Malouda refused to take a wage cut last summer. Several teams tried to sign him but he refused to go under 80k per week. He was put in the under 21s squad and wasn't in the Chelsea squad for any competition. I don't know what the situation would be Kolo Toure's wages. Gera, Simpson and Baird I would be interested in on a free. We don't have back up at RB or CDM right now.
I said it in my post: strong, quite quick, works very hard, good touch, not bad in the air, holds it up, technically very good (remember he was a Chelsea youngster). The only thing really missing has been goals, but I predict that when he is two or three years older and he runs less, he'll score more.
Kolo Toure is joining Liverpool. Gera is an attacking midfielder surely? Baird and Simpson would both be decent but I doubt Simpson will want to sign for us as back up.
No thanks to Simpson, his attitude stinks, wouldn't fit in. Baird's not good enough for us now either, not even as backup.
I was referring to the other two as back up in those positions. Gera could play anywhere in midfield in front of CDMs for us I reckon
Indeed. And if anyone is talking about spiritual homes, what about Chris Baird..? Hope he gets a club.
He's not brilliant, but he is good. I'm not saying we must sign him. I am just pointing out some of his virtues, having seen him play regularly and that at his age he'd be an ok free. If you have t seen much of someone it is difficult to judge properly.
That's a comment from someone who probably hasn't really watched him closely. What season was his wonder season? He hasn't really had a wonder season. He is a technically solid player. Not the best, but I reckon he could learn a lot from Rickie. If you add goals to his game, he'd be a complete package target man. I've watched him a lot as he's a Wigan player and in my house we have to watch their games. I also rated him when Chelsea loaned him to Blackburn, when again he was only missing goals. How often have you watched "him" and not the highlights of a game he was in?
I wouldn't want Malouda at St Mary's if he was happy to play for nowt. He's a lazy f***! Wouldn't fit in.
Let's not forget that Cortese is ambitious! Cortese is a business man first and foremost ( you make your money when you buy not when you sell - getting something before it realises its full potential or for less than it is actually worth at the time ). I could be wrong ( it wouldn't be the first time ), but can't imagine that Cortese would take his eye off that concept in his dealings.
I've watched him for the last 3 seasons at Wigan and in that time, I saw very little that impressed me. For a striker, 13 goals in nearly 100 appearences is a very poor return. 1 goal in 22 at Blackburn as well - these stats are nothing to shout home about. You can chuck the old 'well there's more to his game than scoring goals' but he doesn't exactly light up the assists stats either. No doubt Martinez grew concerned of his lack of goals, that he signed Arouna Kone last season, a striker that actually does what a striker's supposed to do - score.
SaintGreg, Mark Hughes didn't score many goals either but was one hell of a player. You have gone straight into the goal stats, which was the point I have made three times on this topic about him: it is the one thing missing from his game. If you really think that he has nothing else to his game, then, without sounding too trite, you can't really understand that position well, have played that position at any decent level, or appreciate some finer aspects of this game. Yes some strikers must score goals and I have clearly stated time and again it is one part missing from his game, however my point is that he is still young and I think he has a lots of other good attributes that would make him an ok free signing. I am not making him to be the best thing since sliced bread, just trying to point out that he is a good player. Your counter to my post isn't a very good debating point, as it harps on about the one area I already mentioned he was missing: goals. You tell me you have watched him for three seasons, how have you watched him? Live? On the television? At the games? MOTD highlights? At St. Mary's, he gave our CBs a really tough time. I just think your post shows a lack of appreciation of a player who can offer a team quite a lot, despite his lack of goals and the general play involved.
But if your strikers aren't scoring regularly, where do your goals come from? Maybe from a second striker, or from attacking midfielders, but for me, it's a massive disadvantage and missed opportunity having a striker who rarely scores. Saying goals are the one thing missing from his game yet he's still a good player sounds like saying, yeah this goalie, he's a good player, but saving shots is the one thing missing from his game.
