[Archived] Other Premier League Happenings

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Just been on the BBC Sport website reading the story about how Bolton have signed a Dutch Under 21 winger from Levante. This is the quote from 606 in the article:

" I'm quite pleased with Riga - apparently he's in the Jason Roberts mould"

boltonsboy

Anyone fancy seeing what Roberts is like out on the wing?

[Bobby G]

Former U-21 international and he is decent. I think Bolton has had a good summer of dealings...

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Robbie Keane's a fantastic player. He's in his peak years, and with the transfer market as crazy as it is £19m is a fair price for his services.

I like Keane - but rate Santa higher. We now have our starting price if they come looking for Santa. Personally I would be looking for £25m in todays crazy market. Best striker we have had since Sutton IMO.

[tony gale's mic]

I like Robbie Keane; but £19m for a glorified 28YO journeyman must represent the best bit of transfer business since... well since Randy Lerner decided to put off field business before on field matters and stump up 2.5M for a 37YO KK.

Levy's mock outrage at the sale just adds to the incongruity.

Glorified 28 year old journeyman? You mean one of the Premierships best forwards over the last few years now in the prime of his career?

£2.5 million for one of the Premierships best keepers last season? Sounds about right to me.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Keane or Santa ? I'd swap them in a flash- Keanes got more pace, more aggression and a better all round game. How is it Bolton who came within a hairsbreadth of oblivion can cruise through the close season picking up smart signings here and there whilst keeping everybody except Diouf and we are on the point of being raped by all and sundry ? Zulu , what's the secret ?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Keane signs - 20.3 million.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I came across this interesting post on 606 on the Blackburn message boards by a Newcastle fan giving their thoughts on the Duff/Warnock swap deal thats been mentioned.

"As a Toon fan i would be over the moon with this. Whilst we have a good LB, Warnock seems to add more of a dimension to an attack than our Jose Enrique. Warnock seems incredibly underrated to me.

Personally i'd love to see the back of the aptly named Duff. A truely shocking player nowadays. 3rd only to Ameobi and Alan Smith as the worst players at Newcastle. Literally players in the under 16's are better.

We all saw Duff flying down the wing for you in times past, now he has literally no pace.

What would you think of this deal if it did indeed happen?

Whilst i'd be happy for my club if it went through, i'd give you my sympathy for getting well and truely taken to the cleaners on this one."

If you check out some of the other forums that Newcastle fans post on they clearly feel the same as this poster. I have to agree with the Newcastle fans if this deal actually happens we have been well and truely shafted.

[Hi Mack]

Keane or Santa ? I'd swap them in a flash- Keanes got more pace, more aggression and a better all round game. How is it Bolton who came within a hairsbreadth of oblivion can cruise through the close season picking up smart signings here and there whilst keeping everybody except Diouf and we are on the point of being raped by all and sundry ? Zulu , what's the secret ?

Elmander and muamba smart signings? 16 million for the pair........not for me!

Ive seen Elmander play a few times, never an £11million pound player!

[21 Rover]

There would be alot of unhappy people on this board if we spent £11m on Elmander - Grabbi anyone?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The point I'm making is they identified the players they wanted, put the dosh on the table and got the players signed and on board early, in time for a good pre seasons training. Elemander and Muamba wouldn't be my first choice either but they'll look pretty good if Santa Cruz slides of to Spurs a few days before the deadline and by then we still haven't signed our midfield grafter.

[21 Rover]

£21.3m for Keane is interesting - he can become very moody if he isnt getting his own way - could be interesting if he finds himself on the bench! He will score if given the chance, but how often will he play?

It also confirms that RSC is worth £21.3m minimum! The most goals Keane has ever got in England, in all comps is 22, RSC beat that in his 1st season. Also the most league goals is 17, RSC got 19 in his 1st year. Also Roque is 2 years younger.

[tony gale's mic]

£21.3m for Keane is interesting - he can become very moody if he isnt getting his own way - could be interesting if he finds himself on the bench! He will score if given the chance, but how often will he play?

It also confirms that RSC is worth £21.3m minimum! The most goals Keane has ever got in England, in all comps is 22, RSC beat that in his 1st season. Also the most league goals is 17, RSC got 19 in his 1st year. Also Roque is 2 years younger.

Keane's all round play is better, plus Keane has been doing it in the League for a lot longer than Roque has. He might find things tougher going next season, especially if Bentley leaves.

[FourLaneBlue]

On the other hand if Roque can have another season like the last then there really will be clubs clamouring for him...but at least we will be able to demand 25million or so...

[JAL]

On the other hand if Roque can have another season like the last then there really will be clubs clamouring for him...but at least we will be able to demand 25million or so...

Dont forget Bentley for Roque to score must have been about half of Roque Santa Cruz overall goal tally.

So Roque without Bents could seriously hamper Santa's stardom next season.

[tony gale's mic]

On the other hand if Roque can have another season like the last then there really will be clubs clamouring for him...but at least we will be able to demand 25million or so...

He'd be a year closer to end of contract though, with two years left next summer if he wanted to leave we would have to sell him. And that would knock a few million off his price.

[FourLaneBlue]

Dont forget Bentley for Roque to score must have been about half of Roque Santa Cruz overall goal tally.

So Roque without Bents could seriously hamper Santa's stardom next season.

True but then you need others to step up the plate...certainly MGP needs to do far more this season and we are expecting at least two new midfield signing.

Then also Bentley would need replacing.

It does not look to be difficult it is true but Roque was in fine form for Paraguay this summer as well so it does suggest he is really developing into the fine player he has threatened to be for the last decade.

Here´s hoping anyway...

He'd be a year closer to end of contract though, with two years left next summer if he wanted to leave we would have to sell him. And that would knock a few million off his price.

Is that not just for players over 28? Roque would be 27 Wouldn't he? Correct me if I am wrong...not sure about these new regulations.

[philipl]

Once again I am left open-mouthed by the negativity shown towards Rovers and Rovers players.

RSC is younger and classier than Keane. Keane sometimes makes intelligent runs etc but I have seen him played out of games. RSC's physical presence is much better than Keane's and from what we saw last season is a more clinical finisher. And of course RSC is a couple of years younger.

Torres and Keane seems like an excellent partnership on paper but I suspect it will need a lot of work on the training ground to make it a partnership in reality.

Bolton have done OK sofar this summer but £11mfor Elmander would have caused a storm of indignation on here if Rovers had done that. Or is it in the computer games world which is the reality for many posters they just want to see Rovers spend £11m on somebody?

Very interesting article in the Independent on Liverpool and Spuds. Key point is Benitez making the donation to the Spuds charity by way of compensation for having said inappropriate things during the Keane process. All part of the pressure Spuds think they are putting the authorities and Ferguson under over Berbatov but I really do think they are whistling in reality.

[LeChuck]

Bolton have done OK sofar this summer

You think so? I think they've had a horrendous summer. Muamba is never a £5 million player, Elmander has never been anything like prolific in his career, and they've just replaced easily their classiest forward player (strictly in footballing style I must stress) with an unknown player from Spain labelled 'the Jason Roberts of the wing' by his own fans.

I think they'll really struggle to stay up this year if one or possibly two of the promoted teams adapt well (personally I think West Brom and Hull are going to do okay). I think Fulham and Wigan are leaving them behind...and there aren't many other Prem teams from last season you could see getting dragged in to a relegation fight.

[Baggio]

I came across this interesting post on 606 on the Blackburn message boards by a Newcastle fan giving their thoughts on the Duff/Warnock swap deal thats been mentioned.

"As a Toon fan i would be over the moon with this. Whilst we have a good LB, Warnock seems to add more of a dimension to an attack than our Jose Enrique. Warnock seems incredibly underrated to me.

Personally i'd love to see the back of the aptly named Duff. A truely shocking player nowadays. 3rd only to Ameobi and Alan Smith as the worst players at Newcastle. Literally players in the under 16's are better.

We all saw Duff flying down the wing for you in times past, now he has literally no pace.

What would you think of this deal if it did indeed happen?

Whilst i'd be happy for my club if it went through, i'd give you my sympathy for getting well and truely taken to the cleaners on this one."

If you check out some of the other forums that Newcastle fans post on they clearly feel the same as this poster. I have to agree with the Newcastle fans if this deal actually happens we have been well and truely shafted.

It would be a shocker for your lot like.

Newcastle are desperate to shift some of the big earning underperformers and Duff is at the top of that list, if I hadn't watched as much as I have of him over the past few years I wouldn't believe how bad he is.

[tony gale's mic]

Is that not just for players over 28? Roque would be 27 Wouldn't he? Correct me if I am wrong...not sure about these new regulations.

It's not the new regulations I'm referring to. Just that Roque will have two years left till his contract runs out, and if he doesnt want to sign a new one and wants to leave then we will have to sell next summer or he will rapidly decrease in value...and this will reduce his transfer fee by a little in itself, since we would be actively looking to sell in that situation I'm sure.

[philipl]

Isn't the Duff/Warnock thing dead now?

I am sure I read it had been killed.

[tony gale's mic]

Once again I am left open-mouthed by the negativity shown towards Rovers and Rovers players.

RSC is younger and classier than Keane. Keane sometimes makes intelligent runs etc but I have seen him played out of games. RSC's physical presence is much better than Keane's and from what we saw last season is a more clinical finisher. And of course RSC is a couple of years younger.

Torres and Keane seems like an excellent partnership on paper but I suspect it will need a lot of work on the training ground to make it a partnership in reality.

Bolton have done OK sofar this summer but £11mfor Elmander would have caused a storm of indignation on here if Rovers had done that. Or is it in the computer games world which is the reality for many posters they just want to see Rovers spend £11m on somebody?

Very interesting article in the Independent on Liverpool and Spuds. Key point is Benitez making the donation to the Spuds charity by way of compensation for having said inappropriate things during the Keane process. All part of the pressure Spuds think they are putting the authorities and Ferguson under over Berbatov but I really do think they are whistling in reality.

Put away the blue and white tinted glasses for once, there's no negativity towards Roque from my side, I think he's done terrifically well since he came. But there's numerous strikers who have had one great season and then not done so well after that. You pay more for quality that has been proven over numerous seasons and Keane fits into that bracket. Roque is better as a goalscorer, but even that is just based on a season. Keane's linkup play is better without doubt.

[American]

Benni as an example. How many were saying 20 million was the price if Chelsea wanted him. How many of the same would be thrilled to get 4 million for him now.

[philipl]

Put away the blue and white tinted glasses for once, there's no negativity towards Roque from my side, I think he's done terrifically well since he came. But there's numerous strikers who have had one great season and then not done so well after that. You pay more for quality that has been proven over numerous seasons and Keane fits into that bracket. Roque is better as a goalscorer, but even that is just based on a season. Keane's linkup play is better without doubt.

I don't rate Robbie Keane all that highly.

He has always flattered to deceive in my opinion.

Very good but never became the star he threatened to become.

RSC will score more EPL goals than Keane again this season- I just hope he's scoring them so my blue and white tinted glasses can appreciate them.

[FourLaneBlue]

A Roque-Robbie combination at Rovers would be awesome to watch.

Ever since the SAS (other than that glorious second half of 2001-2002 after the Cole signing)* we seem to have always had one striker in form but not another. If ever we get two of them in form as well as being quality then we could really go places. This season that would suggest a Benni-RSC double act (Roberts even in form struggles to hit a barn door with a banjo) to make the rest of the Prem fear.

* - Actually there was a period when Gallagher/Sutton were in great form together as well...first half of 97/98?