[Archived] Sam's January Targets

[unluckymorton]

A fully fit Steven Reid could be like a new signing.

Reidy has got to take N'Zonzi's place at West Ham and give the young lad a well earned break

I agree. N'Zonzi's work rate has been excellent but it's time for a break with Reid the ideal stand in.

[Guest Kamy100]

I hope that the rumours about Topal are true. I think that he would fit in really well at Rovers, excellent defensive midfielder, it would mean that he and N'Zonzi could be rotated. I suspect that if he is available then there are likely to be quite a few clubs interested in him.

[Bobby G]

Topal isnt cheap and he is a CLASS player. Incomparable to what we have on our books.

There is another guy I think called Topuz who is also rated highly in Turkey. He is a Fener midfielder.

[The Rover of Finland]

Topal isnt cheap and he is a CLASS player. Incomparable to what we have on our books.

There is another guy I think called Topuz who is also rated highly in Turkey. He is a Fener midfielder.

Tugay, make the call! Topal would be a starter, no doubt. Probably just a rumour but maybe BS wants to get rid of Grella or Andrews. Both would be nice. Solid DM would strength Rovers defence much.

[G Somerset Rover]

Benjani was Mr WTF...good guessing from those who got it.

The good news is he won't be coming. He is likely to go to West Ham.

Pheeeeeeew.

Benjani and Roberts up front together would be a bit too much for my ticker to take. The crowd would be extremely susceptible to injury too with those 'hotshots' in the line up.

[Hughesy]

Our current midfielders - Hoilett, Pedersen, Diouf, Emerton, Reid, Grella, Dunn, NZonzi, Basturk, Liganzi, even Salgado

No room for Andrews....there are now 11 players who could play in midfield ahead of him!

[Jackson]

Benjani was Mr WTF...good guessing from those who got it.

The good news is he won't be coming. He is likely to go to West Ham.

Well TFFT.

[Eddie]

Where did the Topal links come from?

[Jackson]

Topal or Ibricic, I'll be delighted, and the window can close as far as I'm concerned.

[Silencio]

People need to stop thinking about "attacking midfielders" and "defensive midfielders" all the time. Although there are some players who fit into that category, it is something that has come from people who play championship manager.

In a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 you are looking for 2 midfielders who work in tandem. N'zonzi is a good player and Topal is a good player, no reason they could not play together in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 as long as there is good movement on both wings.

If the board were willing to invest in Adam Johnson perhaps we will push the boat out for Topal.

Still not sure what we are going to do with Basturk but Topal, N'zonzi, Dunn and Pedersen look like a decent set of midfielders to choose from. That just leaves us with having to shift Grella, Andrews and possibly Reid.

[G Somerset Rover]

Where did the Topal links come from?

Courtesy of Smoss below:

Signing Linganzi on Thursday, supposedly. And we might be looking at Mehmet Topal (excellent) or Beattie (not so excellent).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1246480/Blackburn-Rovers-clinch-Yildiray-Basturk-Stuttgart-recommendation-fan-favourite-Tugay.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Topal

[alexanders]

One thing that makes me optimistic about this Topal signing is that Daily Mail was the first paper to break the story. They were also the first to break the story about Bastürk who ended up with us a week later.

Daily Mail also reporting that we are due to sign Linganzi today.

I also think there is a good resale value on turkish players because they have a good reputation in Germany and Spain and very often end their careers in Besiktas, Fenerbache or Galatasaray who has a decent amount of money.

[budha]

forget it

[Hughesy]

If the board were willing to invest in Adam Johnson perhaps we will push the boat out for Topal.

Big difference though....Adam Johnson would have 1 key difference, he would fit into the quota of 'Home grown' that we need.

[ewoodpo]

They have just announced on Talksport we have started negotiations with Man City for Benjani.

Any truth in that Nicko ?

[Silencio]

Big difference though....Adam Johnson would have 1 key difference, he would fit into the quota of 'Home grown' that we need.

Perhaps your right. How many homegrown players do we need again? In a squad size of what?

[budha]

They have just announced on Talksport we have started negotiations with Man City for Benjani.

Any truth in that Nicko ?

Go back a page.

Everton was reportedly quoted £10M-£12M for Topal in the summer 2008, so unless his situation has dramatically changed - contract ends? - he's waaaaaay out of our league.

[RoyRover]

Yeah, I'd have Memhet Topal. I would think that a player of his quality would be out of league though in terms of his cost.

[ewoodpo]

Go back a page.

Everton was reportedly quoted £10M-£12M for Topal in the summer 2008, so unless his situation has dramatically changed - contract ends? - he's waaaaaay out of our league.

Ahh thanks for that, Hopefully he will end up with somebody else. One season wonder with Portsmouth.

[Guest Kamy100]

Perhaps your right. How many homegrown players do we need again? In a squad size of what?

We need to have 8 homegrown players in a squad of 25.

At the moment we have Dunn, Robinson, Hoillett, Jones, Ollson(sp) and Brown. There are other that could be used from the youth team but probably not ready at the moment, loan players like Judge and Bunn would also come into the equation.

[Majiball]

Don't forget Roberts & Reid.

Where is this Topal link?? Everyones going on about it yet I can't find it anywhere on newsnow?

Funnily enough his idol is patrick Veira so guess he wants to play alongside the new Veira, wink.

[joey_big_nose]

We need to have 8 homegrown players in a squad of 25.

At the moment we have Dunn, Robinson, Hoillett, Jones, Ollson(sp) and Brown. There are other that could be used from the youth team but probably not ready at the moment, loan players like Judge and Bunn would also come into the equation.

I imaine if Reid stays fit that will be one more. Andrews and Roberts should be on the way out, so we need to buy one and get Hoilett to stay somehow.

If we bought Di Santo permanent would that count?

[budha]

Where is this Topal link?? Everyones going on about it yet I can't find it anywhere on newsnow?

Hidden in the Mail's Basturk -story:

Blackburn are also interested in Galatasaray midfielder Mehmet Topal and Stoke striker James Beattie. They will sign trialist Amine Linganzi from St Etienne on Thursday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1246480/Blackburn-Rovers-clinch-Yildiray-Basturk-Stuttgart-recommendation-fan-favourite-Tugay.html

[The Rover of Finland]

I imaine if Reid stays fit that will be one more. Andrews and Roberts should be on the way out, so we need to buy one and get Hoilett to stay somehow.

If we bought Di Santo permanent would that count?

Nicko, any idea how much Franco´s move would cost us? At the moment he is not shining but he was allright earlier.

[joey_big_nose]

The way things are shaping up it looks like Grella, Andrews, Diouf, ROberts and Salgado all bring very little to the club. All must be serious candidates for sale. Plus Benni is gone and Pedersen could be on his way.

We need, at a minimum, to bring in two strikers (probs one experienced, one younger), a very good winger, a very good central midfielder, and a left back over the next two windows. At least one of those players needs to be home grown. Revolving door time.

It looks like Ibricic could be the winger, and Topal the CM (at least we can hope). Still amazed we have not been linked to any left backs (apart from Belhadj). Strikerwise it looks very sticky at the moment. Only strong link is with Beattie (who is very average). If Kalinic gets injured we will suddenly look extremely vulnerable.

I think one of the strikers we bring in should be a young British guy, along with the left back if possible (Bale?).