I don't think we could buy players as good as half our team, we have a much better team than our reputation.
That's the way it should be, yeah. But the reality is that Ramirez is not going to be happy fighting for a spot on the wing when he could be at Inter, though I think he'd be willing to at least stick it out and try for a year. But with the money we could get and considering he's out-of-position anyway, we'd be better off selling. His value will be less if he sits on the bench or becomes a rotation guy for a year. And if we sign Banega, he's going to play. He is not the kind of player that you can put on the bench and he'll just be "Yeah, I'll just work harder and fight for a spot." You either play him or you don't sign him, which is I think why he hasn't gotten offers from bigger clubs. They can't guarantee him a first team spot and since they can't it isn't worth the potential headache.
It's not so much that I wouldn't want Banega, it's just that we're more in need of a winger and a striker than a CM. Banega is roughly the same quality as Ramirez if he performs to his best this season and buying Banega would take a lot out of our budget. Get a decent winger with pace and a striker who can come off the bench and score goals and we'll be fine; let Ramirez battle out the AMC position with Wanyama/Davis or whoever.
The overall opinion seems to be that Poch does not need wingers for his style of play- if he thinks we could do without them then I'm reasonably happy with that. Of course my concern is a plan B for when it doesn't seem to work or when teams play direct- we need options for this. If we signs banega and then a quality striker then I'm happy.
It's not about making them "happy" because we guarantee them a spot; no-one really gets a guarantee, just look at Fergie with Rooney and with most his squad. Look at Tevez. Of course these guys want to play first choice, but life ain't fair sometimes. My point is that it is ludicrous to not sign someone on the grounds that they may have to compete for a position; that is exactly what you want to happen.
Couldn't really disagree more. Ramirez isn't a guaranteed starter for us as it is, let alone in the number 10 position, but he's still happy to fight for his place and that's as it should be. If he thinks a player who can't consistently get into our team would walk into Inter's in his favoured position then I'm afraid he's in for a shock. Likewise with Banega, just because he's a high-profile player doesn't mean he's some kind of flouncy prima donna who would demand to start every game. Dejan Lovren recently told a journalist Pochettino told him that no player is guaranteed a starting place, and if anyone sat down to discuss a contract demanding to be a guaranteed first team player we would tell him where to get off. If we do sign him I'd be completely confident that, like Ramirez, he was prepared to knuckle down and earn his place.
I do think Ramirez would get into Inter's current team. They have an abnormal number of deep-lying CMs (Guarin, Cambiasso, Kuzmanovic, Obi, Mudingayi, Kovacic), but in the trequartista position the only real competition for the first team place would be Ricky Alvarez, or perhaps Kovacic though it's not his best position. Ramirez also just seems to suit the Italian game very well, and Inter are barely any better now than Bologna were when we was there. I can see him leaving if they can afford him, and to be honest I'm quite torn on whether I'd be okay with it or not.
I really don't want Ramirez to leave. At least not yet. I am confident he will have a really good season this season, but if he doesn't I wouldn't mind if he was sold.
True, but I'd rather we spent money on our weaker areas as well or instead of areas where we're already fairly strong. Not necessarily a "natural" winger, but I think we could do with a better winger than an out of positioned Ramirez and to give Ramirez his chance in the middle and he'd struggle to get regular playing time in the middle if we were to buy Banega. It's make or break for Ramirez, so I think we should give him the best possible chance of proving his merit.
I'm looking at Banega's actual past behavior, which includes several instances of being unhappy at being substituted, being angry at his club and not training, etc.
He showed up to training late and allegedly drunk once, which is obviously bad, but it's the only thing I can find.
http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/2...dfielder-ever-banega-apologises-for-bevahiour http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spai...ever-banega-fans-have-right-to-say-what-they- http://www.sportqa.com/Ever-Banegas...-Madrid-jersey-debacle-La-Liga-Special-a30915 http://www.insidespanishfootball.com/42465/valverde-ever-arrived-late-for-training/ It's better just to find someone who follows La Liga and ask them. That is his reputation. It's not just these incidents, it's his general play on the pitch. Every year, he'll go through a stretch of games where he is focused and nearly unstoppable and everyone thinks he has put the past behind. Then every year there will be a stretch of games where he barely bothers to turn up. If he could maintain his focus, he would be one of the top 5 midfielders in the world. He's that good. But he never does. He's always been a big headache for Valencia.
Every player deserves a 2nd chance, a new club could be good for him. I would still very much want Banega here despite what you say.
I would too. That's more of a worry than I had realised but none seem too major. A change of scenery and a watchful eye could hopefully keep a lid on things.
It's a risk worth taking for 10m (or less), methinks. He's a bit of a dumbass, but most of the things I've read suggest that he has become less of a problem child, the late-for-training incident and attempts by his cars to commit homicide notwithstanding.
