[Archived] Summer Transfer Window

[USABlue]

Could the PL be any more bias in Wham's favour??

With Sir Trev pulling the strings why don't they just give them a 20 point head start on everyone else and let them play 12 men...

Well they clearly had 12 at Ewood, or was it 13 with the linesman.

[G Somerset Rover]

I know that they'll take a while to gel but Man City are slowly becoming another challenger to our hopes of a top 6 finish.

[Manc Rover]

Heard on Talksport that Man Utd or West Ham could bid £12m for Anelka, thats a joke isn't it? If he is worth 12m what is McCarthy worth. Transfer fee's are getting ridiculous. As for us we should look at Royston Drenthe (Dutch U21), Justin Hoyte (Arsenal right back surely now behind new French player & Eboue) & Shaun Wright Phillips (loan)

Although Drenthe played for the U21's, he's the main Holland left back and way out of our league.

[cn174]

Heard on Talksport that Man Utd or West Ham could bid £12m for Anelka, thats a joke isn't it? If he is worth 12m what is McCarthy worth. Transfer fee's are getting ridiculous. As for us we should look at Royston Drenthe (Dutch U21), Justin Hoyte (Arsenal right back surely now behind new French player & Eboue) & Shaun Wright Phillips (loan)

I think Chelsea were going to pay £8m for Drenthe...a bit out of our price range I would think, even if he is good

[RoyRover]

Although Drenthe played for the U21's, he's the main Holland left back and way out of our league.

Gio Van Bronckhorst is the Dutch left back, but I agree with you when you say that he is out of our league. I saw him play last week in Holland and the guy is class. He will go far.

[rebelmswar]

Sorry just noticed my bad.

[LeChuck]

I know that they'll take a while to gel but Man City are slowly becoming another challenger to our hopes of a top 6 finish.

£4.8 million is an absolute steal for Petrov. I had no idea he would go for that sort of money. I'd happily swap him for Pedersen...yet I think Pedersen which fetch at least twice that amount in the current market.

I hope we get something to be excited about soon...

[John]

Reading on the way home that West Ham front runners for Anelka (£10.3 million release clause) and Dyer.

[Rover down South]

Reading on the way home that West Ham front runners for Anelka (£10.3 million release clause) and Dyer.

If West Ham sign Anelka, that could open the door for a bid for Zamora who has bags of potential. Cannot believe they would spend that for such a sulky prat. As for Dyer he spends more time on the treatment table than on the pitch!!

[rebelmswar]

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...ffers+for+Smith

The name of the Url says it all

[LeChuck]

Damn. As the URL is truncated to "ffers+for+Smith", I thought it was "Jeffers for Smith". Not that I thought Jeffers was off to Man Utd, but I thought there may have been a double transfer.

The real answer is far less exciting.

[RevidgeBlue]

I know that they'll take a while to gel but Man City are slowly becoming another challenger to our hopes of a top 6 finish.

As things stand at the moment I would say we have little or no chance of a top 6 finish.

We only finished tenth last season when all's said and done, and have since gone backwards in comparison with most other clubs who have been adding to their squads.

Sides we won't finish above:

The usual big four, Spurs, Newcastle, West Ham

Sides it won't be at all easy to finish above

Portsmouth, Citeh, Everton, Brum, Sunderland, Fulham, Villa

I think if the season started tomorrow with squads as they are now a top ten finish would be fairly unlikely. Another couple of good cup runs might be feasible though.

[John]

I still think we will bring in 2-3 first sixteen players overall (that includes Rigters by the way).

Hughes has let his transfer business late in the past, who is to say he won't do the same again. Plus the chance of loan deals... so no need to completely panic.

As Hughes said himself, he picked up David Bentley late in the window once, so anything can happen.

I suppose when you have limited resources (cash) you have to prioritise.

[dannyg]

its the drunken lad playing footy infront of him at the end of the game , he got to 3 keep ups!!!!!!lol

[den]

I've merged the "John Williams said we're getting another striker soon, [or something like that], with this topic, because it was developing into another transfer rumours thread.

[McClarky]

As things stand at the moment I would say we have little or no chance of a top 6 finish.

We only finished tenth last season when all's said and done, and have since gone backwards in comparison with most other clubs who have been adding to their squads.

Sides we won't finish above:

The usual big four, Spurs, Newcastle, West Ham

Sides it won't be at all easy to finish above

Portsmouth, Citeh, Everton, Brum, Sunderland, Fulham, Villa

I think if the season started tomorrow with squads as they are now a top ten finish would be fairly unlikely. Another couple of good cup runs might be feasible though.

I wouldn't be so pesimistic. In terms of First X1 we are at least as good and probably better than any of these teams and could finish as high as 5th. The problem will be of course of we get several injuries and don't have the money available to replace people while most of these teams do. You never know who we can get on loan though.

I am confident that we'll finish ahead of Newcastle and West ham whatever happens.

Some of these teams have spent a fortunate but how many have bought players as good as Freidle, Nelson, Pedersen , Bentley or McCarthy?...........NONE!

[USRoverME]

and by the way, we finished 10th last year despite losing Ooijer for half a season, Nelsen for half a season, Savage for half a season, Reid for the whole season, Samba and Warnock only in the team for half a season. In reality, I think if we have similar injuries/losses next year, (losing 3.5 seasons worth of matches from 6 of our top 16 players) finishing 10th would be acceptable. ANd we underachieved last year by losing some points in silly ways, the West Ham match, and a few against relegated sides as well.

I have to agree that none of the "big signings" the City have done make me worry abotu them, sven will have another dysfunctional lot, albeit less pricey one than the england side.... Westham has too much turnover, Newcastle's defence is still shocking

[Sandiway Blue]

and by the way, we finished 10th last year despite losing Ooijer for half a season, Nelsen for half a season, Savage for half a season, Reid for the whole season, Samba and Warnock only in the team for half a season. In reality, I think if we have similar injuries/losses next year, (losing 3.5 seasons worth of matches from 6 of our top 16 players) finishing 10th would be acceptable. ANd we underachieved last year by losing some points in silly ways, the West Ham match, and a few against relegated sides as well.

I have to agree that none of the "big signings" the City have done make me worry abotu them, sven will have another dysfunctional lot, albeit less pricey one than the england side.... Westham has too much turnover, Newcastle's defence is still shocking

also,apparently, pedersen played until xmas with broken ribs.(if what i heard was true)

[tcj_jones]

We won't be finishing in the top six for one simple reason: our strikeforce just isn't good enough. One top class striker and maybe a right back and central midfielder and we could be. We're just so close and not having the money to progress is so depressing.

[neekoy]

Little wager? (assuming no points deduction)

I'll tag along on that as well. £20 West Ham won't finish in the bottom half?

Ok let's make it fair first, what about a smaller amount ( I am not a gambler unless it is poker) to start with then the bet be that Rovers finish higher then West Ham?

[philipl]

We won't be finishing in the top six for one simple reason: our strikeforce just isn't good enough. One top class striker and maybe a right back and central midfielder and we could be. We're just so close and not having the money to progress is so depressing.

Go on then, name the striker, central midfielder and right back.

[Rover down South]

Go on then, name the striker, central midfielder and right back.

Depends on how much we have to spend??

Justin Hoyte as right back, I have been told by an Arsenal fan we could pick him up for 2.5m, he is young but has experience. Not sure on midfielder, maybe Kevin Nolan. As for the striker it looks like Hughesy is going to get Santa Cruz, only City stand in his way (who could probably offer him higher wages). Personally I'd take a closer look at Leroy Lita or Bobby Zamora (who would be reluctant to leave West Ham as he supports them, however if they sign Anelka will slip down the order), Lita & Zamora are both still young but have a real eye for goal. I think we will miss out on Alan Smith who looks Everton bound, but is that a bad thing? He would be another player who has returned from serious injury & would cost £6m.

[rover6]

I personally think that signing a central midfielder is much more important than a new striker right now. Currently, we do not have a holding midfielder who is secure defensively and has excellent/good passing ability. I cannot believe that Hughes thinks that Tugay and Mokoena will suffice. My only answer is that Hughes plans to play Reid and Savage together and shackle Sav into playing a more conservative role and allowing Reid to make the breaks forward.

[Rover down South]

I personally think that signing a central midfielder is much more important than a new striker right now. Currently, we do not have a holding midfielder who is secure defensively and has excellent/good passing ability. I cannot believe that Hughes thinks that Tugay and Mokoena will suffice. My only answer is that Hughes plans to play Reid and Savage together and shackle Sav into playing a more conservative role and allowing Reid to make the breaks forward.

Agreed, we will be ok if Reid & Savage are fit all season, but they are both returning from serious injuries which they could quite suffer recurrences of (fingers crossed they don't) if that happens that leaves us Tugay (getting old), Mokeona (African nations, albeit next year) & Dunn (injury prone/unfit). That said I totally agree that a central midfielder is absolutely key. Maybe just a loan signing will be sufficient. If Reidy stays fit that will be the best addition to our squad this summer, he is pure class.

[Ricky]

Rev, of course we are stronger than last year.

We have Sav, Reid and Ooijer back. Thats like having 3 new first team signings. Couple that with a Fully fit Roberts and Nelsen who we missed for long periods and I think we are definitely in a better position.

Its all well and good throwing money at a number of players but we're not playing fantasy football here. Teams have tried it in the past and failed, we tried it with Kidd, we spent best part of 20 million and went down. The players have to take time to adapt and play as a team, we'll be in a much better position to do this now that we have a settled squad.