[Archived] Are We Going To Raid The Relegated Clubs?

[Presty On Tour]

its not just todd's playing ability why he is in the team mate, its his leadership out on the pitch.

thats why he's captain, he had player of the season last year for turning his career round and leading blackburn back up with the elite, he gets the job done at all cost.

[tcj_jones]

I'll answer your question Sam. Keeping Todd is the best way for the club to progress and he is a better player than Upson.

[SamTheShrew]

that's fair enough! It's nice finally to debate with people about blackburn rather than just the drone of non-rovers who still claim we win games by knocking opponents off the park

As for the soon-to-be-relegated strikers: i'n not sure who I would take to be honest. Heskey is a big lump, Forsell has yet to prove he is the same player since his injury, and I'm not sure Lua Lua would work that well with Bellamy.

I think we might have to look outside the three teams to get the striker we really need

Edited March 10, 2006 by SamTheLeedsRover

[tcj_jones]

I agree with that point. While Heskey would be a good addition to the squad and a good foil to Bellamy and Lua Lua could be an interesting option, neither are European quality IMO and I agree we might need to look outside the bottom three and maybe the premiership as well.

In terms of players that could improve the starting 11, I think Pennant stands out above the rest and should be an important target over the summer. If Birmingham stay up, however, he will probably be out of our reach.

[SamTheShrew]

the Blues Vs West Brom game is going to be SO important in that factor.

C'MON YOU BAGGIES!

[Dr Gonzo]

I think we could do well as promoting ourselves as 'the place to get your career back on track'

Todd

Hell's Bells

Zurab

Sav

Bentley

Gamst (although he was already at Ewood)

Have all got their life on the pitch back together

Perhaps instead of looking at the relegated clubs we should look at players who are talented but not doing the business right now. These type of players seems to be Hughes speciallilty...

[LeChuck]

Everyone in this thread seems to have overlooked Upson imo.  Our defence can be good at times, but if we stick with Andy Todd we are not going to progress like we are all aspiring to.

389732[/snapback]

Not sure about the Todd criticism...but you're spot on with Upson, I completely forgot about him.

He would be an ideal addition to our defence. He can operate as a left back if needs be, so if we can offload Gresko and Matteo in the summer we'd have Gray and Upson competing for that place...two players who offer differents attributes which could be used depending on opposition.

The biggest thing he would bring though is PACE. When he was at Arsenal, it was said he was the second fastest short distance sprinter at the club after Henry. There are many games where that kind of player would be incredibly useful to us, especially given that niether Nelsen or Todd are blessed with pace.

If we make it into Europe we're going to need a bigger squad than what we have now, and probably a better one. If we keep everyone from the first choice defence now, remove the deadwood and add Zura and Upson to it...we'd have (in effect) two players for every position and the ability to pick players to suit the opposition.

RB: Neill, Zura

LB: Gray, Upson

CB: Nelsen, Todd, Upson, Zura

Those six players would defintely get more than enough football between to keep them happy if we make Europe...if an injury crisis came we could call on fringe players like The Axe and McEveley. We'd probably only pay a couple of million to bring both to the club as well...and wages would be covered by Amo/Gresko/Matteo...

I did start off just wanting to make a small point about Upson being able to play left back and have pace...then my imagination ran away with me slightly. Oh well.

[Mafioso]

Upson would be my only choice, i dont see any point in bringing in anyone else from relegated clubs. We are on course to finishing in a UEFA Cup spot or maybe (fingers crossed) Champions League spot, we shouldn't look at relegated clubs we should be looking at teams who are on our level or maybe a little lower.

I know relegated players will be ridiculously cheaper but if we are to put up a fight in Europe I think we have to look at better options.

I dont think players like Pennant, Heskey etc are going to help improve a team thats aiming for success in Europe when we already have better options warming the bench.

I have faith that Hughes will be able to bring in good players at good prices from direct competition. Bellamy and Bentley spring to mind.

As for relegated players .... Upson.

[RoyRover]

I think that Pedro Mendes would be a good shout, because he could be the player to replace Tugay. He sits deep like Tugay, setting up play with his brilliant passing. Yesterday showed that he also has an eye for a spectacular goal like Tugay. I really think he could be a good signing.

If we were to buy players from the relegated clubs, it doesn't mean that they would go straight into the first team. It would provide competition for places and strengthen the squad. Julio Arca would challenge Pedersen for the left wing spot, Melchiot would compete with Lucas, Mendes and Tugay would be playing for the same position. It's important that the squad is strengthened sufficently, so we can cope with European football (hopefully), strengthen our position in the league and challenge in the cups.

Matthew Upson wouldn't be a bad shout at all. We would have more cover at centre back then and hopefully Amoruso and Matteo could finally be moved on.

[FourLaneBlue]

Upson would be my only choice, i dont see any point in bringing in anyone else from relegated clubs. We are on course to finishing in a UEFA Cup spot or maybe (fingers crossed) Champions League spot, we shouldn't look at relegated clubs we should be looking at teams who are on our level or maybe a little lower.

I know relegated players will be ridiculously cheaper but if we are to put up a fight in Europe I think we have to look at better options.

I dont think players like Pennant, Heskey etc are going to help improve a team thats aiming for success in Europe when we already have better options warming the bench.

I have faith that Hughes will be able to bring in good players at good prices from direct competition. Bellamy and Bentley spring to mind.

As for relegated players .... Upson.

390038[/snapback]

So we shouldn't look at players in relegated teams but should be looking for quality players of the likes of Bellamy and Bentley?

Bellamy was relegated when at Coventry and last year Bentley was in the Norwich side that went down. Didn't make them bad players.

No reason to believe they aren't good enough just because their team was relegated. Arca, Pennant, Dunn, Forsell, Matthew (not Martin) Taylor, Kirkland and Gera would all be worth considering, as no doubt would be others I can't remember now. While Upson has plenty of pace he has had plenty of injuries. With Zurab, Todd and Nelsen already here I'm not sure we need another center back. At least not as much as some other positions need filling.

Ultimately though...we need a striker. All other positions can wait until that is sorted.

[1864roverite]

Upson is allegedly going to liverpool having not agreed to sign his new contract offer.

[ihtd]

If we make champions leage we need strengthening in nearly all positions, as if we qualified past the qualifying stages and made the group stages we would have a minimum of 6 games on top of the League Cup, F.A Cup and the Premiership. Are squad is currently not of a sufficient size for that.

So if we were going to raid relegated sides for some of their quality players i would take these (These all wouldn't start)

CB/LB Matthew Upson

RM Jermaine Pennant

LB Matthew Taylor

LB/LM Julio Arca

ST-Emile Heskey-only if he would come on the cheap wages and transfer fee and would be willing to warm the bench as a replacement for Kuqi.

Now i know not a single one of those players is of Champions League quality but a few of them would do us a good job in the Premiership next season, players like Pennant and Taylor would do us a great job at LB & RM respectively. If we do make any form of European football for next season i think are current squad could do a average job but its the Premiership which is our main priority every year, to do well in that. So we would need some players for a rotation policy between Uefa/EPL football to avoid fatgue drawing in on our currently small squad.

[benhben]

Pennant is a must if Birmingham go down. With Pennant, Bentley and Pedersen all in the same squad then mabye there would be enough creativity to compensate for the loss of Tugay.

Upson is a good shout too, Portsmouth have alot of decent players if they go down also, Sean Davis, Taylor, Oneil. But I doubt they would be on the cheap as the russian guy will help keep the club away from financial trouble.

[HertsRover]

Toms summer shopping list.

St.

N.Ellington. 13 starts, 8 sub, 8 goals.

Hes young, can finish, good in the air, quick, would pair up very well with bellers(everything Kuqi isnt.)

M.Forsell. 9 starts, 10 sub, 7 goals.

Only possible problems would be wages and his injuries.

Rm

J.Pennant

Only if Hughes thinks he can stop him getting drunk and breaking things or driving.

Md.

Jarosik.

good passer of the ball, scores goals from midfield, 7 this season.

NOT DAVID DUNN.

Lb.

Arca.

good going forward, creative and intellegent but not so great defensivly.

Julian Gray.

We were linked quite heavily to him a couple of years ago as a replacement for Duff, he went to brum + was asked to fill in at Lb for a while. Looks impressive in that position when ive seen him(could provide cover for Ped)

Matthew Taylor

May be a bit expensive but has scored 5 goals so far this term, solid, solid player.

Thank you,

[Rovermatt]

I don't know if it's already been suggested but I would very much like to see Pedro Mendes in a Rovers shirt. I've only ever been impressed with him whether it be for Spurs or Pompey. If Portsmouth go down then he could prove difficult to hold on to. He's technically sound, he has a good engine, he's efficient in possession and clearly is capable of shooting from distance.

Edited March 19, 2006 by Rovermatt

[T4E]

Before I start, I'll just point out that I'm not putting this in the Transfer Rumours thread as its pure speculation and will be discussion based on no more than opinion, therefore does not belong in there. So there

So anyway, I was thinking (as I find myself doing so at this time every year) about the potential signings that could be made from the clubs that are relegated. Relegation usually sees some big names leave their clubs in a bid to stay in the Premiership, and is always an opportunity to pick up some good signings at good prices. So, my opinions, assuming a suitable deal could be brokered, candidate by candidate -

Birmingham - Upson, Dunn, Pennant, Jarosik.

Portsmouth - D'Allesandro, Taylor, Mendes, LuaLua.

Sunderland - Lawrence, Arca.

West Brom - Davies, Ellington, Kirkland.

Pretty slim pickings to be fair. Didn't expect this post to turn out so disappointingly when I started it....

[Cocker]

From that list, I will have upson and Lua Lua

[toetoe]

What about Heskey or Forsell?

[blinddevotion]

What about Heskey or Forsell?

393674[/snapback]

What about them? There going to Championship where they belong!

[brfcshabba]

Quite similar to this thread

[pick32]

kirkland and de allesandro are on loan

[T4E]

I know Pick - so is Jarosik, but to be on loan they must have a certain level of availability that can be worked with.

Sorry guys, didn't know there was another thread.

Also forgot about Forssel - wouldn't turn my nose up to that at all.

[krislu]

How about players from relegated clubs in leagues like France, Italy, Spain and Germany?

Currently bottom three

France:

18. Strasbourg

19. Metz

20. Ajaccio

Italy:

18. Messina

19. Lecce

20. Treviso

Udinese is just 1p clear of relegation, they surely have some real quality players!

Spain:

18. Real Sociedad

19. Cadiz

20. Malaga

Germany:

16. Kaiserslautern

17. Duisburg

18. 1. FC Köln

Anyone have any suggestions, surely there must be some qualty players around in these clubs.

[philipl]

Ahn from Duisburg?

[Eddie]

I can't think of anyone from those French who would really be a good shout for our team. Though for any FM lovers out there Farnerud plays for Strasbourg and maybe could be an option to play on the right for us. Some of the Swedes might know more about him than I do though.