Transfer Rumours Charlie Austin

I think we have to stop all this not trusting Pardew line. Its just not true on what we know. Pardew left us, not the other way round. He didn't walk out the door and Mike thought, right I'm going to spend money now he is gone, its just silly to think that for me. Given he only had a tiny part in transfers, it would be like saying he didn't trust Carr with the money, but now does?

Personally I think he had a set period of austerity in his mind, and was looking at the financial climate and how best to operate. i.e. you invest when you are getting more for your pound. He has talked of wanting to right the ship etc in the past so this would seem likely. He used Pardew as patsy to get him through. He picked a certain type of character, who could field all the ****, keeping fighting and keep us above water. The other possibility is something changed with Ashley over the course of those chastening few weeks/months. We know he is prone to big swings and emotional decisions. He always thinks about money of course but he has shown his gambling side on many occasions.

The West Ham situ is not as simple as people are making out either, there were all sorts of complications with playing those two and how they were thrust into the squad. As for Mapou - he has talent but couldn't display it here. Not because of Pardew, he just didn't do it out on the field and struggled with the game here. He himself alluded to it.

 

Yeah, he badly struggled. He looked awful on numerous occasions and seemed to panic whenever the ball went near him. The amount of times I had to watch him play a 'pass' straight into the shins of an opposition player was untrue.

 

I never understood his desire to try to pass through bone and sinew. That bastard Pardew was to blame for that

 

We are nowhere near making up for the lack of ambition of the last 5 years, just because we have signed a striker and a defender, who incidentally isn't quite over the line anyway. We need wingers, we need a LB, another CB, and a creative midfielder to be anywhere near a good enough squad to push above midtable mediocrity. If there has been a fundamental change in philosophy and willingness to at least try and be competitive, they'll go out and finish the work they've started.

At the moment, we're still relegation candidates.

 

We are far from turning the corner but i do believe we will be far from going down this season.

 

Too much Pardew in this thread. End it immediately before I vomit my pelvic bone up.

 

I think by the end of the summer we will have a squad capable of 7th to 10th in the table. Pushing higher up will require ambitious players who currently will be unconvinced by our finishes in the last few seasons. I think 8th and a cup could be an achievable target, assuming we get in another CB, a LB and possibly a decent winger.

 

Austin is an okay CF...but I thought you had just bought a striker? I also thought it was your defence needed shoring up?

Ashley splashing the cash...who would have thunk it

 

Austin would be a great addition, however I'd love us to sign a forward in the mould of Bellamy, someone with raw pace that can stretch teams. It would just give us a better mix if we got say Berahino instead of Austin.

We have Cisse who is our predator, does little to contribute to the team but knows where the net is. Mitrovic is going to be our target man who is strong in the air and can bring others in to the game and Perez has great movement and dribbling ability. Austin would fall somewhere between Mitrovic and Cisse for me where as a Berahino would add something completely different again.

I'll be delighted if we sign Austin as it adds much needed squad depth and competition for places. I just think he's similar to what we already have.

 

Ashley hasn't splashed a fcking thing yet, nor is it "his" we're even spending. We had £35m in the bank, more on the way, and that's precisely what we've spent. Coincidence?

If he were splashing HIS cash we'd be aiming for CL qualification and under investigation by FIFA.

 

What does it matter who's money we're spending? We should only be spending the club's money, it's the best way to run the club. We're financially the most stable club in the league and we're now doing what we should have been doing for the last 3 or 4 years and spending the money we've generated.

 

I'm with JPF. At the moment I think we are still in the struggling mix. A defence like ours is a massive problem. We need at least one defender. I'd like a CB and LB or 2 CB's if Mbemba is going to used on the left.

I've been fairly confident of landing the two or three more we need and certainly the 3 bits of business done are a cut above those around us in my opinion. Its about a squad though and being good in all areas - I don't think anyone would suggest that defence is anything but relegation/lower table standard at present.

I'm not bothered where the money comes from. The bottom line is you get what you pay for and we need to lash out 8m plus on a defender first and foremost.

The problem for me is McClaren is now making noises that are less confident than his earlier interviews. Its the same stuff we've heard before. I hope we haven't thought "Right those three have dampened down the masses, job done"

 

Agree on that last point.
I hope the lack of player sales hasn't put the brakes on our spending.
It may of course just be a tactical move to get QPR to drop their price for Austin.
Hope so.

 

I'm surprised you have managed to get this message out if that's's the case.

We'll all pray for you until you let us know you have escaped!!!

 

After seeing the utter shambles of Taylor & Williamson defending against Sheff.Un. I'd say a CB is a must priority before a CF. The pair hadn't a clue and were sliced through like butter. Southampton must be thinking all their birthdays have come at once if these are considered good enough for the PL.

 

If Colo leaves and those two ****s stay my heart goes out for any defender of promising talent having to work with those useless bastards.

 

Yep Lens could be good but atm I am underwhelmed...Kabul and the RB may be okay but I am yet to be convinced. We need a cm and a striker and to lose some deadwood....Still time of course

 

Have to say, I think McClaren down playing further signings could just be a bluff. QPR are asking over and above Austin's worth given he has only a year left, he hasn't kicked up a fuss about leaving them yet but give it time and he'll hand in a transfer request. If he's playing in the Premier League and bags another 18 goals next season then chances are he's going to the Euro's. He could score 40 goals in the Championship and he still wouldn't get picked for the squad.

QPR know he's leaving, they're just trying to get as much money as possible for him and rightly so. We're also doing what is right for us and trying to drive the price down. I still think we'll get two more, it'll be another defender and Austin IMO.

He's been fairly consistent with his "be patient" message. It's not ideal that Mitro and Mbemba won't get much playing time before the opening game but we have to think longer term than that. Given our fixtures the chances are we'll be slow out of the blocks. McClaren himself will require patience from the fans, I can't see us not signing at least one more player though.

 

I think you will be alright in all seriousness. A few quality signings are needed. I think Lens has the potential to do really well, he'll suit the dutch way of playing obviously. Kaboul is a good player for all he rivals our own Rob Elliot in the ladyboy stakes. It is just his fitness and combining that with Coates, Brown and O'Shea, most of which have had their own injury issues. You do need a striker. I know most of your lot don't rate him, but I still think there is something to be worked on with Wickham. Certainly not a left winger. It will be interesting to see who you sign and where you go under Dick.

 

In what world is £15m above his worth?

He scored 18 league goals last season in an appalling team. Benteke just went for more than double Austin's asking price.