Cool, so when I "definitively assert players' ability levels" I get sarcastic remarks about being a scout, but when you do it you're just "offering an opinion".
We would like to be, but disaster follows every bit of good news. If we signed 3 people, I suspect lightening would strike SMS, rebound off the roof and destroy the new building at Staplewood.
Yep, this thread can be summed up by the great Groucho Marx quote - "I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member."
Maybe. Maybe you're just wrong in your evaluation of these players. I watched Redmond and Samaras couple of games, Taider never. I haven't watched them nearly enough to make a definite judgement of their abilities. And I certainly wont base my judgement on opinions of others or by some statistical comparisons. Of all of the above mentioned, I only dislike Schelotto, I watched him the most and I think he's worse than, say, Giaccherini, and he certainly didn't set the EPL on fire. But even he could add something to the team.
I do it rarely, and I try to be balanced. I don't know every player but I have watched a bit of Samaras. Also, my opinions tend to be cautious while you have a habit of stating as absolute fact. If you disagree, fine. I have get to see you ever moderate a view or admit a mistake - so this conversation will go nowhere but more board spamming. Isn't that right guys?! Be on my side everyone! Please affirm me as a person with toadying approval.
Sorry, should have made myself clearer. I was referring to the imminent arrival of Schelotto. I meant it as I'd rather see Ings play RW/RF until J Rod is fit, but if we were looking at Samaras and Ings then I'd be happy as that doubles up as another winger, and Ings could be played out wide as well as up top.
How dare I point out your blatant hypocrisy by showing it to you! New low indeed. If I've struck you as someone who needs everyone on his side, you haven't been paying attention.
As you know, I am referring to your little rhetorical tricks in our last chat. You didn't point out hypocrisy. It seems you need a dictionary. It would be hypocrisy if I also saw myself as a board authority on players from all over Europe. I don't and have never acted as such. But please go troll my post history to try and justify your shaky position. There is nowhere else to go with this. I believe you are full of yourself and pretend to knowing more about European football than you do. You believe I am a whingey prick. Fine. Let's leave it at that.
I would like us to be linked with better players, but we also have to be realistic, it very hard for a club of our stature to capture a strongly reputable player like Hernandez. Firstly, we can't offer him big wages, secondly, he would think of it a step back in his career. We should probably make our transfer strategy about unearthing hidden gems. But with the situation as it is, we need a couple of finished products to make an environment in which the future prospects can thrive. Samaras is not all that great, but he's not an awful player, he's easily mid-table EPL standard and, like every player, he can probably be better playing in a system that plays to his advantages.
If anyone wants to use this thread for its original purpose rather than pathetic personal attacks at me, they might be interested to know that Sunderland are reported to be "in advanced talks" with Rodwell, so that one may be short-lived.
I'm big, strong, have a bad back, and can't run around much. I must be Rickie Lambert. I'm 53 though.
There's every reason to think that we are good enough to get the likes of Ings, Clasie, van Dijk, Rojo, etc...good players we've been linked to. If many of our signings end up below that threshold, I think that it's fair to question why.
