Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[Jon Crofts]

looks a right gormless thug.

We have Hutton for that.

[Bully2345]

So we're having a meltdown over Senderos as well now?

I can't keep up with this

[brontebilly]

A no to Senderdross from me too. Would prefer to keeping giving Clark and Baker chances over him

[SoccerHQ]

I would be happy with Hangeland.

He's slowed down a bit but still good in the air and in fairness he was injured for about three months last season so can't be totally blame for Fulham being awful defensively.

[Toronto Villa]

There's little difference between Hangeland and Senderos now. In fact I'd go as far as to say Senderos might be better because he has slightly more mobility. Neither would cause a tickle in my boxers that's for sure. Like I said, I'll believe it when I see it, but signing Senderos is like signing James Collins. PL experience, nothing special, will have a good game here and there and will drop a massive bollock every so often. Decidedly average for the most part.

[mrastonvilla]

I worry about how much a player like senderos would want in wages at this point in his career and especially on a free. With Okore returning surely money spent on midfield would improve the first 11 more.

[dekko]

Senderos is pretty bad, granted, but is he better than what we have?

Okore - ??
Clark - Arguably
Baker - Absolutely

Now he wouldn't be an inspiring signing but if you consider him as a stop gap measure until some arab/russian/american bajillionaire comes in and buys Kompany for us we could do worse.

[supertom]

Senderos is pretty bad, granted, but is he better than what we have?

Okore - ??
Clark - Arguably
Baker - Absolutely

Now he wouldn't be an inspiring signing but if you consider him as a stop gap measure until some arab/russian/american bajillionaire comes in and buys Kompany for us we could do worse.

Unless we were to get someone like Lescott, I'd probably just not bother signing a plodder like Senderos, and concentrate on other positions in more dire need, like full back and midfield.
I mean Senderos is better to have in the side than Baker, but we'd have to pay him a bare minimum of about 30k a week. That's money that could go toward other positions, or better centerbacks.

[mrastonvilla]

If we are after a stop gap go into the loan market with the money. Signing older footballers of questionable quality on relatively high wages and 3-4 year contracts is what got us into a mess in the first place!

[paul_e]

I don't know what to think about the central defence right now.

I like Vlaar, I think he's good enough for a team challenging for europe.
I like what I've seen of Okore, he looks a huge talent, and importantly he's exceptionally quick.
I like Clark but think he can be a bit weak so he ends up getting caught out, either by being rolled or by pulling or shoving players who've out muscled him.
I'm very nervous about Baker starting regularly, his concentration and positioning are highly suspect and his passing is pitiful.

My issue though is, where in that list do we sign someone to 'fit'; a starter means Clark and Okore fight it out for a place on the bench, I can't see either being happy with that and I think both have enoujgh about them that I want to see them play; a 4th choice means continuing the trend from last summerof buying squad filler rather than first teamers, which isn't really where we should be.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't see the point in replacing not-very-good players with more not-very-good players.

Senderos is fucking rubbish. Let's be totally honest about it. I appreciate we're probably more disposed to find the positives in players, seeing as we're clearly heading for another summer window in Poundland, but really, these players we're discussing here are deeply, deeply underwhelming, even with our new Big Wigan status.

[pauliewalnuts]

My issue though is, where in that list do we sign someone to 'fit'; a starter means Clark and Okore fight it out for a place on the bench, I can't see either being happy with that and I think both have enoujgh about them that I want to see them play; a 4th choice means continuing the trend from last summerof buying squad filler rather than first teamers, which isn't really where we should be.

I'd much rather go with Vlaar and Okore as starters than waste wage money on the likes of Senderos, who aren't any better, and spend the money on a left back instead. There's a decent chance Vlaar, Okore, plus back up from Clark and Baker would be just about enough, whereas I can't see either Bennett or Luna cutting it at left back.

[ozzjim]

I would sooner give Haangeland 12 months than Senderos 3 years too. I could see the point in it, especially as Okore is coming back from major injury, Baker and Vlaar are very injury prone and Clark is about as imposing as a wet fart. All in all I could see the point. Senderos? No, because as Paulie rightly says, he is fucking shit.

Sidwell, I could see the point of getting back as he is better than most of what we have. Fer from Norwich is significantly better than what we have. Hoolahan is different to anything we have. They are not exciting but would be improvements. Senderos would be battling with Baker for best impression in the weekly gameshow "Footballers in their eyes". Trying to emulate the true greats like Car Tiler or more recently, Liam Ridgewell.

[Merv]

We need a versatile centre-back, in the mould of Micah Richards, to back up Vlaar and Okore, and cover Lowton at RB, and a first choice LB. Keep Bennett, lose Luna, as LB cover. Then I think the defence will be in decent shape.

[ktvillan]

Senderos strikes me as half decent in the air but slow, prone to errors and lack of concentration, and at best average.  We already have a few who can offer those "qualities" so I can't see the point of singing another one, especially one who is also past his best.   We'd have to be fucking desperate......oh.