... this is gonna be!" I just feel like I have to say this, and this forum's about the best place to say it. With Austin now signed - whether he would have been your first choice or not, it has to be acknowledged, he knows how to score and hopefully he will continue to do so in the Prem - the squad is looking pretty good. There is imo, fairly adequate cover in most positions, although maybe another quality midfielder would be good, and I genuinely (even allowing for my life-long affliction of having distinctly rose coloured glasses), feel that we can do better this season than simply fighting off relegation. I really can't wait! If that all seems a bit "sunshine and lollipops" to respond to, can I ask you all this - If both were available, who of Palacios and Cattermole would you choose?
Palacios. He's less likely to get suspended. Though, of all the midfielders we have been linked with, Huddlestone would be fantastic. Never happen, though.
Cattermole. Every game he looks interested and determined (obviously too determined sometimes...), Palacios lacks effort.
Either would be fantastic. Honestly this is hull city in the premier league, i'm just happy to be here!
Palacios(Huddlestone was never realistic) and I thought we'd already said we had no interest in Cattermole anyway?
I'd rather have Palacios, but if we got Cattermole and kept him fit, he'd be a great addition too. He's a tough tackling midfielder; he's going to get yellow cards/suspensions left, right and centre, but with SB guiding him I'd expect a better player than the one that is leaving Sunderland. Palacios is slightly more flamboyant and his passing range is a little bit more adventurous and if they're going to cost the same, I'd plump for Wilson every time. Every time he makes a killer pass that leads to a goal: "Well done Wilson, I was wondering who'd be first to spot that one". Shame we don't still have Matty Mainwairing.
Well we'll probably be buying maybe another 2 strikers and a keeper as well as the midfielder we seem to being linked with. So far the transfer budget does not look like it's been stretched to the max - I would favour Palacios, but we might get a player none of us thought of
The transfer budget has to last us all season, if we stretch it to the max, how are we going to spend anything in January? I agree with what you said about getting a player nobody thought of, it seems Bruce casts his net far and wide; we'll probably see a South American come in at some point.
Interesting that the latest article re Cattermole (The Mirror I think?) mentions a loan might be an option for him. Would that be better for us, less risk and less dosh?
Yeah, I'd take him on loan too, that way if he gets injured we can just send him back. I'd have thought it was better to take Odemwingie on loan and then if he does well, turn his move permanent in January.
If we are in with a shout of surviving come January, I don't think budget will be an issue, at least within the money levels our club will be operating. If as McGregor gets injured in December, I'm sure Brucie will be given the extra £500k needed to take Schmeichel away from Lesster.
That's a good point, if Schmeichel doesn't sign a new contract, then we could literally get him for peanuts in January or Leicester will lose him for nothing.
They won't sell him for peanuts, they'll keep him for the season now and if they go up he'll sign a new deal, if they don't he'll leave on a free.
Palacios without any doubt. Head and shoulders above any of the midfielders we have been linked with. It has also been reported in the north east that PDiC wants to keep Cattermole afterall. LC is a loose cannon imo. Schmeichel imo will stay @ Lesta now and see out his contract. We get him on a FAT next summer, assuming of course that we stay up and Lesta stay down. Palacios was a monster in his time @ Wigan under Steve Bruce. For the reported fee of £1.5m Palacios is a steal.