Summer 2014 Transfers Mega-thread

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
Leery has 3 years left I believe plus an option for another £12m would be pretty good return, £20m for leroy and Snodgrass would be far better business than most of us expected we'd do before the summer.
 
To be honest, Supers, whilst I broadened my post to cover young players/the academy it really was Murphy I had in mind as I was finding it disconcerting that every time he was mentioned we were getting ' too young - send him out on loan ' responses. I think that next season he should be a regular in the first team squad/team. I favour Redmond on the right and Murphy on the left ( both encouraged to cut in and shoot ) with the best of whatever strikers are left at the end of the transfer window in the middle. Wes as acm, Fer - if he stays - Tettey ( holding ) and a back 4 of Martin/Whittaker, Bennett, Turner and Olsson will do for me. I suspect that the transfer window will have a say in that however.

I agree 1950 - Josh should certainly be considered as a replacement for Snoddy (I know others will strongly disagree, but this is a forum and we're all entitled to our opinions!!). Let's hope both Pilks and E Bennett stay reasonably fit this season, so that they can play more regularly.

<ok>

to be fair, i've not seen too much talk of josh going out on loan. i know a few people might be wary of letting him step up in place of snodgrass and would rather see an experienced wide man replace him, but i wouldn't do that. i think he is capable of 25-30 games next season at championship level, either starting or from the bench. i would go with the four we have - bennett, pilkington, redmond and murphy. i too would favour redmond on the right and hopefully pilks on the left (if fit and his head is right) as first choice but to be honest, the way adams is progressing in the transfer market it looks more and more as though we won't play with conventional wingers and will instead use wide forwards so that may actually limit murphy's game time as rather than be one of four, he'd be one of about eight! personally i favour the 4-5-1/4-3-3 which looks likely to be our approach next season so no room for wes. a midfield three of tettey holding and howson and fer ahead of him would be very dominant in the championship and allow a platform for whoever the three forwards are to do their business but as you say, the transfer window will play a big part in that.

Interesting post Supers and I'm hoping NA may well use different formations against different teams. <ok>
 
According to the Daily Fail, Bournemouth have reached an agreement with Callum Wilson, so that's probably one less wide forward.

Given that both Grabban and Lafferty also play as wide forwards as well as the centre of a 4-3-3, City would seem to have 6 options (including Surman) plus Josh, which would seem to be enough. If Martin is going to play primarily as a CB, it will depend on whether Adams feels Gafaiti is sufficient cover for Whittaker, given that emergency loans can be used. If Fer or anyone else leaves it would seem a replacement would be sought. Finally, are Wes and Surman (if they stay), sufficient in the ACM role, particularly for breaking down stubborn defences?
 
Leery has 3 years left I believe plus an option for another £12m would be pretty good return, £20m for leroy and Snodgrass would be far better business than most of us expected we'd do before the summer.

Harsh nickname! What makes you think that? <laugh>

If we got as much as £12m, that would be fantastic business too. The combined £20m would make up half of our losses from relegation as well as freeing up a large chunk of the wage bill (though obviously we would have lost two excellent players). That really does a good job for shoring up our finances
 
gafaiti is a centre back - never seen him play right back <ok>

would love to see surman feature heavily this season but centrally, not wide.

To me Gafaiti is cover for our 3 centre backs - 4 if you include RM - and with E Bennett as cover for Martin and Whittaker we seem to have cover across the back 4 especially as we will be able to access the loan system in the event of an injury crisis. Wes with Surman and others in the squad as back up seems strong enough to me. As always this is subject to outgoings.
 
Just seen a video of Lafferty on YouTube. I saw him play a few times for Burnley but nothing really since then.

ANYWAY, he looks like Grant Holt mk. 2 with his work rate, and especially his finishing style. The way he puts the ball away, you'd think Holty had been stretched then put in a Rangers shirt. He can take a good free-kick too - this guy has everything he needs to be the new messiah, as long as he can control himself.
 
Just seen a video of Lafferty on YouTube. I saw him play a few times for Burnley but nothing really since then.

ANYWAY, he looks like Grant Holt mk. 2 with his work rate, and especially his finishing style. The way he puts the ball away, you'd think Holty had been stretched then put in a Rangers shirt. He can take a good free-kick too - this guy has everything he needs to be the new messiah, as long as he can control himself.

can't head the ball for toffee though!
 
Stil cant understand the hype around Surman. He gives the ball away faaaaar too easily, he is sooooo slow and he is extreeeeemely weak in the tackle. Unless he has developed some amazing ability to play as a number 10 I see absolutely no use for him in midfield that has the pace, power and energy of Tettey, Johnson (not so much for pace), Howson and Fer. We need a stronger version of Fox if we are looking for a CM, not someone who is as weak and worse at passing.
 
bedfordcanary:6717281 said:
Stil cant understand the hype around Surman. He gives the ball away faaaaar too easily, he is sooooo slow and he is extreeeeemely weak in the tackle. Unless he has developed some amazing ability to play as a number 10 I see absolutely no use for him in midfield that has the pace, power and energy of Tettey, Johnson (not so much for pace), Howson and Fer. We need a stronger version of Fox if we are looking for a CM, not someone who is as weak and worse at passing.

He played as a number 10 pretty much all last season, so must have been doing something right in a fairly high-scoring side. Also hopefully has a decent understanding of how to work with Grabban already.

Those limitations are no different to any of Hoolahan's, but he's younger and less of a traitor! I'm not suggesting we shouldn't look for more central midfielders, but do think he's a viable option, depending on how we play.

If a 4-3-3 is the way we're going, then a player who can create from deep is probably a higher priority signing than a Wes replacement, even more so if Fer leaves.
 
I don't think he played as far forward as wes last year i.e. off the striker, but did come into the team having struggled to hold down a left midfield or midfield slot at the beginning of the year and begin a rapid climb up the table. More of a distributor and neat footballer moving the play forward than and exclusive wes esque no 10.

I personally think a midfield 3 of tettey, surman, howson would be a good mix, plenty of energy and tettey to do the donkey work and fouling
 
He played as a number 10 pretty much all last season, so must have been doing something right in a fairly high-scoring side. Also hopefully has a decent understanding of how to work with Grabban already.

Those limitations are no different to any of Hoolahan's, but he's younger and less of a traitor! I'm not suggesting we shouldn't look for more central midfielders, but do think he's a viable option, depending on how we play.

If a 4-3-3 is the way we're going, then a player who can create from deep is probably a higher priority signing than a Wes replacement, even more so if Fer leaves.


Youre right those limitations are similar to Wes but some people want him as a CM and he would be sh*te as a CM. In terms of playing as a 10, Wes is still a better passer than Surman, or at least he was! If as you say Surman has played as a 10 and is any good, id be happy to see him there. 3 assists and 0 goals though :-/
 
Also id like to think (as you mentioned) us playing a 433 or 4123 formation which would imo leave Surman surplus to requirements imo.
 
Youre right those limitations are similar to Wes but some people want him as a CM and he would be sh*te as a CM. In terms of playing as a 10, Wes is still a better passer than Surman, or at least he was! If as you say Surman has played as a 10 and is any good, id be happy to see him there. 3 assists and 0 goals though :-/

He did play as a CM last half of last season for bournemouth though and wasn't ****e
 
I think Surman would be good as one of the 2 box to boxers with Tettey behind. He's got the neat passing and control on the ball that would be good foil for Howson or Fer. I wouldn't expect him to be first choice but he's certainly good enough for this level.