Could one injury to Saylor really change the WHOLE January window?

I love conspiracy theories.

When Enrique was sold, we had months to replace the lad. Newcastle knew he was wavering and did jack about it. Sorry, we did, we let the window pass and let Raylor fill us with dread how week in week out he was tormented. Santon comes in LB and all is sticking plastered over. So that's still a LB we need.

Then , they announce Loverman is unhappy at not getting first team footie and will look to leave in January. We give Modibo Maiga a medical presumably to cover for Ba at Acon. Now Pardew reporting that strike is talk all codswallop and we're not in the market. Strange. We still need a striker ( but not a Ba look/play -a-like ).

We're only after a centre back because of Saylor. And when Saylor returns, which he will, can you see anyone decent being happy to rotate? Surely the reason for our start was Saylor and Colo ( who is still to sign contract extension) playing so well TOGETHER. I'm not sure Ashley will go buy a Samba ( wanting to move to bigger club) or a Cahill ( way too expensive , though on the evidence on how Ba played him , may not be worth the millions of pounds he thinks he is) or equivalent to play second fiddle.

That leaves us several options:

1. We will only buy centre half with existing funds
2. We will replace anyone who is sold from squad ( Guthrie for Tiote/ Gosling for Cabaye, Best for Ba).
3. Ashley will go out and get us proper cover for a very thin squad.

Wish Santa hadn't been. Know which one I would want.

 

It isn't so much the notion of an injury. It's the fact that the injury is for so long.

 

I don't think we will strengthen the squad at all to be honest.

 

Saylor and Williamson are both very injury prone, cant see a problem with rotation.

 

And getting Santon means we have a temporary left back and long term have 2 much better full backs, instead of just replacing Enrique. Why be upset that we're improving the team MORE than we were going to?

 

what these said

 

i honestly dont think we'll get anyone in Jan, dnt wna sound pessimistic (spelt wrong i know)
but i just got the feeling we wont
and probably only really lose Loverman and smith

 

There should be competition for places. If we get another decent centre back, which lets face it we need, then quite frankly I don't care whether the other cb's like it or not.

The best two performers get into the first team and the others have to fight for a place ... that is how it should be.

 

You spelt pessimistic correctly

 

Against Swansea, Santon continually put ball on his strongest right foot. I think he was signed as RB but Raylor's performances have put him there at LB.

As for Chappaz saying Saylor is long term, I agree. My concern was would a top class defender rotate? There again after a season out, we could just wait and see.

 

Santon was signed as a temporary LB we can move to RB in the future when we buy a good LB. Wouldnt you rather we have Santon AND a left back than just replace Enrique with 1 left back?

Also, if we're expecting to compete in Europe, we'll need rotation, and they'll all have to be good. Colo, Saylor and Vertonghen (for arguments sake) rotating with Willo as cover is just fine by me.

 

No-one cares any more.

To answer the question, yes. I think however we have needed CB cover for a while and Saylor's injury has just confirmed a long-standing issue, while Ba's form has demonstrated we have some striking depth (though I'd still rather ship Shola out for, hell, ANYONE post-haste)

 

I think Pardew's statement just reinforced for me a notion I thought ridiculous, Graham Carr must be our only scout... Maiga deal dies, and that's it? We have no plan B, or C, or even Emile Heskey?!

Poor fellow must be working his nuts off (/tanning his bollocks in France) looking for a few more gems for Mike Ashley's Sportsdirect United dream...

Very disappointed, but I reckon I'll still be glued to transfer deadline day's updates... Though more in fear than expectation!

 

I think he was signed as a Left Back, we needed a Left Back after Jose left, we signed a player who's played most of his career at Left Back, he's been touted as the next Paulo Maldini (a Left Back). He was signed as a Left Back. Also we'll sign a CB, not a top class name centre back but probably a decent one on the cheap who will happily rotate when required. He'll probably be French and get double his money which will still only be £20K a week and be happy for it. Or have you not noticed our current transfer policy?

 

People need to get in the real world. Unless there is a real risk of losing Colo with his contract situ, it isn't going to be a Samba or Cahill type signing. We aren't a top 4 club and can't offer those type of players what they need in terms of guaranteed European football, and they won't just sit in our squad like they would at a Man U/Spurs/Chelsea/Man C etc. What we need is a good solid option, which we have in Williamson, and maybe a youngish centre back (up to say 25) who we can develop. We clearly need a first choice left back, and I'd imagine that is where the majority of our funds will go. The only question being whether we can get such a player in January.

 

He's played most of his career at right back. He only played left back because of an injury crisis at Inter. He can play left back but is primarily a right back as shown by his captaincy of the U21s. When Lippi likened him to Maldini, he was more talking about the way he plays, in that he is a very elegant footballer. He'll move over to right back eventually for us. He played most of his youth football at right back also. I personally will be surprised to see a left back in January though. The cost will be sky high and they'll think we can get through to June with Santon, Raylor, Ferguson at a push. As you say we'll sign a run of the mill centre back who has a bit of potential for improvement.

I just think we have to be realistic about our standing and what we have to spend this January. Personally I'd love us to go and get a centre back, left, striker, right winger and a some cover for Tiote, but this is not football manager.