Summer Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[paulcomben]

Nice thorough analysis, JM.  Just one thing: Guzan will leave so Kello presumably should go in there.

[Concrete John]

Nice thorough analysis, JM.  Just one thing: Guzan will leave so Kello presumably should go in there.

Yes, that's quite likely, but doesn't really effect things too much elsewhere or the balance of fees, wages, etc.

[eastie]

I've said it before, but I think Hutton will settle down to be a competent, if not spectacular, Premier league RB.  Add Lichaj to that, and we've got a decent enough pair for that position.  We do need a new LB, so sell Warnock and use the fee and saved wages to help pay for him - Taylor is a decent shout.  CB is difficult to judge until we know what Cuellar is doing.  I've been relatively impressed with him and Collins as a pair, so flogging Dunne and playing them would be fine by me, with Baker and Clark in reserve.  However, if Carlos goes I'd be looking for a big stopper that could partner Clark, with Collins and Baker then as back up.

Whether N'Zogbia deserves another crack or not, given our finances we can't afford to write off a £10m player, so he'll get one anyway.  Albrighton has been very disappointing, but A N Other wide player is needed anyway, so that should be a right sided player to balance Charlie on the left, with Marc and Carruthers as competition. 

I've been happy with Ireland's effort, so would look to play him as one of the deeper midfieldeers alongside a new DCM, with Herd and Gardner as their cover.  Holman can play behind the striker, so he'd be the most advanced of a midfield three, with Bannan taking up the squad position behind him.

Upfront is where it gets hard as two of out biggest/most expensive assets are fighting for one position, meaning our resources are not being best used.  I'd take anything over £10 for Gabby and use it for the other players needed.  His replacement should be a bigger striker to give us a genuine option and a more natural partnership with Bent should we go 4-4-2.  Weimann as a VERY competitive reserve for striker and/or a wide position.

The new squad would look something like this, usually playing a 4-2-3-1:-

Given (Guzan)

Hutton/Lichaj
Cuellar (Clark)
Collins (Baker)
New LB (Stevens, although more likely Clark if not playing CB)

New DCM (Herd)
Ireland (Gardner)
 
New RW (Albrighton)
Holman (Bannan)
N'Zogbia (Carruthers/Weimann)

Bent (New Striker/Weimann)

Cost wise there's a lot of talk about  Bosman's, so let's presume one of the four players needed, plus Holman, are Bosmans.  So three to be paid for at an average of £8m, so £24m to be spent.  Incoming there's £10m for Gabby, plus a total of £5m from Dunne and Warnock.  Add to that another £3m for the likes of Delph, Delfouneso and Makoun, giving £18m in and a balance of £6m.

Wages wise I'd say:-
Heskey - £60k
Gabby - £55k
Dunne - £50k
Warnock - £50k     
Delph, Delfouneso & Makoun - £60k between them.

That's £275k a week to spread between 5 new signings, so £55k a week average, which should be manageable. 

I know gabbys been poor but surely hes worth more than ten quid?

[NiiLamptey]

Found this on NewsNow...

http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer_irish/sunderland-to-swoop-for-aston-villa-striker/?

[ktvillan]

Curtis Davies is in the Championship PFA team of the year. Where did it all go wrong with the pub player here? 

I always rated him but he had his confidence shattered by O'Neill turning on him, and then quite a few fans did the same, admittedly after some pretty poor performances.   It was a downward spiral for him then and he was better off making a fresh start elsewhere.

[pauliewalnuts]

Curtis Davies is in the Championship PFA team of the year. Where did it all go wrong with the pub player here?

He had to play against PL opposition, rather than Championship, that's where it went wrong.

[TaxDodger]

Curtis Davies is in the Championship PFA team of the year. Where did it all go wrong with the pub player here? 

I think he's found his level really.

[Clampy]

I always thought Davies was a bit hard done by. He was looking decent up until his shoulder injury at Anfield and for one reason or another his Villa career went downhill from there, which was a shame because there's a decent defender in there. The other problem was he cost us much more than he should of.

[dave.woodhall]

Thioe two words - pub player. However well he did, they always came back to haunt him. 

[Concrete John]

I always thought Davies was a bit hard done by. He was looking decent up until his shoulder injury at Anfield and for one reason or another his Villa career went downhill from there, which was a shame because there's a decent defender in there. The other problem was he cost us much more than he should of.

He was playing well with Laursen as he needs a defender next to him who meets the ball to allow him his more natural game of covering behind his partner.  That's also how Carlos likes to play, so their partnership was a failiure and he never recovered from that.

[Risso]

Davies just couldn't concenrate for the full 90 minutes.  When you're playing against Premier League players, that's always going to get found out more than in the Championship.

[Ads]

I think we need at three central players to come in.

We cannot be relying on Ireland and just one new face, with Herd and Gardener the only alternatives.

[Concrete John]

I think we need at three central players to come in.

We cannot be relying on Ireland and just one new face, with Herd and Gardener the only alternatives.

If you mean three central midfielders, then that's massive overkill.  Herd has certainly shown enough this season to be a competent reserve and we need to avoid the situation again where expensive players aren't playing and holding back the kids development, in this case Gardner's!   

[ozzjim]

I think we need to get 2 personally. One to replace Petrov, and 1 to replace Makoun. Both need to be athletic, and have an ability to carry the ball a bit too.

[Concrete John]

I think we need to get 2 personally. One to replace Petrov, and 1 to replace Makoun. Both need to be athletic, and have an ability to carry the ball a bit too.

If we were having this discussion 12 months ago I'd agree, but with Herd's form this season I'm more than happy to use him more.