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

[cdbearsfan]

If Modric is worth £35 million, Arsenal should've held out for £6 trillion for Fabregas. Modric is a good player, but nowhere near that class.

Still, if Jordan Henderson is worth £20million then I have no idea how transfer fees work.

[Mazrim]

"If Jordan Henderson is worth £20million then I have no idea how transfer fees work."
                                                                                                                                         - K Dalglish

[luke25]

I'm in the just don't see the fuss with him camp too, granted that may change if he plays further forward, at the moment he just seems a tidy safe player.

Is Xavi just a "tidy safe player" who should play further forward as well?

Xavi is the best passer of a football in world football, a truly world class individual, im not even going to get into any kind of debate were the two are compared.

[ozzjim]

Well, if I was a manager I wouldn't pay £15m for him.

It always has been and always will be a mystery to me why he is highly rated.
Small, weak, lack of goals and assists. A tidy passer, yes. So what?

Ditto, I was basing 15 on us getting 24 for Milner, who scored, assisted and contributed significantly more than Modric. Modric is pretty on the ball, but producing sweet fa that is telling.

[Dante Lavelli]

I disagree, I think Modric is an excellent player - probably on par with Milner but for different reasons. 

Modric's problem is possibly that he does most of his best work in the early phases of a move rather than making the assist or scoring himself, often receiving the ball directly from the centre backs for example.  Equally he is not the guy busting a gut to make a last ditch tackle.

Therefore his work often goes un-noticed especially if watching MOTD type highlights, but he is key for spurs in retaining possession and moving the opposition's midfield around in order to create space for the likes of Lennon and Bale to take the headlines.

How often do we complain about Dunne or Collins launching attack after attack "down the channels"?  A fair amount I'd say.  That's partly because of their lack of ability but also because we do not have a player who is confident enough to receive the ball in this area of the pitch with his back to goal and also smart enough to then pass the ball forward rather than backwards or sideways.  Petrov occasionally does but then lacks the passing skills to act at the heart beat of the side.  Hopefully Makoun will develop into this sort of link player.

[eamonn]

Modric for 30 or Fabregas for 35. Did you see the stats on goals and assists last season? Modric is a decent player hyped to the hilt. Would be no more than a 15 million player at Villa.

Well we got 20m for Downing!

[eamonn]

Not sure if it's been mentioned anywhere yet, but Juan Pablo Angel has left LA Galaxy and gone to Chivas USA.

To be replaced by Robbie Keane. The ignominy.

[cheltenhamlion]

I must admit to also being in the I don't get the hype posse when it comes to Modric.

[UsualSuspect]

Makoun can be a very good player for us, his passing is excellent.

I keep hearing fans say this, but other than his debut game he's been pretty poor in a Villa shirt.
I think he's a waste of money.

Funny, but that's pretty much what I feel too. Thought he looked really promising at first but shown little since. I can only assume he's got more to come and we'll only see that given a decent run. Unfortunately that seems to be the case with a lot of our guys at present (Delph/Ireland/Bannan/Albrighton), therefore too soon to say whether he's a waste of dosh or not.

Agree with that

I watched makoun against Wolves and the pace of the game totally passed him by.

Wanted far too much time on the ball, had no awareness of opposing players around him so caught in possession far too often then the next tackle is a booking.

I'm still to be convinced

[Clampy]

Makoun can be a very good player for us, his passing is excellent.

I keep hearing fans say this, but other than his debut game he's been pretty poor in a Villa shirt.
I think he's a waste of money.

Funny, but that's pretty much what I feel too. Thought he looked really promising at first but shown little since. I can only assume he's got more to come and we'll only see that given a decent run. Unfortunately that seems to be the case with a lot of our guys at present (Delph/Ireland/Bannan/Albrighton), therefore too soon to say whether he's a waste of dosh or not.

Agree with that

I watched makoun against Wolves and the pace of the game totally passed him by.

 

I think you can say that about all 11 on the pitch in that game. 

[Concrete John]

The thing is though Makoun needs to play in order to get up to the pace.  The ability IS there!

[eastie]

May have been a bit early to judge him in the wolves game but he's been at the club a few months now and should be up to scratch - like many others in the squad it's a make or break season for him- clearly GED rated him highly but the change of manager means he needs to prove himself to eck .

The good thing about the clean slate is they all start with a chance and it's the players that grasp the mantle who will reap the rewards.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

If you all think Modric is over rated then what about Scott Parker? One of the most over hyped players in recent years (mainly by the London Press admittedly).

A decent steady player, yes. But only marginally better than say NRC or Joey Barton IMO, and nothing special at all.

[UsualSuspect]

I agree that Scott parker is overated

never been overly impressed by him in an England shirt, just runs about a lot passing the ball 10 yards sideways. Looks quality for West Ham when surrounded by shit players - a bit like Charlie Adam who will be found out big time at Liverpool.

[Concrete John]

If you all think Modric is over rated then what about Scott Parker? One of the most over hyped players in recent years (mainly by the London Press admittedly).

A decent steady player, yes. But only marginally better than say NRC or Joey Barton IMO, and nothing special at all.

I sort of agree, but then I think NRC and Barton are both good players (even if one is a cock!) and so being better than them makes him a very good player.  He may not be a reincarnation of George Best, but he's exactly what our side needs right now.