Kiessling's immense, would have him here in a heartbeat, though like you said would be difficult to get, especially in Jan with striker values at a premium.
Agreed. There really isn't much change needed to this squad, bar a striker and LB (LB could be just to recall Benny) in my opinion. LB isn't a huge worry though, Rose hasn't been great lately but is a solid enough option and Fryers/ Vertonghen if we're desperate.
If we put SOS and Roo on a plane to Holland and asked them to scout strikers we would have all these players with superb scoring rates, that end up being sold to Russian clubs when they flop! maybe not a bad plan if we can flog them all at once before the clubs in Russia realise we're shafting them!
We've got too many Midfielders, end of, one or two have to go, and someone can argue a case to keep each one. Its no time nostalgia, worrying about missed potential, and I'll ignore strenghten the Goons! . If the Goons want Draxler theyll get him or they won't, we can't do our business worrying about the effect on them. Players not getting enough games causes problems in the end, we're coping with injuries and suspensions and some players are still getting iffy game time. Its not good for both parties in that instance, a player is better off elsewhere, but above all there are not enough games left to give all players a good run, and pissing around chopping and changing isn't right either.
Yeah we really do have an abundance of midfielders. We could field three sets of midfielders that could handle themselves in the Prem! 1st choice (in my opinion): Lennon, Sandro, Dembele, Eriksen 2nd choice: Lamela, Capoue, Paulinho, Townsend 3rd choice: Gylfi, Bentaleb, Holtby, Chadli Plus Livermore, Carroll and Pritchard to return from loans (unless snapped up permanently)! Insane... A good couple of Prem sides would bite your hand off for our 3rd choices!
The squad was designed for 4231 but even then 1st choice: Sandro, Paulinho; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli 2nd choice: Capoue, Dembele; Townsend, Holtby, Lennon 3rd choice: Livermore, Bentaleb, Siggurdsson, Carroll, Pritchard Is pretty strong in depth and we've still got some other up and coming youngsters like McEvoy and Ceballos
Yeah but we've only got too many if we continue playing 2 strikers in every game. If we loaned one or two out I wouldn't have as much of a problem but it just looks like we're getting rid of 2 talented players because our (likely) temporary manager doesn't rate them as highly as other people at the club do. It strikes me as an ego trip too that he is so happy to persist with Sigurdsson and Fryers, who he wanted us to sign, and discarding others that he didn't choose without giving them a fair chance. With the price quoted in a couple of articles I've seen, £6mill is a ridiculous price to be selling Holtby for in January. If anything prices usually go up in January because even if they're just a squad player they have been useful in their season so far then they'll be useful again in the second half of the season. Look at Chelsea, they're close to selling De Bruyne for £16mill, supposedly, and he's just a squad player too but they're still not going to let him go for a cut price deal. Chelsea aren't even a well run club, they're buying back another player for £20mill more than they sold him for in the first place, yet they know how to get a decent deal for a player. We don't even need the money because there should still be some left over from the summer and I doubt we're looking to do any big deals this January either. I really hope the deal doesn't go through and Sherwood sees some sense.
How good a player like Holtby is going to be is much more a matter of opinion than fact. We only signed him a year ago so we should stick with him unless something has really changed.
You've read my reply wrong mate. You said there are people at the club who rate Holtby, I was being slightly sarcastic in saying "who's that then, Freund"? plus LH's main allies may have been AVB and his mob....who are now gone, leaving Lewis high n dry perhaps. He's all energy and commitment which is endearing, but not enough guile or substance, yet, granted, but we need performances now from players who can, not next year or after. Controversy will surround whoever leaves, its an awkward one for sure.
Ah. It goes back to what I was saying about Sherwood's ego, trying to assert himself as permanent manager when everyone knows he's not.
I'm pleased Holtby will be going. Doesn't look anything special at all. He may go on to become a good player but like KPB and GDS he would never cut it in the PL.
If we're getting £6m for Holtby as I think Roo mentioned, that's bloody good baring in mind we paid £1.5m and he's rarely impressed. If he does go I wish him all the best, I've always felt he seemed a great guy but unfortunately the football does the talking and he's barely spoke...
