The Summer Transfer Thread

[-A-]

They're not talking about the Tour de France at all - they're shilling their latest deal to show cycling of some kind. I'm really not sure what cycling that is because outside of the Tour de France and Olympics I don't know what these guys do.

Oh yeah I heard about that actually. Odd that Sky are sponsoring just before the Olympics

And... do you really think they only have two cycling competitions? Really?

No, I said I didn't know what else it was they do

Anyway, when was Keane supposedly having that medical? Weren't people saying it was today, or was it yesterday? As much as people like to mock Voronin, looks like Liverpool might have Torres, Keane, Kuyt, Babel and Voronin as strikers next season - a very impressive bunch.

[therockbox]

If he signs, it'll be Torres up top, with Keane/Gerrard/Babel playing as the three just behind him, all interchanging. Voronin will be behind Kuyt and possibly even Nemeth as well.

Loads of different rumours this week about the medical, the staff got back from Germany yesterday so if anythings happened I doubt it would've happened until today at the very earliest. That being said, Rick Parry is probably just logging onto Wikipedia to see who this Roddy Keane bloke is.

[Dynamite]

As much as people like to mock Voronin, looks like Liverpool might have Torres, Keane, Kuyt, Babel and Voronin as strikers next season - a very impressive bunch.

On paper, that is better than Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. If Liverpool bought a top winger then they could definately be challenging the top two come May.

[therockbox]

Don't think we need a winger, to be honest. In the 4-2-3-1 we play the width is provided by the full backs, with the two holding midfielders plugging any holes that appear. Finnan and Riise weren't up to it last season, which is why we've signed Dossena and Degen. Already in a couple of pre-season games they've got ahead of the ball more often than any of our fullbacks looked to do at all last season.

Edited July 24, 2008 by therockbox

[Crybaby Bunting]

Lets be honest they were playing the best SWITZERLAND had to offer.

Of course they'd get the ball a lot more

[Dynamite]

A winger isn't essential but I think it could be really effective in the way Babel was last year coming off the bench.

[therockbox]

Lets be honest they were playing the best SWITZERLAND had to offer.

Of course they'd get the ball a lot more

I meant that they got ahead of the midfielder/attacker that was in posession of the ball and immediately looked to get ahead of them, then continued moving forward once they'd received the pass. On the odd occasion Riise/Finnan got into that situation they'd stop and look to knock it backwards.

A winger isn't essential but I think it could be really effective in the way Babel was last year coming off the bench.

Babel didn't play as a winger, he came inside all the time (something I hope he'll mix up a bit this season). A winger is a bit of a luxury, given that we're having to sell to buy I'm not too fussed about not getting one.

[-A-]

It's weird, fans of Arsenal and Liverpool have both been calling for the purchase of a high profile winger this season despite the fact that both teams have a system that doesn't use or need wingers. I appreciate that every teams need options, but why would Liverpool be desperate for a winger when there's nobody who's going to be trying to get on the end of crosses? You can't really fit a Quaresma into the team when your first choice attacker is Fernando Torres, it's just a waste.

Arsenal have been playing sensational football for years without a traditional winger. I don't think Adebayor or Bendner were lacking for crosses score from, either.

TRB: Is Babel's long-term future as a striker, do you think? I reckon he definitely looked more comfortable in a 4-2-3-1 than out wide in a normal 4-4-2, anyway, so his role next season is firmly secured.

[therockbox]

I think playing him as a left midfielder in the first part of last season was a way to get him used to the physical side of the league, but without the pressure of being relied upon to score goals. He admitted himself that when he first arrived he struggled to cope with having to play so many games at a high tempo, but putting him on the wing kept him out of the limelight a bit. It also got him used to tracking back and helping out the defence, something that he'd never really had to do before.

I'm not really sure about his future position beyond next season though. I think the advantage of having a Babel at the age he is now is that he can still 'learn' new positions, I don't see him ever getting ahead of Torres (whose only a couple of years older) and I think the days of the traditional 4-4-2 amongst the 'top teams' are almost over. If we sign Keane then we'll have four players (Torres and then the three off him) that could all swap positions with one another during the game.

Babel's signing was an interesting one for Benitez though, it's the only big money signing he's been able to make that seemed to be made because of the players potential, and not because of what he can offer immediately.

[-A-]

I think the days of the traditional 4-4-2 amongst the 'top teams' are almost over.

Totally agree here. I suppose the idea of formations is a bit of a relic anyway, but over the last few seasons it definitely seems to have become really obvious at the top of the game. Maybe it's the English obsession with playing two strikers that's let it stick around for so long. Last season, Man U played with no strikers at all really, they all just varied and knew how to adjust their play according to that.

If we sign Keane then we'll have four players (Torres and then the three off him) that could all swap positions with one another during the game.

If the transfer goes through (and regardless of the Alonso/Barry status) Liverpool will have such a sexy attacking line-up next season:

- - - - - - - - - - - - Reina -

- Degen - Carragher - Skrtl/Agger - Dossena

- - - - - - Mascherano - Alonso/Barry

- - - -- Keane -- Gerrard -- Babel/Kuyt

- - - - - - - - - - - - Torres

I love Agger and Skrtl seemed good from the very limited amount that I saw, so it's only really the fullbacks that are unknown quantities. Front 6 are as good as any in the world (know Kuyt's usually on the right but Babel's usually on the left and I like him more ) Torres is the best at playing off the shoulder but he can drop deep and move into channels; and the other three are more than capable of getting into the box on a regular basis.

Also - I fucking hate doing formations, is there an easy way of coding them on these boards?

Edited July 24, 2008 by -A-

[Szumi]

West Ham striker Craig Bellamy has been linked with a move to Manchester City according to reports.

City boss Mark Hughes is eager to secure the striker's services ahead of the new Premier League campaign as the club's attacking options are limited, with Benjani Mwaruwari injured and new £19 million man Jo away at the Olympics with Brazil.

The Zimbabwean Mwaruwari ruptured a thigh muscle in training which will rule him out for the first month of the new season.

Bellamy, who recently recovered from a groin injury, played some of his best football under Hughes three years ago at Blackburn, and the City boss knows him well from his time in charge of Wales.

Another target for City is Chelsea and Israel defender Tal Ben-Haim, who will be having talks with the club after they offered the Blues £4 million for his services.

It looks likely that Chelsea will accept the offer for the 26-year-old, who has remained in England while his team-mates are on their Asia tour.

Although Bellamy is injury prone as of late and will probably be a non-factor for West Ham this year, I don't want to see him go, in hopes that he actually will produce for us. Apart from Dean Ashton, we have no decent striker, so we kind of need Bellamy (when healthy). However, West Ham are cheap bastards, so they'll probably sell him to Man City if they make a bid.

[-A-]

West Ham are cheap bastards? Since when?! Ljungberg and his 70k/week contract say otherwise. There's no chance that Bellamy will be sold without another striker coming in - we've been linked with the likes of Gudjohnsen, Cisse and Andy Johnson. If wouldn't really complain if we traded Bellamy for any of them. Even if they're not ideal partners for Ashton, they're quality players and we're not likely to do better. As much as I like Bellamy as a complement to Dean, he's still a proper cunt and thus a bit of a liability.

[IAceI]

Sunderland have signed a young Cork player, Meyler.

More importantly apparently Villa might launch a late bid to steal Kaboul, whose set to have a medical with us today. Sneaky bastards

[ONO]

There has been talk of it for days.

[IAceI]

Thanks.

Anyways I still reckon he'll sign with us even if Villa come in with a late bid.

[ONO]

Has there been any earthquakes? >_>

[IAceI]

I was in Faliraki last week and we felt a 6.3 Earthquake about 300km. We got a good shake off it but I was too pissed to care

And it's more the fact that Villa are gonna try and swoop in after he's agreed personal terms and should be due to undergo a medical today. They had a good opportunity just days ago when Kaboul said he didn't want to join, then he was persuaded (I think by Chimbonda) to come up and obviously Keane has won him over.

For me it speaks volumes for Keane that he's persuaded Kaboul so quickly and easily. Kaboul said that he thinks the facilities are great, and we have a great stadium with loyal fans so I guess he just liked that. I won't hold a grudge, no one really wants to live in Sunderland - but if he decides to come and does well, then fair play - it's a good signing.

[alldaws1]

Aston Villa have been given permission to talk to Brad Friedel and Blackburn have got their replacement, signing Paul Robinson from Spurs for £3.5m.

Good signing for both teams I feel. I consider Friedel to be in the top tier of goalkeepers in the Premier League still and I think Robinson will revive his career once he settles down and get back into England contention.

[Hobo]

BBC teletext says Paul Robinson has signed for Blackburn. Friedel must be on his way to Villa soon then.

[-A-]

He's been permission to speak to both Villa and Man City I think.