Kalou linked

From talkshite so with a pinch of salt




By Warren Haughton
Thursday, June 7, 2012
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Newcastle have entered the race to sign former Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou.

The Ivorian is available on a free transfer after the European champions decided not to offer him a new deal.

Toon boss Alan Pardew is looking to bolster his attacking options after Gabriel Obertan failed to impress following his move from Manchester United last summer.

Sources close to Kalou have told talkSPORT that, while Newcastle are interested, he is also open to offers from across Europe.

Bundesliga outfit Schalke have offered him a lucrative deal and the prospect of Champions League football next season which could see them steal a march on the Magpies.

The 26-year-old had limited opportunities last season, starting just 16 games, and has previously been linked with moves to Arsenal, Liverpool and Turkish giants Galatasaray.
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Not so bad if it's to replace Obertan, I just hope he isn't being lined up as a replacement for somebody else.

 

I stopped reading when it said Obertan failed to impress last season. I know he did, but I think he was signed as a young player to grow into the team. And I think he'll be massively more effective in a 4-3-3 as an impact sub.

 

Think coming from Chelski his wages are likely to be a problem for us. He also wouldnt be an automatic choice ahead of Ba, Cisse and Ben Arfa (If they all stay). Also the lure of Champions League football elsewhere likely to attract him especially in Germany where wages are still reasonably comparable to ours.
Cant see this one being true but who knows.

 

I think if he comes it'll be as a replacement for either Ba or Cisse and not as competition to them.

 

He won't fit into our wage structure. Can't see us signing him or any other premier league based player.

 

Non starter for me this one. Wages would be the major stumbling block. To be honest he's ****e. there is a reason Chelsea fans call him Haven'tgotakalou. We'd basically be replacing one headless chicken in Obertan with another headless chicken in Kalou. I vote we just buy a good player instead!

 

This guy is not that bad....i actually rate him quite high

at chelsea he was never ever a starter but always did something when played

he is deffo the type of player we need in our squad

he would give ba and benny competition for a place

he would be ahead of obertan and marveaux

 

Aye something ****e usually! He's ****ing clueless. He'd probably be a better option than Obertan but Marveaux looks a talent if he can stay fit, and is a far far classier footballer than the brainless Kalou. I wasn't surprised to find out the lad is thick as mince on Soccer AM, he plays like he is. Being better than Obertan is not really a good barometer for someone being a good signing. We don't need to bring in people for the sake of it, and would be far better served bringing a hungry young player on cheaper wages.

Kalou will cost an arm and a leg and would have to be first choice (he's not leaving the european champions to benchwarm elsewhere). He is no better than what we have bar Obertan, and I think the days we take the cast offs who can't make it at big clubs on monster wages are long gone thankfully.

 

he's not that bad,

a record of 147 goals created (assists + goals) in 339 career appearances is better than Ben Arfas 59 in 202 and I think also a better ratio than anyone who plays for 5under1and (I'm not gonna check that last statement in detail but last time I looked their best striker was 1 in 3).

as competition for the wings he would be excellent, for the strikers he would be behind Ba and Cisse.

His wages may well be a stumbling block, but if offered the realistic chance to stake a claim to a full time starting place he may be tempted.

 

Think he'll go back to France, though would have him as a squad player at worst here.

 

incidentally I am not suggesting he is better than Ben Arfa, as Ben Arfa is a younger player with years left to develop into a 1 in 2 player or better, while Kalou is in his prime, I just wanted to point out he is actually not that bad

 

Agree to disagree Colin. I have watched him enough and he is just very infuriating. Physically its all there, but mentally and his brain actually actioning his thoughts is another matter. As I say they call him Hasn'tgotaKalou affectionately at Chelsea. The problem he has faced and why succcessive managers have treated him as a reserve is that he has been up against class footballers, but also hasn't progressed from being a promising youngster. I think his lack of a footballing brain (similar to Obertan) is what has stopped any progression. Just not good enough for us.

It matters not because it won't happen because of wages and his first choice demands.

 

This 100%

Giving up on Obertan now would be really stupid. He's only 22, has fantastic pace, has shown lots of potential. All he needs it be coached and told how to time his runs and make decisions correctly.

He would be fantastic IMO on the LW in a 4-3-3 as an impact sub. He could cut in and make a pass or shoot.

 

Ratios and all that means bollocks.

Ben Arfa has only scored 5 goals in like 30 apps but we know that most of them apps were when he was recovering and finding a place in the team. You can't count them.

Plus assist tallies can be misleading, assists basically mean 2nd last touch on the ball. You can still play more of a part in a goal by playing a fantastic pass or making a beast of a run, and squad it to the player to makes the final pass before the goal.

You need to look beyond stats.

 

- true, but having not seen a great deal of either player they make a good place to start

- I would argue that the value of an assist is still pretty strong though, i.e. the player was still involved in the goal. a bit unfair maybe if the third last player to touch it runs the length of the field is not recognised statistically, but that doesn't devalue the involvement of the second last player, I have always wondered why two or more players can't be credited with an assist in fact, but I am digressing

- For the record, I would not have him replace any of our forward line

 

I agree give Obertan at least another season but absolutely no to Kalou. Overrated player and we could do so much better for a fraction of the cost