[Archived] Big Fat Sam's Shopping List

[American]

Sam needs to sign Vagner Love and give him number 69. Imagine the profits of selling LOVE 69 on the back of a shirt.

[Billy Castell]

Then Burnley should let Stefan Kuentz have a go at managing them, with Julian Dicks as his assistant.

[cn174]

So Diouf and Givet in, Derbyshire out, and Roque stays. Sam seemed quite happy with those deals, but I'm sure he'd have liked other players too.

Not a bad start but we still desperately need an attacking central midfielder. Guess we'll have to wait until summer...

[herbergeehh]

We need to play a diamond formation in midfield now.

Grella

Andrews Dunn

Villanueva or McCarthy

Gamst Pedersen was godawful against Boro, and can might as well be dropped in favour of a diamond formation and Warnock pushing forward. Tugay, Mokoena and MGP are different options from the bench, and obviously we can use Diouf in a wider role too.

[philipl]

We need to play a diamond formation in midfield now.

Grella

Andrews Dunn

Villanueva or McCarthy

Gamst Pedersen was godawful against Boro, and can might as well be dropped in favour of a diamond formation and Warnock pushing forward. Tugay, Mokoena and MGP are different options from the bench, and obviously we can use Diouf in a wider role too.

MGP played very well in the second half against Boro.

[JAL]

Yet more missed opportunities from Rovers we just cant keep doing this and try to survive.

[Mr. E]

So, basically, we're out.

If someone doesn't agree, then please explain to me how in the blue hell are we going to stay up with Keith Andrews and Vince Grella as our central midfielders. And the limited games Tugay and Dunn will be fit for. Because I do not understand it.

I Don't know if Allardyce, Williams or the Trustees are to blame for this, but our entire season hinged on the quality of the central mid we were supposed to bring in this window. We didn't even get anyone.

Not to mention that we will also be playing sheit, unattractive football.

Absolute garbage.

[tony gale's mic]

So, basically, we're out.

If someone doesn't agree, then please explain to me how in the blue hell are we going to stay up with Keith Andrews and Vince Grella as our central midfielders. And the limited games Tugay and Dunn will be fit for. Because I do not understand it.

I Don't know if Allardyce, Williams or the Trustees are to blame for this, but our entire season hinged on the quality of the central mid we were supposed to bring in this window. We didn't even get anyone.

Not to mention that we will also be playing sheit, unattractive football.

Absolute garbage.

Mr E, we're unbeaten since Sam took charge (admittedly against easier teams but it's a big improvement from before), we're good enough to have beaten Boro and City aswell save for excellent keeping/dodgy late defending, and have a game in hand. We're easily better than Boro (played them off the park at their home ground), West Brom are worse than us too, while Pompey and Newcastle are in utterly dire straits and Stoke's lack of quality will counterbalance their tenacity and they'll be in trouble at the end without doubt.

That's five teams who cannot claim to be in a better position than us and some who are arguably in a worse position.

Yes we are in a real fight, yes this window has been disappointing but only the most blinkered pessimist would say we're down.

[Mr. E]

Mr E, we're unbeaten since Sam took charge (admittedly against easier teams but it's a big improvement from before), we're good enough to have beaten Boro and City aswell save for excellent keeping/dodgy late defending, and have a game in hand. We're easily better than Boro (played them off the park at their home ground), West Brom are worse than us too, while Pompey and Newcastle are in utterly dire straits and Stoke's lack of quality will counterbalance their tenacity and they'll be in trouble at the end without doubt.

That's five teams who cannot claim to be in a better position than us and some who are arguably in a worse position.

Yes we are in a real fight, yes this window has been disappointing but only the most blinkered pessimist would say we're down.

...except for the fact that Emerton is out and we are currently in the relegation zone?

If anyone believes Andrews/Grella are good enough for a premiership and that not buying anyone in that position is any any way defensible, they are nuts. Allardyce's main job was to get the right players in, and fact is that didn't happen.

[rebelmswar]

...except for the fact that Emerton is out and we are currently in the relegation zone?

If anyone believes Andrews/Grella are good enough for a premiership and that not buying anyone in that position is any any way defensible, they are nuts. Allardyce's main job was to get the right players in, and fact is that didn't happen.

What a load of crap.

Sam's main priority is to survive in the Premier League. His insistence on keeping Santa Cruz from the get go shows this, he rightly feels that selling your star player in the middle of a relegation scrap (that is the most vicious and close it has been for years) is idiotic, excpecially if he has to play roulette with unknown players at inflated prices. The fact that his predecessor squandered money on tat is not his fault nor is the position in the league.

The fact that he has no money to spend is well known so he bought a player he knows well and brought in a player on loan.

Do you not notice the trend that no manager at Rovers will be given a large wad of cash and told "Have at it"

So if his job was to "get the right players" he was doomed to failure from the get go.

[tony gale's mic]

...except for the fact that Emerton is out and we are currently in the relegation zone?

If anyone believes Andrews/Grella are good enough for a premiership and that not buying anyone in that position is any any way defensible, they are nuts. Allardyce's main job was to get the right players in, and fact is that didn't happen.

Dunn is, and although he's injury prone I haven't read anything to suggest he's injured currently. And Grella has had some good games and some not so good games, but he has looked good enough (and was good enough for Serie A) and is just coming back from injury. So yeah, Dunn and Grella is good enough to stay up for me, and while Andrews isn't very good he can at least do half a job in the odd game. I think Givet can slot in at LB if needed too if we wish to take the option of shifting Warnock up to CM for a game or too. Then there's Tugay, Vogel...

Admittedly not great options but are you saying Stoke, West Brom and Boro have considerably better centre mids than us? Then there's the strikers, of which we have three good options, a defence which has more often than not kept a clean sheet since Sam arrived...

I agree we should have bought in a centre mid this transfer window but your consistent overreactions are rather tiresome. We are in a real fight but to say we're already down is absolutely ridiculous.

[joey_big_nose]

...except for the fact that Emerton is out and we are currently in the relegation zone?

If anyone believes Andrews/Grella are good enough for a premiership and that not buying anyone in that position is any any way defensible, they are nuts. Allardyce's main job was to get the right players in, and fact is that didn't happen.

Grella is good enough. He looks a very competant player who ties the entire midfield together. A big improvement on anyone else we have had in that position in a long time. Problem is that he gets injured....

Andrews should be on the bench. I absolutely agree we should have bought at least one central player.

At present we are ransomed to Grella's and Dunn's fitness and Tugays legs. It is absolutely possible that Dunn and Grella could get injured adain and then we are screwed. In that case Sam will need to start moving players around (Warnock to midfield for example) and perhas shift to a 442/433 and use Carlos. Worrying stuff.

THe saving grace is that Sam does know his stuff, and we do have an exceptional set of strikers and a decent defence.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Dunn is, and although he's injury prone I haven't read anything to suggest he's injured currently. And Grella has had some good games and some not so good games, but he has looked good enough (and was good enough for Serie A) and is just coming back from injury. So yeah, Dunn and Grella is good enough to stay up for me, and while Andrews isn't very good he can at least do half a job in the odd game. I think Givet can slot in at LB if needed too if we wish to take the option of shifting Warnock up to CM for a game or too. Then there's Tugay, Vogel...

Admittedly not great options but are you saying Stoke, West Brom and Boro have considerably better centre mids than us? Then there's the strikers, of which we have three good options, a defence which has more often than not kept a clean sheet since Sam arrived...

I agree we should have bought in a centre mid this transfer window but your consistent overreactions are rather tiresome. We are in a real fight but to say we're already down is absolutely ridiculous.

Agree with all this - but I think that you miss the most important thing - the ball usually goes over the head of the midfield players - so what does it matter

[broadsword]

Grella is good enough.

Never bloody fit, and is he up to the pace?

I don't know what scraping and scrimping by is meant to achieve?

I'm not advocating financial lunacy but if you stick your finger in the relegation flame enough times you'll get hurt.

[JAL]

...except for the fact that Emerton is out and we are currently in the relegation zone?

If anyone believes Andrews/Grella are good enough for a premiership and that not buying anyone in that position is any any way defensible, they are nuts. Allardyce's main job was to get the right players in, and fact is that didn't happen.

YES it is a very very high risk strategy that Rovers have gone with in trying to avoid relegation this season.

Injury prone Grella with third division Keith Andrews to suport Roque Santa Cruz and co. is a bizarre combination of players to ride the season out.

[Kelbo]

Grella is good enough!!

That is a fact, when he has played with Dunny, he has been class, great ball retention, available and can pick a pass too.

Dunny, Tugay and Grella are top players, if we can keep them playing we will be fine, we now have a wide man in Spit, who if he plays to his abilities for £2,000,000 could be the signing of the window!!

Now, just a word about Bullard, I am sure that previous managers were told, no big money for players over a certain age!!

That is how I understand the problem!!

The other fact is this, we are playing decent stuff when we are ibn the ascendency, but, correct me if wrong, football is about defending and attacking, stopping and scoring goals, now we are defendin OK, but not scoring, despite having Roque, Benni and Roberts, so tha was addressed with a wide player who can play a ball into the box along with a defender of quality who can play along the back four!!

As for signing midfielders, there simply arent any good ones available at this time of the year, again thats a fact.

[LeChuck]

We need to play a diamond formation in midfield now.

Grella

Andrews Dunn

Villanueva or McCarthy

Too unsuited to the Premiership, too unlike Rovers, too unlike Allardyce, too risky in our current situation. Diouf hasn't been signing for a midfield diamond either, he is going to play wide on one side or the other. My guess would be...

Ooijer Samba Nelsen Givet

Diouf Grella Warnock Pedersen

Roque McCarthy

That's assuming Dunn continues to be injured, he'll be in there somewhere when/if match fit. Diouf isn't a natural in a midfield four but he's easily the best we have, and as Ooijer never ventures forward then we don't have to worry too much about the defensive side of his game, especially as the other three are strong defensively.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some form of 4-3-3 either, perhaps with McCarthy playing to the left as he (kind of) did in the second half against Bolton.

[LeChuck]

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Dalla Bona released by Napoli

He could provide an extra body in midfield with Emerton out, and as he's been released he could be signed outside of the window. I didn't realise he's still only 27, he always looked decent for Chelsea and seems to have played a lot of games for good Italian clubs since then.

It wouldn't surprise me if Sam is looking at him...I can't remember whether he ever played on the right or not though.

[John]

Stephen Appiah: Reports say that scouts from at least three English teams will watch game

Wonder if we are interested? Would he be fit enough to make an immediate impact though...

[Eddie]

He's been in serious training for a month, so he's probably still a bit off being able to start and finish games, but he'd probably be able to do that before the end of the season. Quality player, I just can't see why we wouldn't take a look at him.

[Mozzer]

i heard he wants alot of money-maybe this is affecting some clubs in going for him..

[LeChuck]

Do we really need another holding midfielder though? We need a more of a box-to-box/forward running player who can replace Dunn when he's not available.

I think Dalla Bona would be more what we need, and his wages would be considerably lower. I don't think he's had injury problems either.

[philipl]

From my information at Spurs, Appiah is still some way short of being ok but they will take him when he is.

Sam Dalla Bona not going to West Ham. I always thought he was a decent player at Chelsea.

Brett's injury chopped the Axe's move to Blades

[USABlue]

Don't know if this is elsewhere but maybe one Sam can add to his shopping list, or wish list more like. Wait maybe fantasy team would be closer.

Decent PLayer

[philipl]

Appiah has not been signed by Spurs and is now training with Kazan Rubin.

Spurs were not interested when the agent would not moderate the £60k a week wage demands.