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

[Concrete John]

An emphatic no to Dann and Johnson fro me. Do we want to give them a hatrick of drops? NO!

Funny that cause I'd take them both.  We really need a leader in the middle of the park though as Petrov was a huge miss for us.  Quite like Huddlestone from Spurs.

Huddlestone is a good player, but hardly a 'leader'.  I want a new holding player and new CB, but at least one needs to be very vocal on the pitch and natural captain material.

[PaulWinch again]

Roger Johnson is fucking rubbish and a poor professional.

[OzVilla]

An emphatic no to Dann and Johnson fro me. Do we want to give them a hatrick of drops? NO!

Funny that cause I'd take them both.  We really need a leader in the middle of the park though as Petrov was a huge miss for us.  Quite like Huddlestone from Spurs.

Huddlestone is a good player, but hardly a 'leader'.  I want a new holding player and new CB, but at least one needs to be very vocal on the pitch and natural captain material.

Look i obviously don't know the lad so don't know what his leadership qualities are - maybe he has some, maybe not.  However, from what i've seen he's a pretty big unit, has something about him, good touch, great shot and I reckon could put himself about. 

If we're to be shopping in Aldi as opposed to Waitrose then he's the type of player i'd like to see us interested in signing.

[Concrete John]

Roger Johnson is fucking rubbish and a poor professional.

Should fit in well then

[johncvilla88]

Albrighton hasn't seem to recovered properly since getting appendicitis with a proper 6 week rest over the some we might see him back fit again next year. Maybe a championship loan might do him good. He's played as a right midfield under McCleish and not a winger which means he tracks back more and looses the energy to get to the byline.

[Concrete John]

An emphatic no to Dann and Johnson fro me. Do we want to give them a hatrick of drops? NO!

Funny that cause I'd take them both.  We really need a leader in the middle of the park though as Petrov was a huge miss for us.  Quite like Huddlestone from Spurs.

Huddlestone is a good player, but hardly a 'leader'.  I want a new holding player and new CB, but at least one needs to be very vocal on the pitch and natural captain material.

Look i obviously don't know the lad so don't know what his leadership qualities are - maybe he has some, maybe not.  However, from what i've seen he's a pretty big unit, has something about him, good touch, great shot and I reckon could put himself about. 

If we're to be shopping in Aldi as opposed to Waitrose then he's the type of player i'd like to see us interested in signing.

Don't get me wrong - I agree with your assessment of him as a player and would welcome the signing.  I just don't see him as a the one shouting out orders on the pitch and kicking other up the arse when needed.

[N'ZMAV]

I wouldn't be looking to shift any of the youngsters out just yet. For me the jury is still out on Albrighton.  I'm happy to persevere with him next season, perhaps this season has been a blip - he certainly showed some promise last year. He deserves another crack at it.

Delph we should certainly be keeping. 

I'd be looking to get rid of the Fonz.

[Mazrim]

It really depends on who the manager is and his style of play but we have a group of good youngsters - Clark, Herd, Delph, Gardner, Bannan, Johnson, Carrruthers etc and Ireland. We need the quality and composure on the ball and some leadership to go with it, yes.

Huddlestone is a player I rate but isn't a dogfighter or natural leader. That said we need somebody to keep and use the ball whilst keeping a disciplined position so I'd definitely be looking at him for that role although he'd probably cost a bit. The "quarterback" so to speak. He can dictate play like that without being a Captain.
Alongside him you could have... Frimpong for instance who would add mobility and ability on the ball. Lots of energy and drive which isn't Huddlestone's strong suit but would compliment him nicely.

For the leader we could perhaps go back to Robbie Keane. He likes to dictate play between midfield and attack.
He'd be competing with Ireland but there is a possibilty they could both play too.

Then we need to sort out the full backs and wing. Christ, there's a bit to do.


                                          Given

                           Douglas              Dunne     
Clyne (or Naughton)                                          Bertrand 
                 
                    Frimpong                       Huddlestone
                                         
                                         Ireland

             Keane                                              Hoilett

                                           Bent

Just an example. We could loan Bertand and Frimpong if money was tight.
A very young but promising team with our existing youngsters ready to compete with them.

[Concrete John]

I don't see Keane as a wide player.  The wide positions are actually the most up in the air for me as form wise our two (N'Zog & Marc) have been very poor, but do have ability, plus add Gabby to the puzzle if we play 1 up top. 

Huddlestone would be OK to sit and do the 'quarterback' job.  I think we'll see a new LB, but they'll give Hutton another try and use Lichaj as cover. 

Actually, it's pretty much all up in the air until we know who the manager is going to be.

[David_Nab]

Huddlestone's problem is the same as Jenas ..always injuried

[JUAN PABLO]

People think we are going to get Hoilett ?  how come

[IRISHPHIL]

how about striker being fletcher from wolves ( play alonside weiman), diame from wigan defensive midfilder and zigizeria from celtic as new left back

[IRISHPHIL]

how about striker being fletcher from wolves ( play alonside weiman), diame from wigan defensive midfilder and zigizeria from celtic as new left back

[N'Zimidy]

In response to Mazrim's team there are a few issues I would have with it.

Personally, I don't think that going back to Robbie Keane is a good idea at all. He looked pretty good in a McLeish team because he was the only one with any movement in a team full of statues. He's also too old and would cost too much in wages to warrant him coming to the club full time. I still think that Ireland is better in that attacking midfield role and I really don't think he's cut out to play on the wing. In a Martinez or Lambert Villa side, he wouldn't shine so brightly as he did earlier this season.

I would love Hoilett but there's an issue with him being very one dimensional, plus he would cost an arm and a leg to afford in terms of wages. I'm afraid he's off to a bigger club in a foreign league. A player like that is needed though.

In response to Huddlestone and in regard to us needing a quarterback, I really don't think that a quarterback is a position we should be having if we have players like Ireland and Bent are in the team. We should be trying to get the ball on the ground and moving it quickly. Something that Houllier tried to implement but had trouble with. A quarterback would just completely bypass the midfield and launch 50 yard balls for Alby / Bent / N'Zog to latch onto. It just doesn't play to our strengths at all. I think that a midfield that includes Ireland and Makoun would be far superior as they can play quick, one touch football that gets us up the pitch with a much greater certainty of retaining possession than having fatty Huddlestone launch them up a la Collins.

Frimpong would be a good player to have around although . Douglas would be a very good acquisition for us, as would Clyne in my opinion. I wouldn't take Bertrand though. He would only be available on loan and I would rather have someone with a bit more experience and at the club full time to be first choice (Unless we can actually buy him, in which case, sure).

In my opinion, we need 1RB, 1CB, 1LB, 1RW, 1CM, 1GK

With Holman and Makoun coming in and Hutton, Warnock, Collins, Cuellar, Heskey, Guzan, Petrov(sadly) and The Fonz all moving out.

[PaulWinch again]

People think we are going to get Hoilett ?  how come

I actually think if we got a proper manager in, we'd be a very sensible move for him. We are a potentially big club and look what we did for Ash. If he moves to Tottenham or someone like that it could hinder his development as he won't play lots of games. So I could see the sense in it, however it won't happen and he'll go to Tottenham I expect.