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

[brontebilly]

If for sake of an argument we got Rhodes and a winger in before the deadline, short of a keeper and maybe a centre half in the summer i think we would be fairly set.

We hardly need a winger surely - Adamoah, Grealish, Bjarnasonn, Green all options out wide as is Ayew if he stays.

 I'm presuming we will be playing with a trio of Lansbury, Jedinak and Hourihane in the middle , Kodjia one of the front three leaving space for two others.

Will be very interesting to see what shape Bruce has us set up on Tues but I'm not convinced he will be playing wingers too often especially if Bree and Amavi push on more.

Centre half we look worryingly light and left back. An option to cover those positions would be enough for Jan.

[Dave]

Again madness to sell Amavi. ....let's just sell anybody any good and be left with the likes of Westwood...

Amavi is not very good though, and we are linked with better left backs.

Amavi isn't perfect, but there is no planet on which Neil Taylor (assuming that's who you're talking about and we aren't being linked with David Alaba) is better than him.

[tomd2103]

But selling Gestede only to replace him and Ayew with Rhodes, who is worse than both Ayew and Gestede make no sense at all. Literally no sense.

Ayew has scored 50 goals in his career in 253 games. (1 every 5.06 games)
Gestede has scored 59 goals in his career in 205 games (1 every 3.47 games)
Rhodes has scored 185 goals in his career in 359 games. (1 every 1.94 games)

I don't see how, as a striker, that makes Rhodes worse than both Ayew and Gestede.

If Bruce is looking for a central focal point for the attack, it makes complete sense to go with a striker who is more likely to score goals. However, he will have to set up the team to play to his strengths.

The big question about Rhodes has always been why top flight teams have never taken a punt on Rhodes.  Teams will always take a chance with goal scorers (the likes of Beckford, Nugent, Esarnshaw etc. all got a move), but not Rhodes and he's not got a look in at Middlesbrough this season.  He scores goals, but as we've seen with McCormack that doesn't always tell the whole story.

[SheffieldVillain]

But selling Gestede only to replace him and Ayew with Rhodes, who is worse than both Ayew and Gestede make no sense at all. Literally no sense.

Ayew has scored 50 goals in his career in 253 games. (1 every 5.06 games)
Gestede has scored 59 goals in his career in 205 games (1 every 3.47 games)
Rhodes has scored 185 goals in his career in 359 games. (1 every 1.94 games)

I don't see how, as a striker, that makes Rhodes worse than both Ayew and Gestede.

If Bruce is looking for a central focal point for the attack, it makes complete sense to go with a striker who is more likely to score goals. However, he will have to set up the team to play to his strengths.

The big question about Rhodes has always been why top flight teams have never taken a punt on Rhodes.  Teams will always take a chance with goal scorers (the likes of Beckford, Nugent, Esarnshaw etc. all got a move), but not Rhodes and he's not got a look in at Middlesbrough this season.  He scores goals, but as we've seen with McCormack that doesn't always tell the whole story.

We're not in the top flight. In the Championship, he has always scored goals.

With McCormack, it's clearly down to attitude this season. I trust Bruce and Round to have done a better job in checking character than previous management teams.

[PaulWinch again]

Again madness to sell Amavi. ....let's just sell anybody any good and be left with the likes of Westwood...

Amavi is not very good though, and we are linked with better left backs.

Amavi isn't perfect, but there is no planet on which Neil Taylor (assuming that's who you're talking about and we aren't being linked with David Alaba) is better than him.

I think Taylor is decent, but to write Amavi off at this stage as 'not very good' is just nuts. He has so much potential for growth.

[Dave]

Will be very interesting to see what shape Bruce has us set up on Tues but I'm not convinced he will be playing wingers too often especially if Bree and Amavi push on more.

Fully agree. A team's width comes from the full-backs or the wide-midfielders, hardly ever both. Otherwise they end up making the same runs and ending up in the same space.

We're clearly aiming for Amavi and Bree (or heaven forbid, Hutton) providing the width, so a couple of touchline-hugging wingers would be pointless.

[tomd2103]

Again madness to sell Amavi. ....let's just sell anybody any good and be left with the likes of Westwood...

Amavi is not very good though, and we are linked with better left backs.

Amavi isn't perfect, but there is no planet on which Neil Taylor (assuming that's who you're talking about and we aren't being linked with David Alaba) is better than him.

He is a better defender than Amavi.  Amavi has hardly stood out in the second tier. 

[SheffieldVillain]

Again madness to sell Amavi. ....let's just sell anybody any good and be left with the likes of Westwood...

Amavi is not very good though, and we are linked with better left backs.

Amavi isn't perfect, but there is no planet on which Neil Taylor (assuming that's who you're talking about and we aren't being linked with David Alaba) is better than him.

He is a better defender than Amavi.  Amavi has hardly stood out in the second tier. 

He must have stood out to someone to be linked with £25 million moves.

[ozzjim]

Amavi up until that 25m talk was playing very well.  Then that talk came, people expected more on the pitch and his form dived. Still better than Taylor though.  I really hope there is decent money coming our way as part of the deal.

[Dave]

Again madness to sell Amavi. ....let's just sell anybody any good and be left with the likes of Westwood...

Amavi is not very good though, and we are linked with better left backs.

Amavi isn't perfect, but there is no planet on which Neil Taylor (assuming that's who you're talking about and we aren't being linked with David Alaba) is better than him.

He is a better defender than Amavi.  Amavi has hardly stood out in the second tier.

And Taylor has stood out in about six matches in his entire life, he's just been fortunate that a couple of them were for Wales and on the telly.

[tomd2103]

Will be very interesting to see what shape Bruce has us set up on Tues but I'm not convinced he will be playing wingers too often especially if Bree and Amavi push on more.

Fully agree. A team's width comes from the full-backs or the wide-midfielders, hardly ever both. Otherwise they end up making the same runs and ending up in the same space.

We're clearly aiming for Amavi and Bree (or heaven forbid, Hutton) providing the width, so a couple of touchline-hugging wingers would be pointless.

That is probably the only way we are going to three central midfielders and two strikers in the side Dave.  Adomah has been pretty much a constant under Bruce though, so I'm not sure we'll go without wingers.  I could see Bruce setting us up in a 4-5-1 formation on Tuesday.

[tomd2103]

Again madness to sell Amavi. ....let's just sell anybody any good and be left with the likes of Westwood...

Amavi is not very good though, and we are linked with better left backs.

Amavi isn't perfect, but there is no planet on which Neil Taylor (assuming that's who you're talking about and we aren't being linked with David Alaba) is better than him.

He is a better defender than Amavi.  Amavi has hardly stood out in the second tier.

And Taylor has stood out in about six matches in his entire life, he's just been fortunate that a couple of them were for Wales and on the telly.

Scouting might not your strong point Dave as I think he's had a few more than that!!  I had high hopes for Amavi this season and thought that had would really stand out at this level, but he still looks very shaky defensively. 

[Steve kirk]

Can't pretend I know that much about Neil Taylor or that I've followed his career but I do know that Amavi who I've watched plenty of does not know how to defend which is a bit of a problem when you play at left back.

[ozzjim]

Bruce has said he wants more pace and width in the side.  We have been linked and confirmed interest in Schlup amd Brady so far.  I think it's a good bet if we are paying 442 there will be times we go with wide midfielders and full backs.

[tomd2103]

But selling Gestede only to replace him and Ayew with Rhodes, who is worse than both Ayew and Gestede make no sense at all. Literally no sense.

Ayew has scored 50 goals in his career in 253 games. (1 every 5.06 games)
Gestede has scored 59 goals in his career in 205 games (1 every 3.47 games)
Rhodes has scored 185 goals in his career in 359 games. (1 every 1.94 games)

I don't see how, as a striker, that makes Rhodes worse than both Ayew and Gestede.

If Bruce is looking for a central focal point for the attack, it makes complete sense to go with a striker who is more likely to score goals. However, he will have to set up the team to play to his strengths.

The big question about Rhodes has always been why top flight teams have never taken a punt on Rhodes.  Teams will always take a chance with goal scorers (the likes of Beckford, Nugent, Esarnshaw etc. all got a move), but not Rhodes and he's not got a look in at Middlesbrough this season.  He scores goals, but as we've seen with McCormack that doesn't always tell the whole story.

We're not in the top flight. In the Championship, he has always scored goals.

With McCormack, it's clearly down to attitude this season. I trust Bruce and Round to have done a better job in checking character than previous management teams.

As has McCormack though.  Whenever I've seen Rhodes over the years, he has looked very limited despite his scoring record and that's maybe why no top flight side has taken a punt on him.  For what it's worth, I don't think he is the type of forward we need, as I think we could do with a forward who can hold the ball up and bring the best out of Kodjia.