[Archived] Transfer Window Part 4

[LeChuck]

Leicester attempt to sign Thierry Henry on loan.

I've been on about this ever since the Ronaldinho story started - Henry is our perfect marquee signing!

[Rover & Out]

LT Story today….

J Jones expected to be unveiled as a signing today after the deal was agreed yesterday. (Just seen – confirmed on official site now)

Kishanishvilli, Brown, Chimbonda & Rigters will all leave when their contracts expire, if not before.

Doran, Morris, Goulon all expected to go out on loan

Diouf available and his agent touting him around…

Samba, Salgado, Roberts (extra 12 mths) & Robbo (lifetime) all in talks over longer deals

If this is true (and hopefully it is) then it would appear our squad is getting a much needed revamp!

Would be nice to see Keith Andrews added to that departing list, we might even make a small profit on him.

[brian_gallagher85]

Leicester attempt to sign Thierry Henry on loan.

I've been on about this ever since the Ronaldinho story started - Henry is our perfect marquee signing!

He's in the Fat Ronaldo Category now...plus he's also a cheating c u next thursday!

[Hughesy]

If this is true (and hopefully it is) then it would appear our squad is getting a much needed revamp!

Would be nice to see Keith Andrews added to that departing list, we might even make a small profit on him.

Just hope Rovers add –

• Grella
  
• Andrews
  
• One of Benjani/ Roberts
  
• One of Emerton/ Dunn
  

To the summer exit plans

[Rover & Out]

Just hope Rovers add –

• Grella
  
• Andrews
  
• One of Benjani/ Roberts
  
• One of Emerton/ Dunn
  

To the summer exit plans

Yeah totally agree with you on them.

I think Grella could have been a good player for us minus the injuries but he'll have to go down as a poor signing.

Hopefully we can recoup as much of his transfer fee as possible but any club would be mad to take him on in my opinion.

[joey_big_nose]

Jermaine Jones needs to prove his fitness, perform on the pitch and sign on a permanent before we even begin talking about letting N'Zonzi go. Player of the year last season, struggling with injuries this term - if he regains his fitness and continues to develop he will become a BIG player for us. £10m and I would sell though, but at the reported £5m I know where I would tell Mr. Burns to go.

Hum. I find it impossible to believe that Wenger would want Nzonzi. Why? Relatively slow, sideways passer, average technique, average tackler. Won player of the year last year but more an endorsement for him coming in and doing well rather than being a particularly impressive player.

5m to be honest seems far more than he is worth. Other side of the coin however is if Wenger is interested then he really must have some potential about him. I would like to see how he does with Kean in charge - although he might struggle to get in now JJ is here...

[Torgeir]

Hum. I find it impossible to believe that Wenger would want Nzonzi. Why? Relatively slow, sideways passer, average technique, average tackler. Won player of the year last year but more an endorsement for him coming in and doing well rather than being a particularly impressive player.

5m to be honest seems far more than he is worth. Other side of the coin however is if Wenger is interested then he really must have some potential about him. I would like to see how he does with Kean in charge - although he might struggle to get in now JJ is here...

I think he has the potential to play a bit more dynamic role than the defensive one he played last season. Yes, he does pass the ball sideways, but with a bit of work on his confidence, as well as some freedom under Kean, I think he can develop into a box to box midfielder who can chip in with a few goals per season. £5m for player of the season really isn't enough. He's still very young and made the setup up from Ligue 2 only last season and made some huge strides in his first season - who's to say that won't continue if he stays fit?

[sleepyjack]

Other side of the coin however is if Wenger is interested then he really must have some potential about him.

This is no comment on Nzonzi's talent, but really? Cygan, Jeffers, Wreh, Vivas, Stepanovs, Lupoli, Inamoto, Malz, Caballero... Wenger's just as bad a judge as anyone, at times.

[alexanders]

I think he has the potential to play a bit more dynamic role than the defensive one he played last season. Yes, he does pass the ball sideways, but with a bit of work on his confidence, as well as some freedom under Kean, I think he can develop into a box to box midfielder who can chip in with a few goals per season. £5m for player of the season really isn't enough. He's still very young and made the setup up from Ligue 2 only last season and made some huge strides in his first season - who's to say that won't continue if he stays fit?

He had 2 last year? Arsenal and Everton. The one against Everton was sublime and worth the 750K we paid alone!

[Hughesy]

Anyone think given the way our squad is shaping up - 3-5-2 could be an option going forward, could it work?

2 wing backs/ wingers in Olsson & Hoilett (yes not the best defensively) - 3 centre backs

But more importantly 3 centre midfielders, 1 defensive (Nzonzi?), 1 battler (Jones) & 1 creative (Adam) - with pace out wide.

[joey_big_nose]

Anyone think given the way our squad is shaping up - 3-5-2 could be an option going forward, could it work?

2 wing backs/ wingers in Olsson & Hoilett (yes not the best defensively) - 3 centre backs

But more importantly 3 centre midfielders, 1 defensive (Nzonzi?), 1 battler (Jones) & 1 creative (Adam) - with pace out wide.

Olsson would make an outstanding wing back, but there is no way Hoilett could play there in my opinion. Too small and too attacking minded. Plus I don't think Pedersen will be dropped. Poor against Chelsea but generally recently he has been very good.

442 is the most likely route I think. To get that sorted we just need Adam, another striker (or one of Kalinic or MB Diouf to start scoring) and a left back. Larsson would be a bonus - but if he came in it would mean Hoilett going out of the team....

[Glenn]

As a Liverpool fan, why select 'Darwen End' as an ID?

To be fair, it is where he'd sit at Ewood. Given Liverpool are one of the few clubs we give the entire DE to, he'd be forgiven for thinking it was only used as an away end.

[MarkBRFC71]

Olsson would make an outstanding wing back, but there is no way Hoilett could play there in my opinion. Too small and too attacking minded. Plus I don't think Pedersen will be dropped. Poor against Chelsea but generally recently he has been very good.

442 is the most likely route I think. To get that sorted we just need Adam, another striker (or one of Kalinic or MB Diouf to start scoring) and a left back. Larsson would be a bonus - but if he came in it would mean Hoilett going out of the team....

If we're playing 4-4-2, have Jones and sign Adam then where does MGP fit in? With those signings surely the first choice midfield has to be Olsson - Jones - Adam - Hoilett ....

[John]

Know we have attempted it very occasionally, but I am not aware of many teams who play 3-5-2 frequently/successfully.

[ultrablue]

Gu Ja Cheol scores his 4th goal in 3 Asian cup games.

Perfect replacement for Dunny at a good price.

[Andy]

In no way has jones proved himself a better defender than Samba, he looks a real prospect but hasn't played that many games at the back and he did make a few errors in those games that he was lucky to het away with.

I think he will become a better player but certainly not yet IMO.

Now I dont think Samba deserves another new contract as such but it wouldn't be good to lose him cheaply.

Completely agree with this.

Jones looks a (potentially) very good player, but he's nowhere near as proven at the top level as Samba is.

For me, it was a great piece of management by Allardyce to put Jones into CM, where he was getting first team experience, learning how to play from a new perspective on the pitch and allowed to make his mistakes (which he made a few of) without any major consequences.

[Majiball]

Hum. I find it impossible to believe that Wenger would want Nzonzi. Why? Relatively slow, sideways passer, average technique, average tackler. Won player of the year last year but more an endorsement for him coming in and doing well rather than being a particularly impressive player.

5m to be honest seems far more than he is worth. Other side of the coin however is if Wenger is interested then he really must have some potential about him. I would like to see how he does with Kean in charge - although he might struggle to get in now JJ is here...

N'zonzi is very good in the air don't forget and Arsenal have no height in there squad at all really.

Nice and simple game that he plays would suit them, win it and give to one of the guys in front/sideways.

Know we have attempted it very occasionally, but I am not aware of many teams who play 3-5-2 frequently/successfully.

Not a fan of this idea at all. The 3 CB's is unusual and would take some getting used to, we'd also suffer on the flanks.

I'd be very happy to see us return back to 442 with lots of wing play as we have always been in the main.

[RibbleValleyRover]

If we're playing 4-4-2, have Jones and sign Adam then where does MGP fit in? With those signings surely the first choice midfield has to be Olsson - Jones - Adam - Hoilett ....

He doesn't fit in. If we can get a creative midfielder alongside Jones then its either back to playing on the wing (surely can't happen with Olsson's recent performances?) or on the bench. As he isn't a central midfielder and I see him playing there as a weakness especially against top teams, it's a prospect i am really looking forward to if it happens.

On the 3-5-2/5-3-2 system I can't see it working long term in this league, you could play it for the odd game to catch another team out tactically but if you play it week in week out the flaws will be exploited. The two wing backs have to be very fit and positionally perfect otherwise in attack there won't be enough support and in defence it could leave holes for pacey wingers to exploit.

[LeChuck]

Anyone think given the way our squad is shaping up - 3-5-2 could be an option going forward, could it work?

I really don't think it will be Kean's preferred formation, and we certainly know it isn't Jensen's.

A pass-and-move game plan will be stifled by that approach as we'd lack natural width.

[booth]

For me, it was a great piece of management by Allardyce to put Jones into CM, where he was getting first team experience, learning how to play from a new perspective on the pitch and allowed to make his mistakes (which he made a few of) without any major consequences.

It's amazing how people see things differently. I thought it was an awful decision to take a player, who was fantastic in central defense but was still learning, and put him in a totally different role. I didn't feel he was particularly effective there compared to CD as well.

I don't think we lost when Jones play CD last season did we? I've forgotten but I can certainly remember us looking far more solid at the back and him looking very comfortable there.

[alexanders]

I've read that both John Faxe Jensen and Michael Laudrup prefers this tactic :

The national team would play a 4-2-3-1 formation, depending on two fast wingers and with the aim to dominate games with a short-passing possession game.

Might set us up like this

Jones - Nzonzi

Hoilett - Dunn - Olsson

Roque

[MarkBRFC]

I don't think we lost when Jones play CD last season did we? I've forgotten but I can certainly remember us looking far more solid at the back and him looking very comfortable there.

We lost to Everton at home, Jones fell over when somebody skipped past him to set up Cahill's winner in the 90th minute.

I'd agree that we looked more solid with Jones at the back though, when he's back from injury i hope we have seen the last of him as a "defensive" midfielder.

[Hughesy]

I agree RE 3-5-2

its just the way we seem to be signing players...and the fact that Olsson & Hoilett seem a preference then its going to get very difficult for some in midfield.

Like if we signed Adam and we have Jones, then where does Dunny, MGP, NZonzi or Emerton fit? on the bench?

[gumboots]

I agree RE 3-5-2

its just the way we seem to be signing players...and the fact that Olsson & Hoilett seem a preference then its going to get very difficult for some in midfield.

Like if we signed Adam and we have Jones, then where does Dunny, MGP, NZonzi or Emerton fit? on the bench?

In the treatment room!

[Mercer]

Nzonzi is one hell of a prospect. Typical Sam find, like gold prospecting, every so often you strike lucky (Linganzi might prove decent, Goulon might prove a dud) - need to see how good Keane is at this.

Not his season so far - as Sam said, a little bit went to his head and then he gets injured.

He has the lot for that role and with age on his side, he represents the future for us.