Transfer Rumours The January 2015 Window

Are you allowed to put a brick wall across the goal?

 

I hear away Saints fans gave Shaw a hard time during the ManU match. Shouting abuse and booing. The article I read it from couldn't understand why.
Well I may not boo a player but I can understand a set of fans showing displeasure to a former player who jumps clubs at the earliest opportunity.

 

Yes, I do.

 

More players need to think strategically about what they can get from staying with Saints.

Look at Schneiderlin – he has stayed the full term, pretty much, and has blossomed into absolutely the complete player. All he has to do now (if he goes) is pick from a variety of CL clubs, all of whom will give him a first team place. All these players leaving early (bar Bale) make seriously heavy weather of getting to their level, including long-term injuries, intermittent game time, and fitness issues. He is confident in himself, as he has done it consistently over three Premiership seasons with Saints. Shaw had, what, one and a bit seasons of first team football? Chambers had one? They risk careers at Newcastle and Villa as much for the way the pressure may negatively impact their mental outlook as for the physical burnout involved with teams who don’t have time to properly manage these players.

 

We still haven't signed anyone else? Board out.

 

I'm not sure if this is a popular view point but I am a bit worried that if Forster gets injured or ill we will be relying on Kelvin who was looking past it last season and now with absolutely no match sharpness surely he will be worse?

With this in mind I still think we need a back-up goalie and we really need an out and out striker to help Pelle - IMO obviously.

Also I can finally post on here again because Bullguard no longer blocks the site - unfortunately this completely ballsed up my prediction league season that was actually going okay for me....

 

99% of people on here want a back up keeper.

 

Good ho Beefy - it's not just me then, it normally is! I couldn't be bothered to read through all the old posts after being offline for quite some time...

 

We could recall Boruc if necessary?

 

I've been thinking that Forster has been looking much better of late. His handling and reflexes have improved enormously, in my opinion. Maybe he lacked a little confidence before, but now I'm beginning to see why Celtic fans called him The Wall. Yes, it is a concern about him getting injured. Super, Super Kelvin Davis is no medium term replacement, although I'd have no qualms about him filling in for the odd last portion of a match.

Can't wait for Jay Rodriguez to return. He can be to Pelle what he was to Lambert, and also fill in temporarily, in that position.

Also Bullguard. What an awful pile of poop that software is. I know of several people who realised that the virus was better than the cure after having it on their computers for some time. And they paid for it too. Microsoft Security Essentials [I presume Windows of some iteration..?] is pretty much all you need, and that's free.

 

Forster is still as much of a liability as he is an asset. What I think Ive settled on is that he is a superb shot-stopper, quick reflexes, amazingly quick for a big guy. Problem is he is facing next to no shots. He's being called on to command the area and deal with crosses which is where he looks weak at times. At ManU he came for that one cross and palmed it to Mata who had an open goal to shoot wide of. Its only one example but I think we all know that this is where he struggles. Once or twice a game he will flap. I dont understand it myself. At 6'7" he should be unstoppable.

 

''Forster is still as much of a liability as he is an asset''

I'm as easy going as you can get, but I'm not having that. He could only be an equal liability if he kept throwing the ball into the net. He is part of the best defence in the PL. He may not be perfect, but he is a damn fine keeper.

 

Yeah, fair enough, I didnt mean that to sound as harsh as it did. What I meant to say was that as much as I rate him, I still get a little lump in my throat when I see that ball lofted into the box. Will he-wont he come for it, will he get a good contact on it. It may be just me but it definately seems like a weakness in his game at the moment.

 

I agree Fran. Whilst there was perhaps a ring of truth to what SinNZ has said, as recently as four or five games ago, I think Forster's confidence is getting better and it is showing in his command of the area, his shot stopping, and his overall play. The one time where he flapped during the ManU game he was unlucky to palm it straight to Mata. His intention was obviously to get it much further, but the flight of the ball deceived him. One error. Yes, it could have been costly, but he commanded his area and handled the ball extremely well during the rest of the match. Got to see the positives as well as the negatives.

 

I think forster is getting better all the time.I do wish he would take control of crosses - with his height and presence he should be making it almost impossible for the opposition to put in anything over than a high quality cross

 

Against ManU he plucked at least 3 out of the air whilst under pressure, that I can remember, that were whipped in with speed. They didn't even judder in his hands.

 

Which to me would indicate that those Utd fans had no idea what they were signing. Brilliant defender, but can't do anything going forward. It's not exactly Shaw's fault that Utd were willing to pay £30m for that. Utd fans should look at their board if they have issues with Shaw, not at Shaw himself.

 

Gossip on the BBC Football website is that Lambert [and Balotelli, but who cares about that..?] might leave Liverpool in January. Could go to Palace to be reunited with Pardew. Gossip and rumour only, of course. Pinch of salt if you like.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30805758

 

Pardew said he was told no when he enquired about Lambert.

 

An issue with Forster is his attention span. I think he needs more focus. What comes across as indecision, say when the ball is halfway between him and Fonte and he should be calling and claiming, his mind is wandering. There was a game at SMS not all that long ago where he was distracted by a bird on the pitch for quite a significant amount of time considering the ball was in play. All that said, he's a quality keeper - I just think he suffers from a bit of attention deficit.