Record transfer fee for ac placed!

Fees etc are of no interest to me. That is for the board to worry about.

All I know is he's a cracking player I'd like in our squad. Still don't think it will happen unfortunately.

 

Just hope Ba isn't part of the deal.

 

I also hope that this doesn't involve Ba, or isn't some sort of scramble because something is going on w/Ba.

Also, £16 million plus £80k p.w. is a lot of money. Especially the £80k considering what the other players on the squad are on.

 

Am I alone in thinking I wouldn't actually be overly bothered if Ba was to move on this window? I just have a feeling that Pardew will possibly cave to the pressure from Ba to play up top on too many occasions next year in order to keep him happy.

IMO our great run towards the back end of last season was not only a result of having our strongest 11 available (minus Saylor) but also a change in approach tactically from Pardew, and I don't necessarily mean the switch from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3. I personally sensed for the last 10-12 games of the season we approached games determined to impose our style and quality on the opposition which gave the players more confidence/freedom.

I just think Ba could disrupt team shape by requesting to play as a striker, I also think him and Cisse can sometimes have similar movements off the ball, meaning if we were to go 4-4-2 for the majority of games I would prefer a Carroll and Cisse partnership to a Ba and Cisse combination.

 

That has to be my favourite post ever !

 

Hhhmm, very interesting wee Jimah.

 

edited it...thought it would pull the original quoted post through but it didn't !

 

Doubtful, as we need a striker and Liverpool are after Dempsey and Walcott, on top of this they have just signed Borini.

 

In relation to how much we sold him for you could argue that yes, it is fantastic business. But in relation to how bad he was last season, how strictly speaking he doesn't fit into our style of play, and the fact he always comes with baggage (drinking + fighting) you could say its a **** deal that could be better invested elsewhere on a young, hungry player from another division or indeed two players.

 

I think he'd fit in well with our style of play so I'd disagree there. He doesn't like hoofball and is better suited to a more passing style of play like when with the U21's where him and Wiltshire linked very very well. Slotting back into an improved team would just result in him being more of a goal threat. He'd get more chances and a better quality of chance. And he wouldn't waste as much time trying to make something of nothing balls we used to hit from the back a lot more. We still do it now and he'll always put himself about so he fits perfectly for me.

He did have a poor season for a multitude of reasons (many nothing to do with the actual football), but he showed towards the back end and in the euros he is a fantastic talent. 35m? No not ever and never has been. His nose has been clean for a good while so I'd be unworried about that. the penny seems to have dropped in that regard. You can always find negatives with just about any signing. Look at Ba, his knees were meant to be ****ed and he was meant to be a complete mercenary. Turns out his knees are up to it and bangs goals in for fun. He'll do for me.

The bottom line is all that counts and selling someone for 35m to buy them for 16m a season later, in which time he can only have improved (despite not showing it at all times on the pitch) is as I say fantastic business. I do think we should be able to get him cheaper than that because they have shown their hand like a bunch of amateurs.

In all honestly if I was him I'd head for Italy. They'd love him there, exactly the type of striker they like. They'd improve his technical level no end like they when Ibra went over. Everyone looks at him now and thinks "for a big fella he has a lovely touch" but that was honed in Holland and Italy not Sweden. He was nowhere near that kind of talent technically when he left Sweden. Given his homesickness going to merseyside though, I think he wouldn't fancy it.

 

Oh ffs are people still going on about how he wont fit into our style?

I just hope he comes, scores goals and shuts everyone the **** up.

 

Scoring goals won't shut people up, it'll have them up on their feet cheering him.

 

He'll have to score a few to get me back on side. While I can see how he would be a useful addition with the kind of money that is being talked about, we could do so much more with it!

 

Not sure why he'd have to get anyone onside. He was sold by the club. Indeed in an indirect way he is responsible for some of our progress. It was the money he brought in that continued the rebuilding process. If he signed he should just be treated like any other new signing. Full backing should be a given.

 

I wouldnt be paying over 12m for Carroll... Any more and id feel we are getting ripped off on a player who had a poor season at best last year... 16m could get someone soo much better (could of even possibly got De Jong if we had got in there early enough).

 

If he's wearing the shirt, nothing less than full backing should be given. Forgive and forget.

 

Well I wouldn't want him to do badly or anything like that. I'm just one of the people who thinks him leaving was mainly his fault rather than the club, knowing what he could have done. Playing for his home club, having the chance to be held in the same breath as Shearer, Milburn, etc. And yet he leaves for a higher wage packet, I just felt betrayed. If he came back I'd want him to do well for the good of the team, however as an individual i'm not a fan!

 

It was a combination of both but mainly its down to the club. Once a bid is accepted in professional football very few players stay put, hometown or not. I think he was genuinely torn but he not only left because he was told he was not wanted or to treble his wages (difficult to knock back in any walk of life), he left to go to a bigger club and further career. I think he'd have happily stayed but once you're told you're not wanted you tend to pack up and go.

It hasn't turned out well for him or Liverpool and we make a killing here. The days of holding it against players moving should be long gone. Transfers are part and parcel of football and the days of one club players are just about done. Make no mistake some of the loyal ones we laud like Jonas, Colo etc would have been off to Liverpool or whoever too if they'd had an offer to go to a bigger club and treble their wages. Just modern football.

A fans job is pretty simple these days to me. Ignore speculation, ignore transfers fees, ignore contracts, ignore wages and just support the 11 in black and white on the pitch. Its brutal and its lost some of its romance as fans feel no real connection to players in a community sense anymore but lets be honest, it ain't gonna go back!

 

On the basis of what do we think de Jong is better than Carroll ? De Jong has played very well in a league that is perhaps on a par with the Championship, or perhaps lags some way behind. Maybe he could make the big step up - - maybe he can't.

 

Damn all those ****s who have a different opinion than yours, damn them all to HELL....