January Transfer Window Rumours/Suggestions/Hearsay/Heresy/Horseplay

[VILLA MOLE]

I think jedinak could be a centre half

I think that is a really good call. It would quite exciting to have a conversion like that as well, similar to Southgate , and the opposite of Barry (both in terms of position and age).

Bad idea, he has the turning circle of a channel ferry.

I was thinking in a 3 where Chester could cover and have 2 attacking full backs , 3 in midfield and 2 up top

[Clark W Griswold]

Just noticed Peter Whittingham has one of the best goals/assists records in the league from a midfielder. I think we need a proper left sided attacker, 400 appearance and 100 goals, good pro, former player, sounds like one to go for. Only downside is that he's 32 but a short term deal could be good.

[RussellC]

The Independent are saying that we’re turning our attention to Ashely Barnes at Burnley, having been priced-out of a move for Jordan Rhodes.

For me, he’d be ideal. We’ve been too hung-up on the idea of expecting prolific Championship goal scorers just to come and play for us and score lots of goals, with no eye on what system to play to suit them. McCormack and Gestede are prime examples of this, and Rhodes is another player, who will score lots of goals playing in a 4-4-2, but at what cost to the team?

Barnes is by no means prolific, but it’s no coincidence that Andre grey was when he played with him and Danny Ings too. He’s the type of striker that gives a team a focal-point in attack, occupies defenders, wins flick-ons and can hold the ball up. The likes of Kodjia, McCormack and Grealish would benefit enormously from him in my opinion.  Hopefully having Lansbury and Hourihane would also enable us to play 2 Central midfielders without conceding too much in the middle of the park.

Yes please from me.

[john2710]

Wouldn't be surprised if Rhodes is signed later in the window.

If Boro want £10m, who else wants to pay it?  Maybe we'll get him on loan on deadline day?

[Mister E]

Wouldn't be surprised if Rhodes is signed later in the window.

If Boro want £10m, who else wants to pay it?  Maybe we'll get him on loan on deadline day?

I'd just leave it well alone nad focus on getting a more productive MF. McCormack, Kodjia, Ayew and Adomah all have goals i nthem if we get the play right behind them.

[Old Kodjia]

Wouldn't be surprised if Rhodes is signed later in the window.

If Boro want £10m, who else wants to pay it?  Maybe we'll get him on loan on deadline day?

I've not written Rhodes off either.  My gut feeling is that Boro are keener to offload than we are to buy.  I suspect that £8 or £9 million would clinch it.  I certainly don't like the sound of Ashley Barnes, that's for sure.

I'm encouraged by the thought of 2 strikers though.  For some reason I had Bruce down as pretty rigid to 433.  I'm old fashioned and far from an expert but give me 442 or its modern day variation and I'm quite contented-I even work out what each player is supposed to be doing after around 5 minutes, rather than spending the whole first half contemplating who should be doing what.

[Mister E]

Wouldn't be surprised if Rhodes is signed later in the window.

If Boro want £10m, who else wants to pay it?  Maybe we'll get him on loan on deadline day?

I've not written Rhodes off either.  My gut feeling is that Boro are keener to offload than we are to buy.  I suspect that £8 or £9 million would clinch it.  I certainly don't like the sound of Ashley Barnes, that's for sure.

I'm encouraged by the thought of 2 strikers though.  For some reason I had Bruce down as pretty rigid to 433.  I'm old fashioned and far from an expert but give me 442 or its modern day variation and I'm quite contented-I even work out what each player is supposed to be doing after around 5 minutes, rather than spending the whole first half contemplating who should be doing what.

I can only surmise that if SB is after Rhodes - like Rudy, proven not to have what it takes beyond a couple of seasons some while back - he must have a buyer for Ayew or McCormack.
Worrying that he's looking to spunk money on Rhodes; worrying that we still have Flabby; and worrying that he's looking at Barnes. None will do what we need, I suspect.

[Old Kodjia]

Wouldn't be surprised if Rhodes is signed later in the window.

If Boro want £10m, who else wants to pay it?  Maybe we'll get him on loan on deadline day?

I've not written Rhodes off either.  My gut feeling is that Boro are keener to offload than we are to buy.  I suspect that £8 or £9 million would clinch it.  I certainly don't like the sound of Ashley Barnes, that's for sure.

I'm encouraged by the thought of 2 strikers though.  For some reason I had Bruce down as pretty rigid to 433.  I'm old fashioned and far from an expert but give me 442 or its modern day variation and I'm quite contented-I even work out what each player is supposed to be doing after around 5 minutes, rather than spending the whole first half contemplating who should be doing what.

I can only surmise that if SB is after Rhodes - like Rudy, proven not to have what it takes beyond a couple of seasons some while back - he must have a buyer for Ayew or McCormack.
Worrying that he's looking to spunk money on Rhodes; worrying that we still have Flabby; and worrying that he's looking at Barnes. None will do what we need, I suspect.

I can't accept the "beyond a couple of seasons" comment.  On that basis, we would never have signed Kodjia, certainly not for the money asked.

I really like both RM & JA but I'm more or less at the point where I'm resigned to them not working out in the systems that we play.  Rhodes is a bit more physical & aggressive, which is what I think we need as this is the one aspect that Kodjia lacks.  Kodjia also appears to be a bit one dimensional when the goal is in front of him, so maybe a natural poacher like Rhodes is the best type to play alongside him?  The "pretty" and the "ugly" if you like?

Just my own unqualified thoughts.

[Clampy]

I can't see us being after Ashley Barnes. Trying to sign a striker with a goal scoring record as good as Rhodes, then having Barnes as second choice wouldn't make sense. I might be wrong though.

[ozzjim]

I would sooner offer Forest 10m for Assombalonga than have Rhodes.

[SheffieldVillain]

Wouldn't be surprised if Rhodes is signed later in the window.

If Boro want £10m, who else wants to pay it?  Maybe we'll get him on loan on deadline day?

I've not written Rhodes off either.  My gut feeling is that Boro are keener to offload than we are to buy.  I suspect that £8 or £9 million would clinch it.  I certainly don't like the sound of Ashley Barnes, that's for sure.

I'm encouraged by the thought of 2 strikers though.  For some reason I had Bruce down as pretty rigid to 433.  I'm old fashioned and far from an expert but give me 442 or its modern day variation and I'm quite contented-I even work out what each player is supposed to be doing after around 5 minutes, rather than spending the whole first half contemplating who should be doing what.

I can only surmise that if SB is after Rhodes - like Rudy, proven not to have what it takes beyond a couple of seasons some while back - he must have a buyer for Ayew or McCormack.

I can't accept the "beyond a couple of seasons" comment.  On that basis, we would never have signed Kodjia, certainly not for the money asked.

Rhodes scored 17 goals last season, and in the seasons before that 21, 25, 30, 40, 22 and 23 goals respectively - that's 17 goals or over for the last 7 seasons.

Like him as a player or not, he hasn't been proven to not have what it takes, he wasn't just successful over a couple of seasons and it wasn't a while ago. Apart from that, I agree.

[Old Kodjia]

I would sooner offer Forest 10m for Assombalonga than have Rhodes.

Crikey-They'd love us if we did.

I honestly don't know anything about him.   I know there was talk in the summer and I've looked out for him since, just out of interest but I'd formed the opinion that he hadn't done a great deal.

[LeeB]

I can't see us being after Ashley Barnes. Trying to sign a striker with a goal scoring record as good as Rhodes, then having Barnes as second choice wouldn't make sense. I might be wrong though.

It's a Barnes type striker we need in my eyes. It would bring more out of the other strikers we have.

[BOB MANSFIELD]

If Peter Crouch gets his 100 up in the Prem on the weekend, how about a cheeky try to prise him away from Stoke [ to help them with the cash for boing-boing-berahino ]

[ozzjim]

I can't see us being after Ashley Barnes. Trying to sign a striker with a goal scoring record as good as Rhodes, then having Barnes as second choice wouldn't make sense. I might be wrong though.

It's a Barnes type striker we need in my eyes. It would bring more out of the other strikers we have.

I kind of agree, we need a forward that can get 10- 15 goals bit do the dirty work, the channel ruining, high pressing etc. Tommy Johnson esque.