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

[Damo70]

I thought when we signed Dunne and Collins that we needed two central defenders. Laursen had retired, Knight had been sold and Davies was ruled out with a long term injury leaving just Cuellar. Collins was exceptional for me in his first season but just got worse each season after that. As for Davies, I thought he was shaping up well before his injury but then he had the long lay-off followed by a long spell in the reserves and then after talking himself up came the disaster that was the Vienna game. It probably says everything that only blues wanted him and despite playing well for them and them now being in the championship no-one seems desperate to rescue him.

[tomd2103]

I think we assumed Collins would be a reserve

Collins certainly had some good moments but he was too erratic defensively, for me, during the last season or so. Composure seemed shot.

As a Villa fan who follows Welsh football, I found it telling that one of the first things the late Gary Speed did when he took over as Wales manager was to remove Collins from the team and then from the squad altogether.   It says it all really when he preferred to play a CB who couldn't even make it into Cardiff's first team ahead of him.   

[eastie]

Best wishes to collins, he had some good games for us but should have been shown the door after the drunken episode when cowans was abused, now lets offload warnock and hutton and bring in a left back and striker and we can enjoy a good season ahead with the club going in the right direction on and off the pitch- happy days await!

[Diablo]

I thought Collins was good for us when played under MON with Dunne,  he is a good player in a well organized team. We haven't had that since MON shafted us.
He has been less mediocre in the last two seasons, but so has all our other defenders and and the team on front of them has been shite.
I think it's good bit of business by West Ham if Fat Samuel can get his defense organized Collins will be be a lynchpin for them for a good few years to come.
Anyway onwards and upwards, roll on he Concrete Ronald era.

I agree. Fat 'honest as the day is long" Sam is no mug.  I always thought Collins was a committed player - even when stuff had happened off field and when things weren't going well on the pitch. TSM was a disaster and Houllier tried to change our style of play over night/ too quickly. I wish Collins all the best. Same goes for Warnock too (although obviously not against us). Hutton on the other hand... 

[Concrete John]

now lets offload warnock and hutton and bring in a left back and striker and we can enjoy a good season ahead

I think both will go and a LB will be signed, but after that I think it'll go a bit quiet transfer wise.   What I then expect and hope to see is that Bertie will have had a good look at our forward line and make that 'marquee signing' in the striker/winger/attacking midfielder department.  That will be our biggest, and most high profile, signing of the summer and really get us excited for the season ahead! 

[Concrete John]

I wish Collins all the best. Same goes for Warnock too (although obviously not against us). Hutton on the other hand...

I don't get that?  Collins had numerous off the field issues and Warnock has been pants for us for a lot longre than Hutton has!

[Monty]

I don't think I can be as charitable as many about Collins. I'm delighted someone with consistent professionalism problems has gone, but also his performances on the pitch summed us up, even when good: skilless, artless, thoughtless, brave and pugnacious. He'd get himself in the way a lot, but if he had better positioning he wouldn't need to be flinging himself around so much. Plus, he was one of the most serial offenders in the 'hoofing' problem.

So, Allardyce has got him and wanted Carroll as well. We can see what sort of team they're going to be next season, and it's hardly surprising. I hope our new era of passing and attacking football stuffs them on the opening day.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Will collins get Boo'd against West Ham?

[pauliewalnuts]

Will collins get Boo'd against West Ham?

Nah.

We only boo them if we didn't want them to leave, or if they'd done somethng to really upset us. Being shit for two years isn't really that big a deal, most of the squad managed it.

[Concrete John]

Will collins get Boo'd against West Ham?

I'd say he probably will be, but I hope he doesn't.   

[Phil from the upper holte]

I won't boo was just interested

[garyshawsknee]

We should sing to West Ham, 'Thankyou very much for buying Collins,thankyou very much,thankyou very very very much´ to the old quality street ad of the 80s.

[Chris Jameson]

Will collins get Boo'd against West Ham?

I'd say he probably will be, but I hope he doesn't.   

Hammers supporters will give him until Xmas until they start booing him.

[PeterWithesShin]

Gabby Agbonlahor will be sidelined for a further four-five weeks with the injury to his left knee, sustained against Chicago Fire.

This is after the scan confirmed medial ligament damage.

Meanwhile, Richard Dunne will also be out of action for six-eight weeks, having undergone a procedure on a groin injury which he sustained and was not dealt with during the European Championships.

[VinnieChase84]

Gabby Agbonlahor will be sidelined for a further four-five weeks with the injury to his left knee, sustained against Chicago Fire.

This is after the scan confirmed medial ligament damage.

Meanwhile, Richard Dunne will also be out of action for six-eight weeks, having undergone a procedure on a groin injury which he sustained and was not dealt with during the European Championships.

Think we will definitely be seeing another striker coming in now. Doubt we will get any cb as lowton can play cb if needed