[Archived] Other Pl Happenings 2009/10

[tcj_jones]

Benitez bleats on about having insufficient resources and then spashes £15m + on a right back? I wonder what he'd have to say about managing OUR resources!

[bob fleming]

And they also admitted they may struggle to sign Villa. Why!?

I've no idea Hughesy. It's not even as though they've spent much recently.

[modes98]

TCJ, as I said last night the £17m fee includes writing off £7m debt still owed for the transfer of Crouch. So they only have to find £10m.

Real would have the best strike force in the world with Villa as well. I hope they can get him and then get a few good defenders in to give Barca a real challenge next season.

[Hughesy]

Its still a £17m deal though - regardless of what they are wiping off.

Benitez is a joke - he will moan next summer how United spent more again (Despite the fact they sold their best player for £80m).

Liverpool need a top striker to play alongside Torres, and a class winger before they win the league.

Seems to be alot of early activity this time around - should be a busy summer!

[Blue blood]

I doubt Young would swap Villa's position for Spurs, or that MON would be willing to sell either. Regardless Bentley at 7m is a good piece of business. He may be a plank but get him playing rm on a regular basis and his value will rocket past that.

As for the Johnson Liverpool link, even with writing off the Crouch debt, 10m is still a lot for a right back, and if Rafa's to be believed about having "limited" resources, 10m on a right back is a hefty dent in his transfer budget.

[The Prof.]

Liverpool have agreed a £17m fee for Johnson according to BBC NEWS/ Liverpool Echo & Pompey News

Where the heck have they got £17m quid? Methinks either Alonso, Torres or more likely Mascherano (all three?)) are off!

[tcj_jones]

TCJ, as I said last night the £17m fee includes writing off £7m debt still owed for the transfer of Crouch. So they only have to find £10m.

Cheers for that Modes. Still though, it's a £17m deal at the end of the day. They were still due that £7m.

I won't argue that Liverpool could do with a top right back, but they still held one of the best defensive records in the league last season and the two seasons before that. What was clearly the biggest weakness in the side was their attack. When Torres was injured, they didn't score enough goals. After that, left wing looks the next weakest position.

With a top left winger and striker, I'd back Liverpool to win the league next season. But they won't sign both, or even one for that matter.

[Hughesy]

Im suprised Villa want Bentley - he doesnt seem to fit their fast attacking style of play.

They also have Milner on the wing - so why would they want Bentley?

[DeadlyDirk]

Its still a £17m deal though - regardless of what they are wiping off.

Benitez is a joke - he will moan next summer how United spent more again (Despite the fact they sold their best player for £80m).

Liverpool need a top striker to play alongside Torres, and a class winger before they win the league.

Seems to be alot of early activity this time around - should be a busy summer!

Especially considering half of the managers and players are either on holiday or international duty, could be a lot of deals happening quickly in a month or so when pre season kicks off.

[Hughesy]

Think clubs are trying to get deals done quickly, before City get involved or United start throwing money around.

[joey_big_nose]

Benitez bleats on about having insufficient resources and then spashes £15m + on a right back? I wonder what he'd have to say about managing OUR resources!

Yup. I read some bizarre article where he claimed ot have spent far less than the other top four teams. Thats mental! How much have Torres, Masch, Babel, Kuyt, Reira, Dossena, Alonso, Aggar, Benayoun, Arboloa etc all cost? Loads! And the only player they have recouped significantly on is Keane. And in effect that was actuallya 6m loss in six months!

Its one of the most bizarre lies ever....

[modes98]

Cheers for that Modes. Still though, it's a £17m deal at the end of the day. They were still due that £7m.

You will probably find they haven't factored it in to this summers transfer budget, so they will be short in January or the Summer.

Arbeloa is off to Real Madrid for around £8m, so they actually only have to find £2m of the fee.

They can't be that hard up as Alonso has been deemed not for sale. Mind you if Real can put together a large deal then I doubt they would turn it down.

[tcj_jones]

How much was Babel again? £10 - £13m? I'm amazed that he has the nerve to complain about lacking finances after spending that kinda money on Babel!

Modes: I see where you're coming from, makes a little more sense now. Still, I saw the Arbeloa story on SS today, and I'm not sure if there's any truth in that. They already have one of the world's best right backs in Sergio Ramos. I'm not sure why they'd spend so much on a sub.

[joey_big_nose]

Im suprised Villa want Bentley - he doesnt seem to fit their fast attacking style of play.

They also have Milner on the wing - so why would they want Bentley?

I think maybe O'Neill is going down the Ferguson route of buying lots of players who are clearly quality and seeing how you fit them together.

---------------Carew

---Young----Bentley-----Milner

---------Petrov-----Sidwell

Shorey---Davis---Cuellar--Young

---------------Friedal

Pretty good team.... O'Neill is probably the guy to get the best out of Bentley. I thing our Dave could excel in the "in the hole" role with pace around him. Great shot from distance, good technique on the ball, eye for a pass. He also would give them somethign different to the counter attack which frankly they need.

[tcj_jones]

I'm not sure he'd leave Agbonlahor out, Joey. He's one of their top players and MON loves him.

As you say though, a very strong team there. People should remember that Bentley is also quite adept at playing something of a free role behind the strikers.

[Hughesy]

No Agbonlahor?!? Mistake surely.

It makes sense to play Bentley wide to supply Carew with Crosses.

[JAL]

I think maybe O'Neill is going down the Ferguson route of buying lots of players who are clearly quality and seeing how you fit them together.

---------------Carew

---Young----Bentley-----Milner

---------Petrov-----Sidwell

Shorey---Davis---Cuellar--Young

---------------Friedal

Pretty good team.... O'Neill is probably the guy to get the best out of Bentley. I thing our Dave could excel in the "in the hole" role with pace around him. Great shot from distance, good technique on the ball, eye for a pass. He also would give them somethign different to the counter attack which frankly they need.

The whole of that back four is definitely NOT top drawer material. Mediocre to say the least, Brads got alot of work to do with that bunch in front of him.

[modes98]

They already have one of the world's best right backs in Sergio Ramos.

They may want to move him to CB, although I wouldn't agree with that, but they are the experts. They would be better off buying a world class centre back.

[joey_big_nose]

The whole of that back four is definitely NOT top drawer material. Mediocre to say the least, Brads got alot of work to do with that bunch in front of him.

Fair point. Cuellar had a poor season last year but he is clearly a very good player. I think he will improve. I like Davis. The full backs are weak, but then they do have Bouma coming back.

I think they will be top eight again unless some really wacky stuff happens in the transfer market.

Hughsey - Bentley has a great cross, true. But I think if they got him the main place you would play him is the midde because Milner, Young and Ablaghor go past people. I've gone off Gabbi a bit, seems like he makes a lot of really poor decisions on the ball....

[tcj_jones]

They may want to move him to CB, although I wouldn't agree with that, but they are the experts. They would be better off buying a world class centre back.

Wow, that really would be a poor decision. I agree with you, they need a world class centre back to match the kind of players they have in attack. Arbeloa would be a strange buy.

[G Somerset Rover]

Sorry if it's been mentioned elsewhere but West Ham look close to capturing Mancini and Luis Jimenez on season long loan's with a view to buy. I can't believe they may pull this off.

Mancini is an awesome player.

Hammers Deals

Edit: according to this link it's a done deal.

[Hughesy]

Luis Jimenez denied he would be leaving yesterday....

[JC4LAB]

A bit disturbing that other clubs are off the mark wheeling and dealing and we are still static. Looks like.Fulham West Ham & even Bolton are going to beat us to all the bargains..

[Hughesy]

Static? 3 signings (Elrio, Givet & young keeper), several on their way out (RSC, Derbs, Zurab), loan set up (Di Franco).

Id say we have probably been the most active so far!!

[tcj_jones]

Got to agree with Hughesy, if anything we look very dynamic in the market this year!

We've released Mokoena, are on the brink of selling both Zurab and Derbyshire for good fees, while RSC looks set to move nice and early in the window and for a fee very close to that quoted in January. In the mean time, we have moved for Givet and this Elrio guy, secured a first option deal for Di Santo and have been heavily linked Rothen.

The contrast to last season when we all hoped and prayed for months for a new right winger and didn't get him is quite astounding. For one, he came in and within weeks of taking the job had signed Diouf to fill the gap left by Bentley.