[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[LeftWinger]

Can we sign Lola... just for the name

be even funnier if he walked like a woman but talked like a man!!!

...and it'd be very easy to come up with a song for him!

[Baggio]

Maxi Rodriguez is out of contract in the Summer I read somewhere.

[tcj_jones]

Thursday 8th May

Espanyol vs Athletico

Sunday 11th May

Espanyol vs Villarreal

Athletico Madrid vs Deportivo

So which of these games did Hughes have scouted? I presume the former?

I'm not sure who played, but Sky Sports lists these as their respective midfield players:

Espanyol:

11 Alberto Riera 14 Angel Cervera 16 Domingos Jonatas 25 Milan Smiljanic 8 Pablo Zabaleta 9 Ivan De la Pena

(remember we were also heavily linked with Tamudo in the past)

Athletico Madrid:

11 Maxi Rodriguez 15 Jose Manuel Jurado 17 Jose Antonio Reyes 18 Maniche 28 Alejandro Rodriguez 29 Ignacio Camacho 3 Thiago Motta 32 Didac Rodriguez Gonzalez 38 Alvaro Dominguez 8 Raul Garcia 9 Luis Garcia

EDIT: seems JBN beat me to it with a much better post

[RibbleValleyRover]

Maxi Rodriguez is out of contract in the Summer I read somewhere.

Very Good player, not sure we are big enough for him though

[nicko]

I find that a strange statement Alan, some very good players have suffered relegation over the years, I wouldn't mind Joe Cole or Jermaine Defoe in our team.

Also what about Kanoute, Milner, James, Carson, Glen Johnson, Di Canio, they've all been relegated at some stage in their career but still not bad players.

None of them were relegated this season.

I wouldn't take a single player from Derby for a start. Reading's are just athletes and runners who got fed up running towards the end. Birmingham are a poor mix of young and not good enough.

I wouldn't take any of this year's vintage thanks all the same.

[EwoodGlory]

Luis Garcia of Espanyol is quality, wouldn't mind seeing him here. He probably won't get called up to the Spain squad for Euro 2008.

Possibly be around the £7m-£8m mark?

Maxi Rodríguez would be a possible target from Atletico.

Ignacio Camacho from Atletico will have impressed, but will be out of our budget.

[joey_big_nose]

Very Good player, not sure we are big enough for him though

Apparently he did sign a contract extension this year as well.

My money is on Zabaleta. Young top Argentianian prospect, captain of the youth team, central midfielder and holds a Spanish passport.

[ftry]

I would guess either Riera or Luis Garcia (Madrid) with both having lived in the north west.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Apparently he did sign a contract extension this year as well.

My money is on Zabaleta. Young top Argentianian prospect, captain of the youth team, central midfielder and holds a Spanish passport.

From what i've read and the footage i've seen of him Zabaleta looks a decent prospect.

Palermo are reportedly interested but he says they aren't big enough for him http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=687956

[EwoodGlory]

Riera is good, he didn't show too much at City, but could be decent for us.

[joey_big_nose]

I would guess either Riera or Luis Garcia (Madrid) with both having lived in the north west.

Left sided player though...

[herbergeehh]

RELEGATED PLAYERS - No thanks, they went down for a reason.

Brum: What do you make of Sebastian Larsson, Nicko? Not seen him much to be honest, but his delivery looks good - and certainly his set pieces. Vague, I know, but would like other opinions on him and his overall play?

Zarate has looked lively for them, will there be any clubs sniffing in the summer perhaps? He's owned by a club in Qatar if I recall correctly? Certainly a TYPE of player we lack in our squad at the moment..

Reading: Shorey will be on someone's list in the summer? Not ours certainly, but a good young player (relegation or no relegation). The 2nd player I'd want is Kevin Doyle, a middle class man's Robbie Keane A decent signing for us two years ago would be Harper, though I don't feel he has the quality to take us to the next level now.

Derby - fair enough. Would rather have McEveley as our 2nd left defender than Berner, but he's gone now and good luck to him, let Olsson take that place instead. No interesting players in the team.

With our squad in mind, I guess Larsson and Zarate are the two players who COULD make decent signings. I haven't mentioned Giles Barnes, never been that impressed with him to be honest.

[joey_big_nose]

From what i've read and the footage i've seen of him Zabaleta looks a decent prospect.

Palermo are reportedly interested but he says they aren't big enough for him http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=687956

For me that suggests strongly he was the one we were looking at. Highly rated, obviously looking to move out, playing that defensive midfield role we need sorting, potentially can play right back too.

Is he the one nicko? I won't tell anybody....

[joey_big_nose]

With our squad in mind, I guess Larsson and Zarate are the two players who COULD make decent signings. I haven't mentioned Giles Barnes, never been that impressed with him to be honest.

Zarate is priced at 15m!

Suprised nicko thinks James McFadden is Championship fodder.

I would take Harper, Lita, Hunt, Larsson, McFadden, Kapo if we needed players in those positions (which we do as far as Harper and Hunt are concerned). Decent players went down.

[B.R.F.C]

As per the other thread last week I narrowed it down to Alberto Riera...could possibly be Zabaleta but given Riera and his performances so far this season including for Spain I'd say its him.

[LeftWinger]

As per the other thread last week I narrowed it down to Alberto Riera...could possibly be Zabaleta but given Riera and his performances so far this season including for Spain I'd say its him.

Nicko said that it was someone who wouldn't be playing at Euro 2008. Riera probably will.

[tcj_jones]

McFadden, Larsson, Kapo and Harper are all good enough for a team of our level.

[BlueWhiteDynamite]

McFadden, Larsson, Kapo and Harper are all good enough for a team of our level.

If at season start, these 4 players were in our starting line up, would you be impressed??

I would be guttid, if Mcfadden was let go by everton, then surely he isnt good enough for us either. The rest well, not an improvement on what we already have

[Eddie]

That doesn't really hold water. Plenty of players are let go by clubs and go on to prove themselves. Personally I wouldn't want us to sign any of them (possibly Kapo if the price was very good, which it wouldn't be).

[Sandiway Blue]

If at season start, these 4 players were in our starting line up, would you be impressed??

I would be guttid, if Mcfadden was let go by everton, then surely he isnt good enough for us either. The rest well, not an improvement on what we already have

I have to agree with you there,although they are all okay players,they won`t help Rovers break into the top 5.

[Mozzer]

kapo had a decent start to the season-on sunday he was made to look good by steven reid who isnt a right back..

larsson is decent-but if bentley was to go, i think someone with more pace would be a better option..

mcfadden-if only he played like he did for scotland in the premierleague-he would be good, and id say go for him, but at everton he proved he aint good enough at the level we are at..

harper-i dont think he is better then what we already have..

if theres any relagated players that might be worth a bid-maybe bikey from reading-central defender, strong and only young-also if roberts was to go, maybe someone like lita who is quite similar to him..

[Eddie]

Apparently he did sign a contract extension this year as well.

My money is on Zabaleta. Young top Argentianian prospect, captain of the youth team, central midfielder and holds a Spanish passport.

Good shout.

[nicko]

Brum: What do you make of Sebastian Larsson, Nicko? Not seen him much to be honest, but his delivery looks good - and certainly his set pieces. Vague, I know, but would like other opinions on him and his overall play?

Zarate has looked lively for them, will there be any clubs sniffing in the summer perhaps? He's owned by a club in Qatar if I recall correctly? Certainly a TYPE of player we lack in our squad at the moment..

Reading: Shorey will be on someone's list in the summer? Not ours certainly, but a good young player (relegation or no relegation). The 2nd player I'd want is Kevin Doyle, a middle class man's Robbie Keane A decent signing for us two years ago would be Harper, though I don't feel he has the quality to take us to the next level now.

Derby - fair enough. Would rather have McEveley as our 2nd left defender than Berner, but he's gone now and good luck to him, let Olsson take that place instead. No interesting players in the team.

With our squad in mind, I guess Larsson and Zarate are the two players who COULD make decent signings. I haven't mentioned Giles Barnes, never been that impressed with him to be honest.

Larsson is OK but nowhere near Bentley's level. Wigan seem keen on him if they sell Valencia.

Zarate is wildly-priced and not Birmingham's player. No better than the four current Rovers strikers.

Shorey is not as good as Warnock.

Doyle is all right, but once more not better than your four.

Barnes...? Rovers already have a groundsman.

[T4E]

Considering Pedersen is our first choice left sided midfielder, there can be absolutely no doubt that McFadden is good enough for us.

[Mozzer]

nicko..roughly how much cash does mark hughes have to spend??

also any players he might consider letting go??