Transfer Rumours Jan 2021 Transfer Thread

Tommy Elphick is out of contract at season end... unless we lose Burke or Greaves do we need a CB...

 

I'd quite like to see an experienced centre back in there, we can still look a bit flaky when balls are pumped into our box especially from set pieces. A Wayne Brown sort of character, not afraid to get his head in.

 

I think Burke would be okay but I do think Greaves despite his great efforts this season can at times be a bit powder puff and gets bullied .. so do you go with a young man learning his trade and someone who is comfortable on the ball or a heavy lump no nonsense defender. I'm sure a season at this level will have taught Greaves a lot and perhaps a bit of weight on him may make him a little more robust to the bullies of the league. Get him beefed up a bit and he'll do well.

 

Young players like Greaves probably aren't even fully-developed yet physically. Most men reach peak muscle mass anywhere between 20 to 30-years-old.

Steven Gerrard once said in an interview that Houllier told him that he was an extremely technically-gifted player with loads of talent but was too scrawny and would get bullied by Premier League players. If he wanted to play for Liverpool's first team, he need to hit the gym and work on his upper-body strength. Same goes for Cristiano Ronaldo when he first joined Utd. He was a skinny, long streak of piss but by the time he went to Madrid, he was all muscle. Messi needed growth hormones at Barça.

The importance of upper-body strength in football doesn't get mentioned enough. You can be a technically-gifted player with a great footballing brain but unless you have the upper-body strength, you'll never make it. Sterling is a great example of someone who is short in stature but has great upper-body strength for his size. His hold-up play is incredible.

Greaves should probably ask someone like Wilks for tips. Similar age but Wilks already has great upper-body strength, even if he does piss about with the ball too much at times and goes down looking for free-kicks when he could easily stay on his feet.

 

Somewhere between both our statements in truth - nearly 2 years older.
But the more important point is that Smallwood was 29 1/2 when he signed on a 2 + 1 contract. Chester would be 32 1/2 i.e. 3 years older (which is where I was coming from but poorly posted).
Even more important point, it's all a waste of time as there's no way on earth it would happen!

 

Tbf I recall Gerrard having all sorts of problems as a youngster until he got physically stronger .. but that was down to hitting the gym and strengthening his growing body.. Greaves does need to bulk up a bit .. I know he is young but by the same token he will build muscle quickly at his age .. my fear is that the bully boy forwards will see him as an easy target unless he does so. Its been quite apparent this season the amount of times he has been out muscled at times so its credit to his footballing ability that he has been able to maintain his form.. but imagine what a player he could be if he filled out a tad and was able to bully the forwards back.

 

He's got the perfect template for bulking up a bit. As a player, he's very gifted and composed on the ball and his timing for tackles is remarkable for his age.

Only real part of his game as a centre-half that needs improving is the physicality, which as you said, can be remedied by a solid work-out routine to improve his upper-body strength and muscle mass.

 

I agree this is totally hypothetical, as it is very unlikely to happen. But on a general note, a Centre back has more longevity than a midfielder, because of the mileage done throughout their careers.

 

Stevie G bulked up, but was still a diving spread-eagled twat.

 

This is true.

 

I wonder what two morons put no !!!
Exercise the right to another year is
a no brained for city.. IMO...

 

I hope the two votes weren't RB and his Mrs....