Surely if you buy someone it needs to be better than what you already have? Lopez is certainly in that category. If not what's he point.
It's pure invention with the media these days. I remember someone on here said they'd take £16.5M for Shaw about a week ago, because I answered it and said it wouldn't be enough. Plus, they've seen the interview where Shaw states that when he was growing up he liked Chelsea. I would say you couldn't make it up, but quite clearly, they have. EDIT: I also imagine we haven't been anywhere near this Lopez player.
Not if you're just adding depth in behind your main players, very few teams can get away with having a deep pool of equally talented players, especially without Europe. Adrian would certainly improve us on paper but I don't believe he is a suitable player for us where we are at the moment, I don't think he gets in ahead of Lambert or Rodriguez at current. A young talented player who would be more willing to be third or fourth in line and slowly progress their games whilst able to make an impact when called upon would be a better acquisition in my book.
Ok I get what your saying, I just feel if an opportunity comes along to sign top quality then you have to take it. For me given a run of games I think Lopez is as good as the likes of Soldado, Negredo etc. So for me you have to get him in but at the end of the day this has only been reported in the Sun and the Star so there is probably nothing in it. If this is the kind of level of player we are looking at then we should be in for an exciting summer.
And I likewise, get what you are saying. If the boss men decide that he has the talent and have a role for him that they believe to be suitable, then I'd trust them and wouldn't complain, I'd be rather chuffed in all likelihood. But personally from my perspective I'm not seeing where he fits into the jigsaw puzzle, he'd be the edge piece from the 2000-piece Tower of London puzzle that got mixed into the 500-piece Statue of Liberty box. I've got a bit of apprehension heading into the summer personally, I believe we've got the makings of a very nice team despite our position, as I said earlier in the thread I'd prefer us just to make one big move for a CB and then be pretty quiet other than that. I think that we've still got that core chemistry from L1 and the Championship, our signings from last summer are starting to become a part of that, I hope we don't have another squad refit and disrupt the developing group that we have.
We have some expendable crap on the books, but we also have some players who have done very well for us & got us where we are now. He might not play for us again, but Richard Chaplow isn't crap.
I think that's a little harsh, BD. You're are talking about players who have played some part in getting Saints from Lge One to the PL. I think you could have a little more respect for their efforts. They may not be PL quality, but they've still provided us with great memories.
I agree, I actually really like Chaplow, but like you say I do think he'll be off in the summer, something that will likely benefit both parties.
It shows how far we've come that we're calling Chaplow "crap". A little over a year ago he was one our best players.
Chaplow was good until his injury. Yes I thank the players that have helped us get here but some of the players have also taken us for a ride(Forecast gets a special mention). I thank Chaplow and Sharp specially for how they have played for us. But you can only thank a person so much at the end of the day they are paid very well to play football for a living.
Chaplow is a good player who gave all he could for us...he helped us get to the position where he isn't good enough for us. Deserves respect.
Just because I call some of them crap doesn't mean I don't have respect. I just say it as it is and always have, but then that's just me.
Yes, but suggesting players are crap is another thing. Even Forecast isn't responsible for not being good enough. I'm sure he tried his best. Look at Bialkowski. He's doing excellently for Notts County, and had previously done well for Saints, but had a couple of nightmare moments and had to leave. These players just need to find their level, that's all. Even Lee Molyneux is going great guns for Accrington Stanley..!
This thread on Bart may suggest he's not seen as excellent: http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=402&fid=17&sty=2&act=1&mid=2113132985 Good one on one, but not commanding enough and poor kicking. Where have I heard that before?!
If Lallana came through Barcelona's Academy and failed to break into the first team, and was let go then some Barcelona fans would probably say he was crap.
