Gabriel Obertan signs for Anzhi

[Teasy]

Not disagreeing with you there but what are people expecting, forking out 15-20 million on the likes of Aaron Lennon/20 million striker? Don't jump on us for that example either. Just curious to gauge opinion of people thinking this is underwhelming.

 

It's not even that this potential signing is particularly underwhelming (although I've not been overly impressed on the admittedly rare occasions I've seen him play but hope that's down to a lack of chances at Old Trafford rather than potential ability), it's the frustrating fact that we've needed at least two quality centre forwards since January yet here we are a week before the start of the season and we're still waiting.

 

Did you miss the signing of Ba?

[PineBarrens]

Not disagreeing with you there but what are people expecting, forking out 15-20 million on the likes of Aaron Lennon/20 million striker? Don't jump on us for that example either. Just curious to gauge opinion of people thinking this is underwhelming.

 

It's not even that this potential signing is particularly underwhelming (although I've not been overly impressed on the admittedly rare occasions I've seen him play but hope that's down to a lack of chances at Old Trafford rather than potential ability), it's the frustrating fact that we've needed at least two quality centre forwards since January yet here we are a week before the start of the season and we're still waiting.

 

Did you miss the signing of Ba?

 

Did you miss the bit where it says two quality centre forwards?

[arnonel]

Worth pointing out that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning.

 

Worth pointing out that that are now people pointing out "that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning."

 

[ChrisMcQuillan]

I'd be pretty content with this signing tbf.

[Ishmael]

Worth pointing out that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning.

 

Worth pointing out that that are now people pointing out "that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning."

 

 

Nah, that's really not worth pointing out.

[Teasy]

Not disagreeing with you there but what are people expecting, forking out 15-20 million on the likes of Aaron Lennon/20 million striker? Don't jump on us for that example either. Just curious to gauge opinion of people thinking this is underwhelming.

 

It's not even that this potential signing is particularly underwhelming (although I've not been overly impressed on the admittedly rare occasions I've seen him play but hope that's down to a lack of chances at Old Trafford rather than potential ability), it's the frustrating fact that we've needed at least two quality centre forwards since January yet here we are a week before the start of the season and we're still waiting.

 

Did you miss the signing of Ba?

 

Did you miss the bit where it says two quality centre forwards?

 

Ok, the way you said it seemed to suggest you were still waiting for two quality center forwards..

[PineBarrens]

Worth pointing out that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning.

Worth nothing that that are now people pointing out "that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning."

 

 

Now there are officially more people moaning about people who are moaning about people moaning than there are even people moaning.

[BottledDog]

Can't believe literally 95% think he's shit

 

I sense a few are saying that because you had your hopes set on N'Zogbia, and Obertan doesn't appear to be as good as him.

 

He's another body in and for all anyone knows, he could flourish a bit more if he's given more of a chance than he was at Man Utd, which he surely would be. People are free to air their opinions about him as a player but you'd think you were buying an inanimate object if you look at some of the comments on here.

 

Come off it man Neil - it's the fact that we seemed to have money to spend this summer which we could have used to progress, and we've signed cheapies and non-entities.

 

Even Everton shelled out on a few fees after getting the Rooney money.

 

It's not what I was getting at, though.

 

My opinion is that negatives have been overblown and positives swept under the carpet. I can see that this will have been an incredibly frustrating summer. Would I be raging about where this Carroll money has gone? Yes, of course I would. Would I be pissed off about what's going on with Barton, Enrique, Nolan etc? Of course. Has it been a Summer From Hell? Well, I'm not fully qualified to say but from what I've seen, no. I really think people have swept the signings of Marveaux, Ba, Ben Arfa and Cabaye under the carpet somewhat. You have Gosling coming back who barely played last year (if at all?) and it looks like he's beefed the fuck up, so he could really develop this year.

 

Now you look like signing someone who yes, hasn't hit it off at Man Utd, but also hasn't been given that much of a chance. After a troublesome few days, news comes that you're signing someone who could bolster your midfield and offer some pace on the wing and who knows, with some faith placed in him, could start to really establish himself in this league. Instead, it's "he's shit". That is what I find bamboozling.

 

Before someone says this, no, I'm not sticking up for Ashley. I am however sticking up for some of the very good business you've done so far this summer which has escaped the limelight due to the Enrique/Barton etc shenanigans. Potentially disruptive? I would certainly imagine so. Fucking shit? I don't agree.

 

As it stands we have a worse squad than this time last year imo, and I've no idea where the goals are going to come from.

 

With all due respect to you Neil, I don't think you'd be this casual if Everton had just came up the season before last and had made similar boardroom decisions after a season of relative success.  I know you're on our side but it's easy from where you're standing to be perfectly honest.

 

Right at the moment, I'd say you have a better squad. Tiote, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Marveaux, Jonas... see how Gosling and Obertan develop... dare I say Barton as well? That's a good midfield. Your strikeforce isn't great but Ba will help a lot providing he stays fit.

 

Yes, perhaps I can see the positives more easily but that doesn't make them any less tangible. You have a collection of good players and, understandably, the potential on the pitch is being dominated by off-the-field histrionics. From the outside (well, semi-outside), you have a good squad. The question, of course, is can Pardew retain a sense of team spirit and resilience about the squad, come a) the start of the season and b) September 1st?

 

Nice to get another perspective.

[Dave]

Pretty much everyone agrees we've got a good midfield. That doesn't change the fact we still need a good striker and left back cover.

[PineBarrens]

Not disagreeing with you there but what are people expecting, forking out 15-20 million on the likes of Aaron Lennon/20 million striker? Don't jump on us for that example either. Just curious to gauge opinion of people thinking this is underwhelming.

 

It's not even that this potential signing is particularly underwhelming (although I've not been overly impressed on the admittedly rare occasions I've seen him play but hope that's down to a lack of chances at Old Trafford rather than potential ability), it's the frustrating fact that we've needed at least two quality centre forwards since January yet here we are a week before the start of the season and we're still waiting.

 

Did you miss the signing of Ba?

 

Did you miss the bit where it says two quality centre forwards?

 

Ok, the way you said it seemed to suggest you were still waiting for two quality center forwards..

 

Nah, I rate Ba as a quality centre forward, but beyond that we're woefully light in quality if not numbers. Imagine having to rely upon a forward line of Lovenkrands/Ameobi the 1st for any length of time?

[Teasy]

Not disagreeing with you there but what are people expecting, forking out 15-20 million on the likes of Aaron Lennon/20 million striker? Don't jump on us for that example either. Just curious to gauge opinion of people thinking this is underwhelming.

 

It's not even that this potential signing is particularly underwhelming (although I've not been overly impressed on the admittedly rare occasions I've seen him play but hope that's down to a lack of chances at Old Trafford rather than potential ability), it's the frustrating fact that we've needed at least two quality centre forwards since January yet here we are a week before the start of the season and we're still waiting.

 

Did you miss the signing of Ba?

 

Did you miss the bit where it says two quality centre forwards?

 

Ok, the way you said it seemed to suggest you were still waiting for two quality center forwards..

 

Nah, I rate Ba as a quality centre forward, but beyond that we're woefully light in quality if not numbers. Imagine having to rely upon a forward line of Lovenkrands/Ameobi the 1st for any length of time?

 

Yeah we definitely need one more striker in, someone of a similar quality to Ba.  As long as we get that player before the window shuts I'll be happy.

[Guest Antec]

If Obertan does sign I reckon its curtains for Barton

[teohgk]

Worth pointing out that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning.

 

class 

[biggs]

If Obertan does sign I reckon its curtains for Barton

How can it be curtains for Barton when the club need a taker for him or that would mean him sitting in the stands on a big wage ( not counting Smith as he is shit ).

[mrmojorisin75]

Worth pointing out that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning.

 

class 

 

nailed

[Guest ykmkmdd]

Worth pointing out that there's now more people moaning about people moaning than there is people moaning.

 

class   

 

Absolutely nothing compared to the people moaning about people moaning about people moaning though.  :colo:

[mrmojorisin75]

too much

[Cajun]

We need a forward and a defender then replacements for anyone who leaves. Probably could do with two defenders tbh but I'm trying to be realistic.

[Rich]

Ambivalent about this one, simply through not having seen enough of him to justify having a strong opinion either way. Naturally hope he's more Gillespie/Simpson than Butt/Smith.

 

One major positive I can see is that it appears he's another player with some real pace about him. Add this to the fact we're still expecting (some of us) to see a striker of quickness brought in, then we're hopefully going to shed that "pedestrian" tag we'd rightly accrued over the last few seasons.

 

I appreciate you need a certain amount of end product and ability to go with it to really be successful, but it does seem that Ben Arfa and Marveaux have both. If Obertan isn't quite at that level, which it sounds like he won't be, he could still be very useful for us.

[TRon]

We need a forward and a defender then replacements for anyone who leaves. Probably could do with two defenders tbh but I'm trying to be realistic.

 

Didn't Pardew talk about getting a utility player in earlier this year? I think he was talking about someone like O'Shea or Neville who could cover a few positions. I think that might have gone out of the window unless the Onuha links are genuine.

[Taylor Swift]

So much nonsense being posted in this thread.

 

Can't wait for the window to shut so we can actually focus on what matters.

 

For what it's worth, this is the type of signing SBR would make. He's young, pacy, technically good. He's got loads of potential and he's still only 22. I understand that people would prefer for us to sign players who are about to reach their prime, but many people arent viewing this signing in perspective. He's a good squad player. We are short for bodies midfield. He is better than routledge. He's versatile and is cover for Jonas and Marveaux. Hes a good signing.

 

This doesn't mean that we still don't need more bodies, but routledge + 1m for obertan is a good move.

[Taylor Swift]

If we dont sign anyone else then there will be reasons to complain. But it seems people are anticipating our transfer business being over after we sign him, and I'm not sure why.

[Shak]

People are just frustrated because of how the summer has gone, and I don't think you can blame them.

 

The money should have been there, no reason why we couldn't have signed a player or two like N'Zogbia and really built a formidable team for ourselves. Yet instead we've gone for cheap deals on players with massive question marks over them. Cabaye is the only addition we've made that I'm in any way confident about and impressed by.

 

Obertan as a squad signing certainly isn't a bad move, but moves like this one seem to be the height of our ambition, and that's very disappointing.

[Guest Heneage]

People are just frustrated because of how the summer has gone, and I don't think you can blame them.

 

The money should have been there, no reason why we couldn't have signed a player or two like N'Zogbia and really built a formidable team for ourselves. Yet instead we've gone for cheap deals on players with massive question marks over them. Cabaye is the only addition we've made that I'm in any way confident about and impressed by.

 

Obertan as a squad signing certainly isn't a bad move, but moves like this one seem to be the height of our ambition, and that's very disappointing.

Why? Can we draw no positives? If Sunderland had signed the players we have I think there'd be envious eyes cast by our fans.

[SteveMc]

People are just frustrated because of how the summer has gone, and I don't think you can blame them.

 

The money should have been there, no reason why we couldn't have signed a player or two like N'Zogbia and really built a formidable team for ourselves. Yet instead we've gone for cheap deals on players with massive question marks over them. Cabaye is the only addition we've made that I'm in any way confident about and impressed by.

 

Obertan as a squad signing certainly isn't a bad move, but moves like this one seem to be the height of our ambition, and that's very disappointing.

 

I'm impressed by the signing of Ba and Cabaye, keen to see what Marveux can do, hopeful that Abeid can develop into a good player and unsure on Obertan.  No need for the above post in this thread.