Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[Toronto Villa]

There are good players in bad situations though. Had we gone down, and Benteke wasn't injured there would be a line up of clubs after him. Cardiff, Fulham and very likely Norwich will all have a few players that can improve any number of clubs sat in the 6th to 17th position. Martinez has shown that with bringing in a couple of his old Wigan players. They are out there.

[Tuscans]

There are good players in bad situations though. Had we gone down, and Benteke wasn't injured there would be a line up of clubs after him. Cardiff, Fulham and very likely Norwich will all have a few players that can improve any number of clubs sat in the 6th to 17th position. Martinez has shown that with bringing in a couple of his old Wigan players. They are out there.

I agree there are 1 or 2, not the 6 or 7 from every bottom 3 club that massive amounts of people on facebook are posting...I don't see it myself. With Martinez I would say only McCarthy has been a success, Alcaraz hasn't and Kone has been out all season.

I feel its quality we really need to push forward and Fulham, Cardiff and maybe Norwich don't have a lot....if any for me.

[Toronto Villa]

I suppose it depends on what we consider as our immediate ambition. If getting into a steady 7th-9th position is the short term goal then there might be 3 or 4 players from the relegated that would be helpful and step up on some of our first team. Without significant investment over a couple of seasons we're not challenging in the upper echelons so the next logical stage is never to be in a relegation battle ever again. You don't have to spend massively to do that. Just intelligently.

[brontebilly]

There are good players in bad situations though. Had we gone down, and Benteke wasn't injured there would be a line up of clubs after him. Cardiff, Fulham and very likely Norwich will all have a few players that can improve any number of clubs sat in the 6th to 17th position. Martinez has shown that with bringing in a couple of his old Wigan players. They are out there.

True, Everton seem to have done well with James McCarthy for example though I dont rate him much. Ferguson buying Roy Keane from Forest in 1992 probably a good example why clubs should not take the OP line as cut and dried that all relegated players are shite.

I do think though that generally the best one or two players in relegated or shite teams can be put on a pedestal somewhat. Think the Nicky Shorey signing was an example of this where we overpaid stupidly for a very average player. Same for Downing (though KKK bailed us out nicely there), Reo Coker and Warnock. If I was to pick players to avoid for this reason this summer - Lewis Holtby, Steven Caulker, Gary Medel, Robert Snodgrass, Leroy Fer would be up there.

Ironically enough in order to cover Benteke's injury early next season, I wouldnt be averse to getting the likes of Van Wolfswinkle (45 goals in 88 games in Lisbon) or Mitrogolou (37 goals in 51 games for Olympiacos) in on loan next summer to see if they could erase the last season of their career's out of their minds and get a few goals for us. Even off the bench would prefer to see one of these coming on than a Helenius. Clearly talented players but just didnt happen for them in England so far.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I broadly agree with Tuscans.

Those teams are going down for a reason and with very few exceptions that reason is the players are not good enough. We cannot carry any more "maybe they will do a job" players. We need new players who are obviously and demonstrably better than what we have got AND also better than what bottom 5 teams have got.

[Toronto Villa]

There are players amongst the relegated teams that are better than what we have.

[brontebilly]

There are players amongst the relegated teams that are better than what we have.

Agree

Luna, Bennett, Lowton, Baker, Kea for example are arguably worse than what Cardiff or Fulham have

But replacing these with marginally better will only have us fighting relegation against next year

[Pete3206]

There are players amongst the relegated teams that are better than what we have.

Caulker at Cardiff for a start.

[UK Redsox]

Unless you're willing to gamble again on unknowns or shell out stupid money on transfers / pay stupid wages, then "marginally better" is what should be aimed for.

[barrysleftfoot]

 I think Caulker is a bit overrated.Every time i see Cardiff, there defence is all over the place.I think hes ok, but not worth £8m imho.

[edgysatsuma89]

I think quite a few of the suggestions are still quite fanciful. I guess we all have varying opinions on the 'pull' of the club. I am admittedly a pessimist though.

[Tuscans]

 I think Caulker is a bit overrated.Every time i see Cardiff, there defence is all over the place.I think hes ok, but not worth £8m imho.

Agree. When the media suggest he is going to be a future England captain we all jump on the bandwagon. I live in South Wales and have a few friends who are Cardiff fans and the only players they rate are Craig Noone, Gary Medel. and Whitts, but more for he did in the Championship. They thought Caulker lost his man a lot and only really chipped in with a few headed goals at the other end.

[Tuscans]

Cardiff starting XI yesterday....

01 Marshall
35 Fabio
42 John
18 Mutch
04 Caulker
06 Turner
36 Zaha
07 Whittingham
10 Campbell
17 Gunnarsson
13 Kim

Fulham....

13 Stockdale
33 Burn
03 Riise
09 Diarra
04 Heitinga
05 Hangeland
10 Holtby
28 Parker
39 Bent
07 Sidwell
15 Richardson

Norwich today....

01 Ruddy
02 Martin
03 Whittaker
04 Johnson
24 R Bennett
06 Turner
07 Snodgrass
27 Tettey
16 Elmander
08 Howson
23 Olsson

Just my opinion but I don't see anything from that lot that's going to take Villa up the table.

Edited....I might take a Right Back....I think that is one of our weakest positions as for me Okore will fill the Centre Back position well next season.

[brontebilly]

 I think Caulker is a bit overrated.Every time i see Cardiff, there defence is all over the place.I think hes ok, but not worth £8m imho.

no way at that price, Id avoid Caulker like the plague this summer to be honest. Dawson at half the price would be better. For 8m we should be getting an established European international defender not Caulker.

Raphael Varane signed for Real for about 6m stg. Pique cost Barcelona 5m. The days of clubs like ours overpaying for average British players like Caulker is surely over.

Signing him for that price would bring back memories of signing Curtis Davies with arguably the same net result imo.

[spangley1812]

I would agree there isn't a lot there to get over excited about but on the Norwich bench I would look at Redmond and Hooper