January Transfer Window - Rumours, Links, B*llsh*t and Made-Up Nonsense

[Concrete John]

Maybe, but NRC is 26 and has one of the best engines in the league and is something of a leader. Petrov is on his last legs, breathes through his arse after half time, gets dragged all over the place and leaves the defence exposed too often. Of the two only NRC is truly capable of playing as a defensive midfielder and neither are going to worry the attacking midfielders for their place. Therefore I would be looking at moving Petrov on with a warm thank you. He can still be effective abroad at a slower pace.

Although I think you're being a little harsh on Petrov, I agree with you in principal.  But the unfortunate circumstance is that come the end of the season Petrov will be under contract and NRC won't.  And with the issue our wages have had with shipping players out last summer, I think we'll see Nigel go and Stan stay.

On the bright side, if used more sparingly Petrov would still be an asset and from a footballing perspective our young midfielders would learn more from him than from NRC's industry. 

[Mazrim]

Maybe, but NRC is 26 and has one of the best engines in the league and is something of a leader. Petrov is on his last legs, breathes through his arse after half time, gets dragged all over the place and leaves the defence exposed too often. Of the two only NRC is truly capable of playing as a defensive midfielder and neither are going to worry the attacking midfielders for their place. Therefore I would be looking at moving Petrov on with a warm thank you. He can still be effective abroad at a slower pace.

Although I think you're being a little harsh on Petrov, I agree with you in principal.  But the unfortunate circumstance is that come the end of the season Petrov will be under contract and NRC won't.  And with the issue our wages have had with shipping players out last summer, I think we'll see Nigel go and Stan stay.

On the bright side, if used more sparingly Petrov would still be an asset and from a footballing perspective our young midfielders would learn more from him than from NRC's industry. 

Well, the flipside of that is that Nige is free and we could still command some sort of fee for Stan maybe.
But really, the only real question that needs to be asked is if the player still has a role to play in the team, not whether he's under contract or not. I dont mean to be harsh on Stan (if I am) I just think his time has gone now with us or is about to be. I thought that in the closed season too. He's a likeable chap and I am fond of him but this is the cold reality of it. That's only my opinion of course. I'd love him to prove me wrong but I fear even if he did it would be one last hurrah before tarrah.

I also think the wages thing is over exaggerated. It was an issue but as much, I think, about what we were getting for our money rather than how much, although that was an issue also. A few players have left, a few more might too and we'll be looking at getting new players in without worrying too much about wages.
I dont think it will be the paramount consideration, put it that way.

[Concrete John]

I wasn't viewing the wages from the perspective of us not wanting to pay new players, but that those we want to ship out proved difficult in 2010 due to their high salaries and us also wanting a transfer fee for them.  And I think this might also be the case if we were planning to offload Petrov in 2011.

Time will tell.

[Mazrim]

I had it in my head he had maybe a year left on his contract.

"On the 20 May 2009 he signed a new four-year deal that is set to keep him at the club until 2013"

Well, that was a bit fucking daft. His legs have gone now and we have him until he's 34. Great.
Hopefully somebody will make an offer. Maybe Uncle Woy who was supposedly interested can do a deal in January.

[Chris Smith]

I don't quite understand the Reo Coker love in. Decent enough at the limited job he does but we're going to need far better if we want to progress.

[BedsVillain]

Isn't Funes Mori the guy who won the talent competition to get a trial at Chelsea and become a pro footballer?

Not sure, didn't see that show. Looking at his wiki page, it says he won a similar sounding show in the USA, to get a contract with Dallas. Apparantley he and his twin brother were offered a trial at Chelsea, but both ended up at River Plate after being scouted in America.

[Mazrim]

I don't quite understand the Reo Coker love in. Decent enough at the limited job he does but we're going to need far better if we want to progress.

Yes, I agree, if we had a player that brings us all the strengths of Reo Coker but also composure and class on the ball that would be ideal.
But there's a lot to admire with him. He gives it everything, never stops working, is strong, mobile and a leader on the pitch. He's very useful to have in the squad. Flawed, but also with a lot to offer.
Anyway, I dont see a love in but justified appreciation of his talents.

[BedsVillain]

I don't quite understand the Reo Coker love in. Decent enough at the limited job he does but we're going to need far better if we want to progress.

Kind of agree Chris, I think NRC does put himself about and we do seem a bit more solid when he's in the team, but I'm not sure if he's worth a new contract. By the summer and next season Delph should be up and running and back to full fitness. Delph, has the same kind of 'engine' as NRC but is so much better on the ball and his distribution is light years ahead of Nige's. I think pairing Delph with someone like Flamini or Toulalon will give us a more dynamic, gritty midfield than Petrov & NRC.

[Concrete John]

The thing with NRC is you have to accpet his limitations and play him in a certain way/role or just not bother.  Let him be the destroyer in there and have better players around him he can give it simple to and he's a big asset to the side.

I've heard it called the 'rat catcher' position where someone does the ugly stuff to allow the better player to get on wit playing.  That's exactly what he is and how he should be used. 

[glasses]

I think NRC needs to be kept.
I want Sidwell as far away from the club as he can get. Quite happy to take his £40k (at least) and not play.
Carew, thanks for the memories, but we need to move on.

[Mazrim]

The thing with NRC is you have to accpet his limitations and play him in a certain way/role or just not bother.  Let him be the destroyer in there and have better players around him he can give it simple to and he's a big asset to the side.

I've heard it called the 'rat catcher' position where someone does the ugly stuff to allow the better player to get on wit playing.  That's exactly what he is and how he should be used. 

Precisely. We have a lot mobility in the attacking half but it leaves us exposed to quick counter attacks. The more mobile the players who screen the defence/hold midfield are, the less at risk we are to this. The other benefit is that they are also mobile to support the attack when required.
This is why I think Petrov is the weak link at the moment.
He would suit the way other teams play with measured build up and more cautious and limited attack, but we really commit to attack with three attacking midfielders. That means the two that link everything else together have to be able to cover a fair amount of ground. Reo Coker can at least do this and is the only "powerful" midfielder we have really. There are few (none?) more so.

I agree about Delph. When he comes back (as good as new hopefully) his tenacity and superb passing range will be priceless. We still need another player or maybe even two to fill out the ranks of those tasked to play box to box and hold.
Reo Coker is one, Delph another. Eventually Gardner will come into it in a big way but lets forget that right now.
I would like a "quarterback" player who is physically strong, can screen the defence and pick passes out and another box to box player with a bit of everything. That would complete our midfield. We have the attacking midfielders and wingers.

[Mister E]

You're right in your specification of the type of QB we need, Maz. That plus Delph as the midfield generals would be v good.
Re Petrov, we simply ned to wait for MON to get a new managerial role and he'll come looking for Petrov, I suppose!

[placeforparks]

petrov's contract expires summer 2013.

he'll be sweating and out of breath emptying his locker at bodymoor heath when he goes.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Think we are going a bit over the top about Petrov. Ye has looked a bit sluggish. But dont forget the good work he has done. He is our captain. Back him ............

[cheltenhamlion]

If you watch the players celebrating after the first goal on Sunday Petorv is ringing wet then.