Transfer Rumours The Summer Transfer Rumour Thread 2016

Unlikely is definitely supposition on my part. Time will certainly tell, and I really hope for him and us that it all works out. I'm just basing that on 2 seasons out, his brief comeback last season and how he looked when he was on the pitch. Obviously Saints will have a far better idea.

It would seem a risk to me to believe that Gallagher will come good AND JRod and Austin will largely avoid the treatment table. We'll see.

 

I would be very surprised if JRod comes back as good as he was with you guys.

His game was built on intelligent running and being a menace with his speed. Having been out for so long and with the mental affect of those injuries, whether he will come back with that pace that he had and if not, will he be able to adapt

 

Especially when Long - as good as he was last year - is very far from prolific, or even above the 15 goals mark for that matter.

 

This is absolutely shocking if true. How many games did he start for Liverpool last season, and how many will he start this season?
So he's "too good" for guaranteed football and a chance to impress at Bournemouth, and prefers to rot on the Liverpool bench.
When footballers don't want the greatest job in the world, what are we coming to?

 

Premier League 2015/16
Harry Kane 38 starts no subs (3370 minutes) 25 goals = 134 minutes per goal
Jamie Vardy 36 starts no subs (3140 minutes) 24 goals = 131 minutes per goal
Shane Long - 23 starts 5 subs (2111 minutes) 10 goals = 211 minutes per goal

Pelle - 23 starts 7 subs (2174 minutes) 11 goals = 198 minutes per goal

Considering Kane and Vardy played every game (and minute) they were available so had a better run in the side I don't think Shane Long did that bad at all. Also consider that Shane Long was not always the front man.

 

On the JRod, injury situation. Last season, when interviewed, I am sure that he said he had returned quicker and stronger, when his test results were compared to his pre-injury days, so maybe the impression we had, of him struggling, was down to him just lacking proper match fitness. There's a massive difference between being fit and match fit, and when he returned, at the back end of last season, he just wasn't at that same level as players who had completed a full pre-season and virtually a complete season of competetive football. So long as he doesn't pick up any more niggly injuries, this will be his best chance to get on the same level as those around him, so that he can be properly judged.

Regarding Austin, why is he considered "injury prone"?
Prior to last season, he had made 159 appearances, during the previous 4 seasons. Not the signs of a player, who is prone to injury. Last season's injuries will hopefully be a blip, but like some others, I would still like us to bring in another striker, simply because three isn't enough.

 

Sam Gallagher looked a shadow of his former self when I watched him a few times last season. I wonder if he's ever got over losing his dad ......

 

Or he was injured and played through them. But I agree with you.

 

Spurs sign Janssen from Alkmaar.

 

Regardless of whether we think it's a good idea or not, it seems pretty clear to me from what I've read that we are going into next season with Austin, Long and J Rod as our only out and out strikers (plus youth).

That said, if the club have confidence in Austin's fitness, I can see the logic. Would seem to rule out Puel playing two up front on a regular basis (which I understand he has previously favoured).

I would assume we are definitely bringing in another "forward" option to replace Mane, though?

 

Regarding J-Rod, when watching him towards the end of last season, his positioning was still good, he was getting into dangerous area's, but wasn't making good decisions once there. Might well just be short of confidence, snatching at efforts, and that's to be expected I suppose. Really hoping he has a cracking preseason, could be massive for us.

 

I'd be surprised if Rodriguez gets back to his best this season. Maybe late on in the season but even then I'm not sure. He might get back to his previous level in the future (although we can't bank on that) but there's a psychological element to returning from such a long spell on the sidelines and I think it'll take him some time.

 

Yep, if we're only playing 1 up front, and the club believe we have three players that can play there, buying another is unlikely. As for a Mane replacement, I do think we may need another attacking midfielder, depending on who else is deployed where.
I'm guessing we'll play Hojbjerg/Romeu in front of the defence and three forward just behind the striker, like we did with Schniderlin/Wanayama under Poch. The obvious attacking three are Tadic/Davis/Redmond but JWP also did a good job there for Poch; if he can find that form again it'd help no end. Having said that, however it may be that Hojbjerg has been bought to play as part of that three (I've read he's box to box, but quite forward minded), or at least is adaptable enough to do it, with Classie partnering Romeu. JRod can also play there out wide if he's fit. So whilst I'd like an attacking mid, I'm not overly worried if we don't buy one as I suspect the formation may not demand it give the players we already have.

 

Why are people talking about Jay Rodriguez as a one-up-top striker? He very rarely played that role for us and I don't think he was very good at it when he did. He really used to play a similar role to Mane but on the opposite wing - just off Lambert and cutting in from the left wing.

 

I guess I look at it slightly differently, as I tend to think of players as being either "midfielders" or "forwards". There are obviously different players within these definitions, and we vary systems and personnel depending on the opposition and to cope with injuries/fitness/form, but barring a radical change of play I feel we need six of each.

Ignoring youth players, our "midfielders" are: Romeu, Clasie, Hodjberg, JWP, Davis and our "forwards" are: Austin, Long, JRod, Tadic, Redmond.

So for me we are still short one of each, although the club might think that Reed is ready for regular first team football. But we definitely need more attacking options ... particularly in the wide forward positions.

 

Long is just a striker no defender wants to play against, he's just a pain in the arse! Doesn't let you have a minutes peace is constantly trying to wind you up.

Hes one of the first players on my team sheet tbh, and his scoring has come on a bundle.

 

twitter feed just posted tweet of someone signing...Bertrand???

 

yep - 5 years

 

Fantastic.