Summer 2013 Transfer Rumour Thread - Mk4

Same here.

 

Tough decisions to be made now. Like Dan I think we need a striker.

I wonder where we look now? If we don't get anyone else then this window will have been a bit of a damp squib, but at the same time there's no point signing players just for the sake of it.

 

We do need a striker. Agreed.

 

I think AMC is more important than striker, personally.

 

Hmmm. If we signed a new striker, and I mean a proper striker, not a youngster with potential or whatever, but like, one who could go straight in...

...Gaston, Lallana, S.Davis, JWP and even Lambert could play that role. I'd like to see Lambert in that role.

 

yea i am starting to think we have given up this window, they always go on about how they will only bring in the right people, if they thought that was Baenga and (however you spell it) then that may be that

 

Is he signing for us?

 

We will sign another player don't get too depressed.

 

Yeah, but going on last season's evidence, we know we have at least one striker who's good enough, but not a single player who's proved to be reliable enough at AMC. Gaston might find some consistent form there next season, but we haven't yet seen any evidence that he will, so for now that's just blind hope.

I've always said Rickie could play that role, but Adkins and Pochettino have both largely disagreed with me thus far. Lallana, Davis and JWP would do okay there, but it's not their natural role and they'd be rather limited. Chance creation was more of a problem towards the end of last season than finishing.

 

Indeed. I especially noticed this when we increasingly opted for Steven Davis. Yes it gave us more bite and solidity in the midfield, but it also compromised our attacking ambitions. I'm hoping the addition of Wanyama can allow us to 'carry' Gaston at times.

There are certain times where we have to carry him for his potential to find that match-winning assist. He has often looked the only one capable of being creative when we have looked largely incapable of creating something.

 

The one thing we haven't seen in preseason is Gaston and Mayuka on the field at the same time. On Saturday in the first half Gaston played a few balls through for strikers to run on to but there was no one in the right place or fast enough. Then in the second there was a striker with pace but no one playing him through. I'd like to see the two of them together in Spain.

 

I'm not convinced that we're going to see much (or any) of Mayuka on the field next season anyway. I don't really understand how this forum has come to love him so much over the summer. Someone (can't remember who) recently suggested that trading Mayuka for Callum McManaman would be a good deal and he was shot down by a number of people. Are we serious? McManaman is miles better than what we've seen so far from Manny.

I like the guy and I was by some distance the first to suggest we should sign him, but clearly it hasn't worked out for him here and he's on the fringes now.

 

If we sign a striker who can create and score goals then I think that might be enough. If not, another attacking midfielder is important as I'm almost more worried about our ability to create chances as opposed to putting them away.

 

I completely agree! with Morgan and hopefully wanyama's work rate it should make up for the luxury that Ramirez sometimes is! Very clever post DTLW! I wonder if Poch is thinking the same?

There were times last season when Ramirez was really frustrating and was withdrawn due to tiring or just not playing well enough however I did find myself wondering if he would have stayed on the the pitch could he have stole us an extra 2-6 points over the course of the season!

 

Lambert was dropping deep and wide too much for mine. He is very good at it but when it was him putting a cross into lallana we never looked like scoring. A good acm like we have in ramirez, and handy widemen should negate the need for Lambert to go out wide.

Lambert was our best finisher and also our most creative, I would favour him to be the finisher particularly with his heading and have ramirez play just behind him. Not many sides will be able to cope with ramirez when he has some options

 

Woudn't swap Mayuka for Mcmanaman as I don't rate Mcmanaman. Doesn't mean I think Mayuka will end up being a star etc.

 

Also Lambert has proven to be resilient and hardly suffered any injuries whilst with us in 3 seasons, not wishing to tempt fate but surely he must be due an injury that might keep him out for awhile

 

Well, if we want to believe the official lines, then he was injured for the last 7 or 8 games of last season, which is why he was crap. If that doesn't show how shallow we are up top, that we're forced into playing an injured and therefore ineffective Rickie, then I don't know what does.

 

Soldado deal completed.

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So if I have this right:

Banega - We agreed a fee with Valencia but he doesn't want to come here
Damiao - Too expensive(?)