ponsaelius

Udinese are doing a good job hoovering them up. Luis Muriel will be their next one, been mint for Lecce this season.

Edu Vargas has struggled to make a dent at Napoli so far like. Always seemed a strange move for him cos he'll have known he was going as sub, at least for now. Napoli should have been spending that fairly big chunk of cash on some defenders instead.

Ah reet, other one is a Peruvian lad they signed to replace Vargas. Heard good things about both, particularly Henriquez. We should be looking owa in South America like.

Disco do you know much about Angelo Henriquez and Raul Ruidiaz.

Similar build and attitude but Ferguson is further along without a doubt and much better player right now. Ferguson has some idea what position he is (although the LB/LW debate will continue) too.

I've seen him a few times basjen. He's a lively player, was one of few trying to make things happen in a very goalshy Pools team last year. Really good attitude and application on the pitch, wasn't intimidated despite him being half the size of opponents. He's just 17 though and he's a mile away from being a top flight player, physically and technically. Signing him would be gambling on potential and nothing concrete.

People keep mentioning that Hoilett and Moses would fit our system better. I disagree. Hoilett in particular while I think he's talented doesn't appear to me to be a particular fit to any system, because he plays the game in his own bubble. Wanders about deserting team shape and position, doesn't offer anything off the ball or going back over defensively and generally just doesn't appear to understand the concepts of a functioning team nevermind a particular system. On MOTD you'll see the stuff he tries coming off but you won't see any of the many times he gives it away through dribbling into an opposition player, playing a poor pass or when he costs the team indirectly simply through not doing the basics off the ball. Moses is similar but Martinez has got him more well drilled and his work rate off the ball is superior to Hoilett's. I think they're both talented footballers who I'd like to see us bring into the squad if the price was right but I'm not sure why people see them as viable, sure-fire replacements for Ba. Both have lots of faults, are still very raw and are a long way from their peaks as players. Both are also incapable of playing through the middle and don't offer anywhere near the consistent goalthreat that Ba does. Quite simply they're just not as good or as well-rounded a footballer yet as Ba is - not even close, even if on the face of it they might appear to be rounder pegs for the 4-3-3.

Personally think technically proficient, powerful, professional and tactically astute forwards with 1 in 2 records in the Premier League might be worth holding onto like. The blasé attitude to losing a very good player who contributed massively to our best season in nearly a decade is mad if you ask me.

Aye posted that, proper sad if you ask me.

probs knars no more than we do tbh

wat

Only Boselli. The fact they went for him suggests their scouting network is basic and recruitment is at the mercy of agents. The Valencia and particularly Palacios deals strike me as very lucky needle in a hay stack success stories. Maybe being harsh there because they do look outside the box a lot more than other clubs which is commendable. Other success stories include: Cattermole (£3.5m, sold for £6m) Chimbonda (500k, sold for £4.5 million) Baines (free released by Liverpool, sold for £6 million) Scharner (£2 million, left on a free but very good service) Bramble (free, slight profit, player of the season in 09) Figueroa (very small fee, been a consistent performer) Zaki (loan, half of season of brilliant form) McCarthy (£1.2 million) McCarthur (400k) Diame (small fee) Moses (£2.5 million) Zoggy (£6 million, sold for £9 million, kept them up)

Their good sales have been offset by some shockers as well mind. Boselli (£6.5 million), Koumas (£5.3 million), King (£4 million) and Kapo (£3.5 million). Plus the likes of Rodallega and Diame who were bought but set to lose on frees. Same thing will probably happen with Moses if they don't do a new deal soon.

We need somebody who can play all across a front 3 IMO.

Ah reet. Aye he is, he's been outed in the past.

Vuckic should be out on loan next season.

He'll probably falter a bit in negotiations to begin with, drag it out before finally escaping doom by turning them down right at the last minute. http://swiftor.com/attachments/f7/11611d1336320273t-horrible-english-commercial-happy-i-see-what-you-did-there-clean-l.png

I noticed what?

Gegard is a mag kernt, man.

Actually looks like it might be a hoax.

Jelly and Ice cream then I guess.

If he'd scored even half the goals he scored in the first half of the season again post ACoN, he'd be gone. However with his goal drought and dodgy knee I don't honestly think anybody will take the plunge, certainly not any clubs that would be a legitimate step up. Naive maybe, but I'm not convinced. Spurs is the only potential possibility IMO.

Arsenal have apparently offered Chamakh + cash for Giroud.

Btw, the only team I was worried would come in for him this summer now no longer have Champions League football to offer him.

if it was about the money you'd think he'd listen to what we have to offer. still think he'll move for footballing reasons. Aye, exactly my point. If he wants that exit clause to stay it's more likely be because he wants freedom to move should a big club come in for him. Clause removed and us with bargaining power over fee, along with his knee problem will mean there's very little chance of somebody coming in for him. If it was about the money he'd be listening to our offer and seeing what he could get out of us. That said - it sounds like quoteless shit stirring from that prick Bird anyway.