Summer transfer, gossip, speculation and the usual butter ollocks thread

[tomd2103]

We're obviously not going to solve all our problems in one transfer window, so it is difficult to judge who we are going to need without really knowing who is still in the plans.

For example, if El Ghazi and Trezeguet are still very much in the plans then I'm not sure we need another wide player at this time with Grealish, Traore and Watkins also options. If, however, one of El Ghazi or Trezeguet is going, or the plan is to play Jack in a more central role, then we might be short out wide.

Similarly with Engels at centre half.  We should be OK if he is still part of the plans, but if he isn't then we need strengthening there.

I still think we look a bit light at centre forward unless Traore can do a job there and in central midfield, as I wouldn't want to be reliant on Hourihane and Lansbury featuring too much. 

[oldtimernow]

Assuming our first-choice front three is now [ Grealish - Watkins - Traore ], you've got to think any move for Rashica is related to Jack moving more central, or that AEG or Trez is definitely on the way out.

I'd much rather a bit more competition in the middle now, than up front.  The fact that Hourihane still gets into our first-choice 11 is a concern for me.  I like him, he's done well for us, and I want him in the squad as an option, but if we're going to move up the league we need a better player in the middle of the park with Luiz and McGinn in our first choice 11.

I think we should let go of AEG rather than Trez who gives more in terms of cover and full back support. Cash was an effective player in midfield who turned full back last season and could fit in well with Guilbert and Elmo

[OCD]

We're obviously not going to solve all our problems in one transfer window, so it is difficult to judge who we are going to need without really knowing who is still in the plans.

For example, if El Ghazi and Trezeguet are still very much in the plans then I'm not sure we need another wide player at this time with Grealish, Traore and Watkins also options. If, however, one of El Ghazi or Trezeguet is going, or the plan is to play Jack in a more central role, then we might be short out wide.

Similarly with Engels at centre half.  We should be OK if he is still part of the plans, but if he isn't then we need strengthening there.

I still think we look a bit light at centre forward unless Traore can do a job there and in central midfield, as I wouldn't want to be reliant on Hourihane and Lansbury featuring too much. 

That's why Smith's comments are useful. He spoke the other day about bringing in an 'attacking player', which sounded like someone who could play wide or up front.

He then said about a couple going.

Others have said he then talked about turning his attentions to a midfielder but I didn't see those comments.

He also said about watching developments in the market for any unexpected opportunities and the Martinez deal showed that we wouldn't be afraid to act if something came up that we hadn't necessarily planned on.

[paul_e]

We're obviously not going to solve all our problems in one transfer window, so it is difficult to judge who we are going to need without really knowing who is still in the plans.

For example, if El Ghazi and Trezeguet are still very much in the plans then I'm not sure we need another wide player at this time with Grealish, Traore and Watkins also options. If, however, one of El Ghazi or Trezeguet is going, or the plan is to play Jack in a more central role, then we might be short out wide.

Similarly with Engels at centre half.  We should be OK if he is still part of the plans, but if he isn't then we need strengthening there.

I still think we look a bit light at centre forward unless Traore can do a job there and in central midfield, as I wouldn't want to be reliant on Hourihane and Lansbury featuring too much. 

I agree with most of this except looking light at centre forward. We only play 1 up front have 2 fit centre forwards, another coming back from injury and a winger who has played centrally a fair amount of times (about a quarter of his appearances for Lyon from what I saw last week).

Centre mid is definitely priority for me, our 2nd choice midfield, right now, is Nakamba, Lansbury and Ramsey and Hourihane is a regular starter. That can't be the case at the end of the window if we want to push into comfortable midtable, especially given McGinn is still struggling to get back to his best after his injuries. I'd like another wide player to give us the option to play Jack as a 10 sometimes, particularly at home.

[tomd2103]

We're obviously not going to solve all our problems in one transfer window, so it is difficult to judge who we are going to need without really knowing who is still in the plans.

For example, if El Ghazi and Trezeguet are still very much in the plans then I'm not sure we need another wide player at this time with Grealish, Traore and Watkins also options. If, however, one of El Ghazi or Trezeguet is going, or the plan is to play Jack in a more central role, then we might be short out wide.

Similarly with Engels at centre half.  We should be OK if he is still part of the plans, but if he isn't then we need strengthening there.

I still think we look a bit light at centre forward unless Traore can do a job there and in central midfield, as I wouldn't want to be reliant on Hourihane and Lansbury featuring too much. 

I agree with most of this except looking light at centre forward. We only play 1 up front have 2 fit centre forwards, another coming back from injury and a winger who has played centrally a fair amount of times (about a quarter of his appearances for Lyon from what I saw last week).

Centre mid is definitely priority for me, our 2nd choice midfield, right now, is Nakamba, Lansbury and Ramsey and Hourihane is a regular starter. That can't be the case at the end of the window if we want to push into comfortable midtable, especially given McGinn is still struggling to get back to his best after his injuries. I'd like another wide player to give us the option to play Jack as a 10 sometimes, particularly at home.

I'd go along with that Paul and I suppose my wider point was that it was difficult to gague exactly what we need if we don't really know who is in the plans going forward.

I agree about central midfield Paul, definitely need an addition in there.

[Walmley_Villa]

I reckon Steve Bull is the player most linked with us in my lifetime as a fan. Which is pretty amazing when you consider it was in pr web / social media / constant football news times.

I absolutely guarantee that if we'd signed him, he'd have done a Guy Whittingham.
[/quote]

Benni McCarthy

[Dave]

I reckon Steve Bull is the player most linked with us in my lifetime as a fan. Which is pretty amazing when you consider it was in pr web / social media / constant football news times.

I absolutely guarantee that if we'd signed him, he'd have done a Guy Whittingham.

Benni McCarthy

Given the frequency and the huge time period involved, surely the correct answer is Milner.

[paul_e]

I reckon Steve Bull is the player most linked with us in my lifetime as a fan. Which is pretty amazing when you consider it was in pr web / social media / constant football news times.

I absolutely guarantee that if we'd signed him, he'd have done a Guy Whittingham.

Benni McCarthy

Given the frequency and the huge time period involved, surely the correct answer is Milner.

At least we have actually signed him, twice.

[dave.woodhall]

Bull seemed to crop up every summer for about five years, but John Gregory chased McCarthy like a lovesick teenager for about six months and it got embarassing.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Carlton Palmer nearly signed for us hundreds of times.

[ozzjim]

There are 3 categories - 1. The one the manager wanted and never got (Muzzy Izzet, McCarthy, Juninho!) 2. The one the press are convinced you are going to sign every window for eternity (Defoe, Robbie Keane, Sturridge) and 3. The one tentatively linked once, and then speculated by fans forever more (Belhanda, Kiyotake, Rashica, Benrahma)

[Proposition Joe]

Bull seemed to crop up every summer for about five years, but John Gregpry chased McCarthy like a lovesick teenage for about six months and it got embarassing.

And then chose to die on the Muzzy Izzet hill?

[brian green]

Chased him in disguise riding a motorbike IIRC.

[eamonn]

Gregory was as bad as O'Neill for constraining his transfer selections largely to the UK. Stone, Watson and Thompson (we certainly did our bit for the Geordie economy), all decent outlays at the time at an average of £5m but with little impact.

Unsworth wasn't any loss (who did we sign instead of him in the end? Little Al Wright was perfectly fine at LB/LWB for the following few years. Actually, maybe Gareth Barry's emergence and rapid rise meant we didn't need another left-sided defender like Unsworth).

[N'ZMAV]

Lambert went a bit nuts - tried all the younger players from the lower league - Lowton, Bennett etc...
then when that didn't work he went for Senderos, J Cole, Richardson etc