Grant Holt - confirmed on loan

[pauliewalnuts]

Given that it is Wigan Holt has come from, if we are paying all his wages, I fully expect that gobshite Dave Whelan to appear on SSN within the next week, talking about it

[SheffieldVillain]

Even on a short term loan I just don't see what Holt will offer us.

1) Cover for Kozak
2) As somone who has played and scored in the premier league, he'll be a step up from the likes of Bowery
3) He'll be a 'leader' in a team that's desperately short of them
4) He's cheap

1- Do we really need cover for Kozak? Or should we have more faith in Helenius? How many times on here did we all debate whether we even needed to sign Kozak in the first place? He has done well to be fair, but it was still strange to sign a front men, being a position we've been loaded in. If Benteke does now find form, I'd not be surprised to see Weimann's game pick up too.
2- He's unfit, he's slow and lets face it, the ball isn't going to be arrowed with homing missile accuracy to him. He's gonna have to chase the thing and then he's not gonna look very good. We need our strikers running, and I'd actually play Bowery ahead of him.
3- He was skipper at Norwich, but he's coming into a new squad now, he's hardly been a "leader" at Wigan. I'm also not sure he's the best role model. He's hardly inspirational, and if, as expected, he's only going to play 10 minutes here and there, he can't do much. We need quality leaders playing on the pitch.
4- He's not that cheap.

1. Does it ever hurt to have extra cover?
2/3. He's unfit and not inspirational. How do you know this? Have you watched him in training?
4. He's on loan and we don't know how much he is being paid. On what basis can you state he is expensive?

He's earning 28 grand a week. Yes that's not expensive in todays market but it isn't cheap. It's also IMO 28k out of our wage budget that could have been better used. It's still a lot to pay for "a bit of extra cover." We should be concentrating on improving our first 11.
I think the reaction of everyone at Wigan tells you everything you need to know about his condition in all honesty. Last season for Norwich he struggled to reproduce what he had the year before and fitness was part of that issue.

Again, we don't know that we're paying the whole £28k.

'The reaction of everyone at Wigan' - a bit of an over-the-top statement no? What, they've had street parties upon his departure? Or do you just mean that he wasn't playing regularly?

We don't know for sure about paying the whole thing, but I'd safely assume it given that Dave Whelan is a man who more often than not will get his own way and he'll want us paying it all. We may have even paid a fee on top.

Wigan fans are generally finding it quite amusing. I'm not being funny but if people aren't expecting a lot of choruses of "you fat bastard!" from opposition fans when Holt plays, you'd be mistaken. I saw him a few times last season lumbering around and yes, he's not been playing regularly for a club in the Championship. He's older now, looks less fit. I just can't see him offering much on the pitch. If he happens to bag the winner against WBA, I'll happily eat my humble pie however.

1. You're making a lot of assumptions.
2. Who cares what supporters of other teams think or chant?

[Damo70]

Without spoiling the thread am I allowed to be underwhelmed but calmly accepting of what is just a four month loan deal which I don't think will effect what we do or don't do regarding any other transfer window moves?

The big question isn't about Holt, it's the other players we need in. Fingers crossed something happens there.

Sometimes the collective despair on here is quite impressive. The last day of the January window last year was a stormer, when we signed Dawkins and Sylla.

I wonder if the 'Matthew Upson - confirmed on loan' thread will reach fifty pages quicker than this one?

[supertom]

[He's unfit

Sorry, I didn't realize you have ITK with the trainers at Wigan.  Maybe you'd like to reporoduce their reports for us?

3- He was skipper at Norwich

Indeed, when Lambert was manager, and it worked very well - of course he'll be working with different players but Lambert will have taken that into account, because he worked with both sets.  Thanks for confirming my argument.

I saw enough of Holt last season at Norwich. I won't reproduce a report I'll just go and ask a Wigan fan for their opinion and record the howls of laughter.

We'll see just how influential Holt can be from the bench every game. About as influential as Culverhouse I'd imagine.

If we sign a couple of midfielders and defensive cover in the next 2 weeks, I'll have no problem carrying Holt. But for what he's going to offer, and what our football will continue to be like, there's no way 28 grand a week will be value for money.

[supertom]

Without spoiling the thread am I allowed to be underwhelmed but calmly accepting of what is just a four month loan deal which I don't think will effect what we do or don't do regarding any other transfer window moves?

The big question isn't about Holt, it's the other players we need in. Fingers crossed something happens there.

Sometimes the collective despair on here is quite impressive. The last day of the January window last year was a stormer, when we signed Dawkins and Sylla.

I wonder if the 'Matthew Upson - confirmed on loan' thread will reach fifty pages quicker than this one?

That one might break the internet I think.

[Chris Jameson]

'The reaction of everyone at Wigan'

I conducted my own survey and mentioned it to my other half who is from Wigan.

Me: Villa have borrowed a player from Wigan.
Her : Who?
Me : Villa
Her : No, who have they borrowed?
Me : Grant Holt
Her : I've never heard of him

To be honest she doesn't have much interest in football but thought I'd do my bit. I might ask her mum what she thinks but that would mean having to phone her and to be honest I'd probably get a similar answer so I'll leave at that and conclude that Wigan aren't really that arsed about it.

[SashasGrandad]

Without spoiling the thread am I allowed to be underwhelmed but calmly accepting of what is just a four month loan deal which I don't think will effect what we do or don't do regarding any other transfer window moves?

Yes

I suppose we need cover if Bowery gets injured!

[not3bad]

[He's unfit

Sorry, I didn't realize you have ITK with the trainers at Wigan.  Maybe you'd like to reporoduce their reports for us?

3- He was skipper at Norwich

Indeed, when Lambert was manager, and it worked very well - of course he'll be working with different players but Lambert will have taken that into account, because he worked with both sets.  Thanks for confirming my argument.

I saw enough of Holt last season at Norwich. I won't reproduce a report I'll just go and ask a Wigan fan for their opinion and record the howls of laughter.

We'll see just how influential Holt can be from the bench every game. About as influential as Culverhouse I'd imagine.

If we sign a couple of midfielders and defensive cover in the next 2 weeks, I'll have no problem carrying Holt. But for what he's going to offer, and what our football will continue to be like, there's no way 28 grand a week will be value for money.

Your posts are just full of assumptions, including the most glaring one that we're paying the full £28K a week, and even that it is £28k a week.

[supertom]

[He's unfit

Sorry, I didn't realize you have ITK with the trainers at Wigan.  Maybe you'd like to reporoduce their reports for us?

3- He was skipper at Norwich

Indeed, when Lambert was manager, and it worked very well - of course he'll be working with different players but Lambert will have taken that into account, because he worked with both sets.  Thanks for confirming my argument.

I saw enough of Holt last season at Norwich. I won't reproduce a report I'll just go and ask a Wigan fan for their opinion and record the howls of laughter.

We'll see just how influential Holt can be from the bench every game. About as influential as Culverhouse I'd imagine.

If we sign a couple of midfielders and defensive cover in the next 2 weeks, I'll have no problem carrying Holt. But for what he's going to offer, and what our football will continue to be like, there's no way 28 grand a week will be value for money.

Your posts are just full of assumptions, including the most glaring one that we're paying the full £28K a week, and even that it is £28k a week.

Holt certainly won't go on chicken feed. I'm just going on the same assumption as the papers are reporting and also by the fact Whelan, prize bellend he might be, is no fool. He'll have us paying the whole shebang.
I thought internet forums were all about assumptions?
Mine is that we're unnecessarily spending money when we should be trying to get more out of Helenius and finding ways of playing without hoofing the ball..

[Damo70]

Given that it is Wigan Holt has come from, if we are paying all his wages, I fully expect that gobshite Dave Whelan to appear on SSN within the next week, talking about it

He was on last night giving it the "We couldn't deny the lad an opportunity to go back and play in the Premier League but rest assured we will replace him". It was a bit over the top considering he was letting a squad player that has been there five minutes out on loan for a few months. Not that he is the type to milk his regular SKY five minutes of fame.

[supertom]

Given that it is Wigan Holt has come from, if we are paying all his wages, I fully expect that gobshite Dave Whelan to appear on SSN within the next week, talking about it

He was on last night giving it the "We couldn't deny the lad an opportunity to go back and play in the Premier League but rest assured we will replace him". It was a bit over the top considering he was letting a squad player that has been there five minutes out on loan for a few months. Not that he is the type to milk his regular SKY five minutes of fame.

He just had to appease the heartbroken Wigan fans.

[damon loves JT]

Lambert should sign a locking wheelnut mounted on a plinth in case El-Ahmadi gets injured

[SX150]

I have to agree the unloading of Ireland was fantastic news. The fact that we have got Grant Holt on short term loan rather than offering a 3 year contract is also a massive bonus.

[Smirker]

Given that it is Wigan Holt has come from, if we are paying all his wages, I fully expect that gobshite Dave Whelan to appear on SSN within the next week, talking about it

Whelan? Didn't he break his leg in an FA Cup final once?

[phantom limb]

I can remember a Wigan fan telling me about how great Charles N'Zogbia was...