Sell to Buy

[Roboklopp]

If we get those 3, plus a back-up ressie GK for a minimal fee, I'd be happy & confident of competing.

Dont think we need any more Yossie/Arbs types. That's not to devalue their worth to the squad as it stands at all, just to say we need the top quality now, not the depth.

[redwien]

We should off load Babel before everyone realises he's dud.

[dww]

I think we will probably need four players and possibly five if Crouch is to leave. I think Crouch is actually a pretty decent reserve striker if he is willing to be that. What we need is at least two more players who fit in the attacking four and offer a goal threat and creativity and movement against the big teams.

I really think an alternative to Gerrard behind Torres is important against teams like United he came too deep and we lost shape. It would also mean we could have a more adventurous version of the 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard deep and not loose so much. I guess the alternative would be two wingers willing to get much closer to Torres - in the way that Kuyt did ate times against Arsenal and offer themselves in the box but unlike Kuyt to also offer pace on the break.

I think the key in the new signings up front will be flexibility. Players like Rooney and Ronaldo give Fergie a lot of tactical options as well as their out and out ability. The same can be said for the likes of Hleb, Rosicky and Walcott at Arsenal.

[Pablo]

Good listen that cheers.

Of the player mentioned in the Podcast that the deal isa meant to have been tied up for my guess would be Mauro Zarate.

No mention of Rafinha at all which doesnt tie in with AFII's info that he is the 1st Team player signed up.

[Roboklopp]

I think we will probably need four players and possibly five if Crouch is to leave. I think Crouch is actually a pretty decent reserve striker if he is willing to be that. What we need is at least two more players who fit in the attacking four and offer a goal threat and creativity and movement against the big teams.

I really think an alternative to Gerrard behind Torres is important against teams like United he came too deep and we lost shape. It would also mean we could have a more adventurous version of the 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard deep and not loose so much. I guess the alternative would be two wingers willing to get much closer to Torres - in the way that Kuyt did ate times against Arsenal and offer themselves in the box but unlike Kuyt to also offer pace on the break.

I think the key in the new signings up front will be flexibility. Players like Rooney and Ronaldo give Fergie a lot of tactical options as well as their out and out ability. The same can be said for the likes of Hleb, Rosicky and Walcott at Arsenal.

Correct, those players offer intelligent movement,mobility, workrate & close control. They form an interchangable, fluid attacking unit which is why they are so good up top. It is also summat we lack still as present.

[bobbyfallon]

Selling Crouch wouldn't give us any extra transfer money, because we'll need to sign a replacement for him, unless you can name me someone as good as him for £5m? Otherwise, we won't make a real profit. You can't play a whole season with only Torres, Kuyt and Nemeth as your strikers. Better give him a new contract.

Getting rid of the following:

Carson- £7m
Finnan- Peanuts
Riise- £5m
Guthrie- £3m (would keep him personally)
Pennant- £5m
Kewell- free
Voronin- Peanuts

Will give us about £20m. Add the regular budget of £15m-£20m we always have every summer, and you've got £35m-£40m to spend.

On what?
Two top full backs
Two top "wingers"
Some kids and possibly a back up GK.

Not a lot of money.

crouch is just pure ****e - the sooner he goes the better

[Exiled_red]

Monsters is part of it I expect.

I was assuming so, but even so there should be ~£25m left from that.

[AFII]

He definitely said NOT to chunter about Nemeth Tommy, I saw it too

As I said above, I think Insua could come in as backup to Aurelio, no problem. Nemeth is another matter. I'd not be adverse to starting to put him on the bench in the latter half of next year, but the lad's only been here a few months, there's no point in rushing it especially if he is that talented. He'll be ready when he's ready.

You could maybe argue for Nemeth replacing Voronin in the squad, and then replacing Crouch with a genuine option to partner Torres. That would leave us with Torres, MrX, Babel and Nemeth as forward options. Mmmmm. Perhaps that'd be enough, especially if we keep playing 1 up top.

We've actually had a remarkably injury free season overall. We can't just shift out 8 squad players, many of whom have played games this season, and not replace most of the numbers. That would be foolish in the extreme.

I would be happy with Nemeth as one of four strikers but it also of course depends on if Rafa will continue to play 4-2-3-1 then we would only need three strikers and more wide attacking players instead.

[Roboklopp]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Why wont he stop?

[saveferris]

I think we will probably need four players and possibly five if Crouch is to leave. I think Crouch is actually a pretty decent reserve striker if he is willing to be that. What we need is at least two more players who fit in the attacking four and offer a goal threat and creativity and movement against the big teams.

I really think an alternative to Gerrard behind Torres is important against teams like United he came too deep and we lost shape. It would also mean we could have a more adventurous version of the 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard deep and not loose so much. I guess the alternative would be two wingers willing to get much closer to Torres - in the way that Kuyt did ate times against Arsenal and offer themselves in the box but unlike Kuyt to also offer pace on the break.

I think the key in the new signings up front will be flexibility. Players like Rooney and Ronaldo give Fergie a lot of tactical options as well as their out and out ability. The same can be said for the likes of Hleb, Rosicky and Walcott at Arsenal.

I agree that creativity is the biggest area in which we are desperately lacking and this was evident against Utd, there is a lot of focus on defenders, which I feel we need to be less concerned about, after all we have had a good defensive record for a number of years.

The challenge for us is to buy creative/intelligent players to complement the direct nature of our attacking play with Torres, Gerrard and Babel I dont think there are that many in the Prem at the moment.

Although Ashley Young and David Bentley are good shouts, especially Young as Villa seem to play in a similar formation, they would be expensive to boot, plus there may be better and better value players abroad. I think a cheeky bid for Rosicky, if successful, would be good for us.

[mersey86]

Kuyt won't be sold, I agree. Alonso won't UNLESS he genuinely wants to leave, or we get a very good offer. Replacing him could cost as much as he'd bring in anyway. Agree

Although we do look to have some good prospects in the ressies, only Insua looks like he's of the stature to break through next year. Nemeth perhaps, but there's no way he'll play a big part, talented undoubtedly but he is still a kid really. So we'd probably have to buy to replace most of what we sell, which complicates things. I agree, although I'd like Hobbs to make the bench, and Hamill/Anderson as well

Riise will go. I think we'd get £4m easily for him. Newcastle I reckon.
Pennant. £4m. Keep him, if that's all we'd get. He's a decent player.
Crouch. £9. I'd think there could be a few clubs in for him, he's one of the most obviously high profile English strikers available in the league.
Carson. Lets say £7m. Spurs.
Voronin, Guthrie, Finnan & other fringe players ~5m total

Best part of £30m there. Never works out like that anyway, what with paying players off, agents etc, but that wouldn't be outrageously unrealistic imo.

Assume Insua replaces Riise, Carson and Guthrie are obviously irrelevant, that would leave us with Pennant, Crouch, Voronin and Finnan (included as Rafa obviously wants a new rb and Arbeloa will stay) to replace with better quality. I'd like to see Babel/Nemeth cover the fourth striker role.
If we could bring in Rafinha and a top quality wide player (preferably right-sided) that would do me (if we keep Crouch).

[dww]

I agree that creativity is the biggest area in which we are desperately lacking and this was evident against Utd, there is a lot of focus on defenders, which I feel we need to be less concerned about, after all we have had a good defensive record for a number of years.

The challenge for us is to buy creative/intelligent players to complement the direct nature of our attacking play with Torres, Gerrard and Babel I dont think there are that many in the Prem at the moment.

Although Ashley Young and David Bentley are good shouts, especially Young as Villa seem to play in a similar formation, they would be expensive to boot, plus there may be better and better value players abroad. I think a cheeky bid for Rosicky, if successful, would be good for us.

I think that the Rosicky call raises an interesting issue in that I think what we are looking for and are hoping Babel will become is Arsenal type wide players. I think we would have no chance getting Rosicky but in a way I think we could do with a player of his experience.

I think AFII has raised an interesting point elsewhere when he talks of Pennant going to Villa which would make the Young transfer more likely IMO. It is also interesting to think that some of the players we have might have a decent value going to other PL teams which could make getting players based here comparatively easy cf those abroad in our current financial situation.

I kind of feel the move to a top team can be as big as the move between leagues but if we can't afford or don't have the opportunity to get players from the bigger European teams then getting players raised in the PL is probably better than trying to bed in some of the players mentioned from Eastern Europe say.

[JohnDoe]

crouch is just pure ****e - the sooner he goes the better

Yeah, okay