Summer 2015 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[Toronto Villa]

Does anyone know if he stayed injury free in Italy? Like everyone, if he's fit he's a very good RB and a very competent CB.

[nigel]

Does anyone know if he stayed injury free in Italy? Like everyone, if he's fit he's a very good RB and a very competent CB.

According to Wiki he played 10 league and 7 cup games.
Apparently they changed to a 3-5-2 after he arrived

[PeterWithesShin]

He's potentially a very good signing, problem is it's based on the player he was 4 or 5 years ago, since then he's had major injury problems and hardly played. I don't have a clue if he's still any good or not as I can't remember the last time I saw him play.

[Quiet Lion]

Well it seems I am the only one to think he is shit.

£65k a week as well, I'll pass on that

[mrastonvilla]

Well done Sir Tim. Good signing to start off the summer with.

[mattjpa]

Really pleased with that one to be fair. Well done...

[PaulWinch again]

Well it seems I am the only one to think he is shit.

£65k a week as well, I'll pass on that

You're wrong on the shit front. He's potentially very good.

[supertom]

The major debate will be whether you play Richards at CH or RB. I think his delivery is a little erratic at fullback, and defensively he's had errors in him at CH, but at his age, he should probably be a step ahead of Okore in terms of solidity.
Or course the key question will be fitness. He's not play regularly for 3 seasons now, so that will have hampered his development. In fairness it probably wasn't all injury related. He had Zabaleta ahead of him at City, and at Fiorentina it seemed he didn't fit with the system Montella used.

[KRS]

Potentially fantastic signing if its a done deal and we can keep him fit.

Mirror: reports its a done deal and turned down Sunderlands move on much higher salary

Not so sure on this one...

Daily Mail: reports TS changing formation to 352...but makes the point that he would be a straight replacement if Vlaar fucks off

He's potentially better than Vlaar...but also has the same potential for the injuries.

[Matt Collins]

I was about to say there's no way sherwood will switch to 352. I'm pretty confident he won't, but he could potentially see it as a way to play with two strikers and a number 10 (grealish) without losing too much width.

But I don't see it personally

[nigel]

Potentially fantastic signing if its a done deal and we can keep him fit.

Mirror: reports its a done deal and turned down Sunderlands move on much higher salary

Not so sure on this one...

Daily Mail: reports TS changing formation to 352...but makes the point that he would be a straight replacement if Vlaar fucks off

He's potentially better than Vlaar...but also has the same potential for the injuries.

I like the 3-5-2 formation.
Simple to operate and easy to change if under pressure.

[Monty]

How is 3-5-2 simple to operate?

[KRS]

I think TS would stick with a back 4 with attacking wingbacks with Richards as CB...but I expect he may well experiment with both formations in preseason.

[Dante Lavelli]

How is 3-5-2 simple to operate?

Monty, I'll bow down to your greater knowledge but I think it is quite a simple system, the 3 at the back (easy), the 2 up front (a classic little and large partnership), the confusion arises in the midfield and especially the wing-backs.

[OCD]

It sounds as though Sherwood wants the flexibility to be able to use different formations. So he might use 3-5-2 on occasion but I don't think it will be a priority for him. 3-5-2 too easily becomes 5-3-2 and I doubt Sherwood would be ok with that.