January Transfer

[alpal78]

What is your reaction after Best's hat-trick yesterday? Assuming we only have 5-7M left for January, do we still need another striker? Potentially we have Carroll, Ameobi, Best, Loven, Ranger and HBA (who can also play somewhere in the forward line back in March). I guess it depends on whether you think Best's hat-trick is a flash in the pan or can we rely on him as our third striker till end of the season at least?

 

My vote goes for option 2, think we need a RW/midfielder more, Carroll is great, Ameobi will get his fair share of goals and Best deserve a chance after yesterday. By March we can play HBA off Carroll. Buying another striker now will surely limit Ranger's chances to almost zero. Not sure we can get a striker on loan who is any better than our current lot.

 

What's your vote?

[SUPERTOON]

I would go for a striker on loan, simply because there are not many strikers available within our price range. Get someone like Carlos Vela in on loan and strengthen other areas.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Obviously we need a bit of strengthening all over, out of those three options I would be tempted to just go for a forward or a winger.

 

Really we need a competent backup LB though, an injury to Enrique would fuck us up no end.

[Minhosa]

After last nights result and HBA & Gosling both due back with at least 10 games remaing I'd now be inclined to get a loan or two in and look to add permanent reinforcements in the summer where we'd have more chance of getting more bang for our buck.

[NYGaboriks]

I would not go out and buy a striker just for the sake of it and I doubt we could attract many decent players that we would have any interest in keeping after this season who could bring the club forward. Same goes for the other positions really. Loan deals or clear improvements.

[Ginola]

We still need another striker, probably best to get one in on loan as most players are overpriced in January.

[TRC]

Best, Shola and Carroll, are all big/strong strikers. We need a better version of Lovenkrands IMO. I'd lone Ranger and sell Xisco, no point in Xisco being at the club.

[Decky]

All we need to get us to the summer is a striker so I would just go out and get one on a permanent basis.

[Dave]

Best was excellent last night, but it's fucking ridiculous to even suggest that he's the answer based on one good game against possibly the worst opposition we'll play this year.

[Guest Roger Kint]

I would go for a striker on loan, simply because there are not many strikers available within our price range. Get someone like Carlos Vela in on loan and strengthen other areas.

 

This. We still need a back up LB, nothing too expensive, a young talented kid who will play second fiddle will do. Cant see us having too much cash after HBA so maybe a loan strker is best we can afford at the present time.

[Ayerso]

I think wingers are the main priority, would probably say Left Wing is the main issue as Jones isn't doing enough and Barton is playing great on the right.

[Guest Roger Kint]

I think wingers are the main priority, would probably say Left Wing is the main issue as Jones isn't doing enough and Barton is playing great on the right.

 

Not that long til HBA is back. Cant see us buying another for there when we will have other more pressing areas.

[Optimistic Nut]

I think we can wait until the summer for a left winger. Jonas isn't great but we'd get better cash and a better replacement in the summer than we would this month. He's good enough for a lower mid table Premier League side anyway, then the summer we can look to improve. Think a back up left back and a quick striker maybe on loan is all we need to see us through until May.

[Cunning_Linguist]

Best was excellent last night, but it's f***ing ridiculous to even suggest that he's the answer based on one good game against possibly the worst opposition we'll play this year.

 

The Ball Boys had better touches than some of the West Sham team last night.

[Mag-ic]

Best, Shola and Carroll, are all big/strong strikers. We need a better version of Lovenkrands IMO. I'd lone Ranger and sell Xisco, no point in Xisco being at the club.

 

deliberate?

[Captain Underpants]

I would go for a striker on loan, simply because there are not many strikers available within our price range. Get someone like Carlos Vela in on loan and strengthen other areas.

 

This. We still need a back up LB, nothing too expensive, a young talented kid who will play second fiddle will do. Cant see us having too much cash after HBA so maybe a loan strker is best we can afford at the present time.

 

 

Isn't Ferguson sort of a backup LB?

[Guest Roger Kint]

I would go for a striker on loan, simply because there are not many strikers available within our price range. Get someone like Carlos Vela in on loan and strengthen other areas.

 

This. We still need a back up LB, nothing too expensive, a young talented kid who will play second fiddle will do. Cant see us having too much cash after HBA so maybe a loan strker is best we can afford at the present time.

 

 

Isn't Ferguson sort of a backup LB?

 

Two games in his career in the Carling Cup is hardly any sort of reason to think we should rely on him for a long period if Enrique got injured. Mental suggestion imo

[Guest axel]

 

Really we need a competent backup LB though, an injury to Enrique would f*** us up no end.

Maradona used Jonas as a full back  :lol:

[Captain Underpants]

I would go for a striker on loan, simply because there are not many strikers available within our price range. Get someone like Carlos Vela in on loan and strengthen other areas.

 

This. We still need a back up LB, nothing too expensive, a young talented kid who will play second fiddle will do. Cant see us having too much cash after HBA so maybe a loan strker is best we can afford at the present time.

 

 

Isn't Ferguson sort of a backup LB?

 

Two games in his career in the Carling Cup is hardly any sort of reason to think we should rely on him for a long period if Enrique got injured. Mental suggestion imo

 

 

Wash your mouth, man.

 

I wasnt suggesting he was the backup LB, i was saying he is the young and talented "kid" you are suggesting we would get to sit on the bench rather than him. Ferguson might not be good enough yet to be the backup LB for a longer period of time, but there is certainly no need to get another young and talented player to sit on the bench. Better if we brought an older experienced player instead who wouldn't mind beeing the backup choice.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Wash my mouth? How dare i use common sense against you eh? 'Isn't Ferguson sort of a backup LB' in reaction to me saying we need one IS suggesting it no matter how you want to say it. You are aware 'young' covers players up to around 23ish arent you? Not like i was asking for a 17 year old inexperienced kid.......

 

How many older player would sit on our bench with little prospect of regular games barring injury?

[Captain Underpants]

Saying it was a mental suggestion when i suggested that Ferguson is infact a backup LB atm, is quite condescending of you, sir.

 

However, i do agree we need a backup leftback. I just dont see a point in buying a young and upcoming LB to sit on our bench when we do infact have a very very talented player in Ferguson pushing for a spot. I never said it was easy finding an older, experianced Lb, but i still think that is the better option. I wouldnt wanna spend most of our transferbudget on a backup LB when we have more pressing need elsewhere in the squad i.e a first choice striker to play alongside Carroll.

 

[ohmelads]

Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Best, Xisco, Ranger.  They are 5 forwards who have achieved nothing at this level, and the fear is that if we lose Carroll, any 2 of those 5 will lead the line. Two games against perhaps the worst opposition in the league can't hide the fact that we'd be worried fielding any 2 from that lot against any decent team. However, it may be that we have to pray on Carroll's fitness (which is usually fine) and use 1 of this lot to partner him until Ben Arfa returns.

 

It is somewhat ironic that we have loads of forwards, that only a few teams have scored more than us, yet we are crying out for another striker.

 

Do we really want a 7th forward? And I haven't included Nolan or Ben Arfa in that list. Surely 2 of Lovenkrands, Best and Xisco have to go first (I exclude Ameobi because he's the only one to offer physical presence in Carroll's absence).

 

Compare that to the situation on the wings, and I'd argue out wide is a bigger priority. Jonas and Barton is not bad but with only Routledge as backup we are light in a key area. Wingers are known for their lack of consistency and it's good to have another option. When I see Routledge on the bench I don't see someone who can really change a game.

 

This is all confused of course by the return of Ben Arfa and where he will play. From the very little we saw I think he'd suit playing up front and drifting out wide when he wants. Therefore, if you add him to our forwards, then we currently have 7! Again, not including Nolan.

 

Spend the money on a quality winger, perhaps take a punt on Bentley or someone else and we can deal with the striker situation in the summer. We have a ridiculous number of mediocre forwards and I wouldn't want to see us bring in another average forward. Proven strikers are expensive at the best of times but in January noone will want to let their striker go. Do we really want to loan in Keane, a player with his best days long behind him, who will expect to start despite having not scored or even played in donkeys?

[Captain Underpants]

Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Best, Xisco, Ranger.  They are 5 forwards who have achieved nothing at this level, and the fear is that if we lose Carroll, any 2 of those 5 will lead the line. Two games against perhaps the worst opposition in the league can't hide the fact that we'd be worried fielding any 2 from that lot against any decent team. However, it may be that we have to pray on Carroll's fitness (which is usually fine) and use 1 of this lot to partner him until Ben Arfa returns.

 

It is somewhat ironic that we have loads of forwards, that only a few teams have scored more than us, yet we are crying out for another striker.

 

Do we really want a 7th forward? And I haven't included Nolan or Ben Arfa in that list. Surely 2 of Lovenkrands, Best and Xisco have to go first (I exclude Ameobi because he's the only one to offer physical presence in Carroll's absence).

 

Compare that to the situation on the wings, and I'd argue out wide is a bigger priority. Jonas and Barton is not bad but with only Routledge as backup we are light in a key area. Wingers are known for their lack of consistency and it's good to have another option. When I see Routledge on the bench I don't see someone who can really change a game.

 

This is all confused of course by the return of Ben Arfa and where he will play. From the very little we saw I think he'd suit playing up front and drifting out wide when he wants. Therefore, if you add him to our forwards, then we currently have 7! Again, not including Nolan.

 

Spend the money on a quality winger, perhaps take a punt on Bentley or someone else and we can deal with the striker situation in the summer. We have a ridiculous number of mediocre forwards and I wouldn't want to see us bring in another average forward. Proven strikers are expensive at the best of times but in January noone will want to let their striker go.

 

 

I agree with that. A quality winger is what we need, however im not really sure on Bentley.

As you say, we need to push atleast one of our strikers out the door, maybe send Ranger on loan somewhere.

I would want to see Lovenkrands go actually. Best is still quite young and Ameobi still have a role to play as a squadplayer. Oh, and Xisco seem to be more than happy spending his footballing days doing absolute nothing while picking up his wages so he will probably stay.

 

 

[Guest Roger Kint]

Saying it was a mental suggestion when i suggested that Ferguson is infact a backup LB atm, is quite condescending of you, sir.

 

 

No it wasnt. If you are that easily offended i will leave you alone madam.

[TRC]

Best, Shola and Carroll, are all big/strong strikers. We need a better version of Lovenkrands IMO. I'd lone Ranger and sell Xisco, no point in Xisco being at the club.

 

deliberate?

 

I typed loan ranger, and I thought someone would do it for me, and post something ridiuclous ruining the thread so I did it anyway.