuine reason to want to avoid the trip. At club level, I don't recall many problems and in fact, he was one of the players to really respond to Mark Hughes' new disciplined approach when he took over City. He sorted the silly haircut out, really knuckled down and transformed himself into a key player. I read somewhere about extra training sessions he did, on his own merit, to enhance his fitness levels. He can run all day.

So, the two big questions I'd have about him are the wages, and whether, given the rumoured budget restraints, we'd be able to take on a player like him (in terms of style) or whether we'd have to choose between an attacking CM or a defensive holding type this summer. If it's one or the other you could argue we need the latter more urgently.

[evalast1910]

This is how I see that it stands:

Three Goalkeepers: (3)
The number one choice - Brad Friedal
The back up - Brad Guzan
The random third one - Andy Marshall

Defence  (10)

Two Right backs:
The first choice: Luke Young
The back up: Habib Beye

Two Left backs:
The first choice: Stephen Warnock
The back up: Wilfred Bouma

Four Centre Backs:
The first choice 'Stopper' :Carlos Cuellar
The first choice 'Sweeper' :Richard Dunne
The back up: James Collins
The young and up and coming young lad: Ciaran Clarke

Two 'Cover' players
Nathan Baker
Curtis Davies

Midfield. (10)

Three Wingers:
First Choice Right: Ashley Young
First Choice Left: Stewart Downing
Young back up: Marc Albrighton

Five Centre Midfielders
First Choice 'Sitting' role: Petrov
First Choice 'Box to Box': Milner
Back up: Fabian Delph
Back up: Nigel Reo Coker
Back up: Steve Sidwell

Two young lads out on loan:
Barry Bannan
Ozzy

Forwards (4)
First choice striker: Gabriel Agbonlahor
First choice striker: John Carew
Back up (senior): Ivanhoe Heskey
Back up (youth): The Fonz

So that gives us a squad of 27.

I think we have about the correct number of players however to move to the next level I think we need to have a squad that looks like this:

Three Goalkeepers: (3)
The number one choice - Brad Friedal
The back up - Brad Guzan
The random third one - Andy Marshall

Defence  (10)

Two Right backs:
The first choice: Micah Richards
The back up: Anthony Vanden Borre

Two Left backs:
The first choice: Stephen Warnock
The back up: Wilfred Bouma

Four Centre Backs:
The first choice 'Stopper' :Carlos Cuellar
The first choice 'Sweeper' :Richard Dunne
The back up: James Collins
The young and up and coming young lad: Ciaran Clarke

Two 'Cover' players
Nathan Baker
Shane Lowery

Midfield. (11)

Three Wingers:
First Choice Right: Ashley Young
First Choice Left: Stewart Downing
Senior back up: Steven Fletcher
Young back up: Marc Albrighton

Five Centre Midfielders
First Choice 'Sitting' role: Petrov
First Choice 'Box to Box': Milner
Back up: Fabian Delph
Back up: Jimmy Bullard
Back up: Graham Dorrans

Two young lads out on loan:
Barry Bannan
Gary Gardner

Forwards (4)
First choice striker: Gabriel Agbonlahor
First choice striker: Berbetov
Back up (senior): John Carew
Back up (youth): The Fonz

IN:
Berbetov (15m??) (80k a week).
Bullard (2m) (50k a week).
Dorrans (4m) (30k a week).
Fletcher (3m) (30k a week).
Richards (5m) (50k a week).
Vanden Borre (3m) (30k a week).

32million spent. 270k a week wages.

OUT:
Salifou (Free) (10k a week).
Ozzy (Free) (10k a week).
Heskey (2m) (40k a week).
Steve Sidwell (4m) (40k a week).
Nigel Reo Coker (5m) (40k a week).
Curtis Davies (5m) (30k a week).
Habib Beye (2m) (40k a week).
Luke Young (5m) (40k a week).
Nickey Shorey (3m) (30k a week).

26 million in. 250k a week wages.

Randy gives up 6million plus 20k a week extra wages. haha! I know its all based on ifs and buts. However I think it can be easily done and give us a team of something like:

-------------------Friedel
Richards----Dunne----Cuellar----Warnock
--------------Petrov----Milner
Young------------------------------Downing
-------------Gabby---Berbatov

Subs:
Guzan
Vanden Borre
Collins
Fletcher
Bullard
Carew
Fonz.

[Percy McCarthy]

That's a really good post evalast, thanks for taking the time and trouble.

Regardless of the individuals speculated on, I think it shows that there is scope to improve without massively increasing the wage-bill.

[Risso]

That's a really good post evalast, thanks for taking the time and trouble.

Regardless of the individuals speculated on, I think it shows that there is scope to improve without massively increasing the wage-bill.

I agree, and I fully expect a few players to be sold this summer.  Spurs have shown that selling players is not necessaily a bad thing, as long as you replace them well.

[Monty]

I'd certainly like to see a bit of a change-around in the midfield area. The players we have in reserve are, Delph apart, too limited even to be genuine squad players, especially technically, and probably not really going to improve especially given their ages. Perhaps someone like a Dorrans could be our Cahill, if you will. We still need that something extra in the centre, though.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

What about Djibril Cisse of Panathiniakos. He knows the league what with being at Liverpool and Sunderland and by all accounts is having a good season in Greece.

From what I can remember of his time over here he had a bit of pace and muscle, could play on his own or in a pair. He missed a few chances but maybe someone who would be worth keeping an eye on and he wouldn't break the bank.

[barrysleftfoot]

Excuse my ignorance but who is Steven Fletcher?

[Merv]

Plays for Burnley. Quite like him but I think/thought he's a striker.

[KevinGage]

No to Bullard and Dorrans.

And MON would never sign a player like Berbatov in a month of Sundays.

[barrysleftfoot]

Yes, thought it was, bt he's a CF, not a winger.Only 22/23 as well, got about 10/12 goals this year, not the quickest, would'nt be disappointed with him, but would expect better.

[evalast1910]

Plays for Burnley. Quite like him but I think/thought he's a striker.

I know I was just thinking at hand someone with a decent left foot. And thought of him.

[evalast1910]

No to Bullard and Dorrans.

And MON would never sign a player like Berbatov in a month of Sundays.

I was just putting in people that had been suggested. Percy got my point that with the players we could sell we could replace with better quality with more options but with little money spent.

Well that is what I tried to do.

[evalast1910]

That's a really good post evalast, thanks for taking the time and trouble.

Regardless of the individuals speculated on, I think it shows that there is scope to improve without massively increasing the wage-bill.

No problem and thank you.

[KevinGage]

Fair emuff, but we should still be looking at a degree of quality higher than we have at present.

We could realistically jettison 5-6 players this summer and bring in just 2/3.

Quality, not quantity and all that.