[Archived] Sam's January Targets

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I never saw any comments that suggested this, where did you? I hope it's true!

I am sure I heard him say it on an interview on Radio Lancs. Can anyone verify ?

[den]

He signed a new contract. I've never read anything about it being appearance based. I would be amazed if he had.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Nobody else hear it ? he said how he had offers from abroad, but in the end his family were settled at school etc. Only one place to be blah blah blah. I could have sworn he said that there was an appearance based element to the contract - though I was only half listening. Wouldn't be surprised - a fully fit Dunny would be one of our top earners - but even he must be realistic that clubs (especially Rovers) can't afford to pay top dollar for players in the treatment room. A fairly high basic - but even higher appearance based contract would make sense.

[dopper69]

I was sceptical about him Gord, but like Waggy, I was very impressed with him, especially at White Hart Lane. He looked quick and could hit a ball. Which is a combination that none of our strikers has demonstrated yet.

Beckford reminds me of that forward Birmingham brought on the back of a decent cup run - DJ Campell?

[MarkBRFC71]

Both Moses and Beckford are simply not rated Mark.

He's not PL material anyway.

Moses...not really a striker, more of a right winger. I'm not sure who's responsible for over-hyping this lad, but he's a long way from being a regular Premier League player. Might come good in the future but he is a gamble.

Roberto Martinez signed Moses, and rumours have it that Beckford has signed a pre-contract with Everton - I think Martinez and Moyes might just know more about a player than you two.

The fact Beckford's played against two of the better Premiership defences this season and got 3 goals against them says to me he's got something. That's three goals more than any of our strikers have against them.

As for Moses, wasn't Niko a gamble? That's the kind of player we should be looking at, scouting properly and moving for - let's not kid ourselves, if he's good enough for Wigan, he's good enough for us. If we are going to spend money I would rather it be on either of those two than has beens like Benjani and Beattie.

[John]

Bit of an over-reaction here on our lack of dealings. We have enough up-front not to get relegated. You could even argue, that if we are desperate and have to play Samba, he is probably our best option out of our current strike force!

Plus, there were plenty other Premier League clubs who have much more money than us, who failed to bring any new players in.

[LeChuck]

Roberto Martinez signed Moses, and rumours have it that Beckford has signed a pre-contract with Everton - I think Martinez and Moyes might just know more about a player than you two.

The fact Beckford's played against two of the better Premiership defences this season and got 3 goals against them says to me he's got something. That's three goals more than any of our strikers have against them.

As for Moses, wasn't Niko a gamble? That's the kind of player we should be looking at, scouting properly and moving for - let's not kid ourselves, if he's good enough for Wigan, he's good enough for us. If we are going to spend money I would rather it be on either of those two than has beens like Benjani and Beattie.

Rumours about Beckford...please don't use rumours to support your argument. It's illegal to sign a pre-contract now anyway.

Martinez bought Jason Scotland. No other Premier League manager was prepared to buy Moses...why do you think that might be?

[den]

We have enough up-front not to get relegated.

You could even argue, that if we are desperate and have to play Samba, he is probably our best option out of our current strike force!

Plus, there were plenty other Premier League clubs who have much more money than us, who failed to bring any new players in.

Well we're in February and the lads up front have contributed 5 goals between them. Di Santo doesn't look like he'll ever score again, while we all know about Jason's finishing prowess. Niko's got a lot on his shoulders.

You could argue that John, but only a fool would wish to watch Samba up front after the embarrassing stint he played up there a couple of seasons ago. Nor did it work, either for him, or for us.

Wigan did. Man City did. Sunderland did. Spurs brought three in. Don't think anyone else was looking.

There's no other way of looking at the last window other than very poor.

[mellison24]

Well we're in February and the lads up front have contributed 5 goals between them. Di Santo doesn't look like he'll ever score again, while we all know about Jason's finishing prowess. Niko's got a lot on his shoulders.

You could argue that John, but only a fool would wish to watch Samba up front after the embarrassing stint he played up there a couple of seasons ago.

Wigan did. Man City did. Sunderland did. Spurs brought three in. Don't think anyone else was looking.

There's no other way of looking at the last window other than very poor.

Yes there is:

We got rid of an ageing bad egg for 2million (plus wages saved).

Brought in Basturk (who will be great according to history).

Brought in Linganzi; a young player with plenty of potential; spotted by the same scouts who brought us NZonzi.

On top of this, we are on a good run (which somepeople seem to WANT to end asap).

Virtually NO team in the PL has made any significant change to their squad. Perhaps not 'successful' as such, but we've had a MORE successful window than most of our PL rivals. THAT is what matters.

[den]

Brought in Basturk (who will be great according to history).

Brought in Linganzi; a young player with plenty of potential; spotted by the same scouts who brought us NZonzi.

On top of this, we are on a good run (which somepeople seem to WANT to end asap).

Your knowledge of football goes unsurpassed Mellison.

[mellison24]

Your knowledge of football goes unsurpassed Mellison.

Have you no sense of optimism whatsoever? I like how you conveniently ignored my main point about McCarthy

[John]

You could argue that John, but only a fool would wish to watch Samba up front after the embarrassing stint he played up there a couple of seasons ago. Nor did it work, either for him, or for us.

Wigan did. Man City did. Sunderland did. Spurs brought three in. Don't think anyone else was looking.

There's no other way of looking at the last window other than very poor.

I would say Samba played a major factor is helping us stay up last season. His contribution when playing as a striker was immense, so would not say it did not work, because it clearly did! Obviously not an ideal situation though.

You cite other clubs, but Birmingham for example, were trying for plenty of players (strikers in particular) but had no luck either.

[ada2020]

Roberto Martinez signed Moses, and rumours have it that Beckford has signed a pre-contract with Everton - I think Martinez and Moyes might just know more about a player than you two.

The fact Beckford's played against two of the better Premiership defences this season and got 3 goals against them says to me he's got something. That's three goals more than any of our strikers have against them.

As for Moses, wasn't Niko a gamble? That's the kind of player we should be looking at, scouting properly and moving for - let's not kid ourselves, if he's good enough for Wigan, he's good enough for us. If we are going to spend money I would rather it be on either of those two than has beens like Benjani and Beattie.

And 18 other premier league managers didnt even bother to pick up the phone, what does that say about the calibur of those two players.

The scouting is working properly, we have signed numerous young players in the last year. It seems to me you want to spend money for the sake of spending it.

Well we're in February and the lads up front have contributed 5 goals between them. Di Santo doesn't look like he'll ever score again, while we all know about Jason's finishing prowess. Niko's got a lot on his shoulders.

You could argue that John, but only a fool would wish to watch Samba up front after the embarrassing stint he played up there a couple of seasons ago. Nor did it work, either for him, or for us.

Wigan did. Man City did. Sunderland did. Spurs brought three in. Don't think anyone else was looking.

There's no other way of looking at the last window other than very poor.

Samba's stint was last season and it wasn't to bad seeing as we are still in the premiership, needs be.

Wigan bought a young player with potential, doubt he will be the impact player they need to move away from the relegation zone, as for Spuds, city and Sunderland, they have cash to burn as usual.

I could understand all of your complaints if we had the chance to sign a REAL top class center forward, but all that was on offer (other than Robbie Keane, which we had no chance of getting) was utter dross and no better than what we have now.

[den]

I could understand all of your complaints if we had the chance to sign a REAL top class center forward, but all that was on offer (other than Robbie Keane, which we had no chance of getting) was utter dross and no better than what we have now.

I really don't know how you guys have the knowledge of the world transfer market.

[mellison24]

I really don't know how you guys have the knowledge of the world transfer market.

And you do, don't you den? You know everything about football and are above us mere muggles

[den]

I would say Samba played a major factor is helping us stay up last season. His contribution when playing as a striker was immense, so would not say it did not work, because it clearly did!

Samba at centre forward was immense? You would be happy to watch that again?

Gobsmacked John. Gobsmacked.

[mellison24]

Samba at centre forward was immense? You would be happy to watch that again?

Gobsmacked John. Gobsmacked.

It led to 3pts vs Tottenham

[American]

Such a lot of heat being generated by so little fire.

The only players available in any January window are either useless has-beens, total non-performers or bad eggs. Meaningful purchases only happen in close season when the balance and makeup of the squad can be properly assessed. IMO only the desperate buy so called big name players in January, if they were that good then they wouldn't be for sale would they, if the purchasing club weren't desperate they would be stumping up the cash - which for every non top 6 club is at critical levels. These are survival purchases - a Hail Mary.

Thank God Sam didn't have this perspective last season when he bought Givet.

Wenger must be kicking himself for getting suckered into buying that total non-performer Arshavin.

We could go back a season from that when Anelka, Cahill, Hangelend, Defoe, among other bad eggs, moved.

2007? Desperate buys included Carew, Ashley Young, Dunn, Warnock, Samba, Dempsey and Upson.

[den]

And you do, don't you den? You know everything about football and are above us mere muggles

I'm not claiming to know who was available and who wasn't. Did you?

[John]

Samba at centre forward was immense? You would be happy to watch that again?

Gobsmacked John. Gobsmacked.

On Samba, I was making the point that if we were desperate he could do more than an adequate job there, as proved last season.

I am not advocating we play him up-front next match, but we have enough with our current strike force not to get relegated (going back to stating my initial point).

As JW said, we are struggling to compete financially in the Premier League these days, so you need to take that into account too when questioning our recruitment policy.

[mellison24]

I'm not claiming to know who was available and who wasn't. Did you?

No, I didn't. I just said I'm happy with what we have done this window and can't see any reason to be despondent. Yet you seem to think we had a poor window and I can't understand why. Your explanation seemed to revolve around using samba......when we have 3 strikers for one position. I don't really get you, that's all.

[Tom]

It led to 3pts vs Tottenham

As did Benni playing vs Fulham this season

[mellison24]

As did Benni playing vs Fulham this season

Touche haha. but Benni's a prat and Samba ain't (until he engineers his move away of course! )

[Inta Beaver]

I would of taken Mido, it's reported that he is on £1000 a week! If that's true I respect him for wanting to play football for the game and not the money, good luck to the lad. He is already a millionaire anyway but fair play!

[Tom]

Touche haha. but Benni's a prat and Samba ain't (until he engineers his move away of course! )

I wouldn't discount that happening either to be honest, in fact I'm expecting him to state his desire to move onto bigger things soon