Savage Signs

[neekoy]

I know this has probably already been mentioned somewhere, but since it is official what the **** is he thinking?

Is savage the player we need? Is he worth 2 million pound?!!! IS this going to be a repeat of the Souness Rangers fiasco? Now we just buy Welsh players?

[philipl]

I know this has probably already been mentioned somewhere, but since it is official what the **** is he thinking?

Is savage the player we need? Is he worth 2 million pound?!!! IS this going to be a repeat of the Souness Rangers fiasco? Now we just buy Welsh players?

My worry exactly:

Gareth Jorkaeff

Taffy Spector

Llewellyn Mokoena

Bryn Nelsen

even Barry John Johnson promoted from the reserves!

[Uxbridge rover]

I know this has probably already been mentioned somewhere, but since it is official  what the **** is he thinking?

Is savage the player we need?  Is he worth 2 million pound?!!!  IS this going to be a repeat of the Souness Rangers fiasco?  Now we just buy Welsh players?

My worry exactly:

Gareth Jorkaeff

Taffy Spector

Llewellyn Mokoena

Bryn Nelsen

even Barry John Johnson promoted from the reserves!

needed cheering up !!!

[Blueboy Downunder]

this is something that i am concerned about aswell. i said on another thread that we are getting too many battlers in and not a lot of players with quality, which is what we need.

[Eddie]

Savage has his fair share of skill, but he is more of a defensive battling midfielder, which is what we need next to someone like Bazza.

Hartson isn't my first choice, but I certainly wouldn't complain to see him and then Stead or Bothroyd upfront. Would at least give our wide players something to aim at.

Mokoena looks to be a good prospect and has skill and pace at the back, something that has been lacking in our team.

Hughes seems to be going for the right sort of players to me

[cole]

Hughes seems to be going for the right sort of players to me

same here...

i'm really starting to like hughes. since he's taken over, he's shown an improvement in the overall defensive play of the team, without having the luxury of transfers. i trust him to get us out of this relegation fight, and have us fighting for bigger and better things in coming years... (am i just so optimistic because it's christmas eve?)

but anyway, he's impressed me with the product on the pitch without transfers, so i can't wait to see how things work out when he gets to form his own squad, as opposed to an army of souness leftovers.

[Hughesy]

Hughes seems to be going for the right sort of players to me

Agreed. He is after battlers yes but that is a temporary measure. He is simply trying to ensure our premiership status. Once he has done that he can look at improving our skill and flair.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

We need to remember that we have struggled in the past 2 seasons and bringing players like Savage in will just mean that Hughes is ready for battle and keep us in the premier league.

Savage however has a good all round play and he could form a very good partnership with Ferguson. Both enjoy possession, both get from box to box and both are willing to give it their all.

I also like the fact that a lot of signings from Hughes have been captains for either national teams or for club sides. This will hopefully be an advantage for us on the pitch as they must all have key qualities about their game for them to be made captains in the first place.

[modes98]

I really don't get why people rate savage so lowly. Dickov was as badly rated but know everybody loves him!

Savage is birminghams best player and the fans love him. To say that is easy for a player is ridiculas. He works hard, he can pass with extreme accuracy and is superb at set pieces.

He is annoying for his ability to wind up players, but something you can never say he is, is lazy. He will always give his most even if things aren't going right. With bazza, savage, thommo & flitty in CM slots we would have alot of passion and people who are never short or a word or 2 to wind up the opposition.

Worth £2million....yes

Worth £2.5million....yes

Worth £3million...no

(this includes the fact we are still owed £2millionish for dunn which would mean we only end up paying very little out of our pockets)

[Radagast]

this is something that i am concerned about aswell. i said on another thread that we are getting too many battlers in and not a lot of players with quality, which is what we need.

Good lord, Savage is a good footballer! Why does everyone assume that being both a grafter and a grade-A prick make him a poor player?

[BuckyRover]

I can't wait till Savage joins up, I think he is exactly what we need, a character. We don't have many at the moment and when he joins along with the other new signings I expect us to march up the table to a comfortable mid table position.

Onwards and upwards!

[cn_barlow]

Here here Bucky!!

[blue phil]

Savage however has a good all round play and he could form a very good partnership with Ferguson. Both enjoy possession, both get from box to box and both are willing to give it their all.

That's true , especially so with Savage , who I would expect to see become the natural leader (and captain) of the team should he come . What could still be missing , however , is that final killer ball to link up the attacking midfield (such as it is) with the forwards . For such quality one has to pay more than 2-3 million which , IMO , makes Ferguson's role in the team very frustrating and disappointing thus far.

It seems from noises from Birmingham that Ms Brady , a very shrewd lady indeed , is doing a good job at extracting the very maximum from Rovers' coffers for Savage . Maybe Hughes has broadcasted his admiration for RS a little too loudly...

[T4E]

this is something that i am concerned about aswell. i said on another thread that we are getting too many battlers in and not a lot of players with quality, which is what we need.

Good lord, Savage is a good footballer! Why does everyone assume that being both a grafter and a grade-A prick make him a poor player?

Its Dickov-syndrome - it would appear you cant work hard and be talented, its one or the other.

[benhben]

I think Robbie Savage would be an excellent signing! HE scores his fare share two and i think his skill is underrated. for example his overhead attemt against us which hit the post. He scraps like dikov, which may mean we could get away with not playing dikov and put stead gally or a new transfer with more quality in from the start. My only concern is i hope we dont spend all out bidget on him as we seriously need a goalscorer. Hartson would be excellent as he seems to score wherever hes playing and tends to start scoring quickly. Good to see the defence being worked on, doing well at the moment but i still feel its not up to the premiership standard and the replacements on the bench are abysmal. Dont know anything about Nelsen or Mokena though.

[herbergeehh]

Robbie Savage? Yes please.

John Hartson? No.

I want a battler alongside Ferguson in midfield, and I believe Savage is one of the top ones in the Prem at exactly that. He's also a fairly skilled footballer in terms of passing and technique, which is why we are going to sign him instead of playing Flitty, or feckin Jon Douglas. However, a striker should be able to do more than brushing people away. John Hartson is a powerful striker, who scores quite alot of goals - in the EPL and 1.div mind you.. (no stats to prove it, might be wrong-just my recollection..)

After seeing Steffen Iversen play for Vålerenga this season, I'm tempted to say that he's one of the best ones around on a free transfer.. he's been nothing short of brilliant, and also for Norway.. however, I'm sure he'll struggle with injuries and so on IF he leaves for a bigger league- therefore I don't want us signing him. (even though my impression of him has changed for the better to say the least)

My point is really, Iversen is a playmaker, (at least he has been in the Norwegian league and for the national side) not just a powerful striker.. Hartson lacks other qualities, just like Dickov lacks some qualities.

Hartson/Dickov - relegation scrap pair

Stead/Gallagher or Bothroyd - top ten pair

In theory, that is.. I'm not saying Dickov hasn't been impressive for us, it's just that he's that kind of striker. That's what I find a bit depressing..

But nevermind me, probably just the cognac talking anyway..

[BuckyRover]

I was going to ridicule you for suggesting we sign Steffen Iversen

But then you said you were drinking Cognac, so I will let you off.

[Flopsy]

It would have to be absinthe to get him out of that one

Iverson

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[rover6]

3.5 million pounds for Robbie Savage? There is a strong argument that the guy is past his prime so why should we dish out that much money?

[herbergeehh]

I saw that coming, to be honest..

[John]

I would dish out the money because the guy is quality. Steve Bruce says he is the heart-beat of their team. However I dont need his comments to know he would improve us.

His character sometimes over-shadows his footballing quality. Proven player.. you know exactly what you are getting.

But rover6 you would rather some unknown young boy who you will also be attracted to at the same time. Notice a trend appearing that you seem to fancy all our youth players and MGP.

By the way rover6- when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror are you temped to head-butt it??

Edited December 27, 2004 by John

[Al]

3.5 million pounds for Robbie Savage? There is a strong argument that the guy is past his prime so why should we dish out that much money?

Compared to paying good money for Hartson it starts to look like a bargain and I don't want Savage either.

[Radagast]

Who would you have, Al?

[Al]

Who would you have, Al?

Neither of these would improve the team so why pay money for them?

I do not have the advantage that Sparky has of a scouting network so I don't see everyone but I would prefer Chaplow and Blake to these no hopers.

[Manchester Blue]

You don't need any kind of scouting network to watch football week in week out. Anyone who doesn't watch the games with a blindfold would be able to see that Savage & Hartson would be a better bet at the moment than Chaplow & Blake. Hmm 2 first division players over 2 proven premiership. All credibility gone there i'm afraid.