Jordan Henderson on loan till the end of the season with a view to a permanent move - is a great young box to box player who just hasn't settled or been accepted at Anfield as he isn't a world class superstar. He is already one of us and a Sunderland fanatic who would desperately want to come back and prove himself. He has more to offer than our current midfield and would be a good option to play wide right over a static Larsson. Stewart Downing £6m/£7m - is a good wide left player who would give Johnson a good kick up the arse. Could be used instead of or as well as AJ on opposite flanks and wouldn't cost the earth as they want rid. A NE lad who would settle very quickly. Also a player with lots to prove and fight for. Michael Dawson £5m - again a NE (Northallerton) lad who at 29 is far from past his sell by date. Injury prone perhaps but he is a canny defender and again still has lots to prove. Would settle very quickly too and offer us height and strength in the defence. Mohamed Diamé £3.5m - rumoured to have a £3.5m buy out clause and wanting away from WHU already. A big powerful central midfielder enforcer with height and presence which we lack hugely. Charlie Austin £6m/£7m - 6ft 1 powerful striker with a record of 35 goals ion 66 championship games for Burnley. He has an amazing goal-scoring record through his career and at 23 is ready for his next big step up imo. I would look to swap Campbell and cash if the deal could be done and Frazier would be moving back to the NW which may suit him. As a side issue, Connor Wickham has shown me enough to suggest he is ready and able to step up and take his chance and we so need a focal point to our forward play. At £9m he represents a massive investment for us as a club and rather than let him go out on loan, I'd sooner see him used for us in games now. He has been here 1.5 seasons now and will be settled and must be raring to go after such an inauspicious start to life up here. He is a beast of a kid and played well against good opposition in Chesea and Man Utd. For an outlay of maybe £20m/£22m we could line up like this in January, with far better options on the bench, with pace and creativity . Mignolet Gardener, Cuellar, Dawson, Rose Diame Johnson, Sessegnon, Downing Fletcher Wickham Westwood, JOS, Larsson, Colback, McClean, Henderson, Austin
Henderson over Larsson yes. Downing is absolute ****e and always will be. Dawson you have already stated injury prone we have enough like this. Diame wouldn't be my first choice in that position. Austin, I would rather give Wickham his chance alongside Fletcher.
Would take Henderson back on the cheap as I still believe he has potential. I think I read Downing is 28 now or something? This puts me off a bit as even if he can rediscover some form it won't be too long until his legs go. Diame-YesYesYes! But unfortunately won't happen. Dawson- Another Wes Brown/ John Mensah waiting to happen. Will be solid when available but only play five games a season. Charlie Austin- Never seen the lad play but he may just e one of those players that scores goals at any level.
Apparently diame is currently on 35k a week and will be looking to double that. That makes him out of our reach I think downing will come to us on loan Dawson would be an improvement Don't know Austin
Depends what you believe but I read / heard that he was on that at City, and dropped it to 50k when he came to us due to a kiss-off from city
Think you'd get hurt with that Cest. No holding midfielder unless you are going to change Diame into one. He is a powerful driving midfielder who can carry it long distances. Be a perfect foil for Cattermole (where is he in your squad )
Injured like Bardsley Pouch which is why he isn't there at the moment. He may be out until February/March but when he is fit, he absolutely forms part of that squad. I am a huge Catts fan and have said so on many occasions recently. As for offering no protection, my point is we play with 2 holding midfielders now and its no protection. We still leak daft goals. The best form of defence is attack and if we stop trying to defend 1 goal leads in future, we may just provide enough going forward to make opposition teams struggle and win more games. Against the better teams, especially away from home, we could revert to 1 up front and 5 in midfield. I don't think Downing has always been **** either, far from it and he looked good last time he wore our colours and imo, would do so again. We have to be realistic about who we can really go for and attract and it wont be international European superstars anytime soon. These lads are available; would improve us and can be bought/loaned imo. Quick January fixes to our current malaise.
5 signings in Jan...... ROSE SAMBA DAWSON DOWNING FUCILE Sorted. I'd have Jordan back, but would he play? He's similar to Gardner in that he has talent but little influence.
I disagree Gardner can score goals and can shoot Henderson is another master of the sideways and backwards pass, we don't need any more players like that. Dawson yes, Samba even better. Diame hell yes but no chance. Downing No thanks.
I would have Danny Rose - best LB we have had since Gray Chris Samba - the bloke is a beast, think his wages would blow us out of the water but who knows Moussa Sissikho - lad is exactly what we need in the middle Tom Ince - I think Ince will go on and be a top, top player, much rather spend 10m on him rather than Downing or McGeady John Guidetti - Outstanding for Feyenoord, lad has class, he scores goals n creates goals
think all could be realistic as well apart from Samba, wouldn't be surprised if Anzhi are paying him 80k a week plus, if so we need to look abroad for a good young ball playing CB with abit of pace or someone like Samba thats the pairing we should be looking for, a classy defender who can read the game with abit of pace and a Hulk of a player like Samba is, would complement eachother well
I honestly think it will be two or three in and two out. Bramble and Campbell leaving with a defender/CM/Striker coming in. I don't think there will be any big names with us taking a punt on an unknown.
We missed that opportunity and I was banging on about him for the past year. I've watched Austins career similarly and think he is ready for that step up now. At 23 he is a good age too.
Trying to think of right backs that might come and would take Angel Rangel from Swansea. Very comfortable on the ball and decent both attacking and defensively.
