http://www.goal.com/en/news/596/exc...y-to-offer-west-brom-3m-damien-duff-and-chris If this were to happen it would be one of the worst deals in our history. Not only would be parting with £3 million, we would be getting a 30 year old striker who has suffered with form and injuries this season, BUT also parting with two invaluable players. Ask me the question Noel Deal or no deal? NO DEAL.
Hahaha 3 million + Duff + Baird for a 30 year old striker, wow some journalists really are lazy! Where do they come up with this nonsense?
Do you know what, I could see this happening. I'd be sorry to see Baird and Duff go, but neither of them are likely to be anything like regular starters under Jol. If Jol feels this is what it takes to get the forward he wants - assuming that's how he sees Odemwingie - then they are players who I could see him being willing to part with. We know Roy rates the pair of them, so it's plausible. I'd rather sign a striker and keep those two, but if it happened it would leave us slightly better off than we are now, particularly if we are also planning on signing another right back. Although Odemwingie isn't the ideal signing, he might be the man to lead the line for a couple of seasons while Trotta (and/or Dalla Valle, Hoesson, etc) get up to speed for the Premier League. Let's be clear here, I'm not saying 'make it so', I'm just saying I don't think this is as ridiculous as previous posters seem to.
I"m with the captain on this - it could happen. Duff and Baird deserve to be playing first team ball somewhere, but those two plus 3 million for Odemwingie seems expensive. And again, where would we play him? During our away games, we play with one striker and a five-man midfield. During home games, Dembele, Ruiz and Dempsey take turns playing off BZ. So where's Odemwingie going to play? What's the point of having AJ if we take on a new pacy player? This doesn't make much sense unless AJ is moving on.
No, just no. Baird is in my opinion a better right back than Kelly and Hughes so we would be losing not only a good right back, but central midfielder and centre back. Duff as we have seen recently is a great option to have come off the bench. If Jol wants to sell him then get the 1.5 million from Villa and be done with it. Odemwingie would not be first choice as he is no better than Zamora and the system that we play wouldn't suit Odemwingie playing up top on his own. He is also 30, hardly a spring chicken so I can't see him leading the line for a couple of seasons.
I could see Odemwingie fitting Jol's system and taking Zamora's place if Bobby can't adapt to Jol's ways and stretch defences rather than playing with his back to goal. Bobby is possibly the best in the Premier League at playing the back-to-goal targetman role, but that doesn't seem to be what Jol wants from his main striker. I don't want us to sell Duff, and I agree that Baird is a handy player to have around. The fact remains that Jol seems to prefer Kelly at right back (and I agree with him on that one), Senderos at centre back (not sure I agree, but I'm happy with Senderos) and Etuhu, Sidwell and Murphy at centre-midfield. Duff on the other hand is probably behind Ruiz, Dembele and Dempsey for a starting slot, as well as facing pressure from the youngsters Kasami and Frei who we all want to see getting more game time. From Jol's point of view it's two fringe players out and - assuming he sees Odemwingie as the answer up front - a key player in. If you look at it from Jol's perspective it makes sense. I hope it doesn't happen though, I'd rather keep hold of Baird and Duff at least until the summer.
