I'd like to get two centre backs. Ayala is good but injury prone, Bennett's ok but his hardly Cannavaro and Ward worries the **** out of me. Obviously it would help having a defensive midfielder but our defence was abysmal last season.
I think another top class striker is paramount We cant assume that Vaughan will last long(going on his previous)& with Wilby gone we are lighter that last season! Ayala is another who likes the treatment room so a quality CB is the next important after that. And finaly a RB to replace Naughton, assuming he's not coming back, then save the rest for the Jan window.
i don't know. isn't fergie getting fed up with his arrogance, a bit like pogba? very promising player but that batch of united youngsters all seem to have attitude problems what with ravel morrison too!
i still say, get a good defensive midfielder in that team and it'll suddenly be much stronger at the back, even with current personel. i do think we need a centre back to compliment bennett and ayala. as northants says, ayala is injured a lot so far but bennett is going to be the real deal. he will be a definite starter.
I have to say I completely disagree with the idea that we need to buy a top class striker, for three reasons: - With Holt staying, we have plenty of strikers with various options. Holt will do as Holt does this season, he will always be a handful. Morison has taken a bit of flak, but he scored more than most strikers and I think will be stronger next year with the added experience. Jackson is still coming into his prime- he pulls defences all over the place and creates space. If he can hone his finishing (which seems to be a mental block rather than a lack of skill) I think he could be very good. James Vaughan, despite his injury history, is a class act. If he can stay fit, we will have a striker who really is naturally talented and brings an entirely different game compared to the other three. We then have Martin (who I'm not sure we will sell just yet) who may still be able to make the step up to the Prem, maybe a new manager will give him a chance to shine. The strike force is the one area I am really not bothered about- the fact that it bothers other teams is what I'm content with. - Currently, top class strikers cost a bomb. Our transfer budget will be around the 10m mark. That would get us a decent striker from abroad, but do we really want to blow our entire budget on a player that might not cut it in this league? Anyone remember how Afonso Alves did for Middlesbrough? I really don't think we're at the stage where we can afford to take that risk and I don't see how the price will justify the change to our current strike force. - If we are going to buy a striker, I hope it will be a young hot prospect, perhaps not quite ready for the prem yet, but willing to learn (because then they at least have the chance to adapt and come good) and relatively cheap in comparison to blowing on someone class. That way we'll have plenty of cash to strengthen the parts of the squad which really need it, like another fullback, centre back and a winger. Just my opinion. I think we're pretty blessed with the strikers we have, especially compared to some of the others
People mentioning Danny Rose is unlikely unless Spurs bring in a left back. He's our only real left back cover, and isn't even a left back! Always been more of a left midfielder, left back is definitely not his best position.
that's a really good post rob. bizarrely, i disagree with it in as much as i believe we should always look to improve every area of the team when the chance presents us, but i do now feel there is far less pressure on us to rush in and buy another striker now holt is staying. many may disagree but i'd have taken leon best for £3m - i think he is extremely underrated and would have replaced wilbraham. not a prolific goalscorer by any stretch of the imagination but he always causes problems for defences. he'd have been yet another striker that opposing defenders would have hated playing against and would have fitted in well. as it stands though, i'm happy to go with what we currently have and bide our time, searching for the best striker we can find ourselves within our budget rather than panic buy. if that striker comes along this summer then great, the pack will then shuffle, but if not, no worries
See, I don't think you're disagreeing with me at all! I wasn't entirely clear: I didn't mean don't buy a striker, I just meant don't buy an expensive striker. With Holt and the rest here there's no need- as you put it "there is far less pressure on us to rush in and buy another striker now holt is staying". We can invest for the future, so if a good deal appears, go for it, but I think we're in fantastic shape up front- again as you put it "searching for the best striker we can find ourselves within our budget rather than panic buy". I'm just concerned at the calls to buy a "top class" striker who, inevitably, will cost top dollar and that is a huge risk in one asset, which is why I mentioned Afonso Alves (though Middlesbrough didn't lose as much money on him as I thought. Still, that sort of risk we can't afford, yet. I'm confident the time will come. I was really keen on Leon Best earlier this summer, but again with Holt signed I'm not sure he's necessarily the sort of striker we would need. I think he is good though and will do very well for Blackburn because while he is not top class, he is better than Championship level.
