Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[Greg N'Ash]

Got it right when he spent big on young players? Davies?

[VillaZogmariner]

I agree about struggling to shift some of the players, I doubt we'll see as many leave as need to go.

However, I disagree with your comment about the Centre Backs - Dunne has been a liability for most of the season. He came back from last Summer overweight and had no interest at all. I don't want to risk that happening again this Summer. Collins is starting to pick the niggles up that blighted his time at West Ham, however I think if he is over them I'd keep him. Cuellar I really like, but think he will head back to Spain in the Summer, and I don't blame him.

[Concrete John]

I dont think as many players are going to leave this summer as people expect. Firstly, we have to remember that most clubs dont have as much money to be spending on players transfer fees/wages as in previous years, so I think a lot of PL clubs will look at taking a chance on a Championship player or a foreigner than going for one of our squad players.
Also, if we have a new manager in, he may well be willing to give everyone (even Ireland) a clean slate and work from there.
And lastly, if we are to get rid of all these players, they will have to be replaced and that will more than likely cost quite a bit, without improving us all that much.

In terms of players in and the realistic targets being mentioned, a goalkeeper will obviously be needed if Friedel decides to call it a day. Given would be my choice, hands down.

With the defence, I dont see the need for new centre halves - Dunne, Collins, Cuellar and Clark are 4 quality players that I dont see us improving on. I would rather keep the 4 of them than get new players in.
Full backs, I would love us to sign Walker on a permanent deal if possible. A new LB will be needed, unless Warnock as a rebirth of sorts (still cant believe how far out of favour he has fallen). Jose Enrique would be ideal, but I think there will be a number of bigger clubs who will be in for him.

Midfield depends on who tays, I think. If everyone stays, I dont think we would need to sign many players. Maybe just one "special" centre mid if there was one available e.g. Paul Merson (from about 10-15 years ago obviously).

Up front, I think we all agree we have our goalscorer in Bent. It is now just about how we bring out the best in him. The likes of Defoe would not be suitable unless he is going to be used as back up for Bent. I think we need someone like Sheringham who can drop off,  and play the killer balls in for Bent. Off the top of my head, Tuncay would be the type of player Im talking about, but Im not sure what has happened him in the last year (still at Stoke?).

Our squad could always do with some improving, but in terms of first choice players, I dont think we are that far off, if we get the right manger in.

Although you raise some interesting points, I do think there will be a sizeable chunk of players leaving, even though it'll cost us to get shot of them.  I can see the emerging youth being used more so that will negate some of our expenditure - for instance Ireland going and Bannan getting more games and similar with Beye/Lichaj.  You need to remember that a lot of these players play virtually no games and have zero impact, so don't actually need to be 'replaced'! 

[Merv]

Absolutely - Beye, Warnock, Carew, Salifou, Osbourne, Ireland; zero first team contribution since January, so they don't replacing like for like.

[VillaZogmariner]

Without wanting to turn this into a MoN thread, here is a list of his dealings in/out in his time here.

IN

Petrov (£6.5m) - Success
Chris Sutton (Free) - Success
Didier Agathe (Free) - Fail
Shaun Maloney (£1m) - Fail
Phil Bardsley (Loan) - Fail
John Carew (P/Ex) - Success
Ashley Young (£9.5m) - Success
Nigel Reo-Coker (£8.5m) - Fail (Decent signing, but not for that money)
Marlon Harewood (£4.5m) - EPIC FAIL
Scott Carson (Loan) - Fail
Zat Knight (£3.5m) - Success (He didn't do much wrong when here)
Moustapha Salifou (Undis) - Fail
Curtis Davies (£8.5m) - Fail
Wayne Routledge (£1.5m) - Fail
Steve Sidwell (£5m) - Fail
Brad Friedel (£2.5m) - Success
Nicky Shorey (£3.5m) - Fail
Luke Young (£6m) - Success (although I nearly put as fail - he could've signed him a year before for £3m)
Brad Guzan (£500k) - Fail
Carlos Cuellar (£7.8m) - Success
James Milner (£12m) - Success
Emile Heskey (£3.5m) - Fail
Stuart Downing (£12m) - Success
Fabian Delph (£6m) - Success (I think he will become a key player for us)
Habib Beye (£3m) - EPIC FAIL
Stephen Warnock (£6m) - Fail
James Collins (£5m) - Success
Richard Dunne (£6m) - Success (Only because he was awesome in that first season under MoN)

So out of 28 signings 13 of them were a success and 15 of them were failures (in my opinion) - although there are 3/4 of them that could go either way.

Out of the players he got rid of, the only 3 I think that turned out for the worst were the sales of Cahill, Soreneson and Phillips (Would've been ideal to come off the bench instead of Harewood for example!) - he could do nothing to stop Mellberg going, although I wish he'd have stayed.

[Greg N'Ash]

well even with your definition of fails/successes which i'm not sure i agree with totally i make that over 45m in fails. A pretty penny by any standards

[VillaZogmariner]

well even with your definition of fails/successes which i'm not sure i agree with totally i make that over 45m in fails. A pretty penny by any standards

Out of interest, which ones do you disagree with?

[Concrete John]

One thing is a lot of the 'fails' were punts, loans and short terms deals we tried, such as Agathe, Carson and Routledge.  I personally wouldn't put NRC in that bracket, but the real losses for us were Harewood, Davies, Sidwell and Shorey.

[Greg N'Ash]

collins and dunne mainly. its totally subjective really because some were good but were frozen out. So for instance Luke Young was good but he might as well be shit if he's never played. Likewise NRC.

[BILL DE VALL]

anyone fancy defoe?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/18/jermain-defoe-frustrated-football-tottenham

[VillaZogmariner]

anyone fancy defoe?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/18/jermain-defoe-frustrated-football-tottenham

If we didn't have Bent I'd have said yes, but he's not what we need now. We've got Bent/Gabby for his position already.

[Rick_avfc]

anyone fancy defoe?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/18/jermain-defoe-frustrated-football-tottenham

If we didn't have Bent I'd have said yes, but he's not what we need now. We've got Bent/Gabby for his position already.

Gabby's not exactly lighting up the premiership now is he? 
He is another player who has potential but fails to deliever.

[Greg N'Ash]

I'd still like another forward in, though i agree defoe isn't that player.

[VillaZogmariner]

collins and dunne mainly. its totally subjective really because some were good but were frozen out. So for instance Luke Young was good but he might as well be shit if he's never played. Likewise NRC.

Young was only really frozen out for the last 5/6 months of his time at the club. And even then didn't he end up playing something like 30 odd games that season anyway?

You really think that Collins and Dunne are failures? They haven't been the best this season, but you could say that for most of the squad. Last season though they were both immense.

[Shrek]

anyone fancy defoe?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/18/jermain-defoe-frustrated-football-tottenham

If we didn't have Bent I'd have said yes, but he's not what we need now. We've got Bent/Gabby for his position already.

Gabby's not exactly lighting up the premiership now is he? 
He is another player who has potential but fails to deliever.

Same as Defoe then.