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

[supertom]

Newcastle have their first choice front two in place already. The two of them got 30 odd goals. I really can't see them getting Carroll unless, probably Ba, is sold. Spending a lot of money on getting Carroll back alongside the other two doesn't make much sense because you'd think he'd be the 3rd choice to start off with given last seasons form. Cisse and Ba also play well together. Ba's goals dried up but he continued making goals for Cisse.

I wouldn't want Carroll either. Too much money. Playing two up top won't work and I'd never drop Benty for Carroll. You also just never know when Carroll is going to go out and cause trouble in a night club somewhere. It's bad enough we have to worry about Dunne, Collins and Ireland potentially making tits of themselves without adding a ponytail into the mix.

Lets also sort our defence and midfield before worrying about a forward. Gabby's shouldn't be written off just yet. We also have Bent and there's Weimann, who could flourish with a bit of service.

[N'ZMAV]

No point in selling Ba for £7m and signing Carroll for £10mil+...

[Concrete John]

It's an interesting one as there's certainly a good, possibly even great, striker in Carroll waiting for the right manager to unlock.  Perhaps not at international level, but certainly in the PL.  Anyone who does get him for £10m may have the bargain of a lifetime.   

But he does lean towards playing a certain way.  And we already have a star striker on our hands.  So, as someone has already said, it's bad timing for us.  A club not mentioned yet is Spurs, who played with a big man up top in a 4-4-1-1 last season, which I think Carroll would fit into.  I doubt AVB fancies him though.

[PaulTheVillan]

Alan Hutton off to Stoke?

[supertom]

AVB will change the system at Spurs I think. I would imagine he'll want to purchase his knew first choice front man too, and I don't think AC fits into that.
Newcastle actually did a lot better after selling Carroll. Their play improved, their style of football. Basically they looked a hell of a lot more varied and productive in attack. They got a lot out of Carroll granted, but playing to his strengths compared to having more mobility and movement in Ba and Cisse shows the difference between a mid-table side and a side finishing 5th. Getting Carroll back would see them regress.

I think he'd actually do well abroad, at Milan. Domestically, Fulham or West Ham seem logical choices, but I don't know if he'd want to go to them.

[willywombat]

Alan Hutton off to Stoke?

A marriage forged in the fires of Hell!

[supertom]

Alan Hutton off to Stoke?

A marriage forged in the fires of Hell!

Christ, him and Shawcross will break some legs, that's for sure.

[Concrete John]

We've bought a RB, had hints Hutton is on his way and seen a few links to others (Clyne & Naughton), but we've only had a vague link to one LB, who's now gone elsewhere (Poulsen), and I can't recall much gossip linking Warnock to a move.

Does this mean Bertie is giving him a go and he'll be our first choice LB next season?

[pedro25]

Bertrand, a left back has been linked.

[Cenotaff]

Bertrand would be a quality signing, even if just a season-long loan.

There's no substance in what I'm going to say now but if we were to make a big-name, high-money transfer this season, instead of an expensive striker like Carroll, how about pushing the boat out for Alexander Kolorov?

Now back into the real world I go

[Concrete John]

Sorry - forgot about the Bertrand link!

Although not confirmed by the club, it's pretty solid isn't it that we went for him on loan?

Not sold on Kolarov - if we did spend big on a defender it should be a centre back!

[themossman]

Carroll is a bundling donkey crossed with a headless chicken who can only contribute to a game when the balls hoofed up to him. Even if he was on a free a big no from me.

The heskey is dead long live the heskey!

[UK Redsox]

We've bought a RB, had hints Hutton is on his way and seen a few links to others (Clyne & Naughton), but we've only had a vague link to one LB, who's now gone elsewhere (Poulsen), and I can't recall much gossip linking Warnock to a move.

Does this mean Bertie is giving him a go and he'll be our first choice LB next season?

Warnock's a far better player than Hutton and has the ability to start in midfield if needed.

I can see him starting the season as first choice with Clark, Lihaj or Stevens available as cover.

[Cenotaff]

Sorry - forgot about the Bertrand link!

Although not confirmed by the club, it's pretty solid isn't it that we went for him on loan?

Not sold on Kolarov - if we did spend big on a defender it should be a centre back!

It's a fair point, CB is probably more important. It's just with Hutton and Warnock last-season, they were so insanely out of position they'd give away so many free-kicks away out wide with poor last-ditch tackles. Then a lot of goals coming from these free-kicks with our in-ability to get it clear for whatever reason. I guess the full-backs were the first culprits followed by the CB's when the free-kicks came in.

Kolorov would be on huge wages I imagine anyways so a no-go without considering anything else. Ashley Williams along-side Clark wouldn't be terrible I don't think, both can play a bit too. It's nice feeling a bit more positive in this window though. Seems like Lambert is looking to improve the right areas.

[ozzjim]

Carroll and Bent would be frightening. Decent delivery from wide like snodgrass and get Albrighton crossing hoe he once did and we would cause havoc. Would only work with 2 proper workers in the centre of midfield.