I like idea of Robbie Keane on loan, get used to the squad scoring goals at least, than look abroad for a striker in the summer.
Surely not Robbie Keane! Yes he has a decent scoring record but we need to be goin for good young players. The last time we went for a load of hasbeens we got rrlegated to league 1! Morison, martin, lappin and ward out permanently would be good. bring in graham as 1st choice striker, holt would be a good super sub like last year. Maybe add the cluj winger (if he is any good), the maybe snap up a bargin if the ipportunity comes along?
What's wrong with Robbie Keane, he's one year older than Grant Holt. Has pedigree and is a player who can make something out of nothing. He would come into the team and probably be the best player in the squad. Not just a finisher but someone who is intelligent, someone a lot of the younger players could learn from. "Went for a load of has beens" he walked into the Villa side last year and was their best player and I am not talking about having 11 loanees in the squad, so try not to take what I am saying out of context. What bargains exactly? I really don't think looking to bring a player in who has never played in Premier League before has slim hope of working in the January window. Other than Arshavin and Papiss Cisse has it really instantly paid off?
Interesting snippet on Sougou from the BBC match report. Methink he'll go to one of his 'wealthier suitors', but we shall see. "Twice in the space of 10 minutes Cluj striker Modou Sougou had opportunities, with Scott Wootton twice on hand to block the Senegal striker's shot at the crucial moment."
2 questions. Wouldn't he take up a place in our 25 man squad but only be here for 8 or 10 games before he went back to America? Where would we play him? Would you suggest dropping Hoolahan, who helps out our midfield, and relace him with Keane, who wouldn't, for those 8 or 10 games or would you change the system from our current 4-4-1-1, which has been very successful, back to a 4-4-2, which wasn't?
I saw this on the Liverpool board regarding Dani Pacheco http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/183116-Pacheco-leaving-probably?highlight=pacheco I thought he was excellent for us in the Championship and fitted in really well. What are your opinions in terms of whether Hughton would be interested in making a move for him and what he is worth etc? Do you think there would be allot of interest from other clubs if he did become available?
I liked Dani when he was here, but I'm not sure he's the goalscorer City need. If it wasn't for Butterfield coming in, I'd say he would be good competition for Hoolahan and probably score more goals than Wes. It's just so tight with the 25 man squad already full. I think Lappin and Martin could make way by going out on loan for the rest of the season, but would Pacheco be CH's priority? My guess is that Ward, Lappin, Korey and Martin will be kept on just in case relegation happens and others leave in the summer (terrible thought, I know, but these things have to be guarded against).
I get what you mean, but surley if Pacheco was great in the Championship and showed the promise to perform at a higher level then if we go down then he would be a great addition?
I'd say he was good, and definitely showed some potential but I wouldn't go as far as to say he was "great" for us. We were absolutely flying when he came along, it can't have been hard to slip into that squad at the time and look good if you ask me. I personally think we have better options in Wes, Jacob and Jonny so not for me I'm afraid
no for me; although he was only on loan, CH will want to stamp his authority on us and bring in his players
Yes he would, as said higher in the thread there is deadwood at are club. Martin, barnett, lappin. And yes i would drop wes. Realistically he is not going to play a whole season with the sort form he has been playing with, he will be at the club at i time where the squad is more important than the starting 11. I think its a period where you are vulnerable to getting dragged into the relegation dog fight. Look at Landon Donovans impact at Everton, he lifted there team at the time and their form carried on after he left too. We've never tried 4-4-2 with Tettey, who could add the solidity to the formation, saying a formation doesn't work sometimes is true but its a small tweak changing it to a 4-4-2.
I thought Pacheco brought something else to the team as well. His enthusiasm was there to for all to see and I'm sure it lifted us in those games, players and crowd. Those who can remember the 1971-72 season will surely remember the big part Jimmy Bone, enthusiastic more than prolific, played in our eventual promotion. Whether he has it to make it in the Prem, particularly with a team who are concentrating on shape and stability rather scoring one more than the opposition I wouldn't like to say. I would take him. I don't suppose for one moment CH will though. But if we are talking about keeping Chris Martin, then surely Pacheco, on a free, would be a better bet.
I really liked Pacheco when he was with us but we now have a number of players who can play that role and so I don't see an attcking midfielder being the priority - had CH wanted him then I presume he would have gone for him and we would have Pacheco rather than one of our other options before the start of the season. I don't think that our squad needs too much alteration and I can't see us throwing money at a problem which does not seem to exist in the January window - if a decent striker became available then I could see us spending a few quid but otherwise what would we want? We have three decent centre halves (four if you count Barnett's resurgance with Ayala and Ward out on loan) cover in both full-back positions, plenty of wide options and a lot of midfielders plus two excellent young keepers in the wings. Yes we don't have many household names but I see no point in spending money unless we improve the squad. Maybe, on the assumption we stay up, next year will see the purse strings loosened (no doubt in a responsible manner) but I just don't see us doing much businees this window - cue no doubt 8 signings!
we're discussed improving the squad, not changing the winning team 1950. CH has said he is looking at bringing in improvements - surely that's a no-brainer if we can ship out the likes of C Martin, L Barnett etc and bring in quality replacements. The clubs record in August gives me confidence we might do this. as for pacheco, i'm not sure. We have Wessi and butterfield, do we need another. i think chris will want to improve elsewhere e.g the wings and up front. Dani is still u21 so the jury is still out on him i'd say if he can make it in the Premier League.
My comment was aimed at the suggestion that to fit in Keane we ' tweaked ' the system to try 4-4-2 again. As a general comment I have to say that when Lambert was here there were few moans but the only consistent one was his reluctance to play the same system and settled team week in and out. Now CH has done that and we have had our most successful spell since the early 90's some people want to change it. As I said if it ain't broke don't fix it - any tiredness against Sunderland was down to playing the same team 3 times in a week but even then we still won.
