http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19048370# Sunderland have bid £12m for Fletcher. Makers J-Rod look an absolute steal IMO. Fletcher is good with his head but not strong in other areas. I wouldn't pay that much for him.
This is exactly what I thought when I saw this story this morning. £12million could buy you a much better player than Fletcher.
The only difference I see between Rodriguez and Fletcher is that Fletcher has done it in the top flight. That is why there is a premium.
I think Fletcher was made to look bad by really **** service to him last season. Apart from Jarvis, Wolves really didn't have any decent wingers. If he joins Sunderland he will score more than 12 goals.
Even 12 goals is quite a good effort in the premier league. If Rodriguez scores that many next season i'd be ecstatic.
Sunderland are obviously struggling to replace Gyan and Bent, but they have money and Fletcher is a proven premier league goalscorer. Out of every player in the league he was second in terms of clear-cut chances converted (70%), behind only Lampard (and above Van Persie, Agüero, etc), and missed the fewest clear-cut chances.
How can he be 2nd in converting a clear-cut chance yet missed the fewest? Either you miss or convert...? What defines a clear-cut chance?
You may have only missed one clear cut chance, but only been faced with four in total. Thus your conversion rate was 75%. Someone else may have missed three clear cut chances, but was faced with 30 in total. Thus their conversion rate was 90%. More chances missed, but a better overall conversion rate.
£12m for a proven Premier League scorer isn't that bad. He's 25, too, so won't be on the decline for a while yet. I think it's a good signing personally. A lot of money, but £12m for a proven scorer isn't atrocious in this day and age.
If he scores the goals to help lead Sunderland to a safe mid-table finish (and personally, I think he will), then £12 million will ultimately have been well worth it.
And I'm sure Fletcher is less than £100k a week. I'd not be shocked if Fletcher outscored Podolski this year, too.
Yes, but he would never move to Sunderland (and he's never played in the premier league before, so is a bit of an unknown quantity).