Transfer Rumours Targets

Every manager seems to like him, he plays regularly under all our recent ones. Personally I have always liked him, but feel this may be a season to much for him in the PL, if we go down next year Routledge will be a mainstay for us. But if we have ambitions of staying up and actually moving forward so the debacle of the last 2 seasons doesn't happen again then I think his time is done.

 

I just don't understand it. He offers absolutely nothing going forward. He can't beat a man, he can't cross and he can't pass. Yes he has good work rate and tracks back to help the defence, but you don't need to be a professional footballer to do that. It should be a given in today's game.

 

I actually think he's still a decent player, apart from his crossing.
In the Liverpool match I remember him running 30 yards with the ball which relieved quite a bit of pressure off our defence. I think he's judged harshly by a lot on here

 

He's not the only one who is/has been "judged harshly by a lot on here", both players and managers alike.
Judging has become a way of life for them.
Perhaps they have been watching too many episodes of the Judges Judy, and Rinder.

Fortunately, the footballing judges don't have any real say in what actually happens either on, or off, the field of play.

 

Or do others on here just have opinions on players.

 

Congrats to Wayne , our high scoring winger of the season . And a massive thankyou to Laudrup for taking the chance of ditching Sinclair , getting the best out of Routs aqnd building confidence in Routledge that no one else was able . I've always liked the " 3,000,000 pound " signing and I'm sure I always will .The combination of Dyer and Routledge played a big part in creating space for others in our best total point season in the Premier IMO .

 

Laudrup ditched Sinclair? He signed for Man City Roof

 

I was about to say the same thing valley......We could do with Sinclair now imo. He should never have gone to Man city in the first place and neither should have Bony with the latter cant get into the stoke team.....Punters dont talk about him like they use to when he was with us any more......The grass is rarely greener when you go for the money......He looks to be on his way to china what i have read recently for more money...

 

Sinclair was sold to Man City under Laudrup while Sinclair was away playing international football . Routledge was brought in by Rodgers the previous season for 3 million and even though Rodgers did a spectacular job in general he did little with Routledge ,as did owners previous . Laudrup seen something in Routledge and was confident enough to sell Sinclair to Man City for 5 million and a healthy profit . Laudrup started working with Routledge right away while Sinclair was away and built confidence in him and gave the winger position to him to lose ... which he didn't .

 

Bony's career took a nosedive once he left here, but he went for the financial security.
African players have obligations back home the like of which people in the West don't understand.
As a high earner he is expected to provide for his extended family back in Africa.
This can entail provision of food, accommodation, acquisition of businesses, and a whole host of other things.
I know the system very well, having been part of it, albeit on a much smaller scale than the one Bony has to contend with.

 

Regardless. Sinclair wasn't 'ditched'. He left us to join City and chase the money.

 

I think it's good news re the Routledge re-sign he wil have a part to play in the survival campaign

 

http://www.teamtalk.com/news/rumour-mill-liverpool-and-everton-to-battle-for-winger

 

Are these the same 'footballing judges' that demanded Bradley be sacked and the board listened to said 'judges'?

 

Only in your imagination did the board listen to the demands of the judges. That decision was being taken irrespective of the vileness shown towards Bradley by too many on here.

 

What about the 20,000 judges at the Liberty?
Fans have more power than you suggest. They can force managers and owners out when the need arises.

 

I agree Glam, I think he has a big role to play in our survival.

I like Routledge, not been at his best recently but I feel he hasn't had the players around him he needs to do so. Routledge's is best as a link player imo who energises the midfield but needs skilful players around him to get a short intricate passing game going. This relies on close support and runners a la the old days under Rodgers and Laudrup but was eroded under Monks and lost under Guidolin and Bradley.

Routledge has been asked to play more as a winger in recent times and this took away his best attributes while isolating his talents out on the wing where defences fearing his skills doubled up and nullified him. His game thrives when we play narrow and his role is to cuts in and play with a closely knit midfield, but the players he's had around him aren't the quick skilful players he can bounce off.

Maybe that's about to change as on Saturday, Carroll and Olsson looked good together, Siggy always works hard, Fer looked good for 55 minutes; he has to get fitter, and I thought Naughton looked better than he has in recent games. Loriente led the line nicely and linked up well with a supporting, oncoming midfield (at long last).

I'm more than happy Routledge's re-signed because with the right quality around him he's a skilful and effective role player in a dynamic passing oriented game plan, which we need if we want to return to our old ways.

 

If 20,000 fans were to regularly extol the virtues of say, Messi/ Ronaldo/a n other. Would the board feel forced into action ? Will they rush out and purchase them ?

The only real "power" fans have is to vote with their feet, and not attend matches.