I don't suppose I will change those fans and critics of Fletcher, that have made up their minds already, that he is a good fit for us but ponder on these stats and keep an open mind. Some players we have all had fantasies over and their form over 4 or 5 years. Llorente. Age 27. Value £30m plus? Would he actually come here? I doubt it. 30, 18, 23, 19, 30 in last 5 years. He is destined for a top team imo. Hulk. Age 26. Value £50m.21, 36, 10, 9. Carroll. Age 23. Value £22m. 9, 2, 3, 1 in top flight. Kone. Age 28. Value ?.17, 0, 6, 3, 8. Balde. Value?. 7, 6, 3, 8. Doumbia. Age 22.14 goals in 71 games Yilmaz. Age 27. Value? 34, 20, 3, 2. RVW. Age 23. Value?. 23, 12, 8, 0 Gouffran. Age 26. Value ?.16 goals in 121 Fletcher. Age 25. Value £10-12m.12, 12, 12, (11, 14 for Hearts) If we were chasing some of above, for £10, 12, or more million, would we be happier? Because its Scotland international Fletcher, who apart from the excellent Llorente here isn't embarrassed at all in this company, we are under-whelmed? Makes you think a bit?
You have the wrong Doumbia amigo. Seydou Doumbia, age 24, has 109 goals in 178 games. That is a stunning strike rate, this is in the highly competitive J-League, the low scoring Swiss league & currently in the Russian League, a highly competitive & mega rich league. He'd be my dream signing for us up top.
My apologies my friend. However, I'm not that impressed by those leagues. Had they been top leagues I would be happier. I prefer British, Irish players who have played the EPL personally, hence my ignorance about this lad. However, my feelings are the same. With the obvious exception of Llorente, who we couldn't get anyway.
Jesus, you like to get your point across Cest don't ya ! I'd be happy with Fletcher and I reckon he will be signed up by the weekend, but I'd also like another striker, a fox in the box type, Defoe perhaps ?
Can't get a decent bite nowadays Joe! I remember the days of smuginantibes, we used to get a six pack and a pizza and settle down for a night of heated debate. I think the posters nowadays know I'm only joking. Or am I????
How can you say you aren't impressed my the standard of those leagues, and then include league and FA cup goals (probably against lower division opposition) in your stats for Fletcher?
Stats are great. RVW when he got 0 goals, he was still a junior and he only had 1 game for Vitesse, but has had 25 appearances and scored 14 goals in the last 2 years in Europe (you totally didnt put any stats for last season for him either) 46 games 25 goals. Yilmaz didnt do much at all previous to 2 years ago I agree but he got nearly a goal a game last year in the league, 34 games 33 goals. Do I want these 2, **** knows, I dont know much about either tbh, apart from the stats, but i dont want Fletcher either.
Stats can be made to support all arguments. My main point is that Fletcher, whilst not everyone's first choice, is able to hold his own in some pretty good company. Company that would cost far more to acquire and far more keep.
I'd be happy with Fletcher for the simple reason that he's not likely to **** off at the drop of hat or flash of the readies. People talk about big name signings, but look at our record with them. Flo, Bent, Gyan - all crap or turncoats. I'd rather start building with some solid players and get ourselves established as a club players want to join, rather than the relative no-marks we are at present.
We should model ourselves on Everton. A team of team players not superstars. They are pretty formidable because of that spirit. Fletcher is their kind of player. I reckon if Moyes had £10m, that's where he would be going. He'd be good for us for those same reasons.
We should model ourselves on Everton Wouldn't that be a fine thing? If we could emulate their form, I'd be a happy man
If we spend 12 million on Fletcher we will be emulating them, they spent 11 million on Yakubu, good 1st season, dire for the next 3, but to properly emulate them we will need to spend 20 million on a CM (who has been great for them) and 9 million on a russian flop Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.
12 (1+2 = 3, 3 = Gyan (he should have had 'shift 3' on his back )) so this proves that Fletcher is Gyan's direct replacement, the flying pickets will reform with Fletcher replacing Brian Hibbard in the line up. All this deduced from numerology It's a numbers game.
