Summer 2013 Transfer Rumour Thread - Mk4

Pretty much.

 

We need someone to make an impact off the bench. We looked more balanced with Davis in the AM role so I don't think Ramirez should be in the 11 yet, especially after the purchase of Wanyama. However, that does leave Ramirez to come off the bench and make an impact, and getting an impact striker and a new winger with pace would allow us to have more options, whether that's in the starting 11 or off the bench and allows for rotation.

 

Massively disagree with that. Davis really isn't suited to the AM role, we look really flat when he plays there. Ramirez all the way for me.

 

Agree with you. I think a lot of people massively overrated Davis games as AM. Yes he kept possession good and tidy but from an AM role in a team you have to be more of a threat for the oppositions defense and he was very rarely that. Rather a player that is a threat but might lose the ball at times than a player that never is a threat for the opposition.

 

I agree in principle, but Davis provides more defensive solidity and retains possession better, and consequently I think we had better results when he played.

That's not to say Ramirez can't improve that side of his game, but that's my interpretation of the facts as they are currently.

 

Davis provides a negligible threat from AM and I think with a little maturity and more time with the club, Ramirez clearly has the capability to do this. I think absolutely we start with Ramirez in that position (barring more signings) - if he fails to deliver then we go to Lambert or January alternatives.

 

Don't agree with either. Davis gave us better ball retention and pressing but is nowhere near as creative as Ramirez. However, Ramirez had the opposite problem and did very little for the midfield. Based on last season's evidence, neither is good enough. Either Ramirez starts playing better and more consistently in what is supposedly his best position, or we need someone else.

 

For once I agree with Joe. Although I am in the 'unimpressed with Ramirez' camp, he either needs to step it up or Lambert is the man. Lambert tends to do the AM bit as the game goes on anyway. Probably due to tiring more than tactics but he does it well.

I like Davis and think he played better than Ramirez but as said above he isn't an AMC. With Davis it's more like he is the centre midfielder and that leaves more of a 3 man midfield with 3 up front.

My team at the minute would be:

Boruc
Clyne, Lovren, Maya, Shaw
Morgan, Wanyama
Puncheon, Lambert, Lallana
Rodriguez

Not getting into the 'settling in' argument. Don't know why people keep saying we're aiming for top10. Cortese will be aiming for Top6 and that means that Gaston has limited time to show what he can do this season. Lets hope he steps up

Also agree with the above on transfers. I don't think Cortese wants any more players that will do for now. He wants long term signings that are good enough for where he wants us to be rather than a slight step up while we get there.

I still think as said above that our first 11 and bench can get top 6. That would of course mean no injuries and no suspensions all season though. With a full pre season I think this team is going to out perform last season and we looked really really good against Vigo at times the other night. There were spells where they could hardly get to the half way line. We just need to get the ball in the net though. We play top 4 football without scoring

 

Completely agree with the above & Joe.

Neither Davis, nor Ramirez are what we need based on last season. Ramirez was truly poor for a lot of last season in my opinion, and he needs to step up quite a lot. Lambert as an AMC would work really well.

 

Agree with most of this Imps. Reality is though we will get injuries and suspensions which is why we need more depth up front.

 

Rodriguez up front? I don't think so, not the way his finishing is at the moment.

 

Perhaps you can make a habit of it!

 

People actually think our current squad can get top 6?! My god, no wonder people think our fans are arrogant, that's ridiculous. We finished 14th after a relegation battle, we've signed two players, Lovren who, last season, was no better than all of our CBs, and Wanyama. Wanyama's good, but is he going to carry us from 14th to ****ing 6th?!

 

I think most of us are hoping for top 10.

 

Yeah, top 10 is a reasonable aim, any higher would be a big bonus without further reinforcements.

On the other hand, everyone saying Ramirez and Davis aren't good enough and Rodriguez can't play up front, what are you basing that on? Davis was consistent if not unspectacular, we can reasonably expect more from Ramirez after a bedding-in season and Rodriguez has barely been given a chance as the main striker. They're all useful already and none of them are exactly a million miles away from where they should be.

 

Who has said he can't play up front? Of course he can - I said his finishing isn't good enough for him to play up front as he will waste a lot of chances.

 

I think even top 10 is a bit ambitious considering the transfer windows of clubs around us.

 

I'm sorry but that doesn't compute at all.

 

People seem to be rating Norwich's signings, but I don't really. Other than Swansea, I don't really see any others which have been all that impressive.

 

LATEST TRANSFER GOSSIP
Billy Sharp may leave Southampton in the next few weeks, the striker's agent tells the Press Association.

The 27-year-old former Sheffield United striker, who was loaned to Nottingham Forest last season, was overlooked for the club's pre-season trips to Spain and Austria.

"He wants to play football, he doesn't just want to sit out the last two years of his contract," said James Featherstone. "But if he doesn't get an opportunity at Southampton and it is getting close to transfer deadline day at the end of August, or when the loan window opens back up a couple of weeks after, we will have to start making a decision about what is best for Billy."