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

[Des Little]

Happy fcuking days!  £9m or thereabouts saved

[The Man With A Stick]

I'm not getting excited until the ink on the contact is dry.

Do you think McGeady would be the most unpopular signing we've ever had?  I don't know one person who wants him.

[Monty]

Irreverent Ad, I agree. Considering we will only be playing one out-and-out forward in most games (he said on his knees staring at the Heavens), we should make sure we have variety and not necessarily quantity. Gabby is, of course, the obvious first choice, but we should also have ONE target man (of course it should be Carew), the Fonz who offers a different threat, capable of cutting in from the left, and Keane who could play behind Gabby as part of a four-man attacking midfield with Ash, Downing and Ireland (in possession, obviously). We could rotate between that and a three man midfield of Ireland, Petrov and Delph or the Milner replacement signing (again, praying). It's about having a squad, and I sense that we're getting close.

Agree with you Monty, I think when we are looking at potential signings, we've got so used to thinking, "Yeah, but how are they going to fit into the 1st team?" We need to build an adaptable squad and use it well. Now MON hasn't instilled us with much confidence with regards to actually using a squad, but I imagine he realises that, for us to have an equally as successful season as last year, we're going to have to change things around in the different competitions. This may well mean that some of the fans favorites don't play every game, Ashley, for instance, may have to sit out a game in order for Ireland and Keane to play with Carew etc..

I think if we do get Keane and Ireland I'd be delighted, if we then got another DM type (Flamini) and a fullback (Richards) I'd be over the moon with our 4 signings.

Not so sure about Richards, he is a bit brainless. If we could get a right back then great, but I'm not overly fussed, it shouldn't be (and isn't) our first priority.

Completely agree otherwise, though, Keane, Ireland and Flamini would represent quite a summer's work.

[atomicjam]

Sky Sports News:-

Nicky Shorey is expected to become a West Brom player in the next 24 to 48 hours after completing his medical.

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill confirmed on Saturday the story that had been previously revealed by skysports.com and he said that a fee had been agreed for the full-back's departure.

Two-time England international Shorey has since undergone physical examinations at Premier League new-boys West Brom and manager Roberto Di Matteo hopes that the transfer will soon be concluded.

"Nicky has completed a medical and we are hopeful he will become one of our players over the next 24-48 hours," Di Matteo told the Baggies' official website.

Experience
"We're quite far down the line with Nicky. We hope he will join us.

"Nicky will increase competition for places. He's composed on the ball and a good defender.

"It will also be nice to add some Premier League experience to the squad, because we are a young team.

"Nicky knows what it takes to play at the highest level."

Shorey spent the majority of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and Fulham after finding first-team opportunities limited at Villa Park, with Stephen Warnock making the left-back position his own.

[Monty]

Good luck to Nicky, I remember he had one traumatic game (I want to say Liverpool, but I'm not sure) and never really recovered.

If not McGeady, I really wonder who we're going to try and get with the Milner money in addition to Ireland. Obviously Keane, but you'd think a replacement for Milner if we already wanted Ireland. Flamini's been mentioned, and that would be fantastic, but that's a little unrealistic, so who else could we go for?

[atomicjam]

From the Daily Mail:-

Martin O'Neill keen to swoop as Steven Pienaar's new deal fails to materialise

Aston Villa are hoping to take advantage of Everton’s failure to offer Steven Pienaar a new contract by luring the 28-year-old to Villa Park.
Pienaar has been linked with a move away from Goodison after starring for South Africa at the World Cup and is unhappy it is taking so long to sort out the deal with the Toffees.
Tottenham were reported to be lining up a bid and European Champions Inter Milan were thought to be keen on the midfielder, but so far clubs have been warned off by the £15m price tag attached by the club.

[Monty]

God that's optimistic. Would be quite something, but by God it's optimistic.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Losing Carew would be a disaster in my opinion.

Agree totally, I think he's been top scorer last 3 seasons and he's a very good player also

[ozzjim]

Pienaar, Keane and Ireland would be a brilliant summer.

[Monty]

Pienaar, Keane and Ireland would be a brilliant summer.

It would be, so long as a midfield three of Petrov, Ireland and Pienaar could be persuaded to keep their tactical discipline.

Bit left-field, but I'd love it if we could play a bit like Mexico. They really crowd areas of the pitch when they have the ball, they constantly move and always have options. I really enjoyed watching them.

[PaulTheVillan]

Pienaar and Ireland would be superb, but we'll need a ball winner in there with them else it'll be lightweight.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Pienaar, Keane and Ireland would be a brilliant summer.

Agree totally with that, I rate Pienaar & I'm warming to Keane. Get Ireland in and maybe another defender I might be excited, Im just wondering if we'll see a new face by the weekend?

[Monty]

Pienaar and Ireland would be superb, but we'll need a ball winner in there with them else it'll be lightweight.

I'm not so sure. Ireland and Pienaar are well capable of harrying men in possession, and they'd take a lot of the workload off Petrov, who could stop worrying about pressing and lasting 90 minutes and get on with what he does best - reading the game, making interceptions, playing the first pass.

[ozzjim]

Pienaar is as hard working a footballer as you will get. Quality player.

[pauliewalnuts]

This must surely be the most boring transfer window since records began.

I don't just mean for us, but I mean across the board. Maybe it is a combination of the World Cup putting things on hold, and the financial depression hitting the game, but pretty much next to nothing has happened. Nobody is spending money.