[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[laughatthedingles]

Thought after nearly 300 pages this needed a new thread, what with silly season about to begin. Basics of the previous one:

> Bentley needs to make up his mind on a £50,000 a week deal.

> Bentley is / isn't worth £15m (yawn)

[thenodrog]

For a minute I thought nicko had been given a 12 month ban too!

How did you do that LATD?

[waggy]

one thing for certian the bentley issue needs to be sorted ot asap,if he stays good if he goes we will have time to buy a able replacement

[ihateburnley]

We don't necessarily have to look at the fact that if we sell Bentley we won't be able to replace him. We all know that in football it's not quite as simple as that. A fee of £12-20m would be a fair price and in my opinion we could improve the squad overall with that money.

No player is indispensable, and the feeling that we may lose Bentley is in no way comparable to the feeling that I had when I knew we probably going to lose Duff to Chelsea. However, even with Duff we used the money to strengthen overall (and yes we probably didn't use our money that wisely, although that was because our manager signed the wrong players) and we became better off because of it. There are plenty of players in the lower divisions and abroad that would cost a fraction of the money we would get for Bents, but with that the club obviously take a gamble - a gamble that was also taken when we signed Bentley himself. Let's not forget that when Bentley signed he was not this big-headed 'future Beckham' that many would have us believe he is now. He was a player that had failed to make an impact with one of the big4 and hadn't exactly set the world alight on a season-long loan at Norwich.

We made a relatively cheap gamble. The management worked hard to improve his game. And it paid off big time.

There's no reason why we can't carry on in this way. With the transfer fee we get for Bentley we can get a young promising right winger and still have plenty of money to strengthen in the other areas of the team that would be needed to be strengthened, regardless of David's departure. This is how I see our team be taken onto the next level in many respects, and whilst I'm not saying we should ALWAYS sell our best players, I feel in certain cases it could actually benefit the club.

I feel he has certain limitations that sometimes hinder our team overall. Yes, his crosses are excellent, his reading of the game and his dead balls are to be admired. However he can go missing for large spells and he just isn't quick enough to say he is probably the most creative player in a team that possesses absolutely no pace whatsoever.

I say sell him while his stock value is high. We can always buy him back when he inevitably fails at whichever club he chooses to be a squad player at.

[Mozzer]

unless mark hughes finds a gem from abroad to replace bentley- i think pennant could do a good job..he has pace something we miss on the wings and can also cross the ball..maybe pennant + cash for bentley would suit us because we have a decent enough replacement and also cash to strength other positions..

[BiggusLaddus]

What I wouldn't like to see is Bentley replaced by 2-3 others who are only slightly better than we've got now but would appear to improve the 'squad'.

Bentley is the only midfielder we have with really good technical ability. He's the only one who can retain possession without panicking and rolling it backwards for a defender to put his boot through it.

If he goes, then he needs to be replaced by players who are equally comfortable with the ball. There would be no point selling Bentley and then spending £10m on 3 slightly better versions of Reid.

As to whether he stays or goes, as long as it is sorting quickly I don't really mind. Obviously I'd prefer him to stay, but I stopped getting upset about players leaving after the rats jumped off in '99. Worst case scenario I think, is if Bentley doesn't sign up and the offer is withdrawn and then no one comes in for him. I could see that leading to situation like we've had with McCarthy this year.

[BiggusLaddus]

unless mark hughes finds a gem from abroad to replace bentley- i think pennant could do a good job..he has pace something we miss on the wings and can also cross the ball..maybe pennant + cash for bentley would suit us because we have a decent enough replacement and also cash to strength other positions..

It would have to be a significant amount of cash so that we'd be able to use it to buy a TOP class central player. Pennant is ok, but isn't good enough to dominate a game like Bentley has for us on occasion.

And the way Liverpool have been buggering about with valuations lately, they'd probably expect us to add the extra cash in that deal

[bennyboyt11]

biggusladdus I hope he wouldnt do a McCarthy if no offers come in and he stays at rovers, although I think his personality would make him strive to be even better than this season and really cement his place in the top clubs wishlist

[thenodrog]

one thing for certian the bentley issue needs to be sorted ot asap,if he stays good if he goes we will have time to buy a able replacement

Softly softly catchee monkey waggy. We might sell Bentley now and regret not asking for more later in the summer if the market moves on and we see lesser players moving for more.

[BiggusLaddus]

Softly softly catchee monkey waggy. We might sell Bentley now and regret not asking for more later in the summer if the market moves on and we see lesser players moving for more.

But it doesn't matter ow much we get for him if we don't have the money to buy a replacement first or the time to do it after.

[thenodrog]

But it doesn't matter ow much we get for him if we don't have the money to buy a replacement first or the time to do it after.

The opinion seems to be that we do have some money to spend this summer. That means that we can choose when we sell Bentley..... if we do that is.

[Hasta]

i think pennant could do a good job..he has pace something we miss on the wings and can also cross the ball..

I think the one thing that Pennant can't do is cross (see Champions League final of a couple of years back - that wasn't a one off!). If he had an end product he'd be a top 4 regular and in the England squad. However, like Lennon, his game is all about pure speed.

[LeftWinger]

Knowing Liverpool - they'll probably want Bentley plus cash for Pennant the cheeky bar-stewards.

[T4E]

I think the one thing that Pennant can't do is cross (see Champions League final of a couple of years back - that wasn't a one off!). If he had an end product he'd be a top 4 regular and in the England squad. However, like Lennon, his game is all about pure speed.

Not to mention a complete lack of goals. Pennant is not a Bentley replacement.

[Mozzer]

I think the one thing that Pennant can't do is cross (see Champions League final of a couple of years back - that wasn't a one off!). If he had an end product he'd be a top 4 regular and in the England squad. However, like Lennon, his game is all about pure speed.

yeh i watched the champions league final a couple years back-was that the game pennant got man of the match and completety tore their left back to pieces????

id say he has more to his game then lennon aswell..

[Hughesy]

Nobody will pay £15m for Crouch either as he only has 2 year sleft on his contract and could buy it out for much less.

Rumours in scouse land suggest he may well do this if benitez keeps the daft price on his head.

[AggyBlue]

I think the one thing that Pennant can't do is cross (see Champions League final of a couple of years back - that wasn't a one off!). If he had an end product he'd be a top 4 regular and in the England squad. However, like Lennon, his game is all about pure speed.

He doesn't seem to be able to wrap his foot around the ball to get decent crosses in.

I wouldn't mind seeing him play through the middle, Defoe like. He can hit the ball hard and straight and has pace to burn. I'm sure he wouldn't miss as many chances as Roberts.

[bennyboyt11]

i would much rather have pennant than roberts...

[nicko]

There may be a slight change of direction about the summer signings...

I am hearing from a couple of decent sources that the kitty may be kept for a top-class midfielder - perhaps £7 to £8 million - rather than a cheaper midfielder and a striker.

There have been a couple of names mentioned that would be more expensive than the Bradleys and Huddlestones.

It could be that the plan now is to blow the dough on a top-class midfielder and stick with the strikers they have - which would also explain why Benni was given a new deal.

I would also stress that this is regardless of Bentley staying/going/signing a deal or not.

No names to publish yet, but it seems to be a strategy.

[RevidgeBlue]

I would also stress that this is regardless of Bentley staying/going/signing a deal or not.

nicko you were previously adamant Bentley was going nowhere.

Still as confident?

[RevidgeBlue]

It could be that the plan now is to blow the dough on a top-class midfielder and stick with the strikers they have - which would also explain why Benni was given a new deal.

No names to publish yet, but it seems to be a strategy.

That seems quite sensible to me............... IF we could get Benni performing again.

[bennyboyt11]

nicko what happened to all these polish players we were looking at? Any news?

[RovertheHill]

Seems to me that the football market is like the housing market (at least pre credit-crunch). It doesn't matter if you're house is worth £15k or £15m if you need to pay that to get something similar - it's all relative. The only time it matters is when you are downsizing, which hopefully we aren't. So unless we think we can attract somebody as good as Bentley then I'd rather keep him. The other option is to unearth a (cheap) rough diamond - but for every Nelsen and Samba there is a Grabbi and Rigters...

[Earlydoors]

It could be that the plan now is to blow the dough on a top-class midfielder and stick with the strikers they have - which would also explain why Benni was given a new deal.

Presumably thats a top-class midfielder who isn't currently playing in the Premiership, rather than one who is , or indeed two slightly aging ex-teammates who are ?

[nicko]

nicko you were previously adamant Bentley was going nowhere.

Still as confident?

The latest events re the snubbing of the contract would suggest he wants to go...but I still don't see anyone paying the fee.