I know theres a thread already about Johnson, but what would you say for this outcome? Johnson to Swansea for £4mil Bridcutt to Norwich for £4mil or less(depending on Brighton and ourselves league positions) I will be honest. Johnson has been very good for us this season and would be my 3rd choice for POTS but with a player whos younger, can pass alot better and has the potential to go on to bigger things I would go with this as we would effectively get a better player for nothing as Johnson cost us nothing in the 1st place
Swansea have a better squad and manager than us at the moment so if they want him, it's because he is good. And we won't progress selling our better players.
I don't really buy that to be honest. I dont think theyre light years ahead of us, despite what the media will have you believe...think the difference between the two has been Michu, and not a lot more...
Johnson is one of our best players, we should aim to keep him. If we survive we will be able to afford Bridcutt as well.
I think that's nonsense. There is a massive gulf in approach which would take us years to get up to speed with. Its not a simple switch to start passing the ball around, it has to be developed, and it can be a long painful process to get right.
I agree that the difference is mainly Michu. Goals are invaluable in the PL and the one position City have not strengthened is up front. Benteke has kept Villa afloat in spite of failures elsewhere. RvW will hopefully achieve the goals next year, but he will also need service from midfield. Snodgrass has been excellent match after match (Stoke is the only exception I can think of). For me he is the PotS for both his attacking and tracking back excellence and his free kicks mean that we always have a chance. Pilks has been something of a disappointment because I thought he would kick on from last season and he hasn't really. He has done enough, IMO, but not more. Wes has been brilliant some games, less so in others. To me, the missing element is in CM, where City have strengthened defensively, but not so much going forward. Again, I had hoped that Howson would kick on this season but he has only done so in flashes. These are the crucial areas for me.
I don't get the hype over Bridcutt, has he proved he can play at the highest level? Has Bradders not got better & better each season? No brainer for me Bradders has to stay he's been top three all season.
No one said light years. But Swansea have the ability to hold the ball when things aren't quite going their way. We tend to launch it up the field. Its the difference how both teams are coached and tactics they are sent onto the field with.
I don't see why we can't have both really. Granted their style is pretty similar, but against the top teams playing the pair of them would make us very difficult to pass through, and with Snodgrass, RvW, and a quicker CAM and perhaps new LW, we'd be dangerous on the counter. I wouldn't want them as a pairing every game, but when we're not playing top 4 opposition they'd be good competition for each other, and cover if one was to be injured. If we'd lost Johnson for a significant period this season our midfield would have looked very light in the centre. Fox, Hoolahan and Howson (who I accept probably played together very well last season!) would worry me.
Why? Because we've been fed this constant stream telling us they're not good enough. Or, perhaps more tellingly, physically BIG enough. Yeah, let's become Stoke, shall we? That's worked really well this half season, hasn't it?
Johnson has been good this seasion and I think that he has been one of very few of our players to improve this season. I'd keep him and get Bridcutt to add a bit of competition. For what it's worth Snod gets my vote for POTS
