January Transfer Speculation (or lack of) Thread

[Holte L2]

NRC made all the difference to our midfield last season. Particuarly wheb we played 4 5 1. Made us harder to break down. I'd re-sign him tomorrow if we could.

[LeeB]

fucking hell this is one depressing thread.

Ive seen a lot of Andrews and Gibson playing for Ireland. They pretty much compete for the right to partner Glenn Whelan in the midfield. Yikes, there was a time when Keane, Townsend and Sheridan were the three man midfield.

Anyway, Gibson does have a good shot and is a good passer of the ball. He can play it long and short and with regular football will develop this side of his game more. However without the ball he is a joke. Despite giving the appearance of an athletic physical player he is anything but. One paced in the extreme and very little presence to speak of. Probably a bit similar to Makoun actually. Reckon some team might take a punt and he will do ok for them but surely we should be aiming a bit higher. Considering our predicament I dont think he is a worthwhile punt as we need players who can come into the team straight away. He has been scratching his arse for months and will definitely need time to come up to speed.

Andrews is a late developer. He really struggled at Blackburn but is flying now at Ipswich. He has done well for Ireland in games where we have to defend. He is a good athlete and competes well. He also breaks into the box well. However with the ball he is incredibly limited. At his age surely a no go there.

Davis is a bit lightweight. Dont watch SPL but apparently he is the best midfielder there by a distance. Watched the last old scum derby and he was by a long way the best player on the park. Young, lively, good on the ball. Id worry about him in a 2 man midfield though. I liked him at Villa and considering shit like Sidwell were bought later, it was madness to sell him imo.

Craig Gardner was muck at Villa imo. I know he wasnt played in his right position a lot of the time but he is incredibly limited on the ball. Good bit of presence about him and a goal threat for sure but for the money they will need to sell him its not good value. MON rates him anyway so Id say he will stay put.

To be honest I think Herd and Petrov for what we need now are better than any of those. We definitely need a central midfielder but we need one with presence imo.

No matter how he is playing this season for Bolton, Reo Coker is a big loss for us.

You say Andrews and Gardner are limited on the ball, then wish we still had Reo-Coker?

[brontebilly]

fucking hell this is one depressing thread.

Ive seen a lot of Andrews and Gibson playing for Ireland. They pretty much compete for the right to partner Glenn Whelan in the midfield. Yikes, there was a time when Keane, Townsend and Sheridan were the three man midfield.

Anyway, Gibson does have a good shot and is a good passer of the ball. He can play it long and short and with regular football will develop this side of his game more. However without the ball he is a joke. Despite giving the appearance of an athletic physical player he is anything but. One paced in the extreme and very little presence to speak of. Probably a bit similar to Makoun actually. Reckon some team might take a punt and he will do ok for them but surely we should be aiming a bit higher. Considering our predicament I dont think he is a worthwhile punt as we need players who can come into the team straight away. He has been scratching his arse for months and will definitely need time to come up to speed.

Andrews is a late developer. He really struggled at Blackburn but is flying now at Ipswich. He has done well for Ireland in games where we have to defend. He is a good athlete and competes well. He also breaks into the box well. However with the ball he is incredibly limited. At his age surely a no go there.

Davis is a bit lightweight. Dont watch SPL but apparently he is the best midfielder there by a distance. Watched the last old scum derby and he was by a long way the best player on the park. Young, lively, good on the ball. Id worry about him in a 2 man midfield though. I liked him at Villa and considering shit like Sidwell were bought later, it was madness to sell him imo.

Craig Gardner was muck at Villa imo. I know he wasnt played in his right position a lot of the time but he is incredibly limited on the ball. Good bit of presence about him and a goal threat for sure but for the money they will need to sell him its not good value. MON rates him anyway so Id say he will stay put.

To be honest I think Herd and Petrov for what we need now are better than any of those. We definitely need a central midfielder but we need one with presence imo.

No matter how he is playing this season for Bolton, Reo Coker is a big loss for us.

You say Andrews and Gardner are limited on the ball, then wish we still had Reo-Coker?

Reo Coker is a leader, we have none in the side at the moment. Craig Gardner certainly isnt. Andrews is one at a lower level. Plus Reo Coker does far more without the ball than both of those and will cover every blade of grass on the pitch. Craig Gardner is ridiculously one paced.

Fair enough Reo Coker was badly advised not to take whatever contract Houllier offered him but in a time of great turmoil on and off the pitch we miss a leader like him. Particularly against the better sides. I can recall some brilliant performances he put in in places like Anfield and Old Trafford. Our midfield is a joke at the moment. Petrov will only get away with playing in a 2 man midfield against really shit opposition and the likes of Liverpool and Spurs just walk through us at the moment.

[Ads]

I wouldn't give McLeish £1 to spend in January, he's a dead man walking in this job and we'll just end up with more Makouns who the new manager doesn't want in July.

If he hadn't signed Hutton and N'Zogbia I might have given him the benefit of the doubt but they have been atrocious so far.

Oh that's bollocks.

N'Zogbia was the player everybody thought would be a top buy. He was excellent at Wigan and for what ever reasons, he's let McLeish and the club down badly, although there has been signs in the previous two games that he's looking more like it.

As for giving him no money, his poor start aside, he's still marshalling a diabolical midfield and a woeful back line. We need fresh players and McLeish needs to be backed and given the opportunity to make a fist of it or fail at the very least.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's also bollocks because he's not a dead man walking.

Randy bet his credibility on this appointment, and has continued to do so since (letters from Ferguson telling him what a good appointment etc). Added to that, it's going to cost us big money in compensation on top of the money we've already spaffed away on previous managers of late.

Personally, I don't think there are any circumstances under which he'd sack him, and absolutely certainly not prior to January. Those who think he is going to are kidding themselves.

Randy is probably convinced he's doing a great job and unaware of any thought to the contrary. And that's the frightening bit.

[pauliewalnuts]

Oh, and although Hutton is absolutely crap and a piss poor signing, Given was a very good one, and CNZ will come good (and has done better of late)

[N'ZMAV]

I think whatever manager would have came in during the summer Given & N'Zogbia would have came in. As for Hutton, I thoguht from when i'd seen him, that he was decent, he's been worse than I thought, but who else was available that springs to mind?

[N'ZMAV]

NRC made all the difference to our midfield last season. Particuarly wheb we played 4 5 1. Made us harder to break down. I'd re-sign him tomorrow if we could.

I'm sure we could attract someone to Villa that could play a similar role to NRC but also manage to pass the ball to our of out own players? Maybe even a forward pass?

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't know who else was available, but then again I'm not a PL manager with a network of scouts to call on ;-)

I also think it's a bit too easy to dismiss the good signings of Given and (in time) N'Zogbia, though. He made them, he gets the credit when they go well, or the stick when they go badly.

[N'ZMAV]

I don't know who else was available, but then again I'm not a PL manager with a network of scouts to call on ;-)

I also think it's a bit too easy to dismiss the good signings of Given and (in time) N'Zogbia, though. He made them, he gets the credit when they go well, or the stick when they go badly.

the quality of N'Zogbia and Given is there for all to see. Pretty straight forward for Given. But, N'Zogbia, he needs to be found the right role in the team, it's always going to be hard to players, especially players who can play a few different positions to hit the ground running. Ashley Young, James Milner & Stewart Downing had slow starts with us.

[LeeB]

fucking hell this is one depressing thread.

Ive seen a lot of Andrews and Gibson playing for Ireland. They pretty much compete for the right to partner Glenn Whelan in the midfield. Yikes, there was a time when Keane, Townsend and Sheridan were the three man midfield.

Anyway, Gibson does have a good shot and is a good passer of the ball. He can play it long and short and with regular football will develop this side of his game more. However without the ball he is a joke. Despite giving the appearance of an athletic physical player he is anything but. One paced in the extreme and very little presence to speak of. Probably a bit similar to Makoun actually. Reckon some team might take a punt and he will do ok for them but surely we should be aiming a bit higher. Considering our predicament I dont think he is a worthwhile punt as we need players who can come into the team straight away. He has been scratching his arse for months and will definitely need time to come up to speed.

Andrews is a late developer. He really struggled at Blackburn but is flying now at Ipswich. He has done well for Ireland in games where we have to defend. He is a good athlete and competes well. He also breaks into the box well. However with the ball he is incredibly limited. At his age surely a no go there.

Davis is a bit lightweight. Dont watch SPL but apparently he is the best midfielder there by a distance. Watched the last old scum derby and he was by a long way the best player on the park. Young, lively, good on the ball. Id worry about him in a 2 man midfield though. I liked him at Villa and considering shit like Sidwell were bought later, it was madness to sell him imo.

Craig Gardner was muck at Villa imo. I know he wasnt played in his right position a lot of the time but he is incredibly limited on the ball. Good bit of presence about him and a goal threat for sure but for the money they will need to sell him its not good value. MON rates him anyway so Id say he will stay put.

To be honest I think Herd and Petrov for what we need now are better than any of those. We definitely need a central midfielder but we need one with presence imo.

No matter how he is playing this season for Bolton, Reo Coker is a big loss for us.

You say Andrews and Gardner are limited on the ball, then wish we still had Reo-Coker?

Reo Coker is a leader, we have none in the side at the moment. Craig Gardner certainly isnt. Andrews is one at a lower level. Plus Reo Coker does far more without the ball than both of those and will cover every blade of grass on the pitch. Craig Gardner is ridiculously one paced.

Fair enough Reo Coker was badly advised not to take whatever contract Houllier offered him but in a time of great turmoil on and off the pitch we miss a leader like him. Particularly against the better sides. I can recall some brilliant performances he put in in places like Anfield and Old Trafford. Our midfield is a joke at the moment. Petrov will only get away with playing in a 2 man midfield against really shit opposition and the likes of Liverpool and Spurs just walk through us at the moment.

Reo-Coker is 'leading' Bolton into the Championship.

Of those we have loved and lost, he'd be a very long way down the list of players I'd have back. In fact, when it comes to wastes of money, he's up there with the best. And I liked him.

In hindsight we'd have been better off never signing Reo-Coker and instead giving his shirt to Gardner, who would have gained more experience and at least offers some kind of threat to the opposition goal.

[spaf]

Josh McEachran has been told by Chelsea that he can go out on loan in January, in order to help his development. Aston Villa are the first club to register an interest in taking the highly rated young midfielder and Bolton Wanderers, Swansea City and Fulham are also expected to express interest.

Guardian - Aston Villa interested as Chelsea look to loan out Josh McEachran


Haven't seen much of him. He was good last pre season. But so was Albrighton. Or was it the year before that? Or the year before that?

[PaulWinch again]

He's a much better option than some of the players we've been linked with.

[Matt C]

Not sure I see the point of signing an 18 year old from Chelsea on loan when we could throw Gardner in and give our own young players experience rather than someone elses.

[Merv]

Just beat me to it, Matt. We have our own highly-rated teenage midfielder in Gardner, not to mention the likes of Daniel Johnson, who is knocking on the first team's door. McEachran on loan would be pretty close to pointless.