My thoughts exactly Steve. I was getting to feel like our equivalent of Dull Dai on here. We definitely don't want journeymen, Prem, Champ or Div 1 (See some of the mercenary Prem players mentioned in WoL's list of possible acquisitions on the Transfer Window thread). However, there are some talented, younger, lower league players mentioned who would not cost the earth and be eager to grasp the opportunity of playing at a higher level. Spark's suggestion of Charlie Adam is interesting. Not sure he is a defensive midfielder but he would bring some steel and grit to our team (where we have been lacking for some time) and an alternative dead ball threat to Whitts. Could even see the end of Whitts as a first choice.
Stevo - Adam is not getting plenty of game time at Stoke. He's been on the bench for the last 8 games at least and restricted to limited sub appearances. If he were given the right package - I don't think he's 30 yet - he could really put some grunt into our midfield.
I was thinking about Adam last night when I noticed he wasn't in the Stoke team. Then he came on as a sub at around 65 minutes and immediately things improved including a decent effort from 20 yards out which was the nearest Stoke came to scoring. He would be the ideal signing but I doubt if he would be released or indeed agree to come. The same goes for Bryson and Hoolihan. Why would they leave their clubs for the dysfunctional outfit that is Cardiff City? I don't think we are an attractive option at the moment for any decent player.................... and there lies the problem. I disagree with the comment that Silva has pace. He doesn't and I think there is a similarity between Daehli and Silva. The problem with Daehli is that he gets knocked off the ball too easily as he lacks physical strength but the guy is young and will develop into an excellent player which we should have kept. If he's good enough to be man of the match in a recent international he should be good enough for us.
We know that Jay. 8 to 10 to go (3 out already and Daehli lined up for 3rd January), mostly deadwood signed by OGS and Malky. They have to go to make room for incomers. That is not asset stripping, it is necessary house keeping. Whoops - agree to differ again. Norway play a style which suits Daehli, we don't. I don't think he is that exceptional that we should build around him. Personally, I wouldn't want to keep him if not getting regular games - better for him to go and the club to get £2m. As I said he is going to Freiberg, bottom of the German Prem so not exactly a top club taking a punt on an up and coming youngster.
Hence my comment that the manager is unable to use the assets at his disposal to their best effect. Slade is simply out of his depth and should not be trusted with a transfer budget.
Agree whole heartedly You can be sure that we will end up with a load of gambles in January.. IF we have any new blood at all!
If he'd been in the side I'd agree, but there's no way Slade rates Daehli. Don't think we should be blaming Tan when Slade blatantly didn't want the player.
http://www.stokecityfc.com/stats/player-stats/ Only 6 of their squad have been involved in more games.
9 of his 13 league appearances have been off the bench and he hasn't been first choice for the past 9 games.
That's fair enough but he's still too involved imo, I think he'd have PL suitors too. He would be able to fulfil every players lifetime ambition of playing under the legendary Russel Slade though....
That's probably the one thing that'll hold him back....... Admittedly he also have admirers enough in the Prem to secure a deal up there, but I can't think of many clubs up there that are underweight in his area of the pitch. If playing regular football (like Whitts does for us ) is what he's after, he'll accept a drop down as long as the deal was right.
Hmmmm.....apparently Daehli's heart wasn't in it according to Slade - I wonder why and what was the root the problem? Could it be something to do with the departure of his old mentor Ole, or maybe more to do with the arrival and policies of new boss Slade? http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-boss-russell-salde-8340184
Silva is a far superior player but silva is also almost a decade older, its probably not very helpful to compare the two in the first place. Have to correct you there though, Silva doesnt have pace. He not a particularly fast player but so clever that it doesnt matter. What he has, and Daehli has the same is a quick burst of initial pace, acceleration. Silva is as small as Daehli, many, many great players are small and many aren't the quickest. Van Persie isn't very quick either. Zidane wasn't that quick. Iniesta isn't very quick. Xavi is actually really slow. Sometimes its about the speed of thought rather then sheer physical power and speed, see Pirlo for instance. Its the ability to see a pass before everyone else, to be ahead of everyone else. A football brain. I think Daehli has this ability, but it needs to be nurtured. Physical strength can be developed, ability can't be aquired you either have it or you don't. Gunnarson will never be able to do the things Daehli can do with a ball, but by the time Daehli is Gunnarson he age may have developed that kind of strength and stamina. Harris has done well but i have to say i strongly disagree he's done more than Ravel Morrison. Morrison was sublime in the first game for City his ability is far, far ahead of Harris. Harris has pace, his potential is very good but his positional play is still very weak, for instance he was to blame for the first goal at the game last saturday. There is still a lot to work on. I think people are too quick to forget that Daehli was running players like Ashley cole ragged in the PL last season thats where you see his potential. Granted we haven't seen it as much in the Championship but he only started 5 games. Its short sighted to discard a youngster because he didn't own the championship in his first few games. If Harris has a couple of bad games i wouldn't want us to throw the baby out with the bathwater as we have done with Daehli. You are supposed to be able to make mistakes as a youngster, thats the only way you learn. Evidently Daehli has gone to a club that will most certainly play him, he is not at a level where he would nail a place in a big team, yet and he wants to play every game. That they are bottom of the table may matter less than the fact that they have a manager that wants to use him every week in the bundesliga, which will most certainly raise his game. its a similar situation to last year when he had the option to go to Manchester United, but decided to come to Cardiff with his mentor ole. On some level i think thats quite smart,he cares more about working on his game than being at a big club (where he wouldn't play much anyway of course). Finally i am not encouraged by what i see as slades style so far, i think the football under slade has been terrible. And i think he has isolated or underused the more skilful players. If thats an indication of what kind of players he prefers i dread to see who he brings in. He is always complaining about the squad, but his plight is no different to various managers who have come in and has had to work with a squad that isn't their own. Simmons and Rowett in fact took over clubs that were bottom of the table, and has arguably done better than slade. It isn't a question of being from the lower leagues as some people suggest. Rowett came from the lower league too and have done a great job with a squad thats totally inferior to City.
[QUOTE=Stevoldinho;7417994]I agree with that Blue. The gap between the bottom of PL and the top of the L1 is not as large as sometimes suggested. Pilks was a L1 player and the promoted teams normally threaten the top of the Championship rather than the relegation places. Saints and Norwich both managed back to back promotions. Bournemouth/Brentford are obviously threatening to do the same. The right players bought from L1 could work out well. Hungry ambitious players who appreciate a chance to prove themselves. If he buys L1 journey men who he can 'depend' on then we'll be in the ****. What is evident from the teams mentioned is to take the step up a division you have a better chance if you play possession based attacking football. It's why Saints and Swansea are comfortable in the PL and Brentford/Bournemouth are thriving in the Championship. If we are to ever be a PL club and stay there for any period of time we have to develop a side in that style. That process should start in January.[/QUOTE] Laugh> the gap is massive and that applies to championship clubs also. You will get the odd club like southampton who can hold their own but the other 90% including cardiff have no chance. The swans and the saints are the two best teams to make the grade with the rest being relegated after a short spell in the top division....
