Summer 2013 Transfer Rumour Thread - Mk3

So if we sign this guy are still in for a big money striker what happens to Lambert?

 

Pretty sure we won't be getting a big money striker if we sign Khalifa

 

Who the bloody hell is Khelifa?

 

I don't get it at all. Doesn't seem to fit our profile whatsoever. It sounds to me like we're pursuing a hell of a lot of options - we probably have a list with about 10 strikers on it which we're moving down as certain players rule themselves out. Maybe there are a couple at the bottom of the list who we're trying to entice as a fall-back option in order to stop them moving clubs?

 

Have to say I'd struggle to hide my disappointment if me signed him after some of the other names we have been linked with.

 

[video=youtube;BfVvUiAuA_E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfVvUiAuA_E[/video]

 

His stats for the most recent season:-

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To be fair he has been prolific for Evian this season, but I don't like the idea of signing someone based on a flash in the pan.

 

He's quite handy in all fairness.

 

Is he **** then? Sounds like it from the posts of some of you mugs

 

He's not a giant of world football, and thus he is below our station.

 

I think that Lambert is capable of scoring another 15 goals next season, and I don't think we have a hope in hell of signing another striker who can do that whilst also contributing as much to the build-up play, assists, set pieces and general morale as Lambert does. If he was directly replaced next season by Lukaku, for example, we might be equally or more potent in front of goal but we'd lose something in the middle of the pitch. Lambert is so integral to the way we play now that I feel he has to be a regular for as long as he remains capable. Dropping him would require a pretty big change in style.

Rodriguez keeps getting better and better, and I think he has amazing potential. If we want to get the most of that potential in a couple of seasons' time, we have to be playing him now. Otherwise he'll stagnate here or find a team who will play him.

We do need more depth up front, but we need someone who can come in and complement the game of the other strikers, rather than directly replace them. We don't have anyone who needs replacing.

 

I'm not having a dig, are you of the opinion that we don't need to splash on a striker but bring in someone effectively as a super sub?

 

Do you not think that Lambert doesn't suit the style we play under Poch? Not sure what his goal stats were from open play since MP's arrival, but can't think of many.

 

Its just being linked with Banega and Osvaldo and Damaio and then getting some old Tunisian who once scored from the half way line is a bit of a contrast... anyone else agree?

 

I think he got 5 or 6 under Poch, and at least two of them were free kicks. I hope I'm wrong but I can't see him getting 15 again next season.

 

In fairness, his dip in form probably had a lot to do with his fitness (or lack of) towards the back end of the season. He admitted it himself that he was struggling towards the end.

 

I think that with the high pressing, tempo game you need the front men to have a bit pace, which is why I believe Rodriguez flourished since we adopted that style. As good as Lambert is, pace is something he doesn't possess. I see no reason why we couldn't drop him back into an attacking mid role as I think he would be great there

 

He hurt his back against Reading and was struggling for the last 6 games as a result with fitness. Lambert is better than Osvaldo and Damaio as far as I'm concerned. He's a much better all round player.

 

I'm of the opinion that if we are to sign a striker who is good enough to be a regular starter, he should be of a certain style so that at least two of he, Lambert and Rodriguez could play in the same line-up, and that every possible combination of the three of them works. That way all three would get a decent amount of action assuming there's some rotation. What I don't want to see is a striker who is strictly a non-versatile centre-forward, who would probably be directly interchangeable with Lambert, and couldn't feasibly play alongside him.

I don't like the idea of signing a player who isn't good enough to be starting games (Khelifa seems to fit this description in my opinion), but I do like the idea of signing a player who isn't so reputable that he'd be demanding to start every game if fit. Our attack needs complementing, not changing.

 

Perhaps so but that just backs up the point that we're too dependent on him and need another striker to give him a rest every now and then. As yet I don't think Rodriguez is a clinical enough finisher to play that role.