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

[VancouverLion]

I don't think it's experience in midfield that's lacking - Westwood looks as if he's been a top flight midfielder for years - it's just a bit of inspiration. If our ideal formation is 4-2-3-1 when Vlaar comes back then middle of the 3 behind the 1 needs to be better than it is now.

I like that formation Monty and see that West Ham are employing it today against Liverpool.  Their line up is:

------  Jaaskelainen ------

Demel  Collins  Reid  O'Brien

------  Noble   Diame ------
 
Taylor       Nolan       Jarvis

 ---------    Cole   --------

I would say that West Ham will be a mid-table side this season and although we are a way off them at the moment, we have got the potential to be better than them.  I would take Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Westwood and Benteke ahead of Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid, Noble and Cole (or Carroll for that matter).  I would say the LB options for both teams are pretty much even, but where they are ahead of us is they have serviceable wide options in that formation and a goal threat from attacking midfield. 

I know that things aren't exactly great and it is a little hard to see at the moment, but with a few decent additions in key areas, we are not far off from being a better side than quite a few of those currently above us. 

 We badly need a Diame type of player in the middle of the park to drive them on, cracking signing for west ham he was

[Risso]

Yes, but they were signed by a moron.
I'd trust Lambert to make a better job of it.

But it's not the sort of signing that Lambert makes. He didn't for Norwich and he hasn't done for us. Highly rated young players from lower-league football with the occasional foreign signing.

It would be like saying 'If O'Neill looked outside the British Isles for signings he'd do well'. He might well, but it's still not something he does.

The difference is that O'Neill had one way of working that he has used for the last 20 years at a variety of big clubs.  Lambert has had one season in the Premier League, so hopefully he's aware that dogmatically sticking to one approach isn't the way to go about it.

[Irish villain]

Diame has impressed me. Would love to see him at Villa.

[David_Nab]

West ham gone to pieces since he went off injured

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Diame has impressed me. Would love to see him at Villa.

I was thinking the same thing. Presence, power and and good feet ......

[paul_e]

as said before, if we playing 4231 (which I believe is our best shape with the current squad) we have a clear weak point in the 3.

The most recent selection there is gabby, holman, weimann -

All 3 are decent but none of them are going to beat a man for skill and fire one into the top corner from 25 yards and neither of weimann or gabby can get round the outside and deliver with pace and accuracy.

[OCD]

James McCarthy looks a really tidy player. Wigan would probably want £10m for him now so the right strategy is to identify these guys young.

As far as youth vs experience, the likes of Westwood, Lowton, McCarthy etc are all examples of players who have gotten experience playing men's football from their teens onwards. They get that because they have talent and then get the experience they need. The counter argument might be that its not Premier League experience but the likes of Lowton and Westwood haven't taken long to adapt. They are still hungry, ambitious players who we can get relatively cheaply and will have a re-sale value whenever the time comes for them to move on. Compare that to the likes of players we were previously signing - the types we had to pay a premium for, excessive wages for (because it was probably their last big contract), that didn't really seem bothered, didn't want to adapt their games to another style and end up running down their contracts or lose all their re-sale value.

In all honesty, all that matters is whether the player is any good or not.

[pauliewalnuts]

Yes, but they were signed by a moron.
I'd trust Lambert to make a better job of it.

But it's not the sort of signing that Lambert makes. He didn't for Norwich and he hasn't done for us. Highly rated young players from lower-league football with the occasional foreign signing.

It would be like saying 'If O'Neill looked outside the British Isles for signings he'd do well'. He might well, but it's still not something he does.

The difference is that O'Neill had one way of working that he has used for the last 20 years at a variety of big clubs.  Lambert has had one season in the Premier League, so hopefully he's aware that dogmatically sticking to one approach isn't the way to go about it.

Regarding what Lambert "does", there's also an entirely different dynamic with a big club on its arse, struggling to stay up, and a promoted, smaller club which has been promoted and is trying to stay up. One has positive energy to harness, one negative to fight against.

I suspect the young and hungry players would find it easier with the Norwich situation than the Villa one.

[Mister E]

We have Herd, who I think is really developing into a potential Parker-like option. However, I'm still not hugely convinced by the physicality question in midfield - if ever we were going to lose a midfield battle on strength alone then yesterday would have been it, and I don't think it really made much difference.

Absolutely agree re Herd.

[paulcomben]

Diame has impressed me. Would love to see him at Villa.

I was thinking the same thing. Presence, power and and good feet ......

True. But he is now out for 3 months with a torn hamstring.

[paul_e]

We have Herd, who I think is really developing into a potential Parker-like option. However, I'm still not hugely convinced by the physicality question in midfield - if ever we were going to lose a midfield battle on strength alone then yesterday would have been it, and I don't think it really made much difference.

Absolutely agree re Herd.

Agreed, the defensive 2 in the midfield actually looks fairly good now.  Bannan and Westwood don't dominate by being physical but they work really hard and make life difficult for the opposition.  Herd can come in if we need someone a little more robust and KEA will become a good alternative once he's more up to speed with the league.

Improving the 3 in front really is the key now as the defensive side of things looks solid and Benteke is great.  1-2 of Holman, Weimann and Gabby would be ok but all three are work horses first and foremost, we need to add some craft.  Nzogbia might be able to step up and we'd all hoped Ireland would but both have struggled for consistency ever since they joined so I'd rather pick up a couple of players to fill those roles.

The brazilian lad (can't remember his name, scored the van basten like volley) we were linked with about 50 pages back would be just the ticket, good on both feet, can score from range, commits to the box and can go past people and get crosses in, he's pretty much perfect for the role we're looking to fill.  Not sure we wouldn't be bullied out of it by a champs league side though.

Just checked he's called Taison and is exactly the type of player we need 2 of.

[Jarpie]

We have Herd, who I think is really developing into a potential Parker-like option. However, I'm still not hugely convinced by the physicality question in midfield - if ever we were going to lose a midfield battle on strength alone then yesterday would have been it, and I don't think it really made much difference.

Absolutely agree re Herd.

Agreed, the defensive 2 in the midfield actually looks fairly good now.  Bannan and Westwood don't dominate by being physical but they work really hard and make life difficult for the opposition.  Herd can come in if we need someone a little more robust and KEA will become a good alternative once he's more up to speed with the league.

Improving the 3 in front really is the key now as the defensive side of things looks solid and Benteke is great.  1-2 of Holman, Weimann and Gabby would be ok but all three are work horses first and foremost, we need to add some craft.  Nzogbia might be able to step up and we'd all hoped Ireland would but both have struggled for consistency ever since they joined so I'd rather pick up a couple of players to fill those roles.

The brazilian lad (can't remember his name, scored the van basten like volley) we were linked with about 50 pages back would be just the ticket, good on both feet, can score from range, commits to the box and can go past people and get crosses in, he's pretty much perfect for the role we're looking to fill.  Not sure we wouldn't be bullied out of it by a champs league side though.

Just checked he's called Taison and is exactly the type of player we need 2 of.

We need someone who can bring spark and creativity to our game, Ireland has been good with it in some games and I'm surprised Lambert haven't given him games in 4 games now I think. Many other clubs in PL have the same problem; they lack the creative spark, and I don't think there's such english players nowdays so Lambert will probably look that from abroad.

[nigel]

Derek Boateng according to the Sun.
Playing in the Ukraine at the moment. Don't know much about him though

EDIT: apparently he's off to Fulham

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Diame has impressed me. Would love to see him at Villa.

I was thinking the same thing. Presence, power and and good feet ......

True. But he is now out for 3 months with a torn hamstring.

Three weeks. SSN ....

[Mazrim]

Torn hamstring is a long lay off.