You get what you pay for in most cases. Look at the free transfers that NP/Lesta are signing up. Non of them would improve us on what we have here now.
AGREED JOHN. You had better put on a few pairs as i feel that most of SB summer business will do that. With Southampton and Newcastle going to be weaker than last season I can us being a top 10 PL side and the money for doing that would more than pay for the summer recruitement.
Do we really need a centre back ? I think we have enough there. Dawsons a great centre back,but so are Davies and Chester,and i don't see Dawson being signed as cover.
Yes, though it don't think we need someone to unseat either Chester or Davies, but we certainly need another genuinely quality centre half to cover and rotate. We're also likely to have a massive schedule of games with Europa league and the cups and we can't keep throwing Chezzy and Davies in Sunday - Thursday each week, so depth is essential. Someone like Dawson maybe the man, he might help bring Chezzy alongside as well.
I think he'd be too expensive to sign as cover, and wouldn't want to do it anyway. He'd be good as part of a back three.
I think what Hat is saying is that you're not buying him as 'cover'. You're buying him to improve the playing squad. You have to rotate to keep fitness, keep competition AND as cover. Very few outfield players can play 50-60 games a season (I know Lampard & Gerrard used to manage it) but I do feel most of our players were pretty knackered during the FA Cup final, not just because they were doing a lot of chasing in a large and warm pitch, but think they were feeling the effects of a tough long season that most played a LOT of games. To start looking at taking the next step, we need a squad of 22-24 players, with around 15-16 of high caliber who would be 'unlucky' to miss out on a starting line up when fit. I think we have a team of between 7 and 9 high caliber players at present. Each injury or when a player is off form weakens our team substantially.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Spurs had a quality side under 'Arry - if we pick up a few of those players, I'm more than happy. The other thing to point out - more British players would be great for our squad.
Leicester have done some very good business already, love him or hate him, Nige is excellent when it comes to recruitment.
Albrighton might be a very good free transfer for them, along with keeping Kasper. Not so convinced by Upson at 35. Dawson and Rose would both be great here. Three good centre backs to rotate (or play together in a back three) with emergency/bench cover in Bruce and McShane. Rose gives a more creative alternative to Figueroa on the left. If we get one I'd be happy, both and I'd be delighted.
Rose is probably a little bit error prone to be an out and out left back, but at left wing back he'd be excellent. Also ties in with Dawson becoming the middle of the 3 centre halves instead of Bruce/McShane with Chester and Davies either side of him.
As someone else has said, I suspect SB wants to bring in another Prem standard centre half, which would strengthen the squad anyway but allows us to have a very solid 3 if we choose to use it or rotate if we play a flat four at the back. If these two come off it will be very good business assuming the price is not extortionate and another stepping stone in our quest to become a regular mid table Premier League club.
Would rather have Lescott as our CB signing and Neil Taylor from Swansea for LB.. Dawson isnt bad but is injured a lot and Rose is a good little player but much better going forward than he is defensively, not exactly what we need in my opinion...
Not as cover but in a 3 say - Which is what SB is wanting. Plus Dawson and Rose(even on loan) have europa league experience which we shall need. If Spurs are looking to offload him then with our connections already we should have a great chance. Reports today also that Spurs will allow Sandro and Capoue to leave and they may also cash in on GK-Hugo Lloris and striker Soldado if the price is right. Glad you think so. I dont see anything good about the new players he has signed so far. But i am waiting for them to get FC next ?
