Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[Ads]

We need better players than we have, as a current situation is clearly a short-term situation. We cannot really plan beyond the next 12 months, so a good working of the loan market is something we should consider.

[pauliewalnuts]

We've got to remember that we've got the loan system to play around with as well. I think I'm right in saying that we're allowed 4 loans in total (2 domestically and 2 from elsewhere), but stand to be corrected. If that's the case there would be plenty of players who we could look to get in on-loan who'd improve us. Off the top of my head;

Victor Moses- need regular football and would be an infinite improvement on Wiemann.
Bertrand- didn't pull-up trees last season but still made us look more solid at the back than either Bennett or Luna.
Nick Powell - looked great for Wigan last season but doubt he'll be forcing his way into the Utd team this season.
Jack Rodwell - will probably want a chance to impress Pellegrini before leaving permanently.
Joel Campbell - coming back to Arsenal but there are rumours that Wenger will look to loan him out to a Premiership Club.

Well, how positive of me on A Monday morning, eh? You're all welcome.

Loans tend to be quick-fix solutions and do not permanently address the long term problem. I think it's appalling that we've been reduced to scratching around the bargain basement for players and can't really sign quality players for the future.

I'd rather we used the loan system cleverly than loaded up with permanent transfers of players who aren't much different to what we already have.

I disagree with the loan system, I think it gets abused and is fundamentally flawed, but even so, it is what it is and we should be making the absolute most we can out of it.

[RussellC]

Agree Paulie. The biggest flaw of the loan system is that it allows the rich clubs far too much power. Chelsea are the prime example, snapping up as many top young players as the likes of Courtois, Lukaku, etc, not wanting them for their own squad, but then having the power to decide where they do play.

For me, Premiership clubs should only be allowed to loan out homegrown players, and then only for 2 consecutive seasons. After that, if they're not going to make the 25 man squad, they have to be sold/released.

[pauliewalnuts]

There's also something well dodgy about loaning out one of your players to another PL team, I can never get my head around why they make that possible.

It's daft that, with the amount of money in the game, PL sides need to borrow players in the first place.

[RussellC]

And it's yet another example of how the gap between the top (rich) clubs and the rest is widening. I'm yet to see anything in the new financial regulations that will do anything other than protect the big-boys and prevent another 'Man City' from happening. They're not so much leveling the playing-field as re-seeding the goal-mouth that the rich kids play-in.

[supertom]

I don't mind loaning in a few good players. Granted it is just a temporary fix, but at the moment, that's what we're looking at. I think Campbell could be a good loan option. Decent young player, quick, direct, he's probably not going to attract a top 8, or top Euro side, so I think he could be gettable.

I wouldn't be adverse to seeing Bertrand return either.

[Clampy]

I don't mind loaning in a few good players. Granted it is just a temporary fix, but at the moment, that's what we're looking at. I think Campbell could be a good loan option. Decent young player, quick, direct, he's probably not going to attract a top 8, or top Euro side, so I think he could be gettable.

I wouldn't be adverse to seeing Bertrand return either.

I'd like to see Luna given another run. We're far too quick to dismiss players who come from abroad.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I do wonder if we play 3 centre-backs, maybe Luna/Bennett and Lowton would play better in less defensive positions.

[Clampy]

I do wonder if we play 3 centre-backs, maybe Luna/Bennett and Lowton would play better in less defensive positions.

I've been thinking that. Luna and Bacuna might make decent attacking full backs.

[supertom]

I don't mind loaning in a few good players. Granted it is just a temporary fix, but at the moment, that's what we're looking at. I think Campbell could be a good loan option. Decent young player, quick, direct, he's probably not going to attract a top 8, or top Euro side, so I think he could be gettable.

I wouldn't be adverse to seeing Bertrand return either.

I'd like to see Luna given another run. We're far too quick to dismiss players who come from abroad.

I'd be looking to shift at least one of Bennett or Luna to be honest. I think we need another option at left back, and Bertrand for a season would be worth a punt again I guess. Unless we can find a decent LB on a freebie or Loan, which is unlikely.

I wouldn't want to trust Luna for 30-40 games a season though.

[supertom]

I do wonder if we play 3 centre-backs, maybe Luna/Bennett and Lowton would play better in less defensive positions.

I've been thinking that. Luna and Bacuna might make decent attacking full backs.

The key to that working for me, is getting 1-2 decent midfielders in. If we can approach that system as more of a 3-5-2, as opposed to a backs against the wall 5-3-2, as we normally do, it could work for us.
But we need a midfield that can keep the ball long enough to drive us forward.

[paul_e]

I do wonder if we play 3 centre-backs, maybe Luna/Bennett and Lowton would play better in less defensive positions.

I've been thinking that. Luna and Bacuna might make decent attacking full backs.

I don't think they even need to be in part of a 5, a 4 would be fine if we signed a hard working defensive midfielder who can boss that part of the pitch. Solve that and the only other major defensive issue to solve is to address our tactic of making the pitch incredibly narrow.  If we can get the wide forwards and midfield helping the fullbacks better we can cut out our biggest weakness which is teams getting 2on1 against our fullbacks with ease.

[mr underhill]

I think Tony Moon might be better suited to a shift on Alfie Moon's stall.

[brontebilly]

I think Tony Moon might be better suited to a shift on Alfie Moon's stall.

is the correct answer

think giving Okore a few games at right back early on next season would be worthwhile.

[Villa in Denmark]

Having seen Vlaar's performances in the centre of a 3, and Okore is definitely comfortable on the right hand side of a 3, I wonder if plan A for this season, once Okore had settled was a 3 of Okore, Vlarr and Clark.

Anyone know if Feyenoord played with a 3 or a 4 during Ron's time there?