I actually don't give a stuff how much we pay for any player as long as at the end of the window we have covered any weak spots and upgraded where possible. The price only ever matters if the player fails.
Yeah don't really get it, how many CBs do we need? If we don't get rid of Agger. Also have no interest in Markovic, who's constantly being linked. Wasn't great in Portugal last season so feels like a last resort if we don't get Sanchez or Shaqiri.
Surely the price matters if we're spending money that could have been better spent elsewhere? For example replacing Glenn Johnson.
Well, I'm of the opinion that we all know where our weaknesses were last season so I'm trusting that the coaching team do as well. That's how I'll judge them. If they don't buy upgrades in places I thought were weak and they're weak again this year I'll criticise this transfer window dealings. For example, I may not rate lovren or at least to 20m quid. But if he's bought at that, forms a steady partnership with Sakho this season and we let in 20 less goals than last? Then job done, worth the money. Was the same when Sturridge was bought and BR claimed we'd score 20 more goals than year before, some scoffed, but we did it so can't complain. I want my manager sure about the players he wants and if we have the money to spend goes and gets them, he's in the job not me. If we want to stay up at the top for more than a year that's what it will take. Each player we buy there will be one of us that doesn't rate him, knows someone better, thinks we spent too much etc. It's all fun discussion but judgement should be once it's all done and we watch the players bought.....play.
£20m is high, but it's also the (unofficial) release clause so it puts all the pressure on Southampton to repair the relationship with their player if the deal fails. Last season and next we have the benefit of Suarez bans to act as cooling off periods.
The thing is, we don't actually know what all of our targets are, do we? Most of it is speculation until the club actually makes a move, so we may well be looking at all the areas where we need to improve. I agree that there's a danger of paying too much, but we don't know that any of these price reports are true. It seems to me that no matter what we do some of us will never be satisfied. Whether or not the players we choose are the right ones will always be open to argument, and people will have their own opinions- nevertheless, the areas where we desperately needed to strengthen are being addressed one by one. We may have an order of priorities, but we don't have to go for them in chronological order. We may also fail to get some of those we really want and need, but that's how it goes. There's still a long way to go, let's wait and see what we end up with before we pass judgement.
Saw it in the gossip column on the beeb website. They had a link to the Star. Liverpool could provide competition for Arsenal in the quest to sign Schalke's Netherlands international striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar, 30. Daily Star
He's angling for a move, he said he wants to win things and wants to make sure Schalke have a chance with the league. Good luck with Bayern there draining the interest out of everything
Two reasons we wont sign Huntelaar. He is to old for our recruitment plan 9Lambert was cheap so ok). He isnt a Rodgers style striker.
The price redefines what success is at certain levels. Caroll was a fail at £35m. But at £15m I'd say we would have broken even. A fail is a fail at any price. But the higher the fee the higher the pressure.
Le Tour goes down the end op our road at a place called Clifton Green, here in York on Sunday. I was thinking of painting our black lab yellow with some left over emulsion, but the daughter's vetoed it. Mind you, she is on her post A levels holiday atm....
Huntelaar? We already have that with Lambert. I know the lad hasn't kicked a ball with us yet, but I worry on lallana. I think he is a good player and fits the managers ethos, but something doesn't feel right, feels very Downing esque. Shaquiri would be good but would like to see some help in the back: If not moreno, Coentrao, Lovren but what does that do with Sakho? What about a ball playing RCB? Anyone going to take GJ spot?