Quite possibly, but I think we will lose fewer football matches this season with Turner in the side than with Ayala. I would be sorry if he left altogether, rather than went out on loan, but I guess finances and present priorities may dictate otherwise.
While we are on the subject of CBs, I see Wolves are prepared to listen to offers for Christophe Berra. Would we fancy him over Curtis Davies?
No Thankyou! The Curtis Davies rumor doesn't seem to dissapear and I must say a Michael turner and Curtis Davies partnership would suit me fine!
Great comeback post after a ban. Your fellow 'bannee' has just been booted for good. One can only hope.
I rate Ayala more than Ryan Bennett personally. More comfortable on the ball and I think he has better intelligence. He can be rash but think he could be a top centrehalf. I like Ryan Bennett but don't understand why everyone hypes on about him. If Whitbread and Ayala hadn't have got injured Bennett wouldn't have played last season, or maybe come of the bench a couple of times. Went to the game today and found it very interesting. Wes was brilliant, and you can tell Hughton has told him to play slightly deeper so he isn't isolated all the time and when he picks up the ball he can look forward. Jackson looked brilliant on left wing. Really impressed me and I think he was the only player who made me stand up. Turner is more mobile and comfortable than I thought. Impressed me. Barnett played well too. We still need another centre half. Barnett played well but I would still sell him and Ward. Than have Ayala, Bennett, Turner and a new signing as a centre backs. Maybe convert Russell Martin to centre half and get another right back in if it comes to it. Although Francomb also impressed me tonight.
I think hughtons thinking behind the Ayala deal is to send him out, get another season under his belt. Then keep Barnett and ward and then next summer there contracts would have run down so we have a young centre half who has had another season under his belt and we can offload the others.
Disagree, why would you let two players who you he doesn't see a future at the club play this season over a promising centre half and then let them walk out on a free. Makes no sense especially when you can get a transfer fee for them now.
So loan out Ayala who is easily our most cultured centre back and keep sloggers like Barnett and Ward that really makes sense.
But Ayala doesn't count towards the 25 does he? In that sense, I think it would be crazy to send him out on loan.
I agree with you Ayala is the better footballer, but I after going to MK Dons match last Turner looked more mobile and comfortable on the ball than I originally thought. Albeit a friendly against League 1 opposition but you can only play what's in front of you.
So Ayala is back up, will sit on the bench and not get much game time when he could be gaining valuable experience for a season. Having ward and Barnett + rusty that's more than adequate cover in the middle. He's a youngster, at a time when he needs to be playing. Plus its not as if were selling him!
It's the keeping hold of Ward and Barnett I disagree with. If Ayala is not going to play much this season than possibly send him out on loan, although I still think he is one of our best options and will probably get a fair share of games.
Again, I agree with ICHB. Ayala may be "our most cultured CB", but we can't at the moment afford culture if displaying it costs us goals. IMO he is one for next season -- if he develops as expected, and remains fit -- not this.
Barnett has cost the most goals of all the centre halves I would say and Ward is way too slow. I don't really understand how people think them two should still be here. I like them both and wish them well but they're not good enough for us anymore. Ayala is today is better than both of them. Cultured is not at all costing us, lack of concentration is and Barnett trying to be cultured and making suicide balls has cost us as well.
Ayala needs game time - pure and simple. Looking at the set-up I see Turner (who looked very good on Friday night imo) and Bennett as first choice, and (barring injuries) a settled pairing. Ward and Barny (who played well I thought) will be back-up and hence Ayala, who needs to play, can go out on loan. My guess is that he'll be back next season, much stronger for a year playing regular first-team football.
I would far rather see Barnett or Ward go out on loan and agree that Ward is too slow for the PL. At the end of the day however - I trust CH to make the right decisions.
yep, completely agree with this. ayala needs game time which he probably isn't going to get here at the moment. some people need to think a bit more carefully about what they are saying as they aren't making much sense. there seems to be a witch hunt for ward and barnett - two players who are capable back up to our first choice centre halves, two players who are happy to stay and be patient, two players who aren't demanding top dollar to sit on their arse all season, two players who are much better than some people would have you believe. i've criticised both players in the past but there is no question they are capable back up and don't forget we have rusty too. i cannot agree with anyone who thinks that ayala is a first choice pick - you don't understand playing centre half if you do - he is definitely behind both turner and bennett but he needs to prove he can play games so we get him back bigger and better the following season. is he better than barnett? yeah, he is. is he better than ward? not sure - close call. i think there is no doubt he will be better long term. what annoys me about him is his 'gary docherty' achilles heel of grappling on the edge of the box. cut that party of his game out and he'll be a great defender but he's a long way off right now.
