[Archived] Nicko's Thread

[neophox]

Any news on Santa Cruz deal signed?

[SuperStella]

He's signed

[philipl]

Good man.

This is a fantastic move all round- I am sure of it. Roque, when fit, has been a first choice player at Bayern for 8 years even when he wasn't scoring.

Get the Hughes treatment going to sort out the mopes he's been having and make sure of optimum fitness and we could have a real gem on our hands.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Can't see anything on the Official or BBC site...

[USABlue]

This is a tremendous signing and the Chopra comparisson immediately comes to mind.

Yes there is a gamble element but Bayern were not playing the lad as a true striker for a lot of the time. He went 1600 minutes without scoring but he was obviously a crucial player to be picked every game during that barren run.

Previously, I had always seen Roque as a bit of a softy and therefore a weak link at Bayern. That side of him will be sternly tested in the EPL.

Provided he doesn't do what MGP used to do- drift out of the game completely after taking a "testing" challenge, I think Roque will come good (as will the ladies who come down to Ewood to gaze at him). Who needs Andy Todd?

That Daily Mail quote is also in the LT. Obviously Jeffers is up for sale.

Just a highly seditious thought, if Sparky thinks he might get £20m+ for Benny in this daft market, perhaps he would take it and buy some of the players he has now got a feel of what he could get in this market? As I said, seditious.

Already said the jury is out on this fella for me. As for Benni I'll bet dollars to donuts if we flogged him for 20mil the ones that slag him on here for being "disinterested" etc will be the first ones on here whining about selling him, lack of ambition, selling club blah blah blah.

[Martin]

Hughes mentioned in the press conference that Santa Cruz would be used as a target man and provides a genuine threat in the air. He'll bring more than goals - so let's give the guy a chance.

The forward line looks strong and well balanced. £4.5m is a snip. Andy Johnson cost £8m last season and scored 12 league goals (or thereabouts) after getting 5 in the first 5 or soemthing. I'm convinced we have value for money.

[Martin]

Santa Cruz is coming to town...

We have a great song on our hands.

[krislu]

He's signed

Says who? Can't see anything on the official site (but they are pretty slow anyway though)

[daren]

Interesting on Santa Cruz - in the guardian coverage, they never said he was bad, just that he "raised apathy to a new level". Now there could be many, many reasons for this, but at the very least moving to a new club, under new management should go some way towards fixing this. He's got ability, definitely, and I, for one, am confident that Sparky will get the best out of him. Also, as has been mentioned, if he's really trying to put himself in the "shop window" then he needs to look good. I also feel that our style of play will suit him better than Bayern's.

My one concern from last season is that we did not look good going through the centre of midfield - nearly all our best play was down the wings, with the centre serving to try and break up the opposition. I'd like a little more creativity in there. It's up to Dunn to prove he still has it!

As for Benni I'll bet dollars to donuts if we flogged him for 20mil the ones that slag him on here for being "disinterested" etc will be the first ones on here whining about selling him, lack of ambition, selling club blah blah blah.

That's no bet

[Voxca]

Santa Cruz is really bad guys, Nicko your worse than Tribal Football

[brfcshabba]

Santa Cruz is really bad guys, Nicko your worse than Tribal Football

Thanks for that contribution, now run along please

[Voxca]

Thanks for your feeble attempt at being funny you can shut up now

[rebelmswar]

Santa Cruz is really bad guys, Nicko your worse than Tribal Football

Who the hell are you? If you contributed a 1/100th of what Nicko has then I may listen, as you havent kindly bugger off.

[stuwilky]

Santa Cruz is really bad guys, Nicko your worse than Tribal Football

Tribal Football get barely anything correct.

Nicko on the other hand has got much more correct than incorrect.

[Voxca]

Why are all you lot thinking Santa Cruz is good, have you seen him play... Probably never watched Die Bundesliga in your lifes, he's ######. Also dont try and comeback having seen Youtube vids because Youtube could make the shittest players such as Bramble and Dunn look good.

[jim mk2]

Santa Cruz will make Grabbi and Perez look like the best signings of the decade; the first draughty, rainy East Lancashire day of winter and he'll sulk like an Australian batsman given out plum lbw.

I sincerely hope Hughes has done his homework here: this guy stands around with his hands on his hips so much he makes Andy Cole look like a headless chicken.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

We don't think he's good, we think he has the POTENTIAL to be good.

And it's "lives" not "lifes"

[USRoverME]

where did you come from, are you Vinjay in disguise?

If you actually pay attention here, you'd find that most members have a rational outlook.

1) Hughes rates him and Hughes as a decent trackrecord w/ signings

2) His aerial ability is something we lack and dovetails with this team setup

3) We aer supposedly spending 4.5 mil, which is a bargain for anyone with talent this off-season

No-one here is claiming that Santa makes us a CL contender on his own, far from it, but there is reason to be slightly and cautiously optimistic.... whcih is a rare thing for us!

[daren]

Why are all you lot thinking Santa Cruz is good, have you seen him play... Probably never watched Die Bundesliga in your lifes, he's ######. Also dont try and comeback having seen Youtube vids because Youtube could make the shittest players such as Bramble and Dunn look good.

Yes, I have. And he's been poor. But he has bags of ability and plays extremely well for his country. He was frequently played out of position at Bayern and was still pretty popular for some time. This season he was far from the only player at Bayern that someone could point fingers at for being rubbish, the whole lot of them were so far from their best that they shouldn't have bothered turning up for about half the games, it would have been less embarrassing. His problem all season was that he looked like he'd have preferred to be anywhere else in the world rather than on the pitch. But I believe that our system will suit him better, the move will shake off his apathy and our manager is proven at getting results out of strikers (even Jeffers did well when he went to Ipswich). So if he can find some form he'll be a great addition to the side. He's also got flair, something we lack at times. Although maybe we should have bought Geskas from Bochum for the same price?

As for the jab at Nicko, why? He reports stuff - and then gives his opinions. It's usually pretty clear which is which. It's nice to get some news about transfers because the club keep it quiet. And he hasn't been wrong yet (and still takes flack). I don't really get why you needed to compare him to tribalfootball, which is so full of ###### that it resembles a waste treatment plant (except nothing comes out of it clean ).

Your opinions on Roque Santa Cruz are your own, feel free to state them, but lose the angry attitude for all our sakes. Are you a Rovers fan, incidentally? Or just some internet troll?

[-foreverrovers-]

i have to agree with the above post.

right now i am not in the least bit excited,but i am cautiously optimistic.

hughes does have a good record,but it is the scouts who deserve the praise etc for the signings of samba,nelson etc who were unknown to most.

it doesnt set the world alight but with the money being ###### around this summer,it doesnt lok too bad a signing,and perhaps the best of the list we were supposedly looking at.this guy is young and maybe just needs a fresh challenge.

i know il get stick for this but,erikkson wanted him at city,and he and his scouts have as good a record as anyone in club football,couple this with hughes desire to bring him in,and this could be a good deal.

i think it could go either way though.only time will tell.in my eyes he has until xmas/january to impress.nothing more nothing less.

go on santa...shower us with gifts of goals!....at least this guy has good headline potential,and you just know he will bag a hatful at christmas whether he turns out to be the buy or flop of the season!

[Voxca]

I agree with what you said daren but it gets people aggrivated when people think a player is something they are quite clearly not. From a non bias perspective I think Roque would do well to hit 10 goals for this coming season.

[vintageadidas]

I totally agree with what has been aforementioned by Anti-Dingle-Brigade. We think he has potential to succeed in our team due the way in which we play. The fact that Bellamy scored his highest ever Premier League total playing for us and Benni walked into the team and carried on where Bellamy left off! If you have the class you will get goals in our team. The quality of distribution from Gamst, Bentley, Warnock and even Bert sometimes is pretty much on a plate and it is therefore up to the striker what they do with that helping.

Also, Voxca - if you dont rate what Nicko says then don't read his own personal thread. I think the guy is amazing and very helpful. The press do not give a rats ass about us and we pretty much don't find anything out until it is nearly done and dusted. I and many others are very grateful for the information he posts in his own time.

Also Voxca, it is "lives" not "lifes" - now run along.

[USRoverME]

10 goals from him, 15 from Benni, 5 each from roberts, derbs, bentley and MGP, and a smattering of goals from Gally,Sav, Dunn, Reidy, Tugay and the defence would suit me quite nicely, that makes us a ~ 50 goal team, which makes us a top 6 contender once again.

[daren]

If he hits 10 and sets up 10 more I'd be happy enough, to be honest. He's also far from an automatic pick, he'll be jostling with four other strikers for two places, and Benni's pretty much got one nailed down. He'll HAVE to improve or we won't see him at all. Strangely, it was something he very much lacked at Bayern, he seemed to be picked no matter how the hell he played. Won't happen here!

Sorry if I came down a bit hard, too, I enjoy a lively discussion as much as the next person but I don't like personal attacks (even though I resorted to one).

[Beta Ray Bill]

Santa Cruz will make Grabbi and Perez look like the best signings of the decade; the first draughty, rainy East Lancashire day of winter and he'll sulk like an Australian batsman given out plum lbw.

I sincerely hope Hughes has done his homework here: this guy stands around with his hands on his hips so much he makes Andy Cole look like a headless chicken.

Very clever post, jim.

If he turns out to be rubbish you can say you were right.

If he turns out to be great, you can claim it was one of your usual wind-ups.

Win-win for jim.