So if reports to be believed, this could be our starting XI next season. Ruddy Martin Bassong Turner Olsson Bridcutt Johnson Snodgrass Toivonen Redmond Van Wolfswinkel Thoughts?
people forget that its a squad game these days. you need players like elliott bennett within the make up of the squad because they are versatile and can always be relied upon. he's similar in a way to lappin, although obviously much better, but he's an important player for the club and deserves more respect than he gets from one or two posters on here. in 2011-12, he was easily our best player during the 2nd half of the season. he's a good player, just not quite good enough to be in the first team at the moment.
Completely agree. A squad can't be made up of first teamers. Bennett is incredibly useful and on his day can be a match winner (he managed it a couple times in the second half of this season as well as in 2011-12)
was that not pretty much agreed back in january? i'm sure i read that he would have moved back then but lazio weren't able to complete the deal on time, therefore it would be done in the summer instead. i don't think he was ever a realistic option for us. we made an inquiry but that's all
One step too far I mean. We've made an inquiry and has been accepted, is Toivonen in the same boat as Biglia and might be slightly out of reach especially if another club comes in from the continent.
oh, i see! i think they are different - at least we have been able to reach the 'talks' stage with toivonen! at the end of the day, we could potentially be trumped by almost every club in the premier league as they pay bigger wages so we have to be clever and sell the club to prospective players. we never got the chance to do that with biglia
Supers is saying that Biglia was already basically going to Lazio so there was never really much chance of us getting him. It seems we are the only club to be really going after Toivenen, with fees already agreed and talks being made with him and his agent, so it's not really the same situation.
I wonder if other clubs are reluctant to pay the price City have had accepted, and are hoping that talks with the player fail so they can come in lower.
i wasn't saying that actually! i think lazio are irrelevant - i don't think we'd ever have got to the stage with biglia that we have with toivonen
Oh goodie! I like Bridcutt I hope this is true, not holding my breath though as the Sun is hardly the most reliable source. I would like to get Olsson, Bridcutt, Toivenen and Naughton. That would be enough for me and gives us plenty of options upfront and in midfield. I also think that if we sign the above it would spell the end for Fox and Surman for sure.
i had a decent chat with a reporter yesterday and he said the kone link was nothing more than a hunch on his behalf. he still thinks it's hooper we want
I'd disagree, I think we might move barnett and Ayala on, russ added to the pool of centre backs, then olsson and garrido as left back options and whittaker and Naughton as right back options... That's if Hughton sees Naughton as an improvement it makes our choice of 8 defenders extremely strong.
fair comment would also explain why we were linked with a loan move for naughton on the day we had a bid accepted for olsson
Naughton is very versatile and can play on both wings IIRC? Will push Garrido and Rusty/Whittaker like hell. I see what CH is trying to do now, he is trying to create massive competition for first team places, this is what we lacked last year upfront. Again though I would like Naughton on a permanent deal, this is what he should be looking for at his age if he wants to play regular first team football. His first touch, control and bringing lofted passes down are the best I have seen for a long time.
Why are people saying of CH finds Naughton good enough? He's better than any full back we currently have on our books and regardless of the love in for Rusty twice the RB he is.
