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

[Rip Van We Go Again]

What would be truly disastrous would be Bent being sold and "replaced" (not directly but in the sense of another striker body in) by the likes of Charlie Austin who we've been linked to.

What?
The bloke who used to play for Swindon?

That had better be a fucking joke.

[Shrek]

What would be truly disastrous would be Bent being sold and "replaced" (not directly but in the sense of another striker body in) by the likes of Charlie Austin who we've been linked to.

What?
The bloke who used to play for Swindon?

That had better be a fucking joke.

I said this is what I'd thought would happen, as much as Austin is banging them in, it would be a big risk.

[PeterWithesShin]

I heard recently that he broke a Burnley scoring record that had previously been held by a certain Mr Lochhead.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I heard recently that he broke a Burnley scoring record that had previously been held by a certain Mr Lochhead.

Yes, it's on Wikipedia.

[ozzjim]

He would not be directly replacing Bent though would he, as Bent is hardly playing. Unless we adapt the formation to include 2 strikers, I can see Bent going and not being replaced by an out and out striker,and if he is, one more in the Benteke mould than anything else.

[PeterWithesShin]

I heard recently that he broke a Burnley scoring record that had previously been held by a certain Mr Lochhead.

Yes, it's on Wikipedia.

So what I heard was probably true then, which is always handy.

[Chipsticks]

What would be truly disastrous would be Bent being sold and "replaced" (not directly but in the sense of another striker body in) by the likes of Charlie Austin who we've been linked to.

What?
The bloke who used to play for Swindon?

That had better be a fucking joke.

I said this is what I'd thought would happen, as much as Austin is banging them in, it would be a big risk.

Screams of the Jermaine Beckford situation, which is one of many. There's plenty of exceptions, but I wouldn't necessarily take 'scoring loads of goals in lower leagues' as a justification for a signing. He does look pretty good, but I'd rather we got another Benteke for peanuts from a foreign league.

[ozzjim]

Are we not linked with the guy from St Ettiene and that Bony chap just as strongly, both of which have been excellent this season, and were definitely on our radar in the summer, with Bony really annoyed with his club for blocking it at the last minute?

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Anyone know the details of Andy Carrolls loan to West Ham? Is it season long? I know Liverpool supposedly still owe is some wedge for Downing, and they also need/want a striker. Could a deal with Carroll coming to us, Bent going to the dippers be done?

[paul_e]

What would be truly disastrous would be Bent being sold and "replaced" (not directly but in the sense of another striker body in) by the likes of Charlie Austin who we've been linked to.

What?
The bloke who used to play for Swindon?

That had better be a fucking joke.

I said this is what I'd thought would happen, as much as Austin is banging them in, it would be a big risk.

Screams of the Jermaine Beckford situation, which is one of many. There's plenty of exceptions, but I wouldn't necessarily take 'scoring loads of goals in lower leagues' as a justification for a signing. He does look pretty good, but I'd rather we got another Benteke for peanuts from a foreign league.

They're quite different.  Beckford was a lot older when he started scoring in big numbers and lot of his goals were due to him being quicker than the defenders he was facing.

Austin looks like a player who would score at any level, like Benteke he just seems to find gaps that other players don't.  I wouldn't be against us signing him, not as a replacement for Bent though.

[ozzjim]

Carroll has yet to score for West Ham, and I think I would sooner have the battering ram we have got to be honest. The pair could not play together.

For me we need a tricky player in Jan, that can run at players and really beat them with a bit of skill to unlock a chance. Ash did it for us and we really miss it.

[tomd2103]

To be fair to him, Austin has already scored over 20 goals this season for Burnley and has got a good scoring record in his short career (especially as he was playing non-league football 3 years ago).  Unfortunately scoring goals in the lower leagues does not guarantee a player will score goals in the Premiership, as the likes of David Nugent have proved.  I think Burnley would want a fair amount for him as well and agree that better value for money can probably be found abroad. 

If we are going to continue with the current formation, then we probably will need to bring in a similar player to Benteke, as our other strikers probably could not carry out that role.

[Toronto Villa]

The goal we scored at Sunderland was exactly how I imagined the Benteke-Bent partnership to go. Shame it hasn't worked out that way. Creativity and delivery have been real weak points for us, and we have severely underutilised set pieces this season, and really for good while since the days of Laursen, Mellberg and Carew.

[VancouverLion]

sell Bent and buy Austin FFS I give up!!

[Shrek]

The Beckford -Austin comparison isn't really fair.

Beckford came from league one straight to the prem, Austin is ripping it up in the championship, which is a better league.

If it happens, we have to just accept its Lambert's policy, which if it works is so much better than the old journey men method.