[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[budha]

Never mind forwards we have plenty...

We have NO right back and are desparately short in midfield.

Surely we will get a right full-back in teh transfer window.

And what do we do with one of our most consistent performers in the last ~14 months if we bring on a right back? Sit him to the bench to cover for Bents which he has showed not to be capable of?

And in midfield, we have Bents, Sav, Reid, Axe, Tugs, Gamst, Dunn, Treacy, Gallacher, Berner.. enough in numbers I reckon. Perhaps missing quality, but not quantity.

[Eddie]

We need central midfielders, end of. We've needed one for some time now, but we are fast approaching crisis point.

As for Anelka, if we somehow signed him and kept Benni we would have the best strike force in the league. Even if we lost Benni, I think I would still be quite happy. Adding pace to the side would be wonderful, while at the same time he is as good of a finisher as Benni and scores more goals from distance. Anelka has sorted himself over the past two years or so and he isn't what he was when he was younger. He's trying really hard here in France to get rid of that image and work his way into the first 11 of the national side, so good performances for his club are essential. I'd like to see the club try and bring him in without losing Benni, if we could manage that then it really would be amazing.

We would still need a central midfielder...

[daren]

My thoughts on Anelka for Benni can be boiled into two points:

1. Anelka is far, far faster. Pace is something we lack.

2. Anelka runs channels and plays forward, which we miss at the moment. Derbyshire is the only striker we have who is a straight goalscorer. I was actually a little surprised that he wasn't used today.

[Mozzer]

come january i would like to see a few more players coming in..we need to freshen the squad up(not just a reaction because we got beat)...

[bluebruce]

Derbyshire is the only striker we have who is a straight goalscorer. I was actually a little surprised that he wasn't used today.

No, Benni is our straight goalscorer.

[waggy]

i believe a guy called dino djemba from france was looking around blackburn last week

[bluebruce]

i believe a guy called dino djemba from france was looking around blackburn last week

Indeed, think that one's been reported somewhere in this thread.

[waggy]

this may be him

[John]

Been doing a bit of reading on Dino Djiba and found this below.....

Out of all of the Senegalese prospects, my favorite is Dino Djiba. He's very comfortable with breaking up play in midfield and pushing forward, played 13 times for Metz last season and scored 2 times. Physically he built well and is not at all overalled by playing players bigger than him (which can be the case with some youngsters) and his passing is usually short into feet or space. Watch out for him!

[bluebruce]

this may be him

So he's played 5 matches for Metz...er...impressive. Hope that's this season..

[Roar of the Rover]

Been doing a bit of reading on Dino Djiba and found this below.....

Out of all of the Senegalese prospects, my favorite is Dino Djiba. He's very comfortable with breaking up play in midfield and pushing forward, played 13 times for Metz last season and scored 2 times. Physically he built well and is not at all overalled by playing players bigger than him (which can be the case with some youngsters) and his passing is usually short into feet or space. Watch out for him!

Sound like a good replacement for the 'Axe'.

[revolutionrock!]

Been doing a bit of reading on Dino Djiba and found this below.....

Out of all of the Senegalese prospects, my favorite is Dino Djiba. He's very comfortable with breaking up play in midfield and pushing forward, played 13 times for Metz last season and scored 2 times. Physically he built well and is not at all overalled by playing players bigger than him (which can be the case with some youngsters) and his passing is usually short into feet or space. Watch out for him!

But, if he plays for Senegal, well buy someone who will only play for about 1-2 months.

Dino Djiba (born 20 December 1985 in Dakar) is a Senegalese-French football (soccer) midfielder. He currently plays for FC Metz. In December 2007, he visited English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers for a trial, whether or not he will come to join on a perminant basis depends on how much he impresses Mark Hughes during his trial.

Of Wiki, which also has him as international for Senegal. That would be silly if we bought him for serious money

[bluebruce]

But, if he plays for Senegal, well buy someone who will only play for about 1-2 months.

Sounds like he is a prospect though rather than one to shove straight in.

[revolutionrock!]

Sounds like he is a prospect though rather than one to shove straight in.

Why does he sound like a prospect.

I have never heard of him and i bet not many have. He isnt exactly a regular for a French side who are :

18 PSG - 16 pts

19 Sochaux -13 pts

20 Metz -7 pts

Last in the league.

He's played 5 times this season , ye he might have been injured but it doesnt say anything on Wiki, and he's now 21 , and in my eyes if he isnt a regular for a side who are at the bottom of the league 9 points adrift in December he doesnt sound like a good prospect to me.

[Eddie]

Metz are my team in France, so I've seen Djiba play, not a world beater, but I suppose he could be a sort of diamond in the rough.

[bluebruce]

Why does he sound like a prospect.

I have never heard of him and i bet not many have. He isnt exactly a regular for a French side who are :

18 PSG - 16 pts

19 Sochaux -13 pts

20 Metz -7 pts

Last in the league.

He's played 5 times this season , ye he might have been injured but it doesnt say anything on Wiki, and he's now 21 , and in my eyes if he isnt a regular for a side who are at the bottom of the league 9 points adrift in December he doesnt sound like a good prospect to me.

You've misunderstood. I didn't say he is a GOOD prospect, I mean he is better categorised as one we would (if we signed him) hope to come good in a year or two, rather than someone who will be shoved straight into the first team.

[revolutionrock!]

You've misunderstood. I didn't say he is a GOOD prospect, I mean he is better categorised as one we would (if we signed him) hope to come good in a year or two, rather than someone who will be shoved straight into the first team.

But why buy some unknown Sengal guy , lets buy a good prospect who is English instead of a prospect who we know nothing about

[Mozzer]

all i know we need some new faces in january..

freshen things up..

keep the squad working hard and not let them slip..

i do think a central midfielder, right back for competition, striker and a pacey winger is needed..sometimes when you need that pace to run at players we miss it..

[revolutionrock!]

all i know we need some new faces in january..

freshen things up..

keep the squad working hard and not let them slip..

i do think a central midfielder, right back for competition, striker and a pacey winger is needed..sometimes when you need that pace to run at players we miss it..

For once i agree with you.

[Sandiway Blue]

But why buy some unknown Sengal guy , lets buy a good prospect who is English instead of a prospect who we know nothing about

Lets be honest how many people knew about samba this time last year?

Now i`m not saying this guy will have a similar impact,but then again we couldn`t be 100% sure that he won`t have a similar impact as Samba.

Years ago we had John Carew on trial with Rovers,yet he was deemed not good enough for us at the time.

As with all trialists you never know what will happen one way or another.

[bluebruce]

But why buy some unknown Sengal guy , lets buy a good prospect who is English instead of a prospect who we know nothing about

I don't know, but Hughes does. I've doubted the man's judgement on signings too many times, and EVERY time he is correct. I won't doubt him until he errs.

[philipl]

Lets be honest how many people knew about samba this time last year?

Now i`m not saying this guy will have a similar impact,but then again we couldn`t be 100% sure that he won`t have a similar impact as Samba.

Years ago we had John Carew on trial with Rovers,yet he was deemed not good enough for us at the time.

As with all trialists you never know what will happen one way or another.

Not true- Carew was offered a contract with Rovers but he opted to go back to University.

[ihateburnley]

I have gradually become a bit disappointed by Emerton recently. I think we need a pacey right back possibly in the mould of Stephen Warnock - Brett seems to get caught out a lot with pace. Now don't get me wrong, I've been a big fan of his (especially last season in his new right back position) but I feel with his lack of pace, plus the fact that he turns like a tank, makes him a bit of a liability at times. Today against West Ham he was getting forward in some good positions but when the ball got to him he took three touches every time and ultimately slowed down our attack. I would recommend Justin Hoyte as the ideal signing.

Another area of concern for me is pace up front. We insist on playing balls through for our strikers to run onto. Now this would be fine if we had quick forwards but we do not and we look a bit stale upfont as a result IMO. Our last league goal from a striker came in our win against Spurs on the 28th October. Now Benni and Cruz both possess different goal threats but one thing that they dont seem to be able to do is nip round the back of defences and create attempts on goal. Combine this with our midfield - Bentley, Pedersen, Savage, Tugay, Dunn, Mokoena all do not have pace as one of their key attributes. This is one reason why I'm starting to warm to the idea of Defoe/Anelka/A.Nother joining in January. Now I'd say Derbyshire could be a soloution to this problem and I would honestly be in favour of dropping Benni and starting Matt in the coming weeks.

A lot of people look at Benni's goals last season and let this blinker their view of how he is playing this season. He is playing poorly in my opinion and we have a striker in Jason Roberts who has impressed the last few times he has come on, and a hot hot prospect in Under-21 England International Matt Derbyshire - both sat on the bench and being overlooked. Cruz and McCarthy are both cool finishers but I do not believe they can play together - both too laid back in their approach but for what it's worth I see Santa as the more valuable asset and our biggest striking aerial presence.

We should not mistake the fact that we are going to be looking at the cheaper end of the market come January. I would love for us to get someone of Jermaine Defoe's or Nicholas Anelka's pedigree to finish off some good moves that we can put together at times. I have absolutely no idea how much these players would cost though and it's difficult to presume how much we have to spend. By my reckoning (and in order of priority);

Defoe - 7m

Creative midfielder - 6m

Justin Hoyte - 2/3m

I have plucked these figures out of the air, and before anyone mentions it I do know that we wont be spending 15/16m in January! I do not envy Hughes' position!!!

[Mozzer]

emerton isnt slow, but i do feel a right back is needed..

bernard mendy from psg is available-right back..

tom huddlestone, mendes, darren flecther maybe we could look at for central midfield

pacey winger i feel is needed- eg steven pienaar(on loan at everton but we could nick him, especially with mokoena and mcarthy connections) maybe, someone who could play either wing..

and a striker-i agree, someone in a defoe or anelka mould..

somehow tho, i cant see rovers bringing in 5 or more players in..altho we need to freshen up places..

[Fife Rover]

Pace but little to no skill = low cost.

Skill but no pace = medium cost.

Skill plus pace = huge cost.

Neither pace nor skill = Blackburn Combination.