At least they're aware of the issue - this article gives me hope that we'll do something sooner rather than later. And let's face it - no manager is going to come out and say 'we're going to sign someone in X days' are they? I'm just glad that it's not just us fans who are thinking 'hang on we've only got 1 recognised striker'!
West Ham have admitted defeat in their bid to bring in Andy Carroll - a week after Andy Carroll stated he didn't want to join them...
Just seen this article on AVB's clearance sale. http://www.caughtoffside.com/2012/0...-squad-clear-out-before-the-end-of-the-month/ The article mentions Naughton & Gallas are not wanted- would rather loan out Naughton, not sure about Gallas though.
Naughton should definitely stay. He looks comfortable in both full-back positions, where we desperately needed cover last season.
Mind you PNP the article originates from the Fail so it could all be complete bollocks,but the rest of the names mentioned must go,they've had too many chances and blown them all.
I agree in principle PL, but how do we get rid of them? We might be better off using Bassong as cover and for the cups, if we can't get anyone to actually buy him. He excelled alongside Dawson a couple of seasons ago and he might appreciate having another chance to prove himself under a different manager. If there are no serious offers for him or Gallas, then I'd use them and let Caulker gain another season of first team experience on loan, I think. Hard to see a future for Jenas or Bentley though, especially as Villas-Boas repeatedly played the latter on the left during pre-season, where he's utterly awful. Perhaps Martin Jol would like both as part-exchange for Dempsey?
I don't really see that it's in Naughton's best interests to stay with us. He knows he can get regular football elsewhere, be it back at Norwich, or maybe even to follow Lambert to Villa. He'll not get regular football with us, and I gather AVB is highly impressed with Adam Smith. Naughton would have been sold last season, but the club were asking too much for him. Furthermore, given that he has been dire in his pre-season games, it comes as no surprise he will be allowed to leave.
Another joining the dots article. I'm sure we'd happily sell them if the right offer came in but I think we're on about 24 over age players in our squad at the moment so there's no one that will be totally redundant if they stay. I was a bit underwhelmed seeing Naughton play in preseason but I'd be disappointed if we sold him unless we got a good bid, he seems to be making an effort to integrate himself into the squad. I'd rather Smith got some loan time again.
I'm a bit wary of keeping Bassong, he's been out of the first team picture for too long and I have a feeling that AVB sees him as a LB more than centre half. Think Bentley was played on the left just to have him somewhere on the pitch see if he could do something. We all know happened now- 0!
What ground-breaking journalism! What could have possibly tipped the Mail off to Bentley, Jenas and Bassong not featuring in our long-term plans? Was it the lack of games in the last couple of seasons, or was it the loan spells? It's not the first time Naughton has been linked with a move away, and they seem to believe it's because he was loaned out last season, and ignores the fact that Corluka has been sold so he's moved up the pecking order. It's more surprising they didn;t think Caulker was surplus to requirements based on this. As for Gallas, I was saying months ago that the only reason he'd be staying this season is if Ledders retired. He might get one more season, mainly as cover at the back and to teach the likes of Caulker (as well as Fryers and Hall, once the tribunal gets a bloody move on...), but will leave either next summer, or possibly in January.
The squad limit will be more of a problem this year, as players like Walker and Rose are no longer U21. We have a sqaud of 25 even with Defoe as the only striker, so even if we only want to add 2 more strikers, at least 2 of Gallas, Bassong, Naughton, Jenas, Bentley, dos Santos have to go. Even Falque is too old to qualify as an U21. It's one reason why Smith, Carroll, Townsend, Kane might get game time (and shouldn't be loaned)
I'd forgotten GDS off my count so I think you're right about 25. Still, as you say we only need to get rid of the same amount of players we get in over the next 3/4 weeks.
Current rumours are that we've made a bid of £15m for Damiao. I reckon we'll have to double that (and then add a bit more probably) to land him. If Oscar, from Internacional as well, less proven but with just as much potential goes for £25m then Damiao is gonna be £30m plus easily. And I can't see us paying that.
His value on Transfermarkt is listed as €17m, so from that standpoint we're in the right. Let's be honest, though, £15m would be the initial fee, plus a bunch of add-ons based on goals, CL qualification, and a sell-on clause. At least.
