IMO As it stands we are weak in the following areas; - Goalkeeper (Fabianski is injury prone. Tremmel is not good enough....Fabianski might do an excellent job but I wouldn't bet on it) - Full-back (Rangel is ageing, his back up is Tiendalli and Jazz...Taylor has yet to recapture his pre-injury form and his back up is Tiendalli, Kingsley and Jazz) - Centre-back (The area I have least concerns about as all 4 have ability....but Chico and Ash have been inconsistent recently. Amat is young, still learning and gives the ball away a little too cheaply...and Bartley is very, very, injury prone) - Defensive Midfield (As Canas is not going to be considered by Monk there is literally only Leon....I've got Leon and Shelvey starting at the moment with Ki and Fulton backing those boys up, maybe Jazz could do the Leon role but to go into the new season without a new Defensive Midfielder would be extremely risky) Fortunately we have been heavily linked with Defensive Midfielders and two Left backs so hopefully something will be done about this, but as it stands we don't have a solid platform from which to build a team from. We are vulnerable at the back. The longer it takes to get some of these players in the less chance of us hitting the ground running. If we lose Bony by the end of the Summer and have to go with Gomis up front with Emnes/Donnelly/Deeney/the Gambian fella as back up...I will be ****ting myself.
The thing is in the Prem the difference between the team that is 7th or so and the bottom team is a marginal for the most part. On any given day one team could beat another. It takes the best part of 30 games for the differences to really separate the teams out. So if we drop, even marginally, from the quality we had last season or the season before we are going to struggle. With the injuries we had in the middle of last season as a barometer - if we have the same injury problem with the current likely squad, what can we expect? Do we have sufficient depth in real quality to cover such a situation. I would also add that the experience and ability of Monk is going to have an impact on our competitive quality - it is not just about the players.
"I would also add that the experience and ability of Monk is going to have an impact on our competitive quality - it is not just about the players." I know like Monk wouldn't be able to attract any players! But already he has signed Gomis and Siggy two players Laudrup failed to secure? So much doom and gloom, I think Terror needs to juggle his balls better……………..
He had to overpay for both...that's not "attracting players" By the way, everyone's so sure that Laudrup wanted Gomis and the board wanted Bony....based on what? Makes more sense that the board wanted Gomis, failed to land him....Laudrup pressurised them into signing Bony near the end of the window and the board resented him for it....eary doors a lot of those who claim to be "in the know" were declaring Bony a cart horse. Also would explain why Jenkins complained publically about the £12m and declared we would be unlikely to repeat such a transfer. If Laudrup is bidding for him this window that would fit as well. Would also explain why his agents are allegedly touting him around saying he wants out.
My comment on Monk was about his performance as a manager / coach in terms of systems, match preparation, and match management from the touch-line, etc.. Monk's tactical experience or lack thereof was on display during last season. The quality of Monk's performance has a competitive impact.
Where have you read this. I have trawled the internet looking for any rumour, gossip or report about Bony transfer talk and the only quotes to have come from his agent relate to an old story of him and Newcastle and the fact he is happy where he is. His agent seems one of the few that dont tout their client for the sake of it. His agent has insisted that Bony is more than happy at the Liberty Stadium. Dalibor Lacina told the Daily Star: "We are very happy with what he achieved in his first season at Swansea. "He's happy to stay there and it was a good decision to go there. "He appreciates that Swansea are the club who gave him his chance in the Premier League. "We think he can be even better next season. He has three years left on his contract and his situation is stable." Just asking like??
How about this story baps http://talksport.com/football/bony-desperate-complete-ps19m-move-liverpool-claims-lewis-140719102696
I don't understand Lambert's fit into the style that 'Pool played last season with Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling. Square peg in a round hole. Bony seems to be in the same mold as Lambert - nowhere near as mobile as Suarez was in the S3 line-up. Lambert is going to require an adjustment in 'Pools style to be effective and so would Bony. I don't know much about Remy.
Yankee think you are right. I beleive that it is Bony's agent just trying to get him into a CL squad. The fit with liverpool just doesnt work. Remy seems more of a fit or is that me just hoping.
Trunds, I stand by what I said still cant see any quotes from him or his agent wanting out. That "story" by the Mirror is all about the writer and his opinion and nothing else
This is the same writer that said Allardyce was getting sacked in May, Levy not interested in cashing in on Bale with Madrid and Lloris is on his way out of Spurs. Not exactly got his finger on the pulse and most of his reports lack quotes from the subject he is talking about.
It doesnt mate you are right. But I am sure that i read somewhere where Darren Lewis had said that he had spoken with him and agent and that is how he knew. But I cant find anything, so maybe I dreamt it. I hope you are spot on here. Bony would be our best signing of the close season.
I do find it weird though that on all the ticker tape updates for transfers rumours and the like that there is very little about Bony. Out of all of our players I thought that come the end of the season he would be the one we would hear the most about and it seems thats not the case!! Very strange indeed. My half glass full sid eof my brain reminds me what he and his agent said back in May, but my sceptical " I dont trust a word of what comes out of any players/agents/chairmans mouth" side of my brain fears that we will lose him at the last minute of the transfer deadline just as we are getting relaxed with the idea of keeping him for at least 1 more season!!! AAARRRGGGHH. I hate this time of the year
Agree Bap it s strange. Of all our players Bony's future seems the most clear in that he is staying as there doesn't seem to be any concrete rumours which leads me to believe that Huw is holding out for at least £25 million.
Agree, Monk on the sideline flapping his arms and shouting was kinda amusing. I was never sure whether he was trying to land a plane or become one.
