Summer 2015 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[john e]

Will be interesting if anything happens with Darder this week. Heavily linked in Spain even saying he would sign a 5 year deal this week but very little to nothing over here about it.

I'm in the minority but I wasn't impressed by his youtube montage, most of the time he was giving the ball away.

He'll fit in absolutely perfectly with us, then.

Captain material

[RussellC]

Seeing Gabby with the armband again last week really drove home how short of leaders we really are, even more so with Given gone. Managers often talk about needing big characters in and around the dressing room, but Joe Cole aside, I can't see many in our squad at present.

What makes Given a leader and Joe Cole a 'big character'?

Experience. And in Joe Cole's case previous success. Sherwood spoke on several occasions about Cole being a good player to have around for this very reason, and in particular as an influence on Grealish.

Are you disagreeing with the point then?

Just the examples that you give - the fact that are old doesn't mean that they are leaders of men. It just means they are old.

Carlos Sanchez has played in a World Cup quarter final - what is (for example) Shay Given going to be telling him about playing in big matches?

Vlaar leaving certainly opens up questions about leadership in the side, Given leaving is nothing more than a tiny footnote.

Hence the use of 'even more so'. Sanchez doesn't appear to have mastered the English language yet which - along with the fact that he's yet to establish himself as a first choice in our midfield - negates his International experience with regard to his leadership credentials and the influence he's going to have on the younger members of our squad. Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

[Dave]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

[Dr Butler]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

Ciaran Clark as captain for me.

UTV
The Doc

[RussellC]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

I think Given being brought back into the side for the run-in was testament to his character, rather than his ability. Sherwood spoke about the need 'calmness' at the time, and it proved to be a good move. We've now replaced that with a comparatively inexperienced Bunn, replaced Vlaar with a fairly untested centre-back in Richards and are yet to replace both Delph and Cleverley. For all of the options that there are abroad, I actually think it's equally important if we bring a few 'characters' into the squad to help balance the dynamic a bit now.

[RussellC]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

Ciaran Clark as captain for me.

UTV
The Doc

I've got to be honest, I'm still not 100% convinced on Clark as a starter, let alone a Captain. He played well in patches last season, but was also poor at times (Arsenal and Hull away spring instantly to mind). He's never struck me as somebody who is comfortable commanding the back 4, let alone captaining the side.

[pauliewalnuts]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

I think Given being brought back into the side for the run-in was testament to his character, rather than his ability. Sherwood spoke about the need 'calmness' at the time, and it proved to be a good move. We've now replaced that with a comparatively inexperienced Bunn, replaced Vlaar with a fairly untested centre-back in Richards and are yet to replace both Delph and Cleverley. For all of the options that there are abroad, I actually think it's equally important if we bring a few 'characters' into the squad to help balance the dynamic a bit now.

I'd imagine Gueye is Delph's replacement - I know Delph left after Gueye came, but it strikes me the club had a fairly good idea Delph would be off (and if they didn't, despite him having an 8m release clause, they were kidding themselves).

The point someone made on the previous page about looking down the list of players we have at the moment is a good one. It is pretty sobering stuff.

True, there's a lot of transfer window left to go yet, but even so, it's a good reminder of just how much work we have to do - which will grow again once Benteke goes.

[Dave]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

I think Given being brought back into the side for the run-in was testament to his character, rather than his ability. Sherwood spoke about the need 'calmness' at the time, and it proved to be a good move

I completely disagree. I think (and quite a few others have said the same) that bringing Given back and persevering with N'Zogbia were the two things that Sherwood got wrong.

There certainly seemed to be very little calmness in the defence against either Southampton or Arsenal. Even when we were winning (i.e Everton) there didn't seem to be any calmness.

[Percy McCarthy]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

I think Given being brought back into the side for the run-in was testament to his character, rather than his ability. Sherwood spoke about the need 'calmness' at the time, and it proved to be a good move. We've now replaced that with a comparatively inexperienced Bunn, replaced Vlaar with a fairly untested centre-back in Richards and are yet to replace both Delph and Cleverley. For all of the options that there are abroad, I actually think it's equally important if we bring a few 'characters' into the squad to help balance the dynamic a bit now.

I'd imagine Gueye is Delph's replacement - I know Delph left after Gueye came, but it strikes me the club had a fairly good idea Delph would be off (and if they didn't, despite him having an 8m release clause, they were kidding themselves).

The point someone made on the previous page about looking down the list of players we have at the moment is a good one. It is pretty sobering stuff.

True, there's a lot of transfer window left to go yet, but even so, it's a good reminder of just how much work we have to do - which will grow again once Benteke goes.

Sherwood told Gueye he'll be playing right-mid in a 4-3-3. That makes him TC23's replacement.

[Des Little]

So do we see Sanchez, Westwood or Gardner being the man for centre mid this season?  Or none of them?

[pauliewalnuts]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

I think Given being brought back into the side for the run-in was testament to his character, rather than his ability. Sherwood spoke about the need 'calmness' at the time, and it proved to be a good move. We've now replaced that with a comparatively inexperienced Bunn, replaced Vlaar with a fairly untested centre-back in Richards and are yet to replace both Delph and Cleverley. For all of the options that there are abroad, I actually think it's equally important if we bring a few 'characters' into the squad to help balance the dynamic a bit now.

I'd imagine Gueye is Delph's replacement - I know Delph left after Gueye came, but it strikes me the club had a fairly good idea Delph would be off (and if they didn't, despite him having an 8m release clause, they were kidding themselves).

The point someone made on the previous page about looking down the list of players we have at the moment is a good one. It is pretty sobering stuff.

True, there's a lot of transfer window left to go yet, but even so, it's a good reminder of just how much work we have to do - which will grow again once Benteke goes.

Sherwood told Gueye he'll be playing right-mid in a 4-3-3. That makes him TC23's replacement.

If, indeed, anyone can replace TC23 :-(

[cdbearsfan]

So do we see Sanchez, Westwood or Gardner being the man for centre mid this season?  Or none of them?

Sanchez and Gueye, Westwood as back-up.

[Matt Collins]

That was before delph left. Who plays left in that three now?

I'm not convinced we're definitely going 433 yet

[rougegorge]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

Ciaran Clark as captain for me.

UTV
The Doc

I've got to be honest, I'm still not 100% convinced on Clark as a starter, let alone a Captain. He played well in patches last season, but was also poor at times (Arsenal and Hull away spring instantly to mind). He's never struck me as somebody who is comfortable commanding the back 4, let alone captaining the side.

I have to agree; he improved overall last season but doesn't project the calmness and authority typically required of a first choice defender and captain.

[Dante Lavelli]

Which is why I referred to 'big characters'. Cole seems to me to be one, Given did also. And Delph. I don't see many left in our squad now.

Fair enough, I just don't see anything to indicate that Cole and Given are 'big characters'. Just 'old players'.

Ciaran Clark as captain for me.

UTV
The Doc

Isn't he into the final year of his contract?
Lets get him to sign up before we make him captain and add £20k to his weekly wage.

...I can see what is coming (again).