Andre Wisdom

[The Great Mass Debater]

Apparently signed on a season long loan. Done deal apparently so why Im posting here and not the transfer rumour section

http://www.teamtalk.com/liverpool/9927456/Norwich-agree-loan-of-Liverpool-defender-Andre-Wisdom

Sounds a bit like the Ritchie De Laet deal to me

 

[Lavanche]

Great loan deal if true. Too bad if there is no buy option. 

Anyway he has been decent in those games I have seen from him big athletic multipurposive defender who can at least compete with Whittaker and second CB position if not take starting place as RB. Very good business in my opinion.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Did we only send scouts to watch West Brom last year??

 

[Redders right foot]

He impressed me the few times I saw him play last year. the match that stands out I believe was against United where they were very unlucky to lose, he and Berinho both looked the part

 

[GJP]

Fairly average from what I've seen of him but he might show a bit more at the right club with the right manager.

 

[Din]

West Brom fans seem to think he was terrible for them last season. Personally I think it's a decent signing as back-up. Can challenge the right-backs and centre-backs, and will be eager to prove himself. I'm quite happy with this.

 

[Indy_Bones]

Decent enough player as cover without having to pay crazy money for the privilege.

 

[CanaryNath]

Not sure about this one. 

I've a mate who's a baggies fan, and he thinks Wisdom was poor last year. 

I thought the plan was to bring in definite upgrades on what we already have? I don't see this as a real upgrade, more just a bolstering of numbers. 

 

[Indy_Bones]

Was first choice under Irvine, but then unceremoniously dropped by Pulis.

Being fair to Wisdom he's always maintained that he's a centre half rather than a full back, but that he'll play there if asked, so I don't expect him to be as strong at RB/LB as he is centrally, so maybe not too unfair for WBA fans to be less than impressed as they saw him constantly in his less favoured position (much like Martin played RB but much prefers playing CB).

 

[CanaryNath]

Was first choice under Irvine, but then unceremoniously dropped by Pulis.

Being fair to Wisdom he's always maintained that he's a centre half rather than a full back, but that he'll play there if asked, so I don't expect him to be as strong at RB/LB as he is centrally, so maybe not too unfair for WBA fans to be less than impressed as they saw him constantly in his less favoured position (much like Martin played RB but much prefers playing CB).

I guess I'm just a little nervous signing a player who has now not played his 'preferred' position for two years. (he played RB at Derby the season before last, too). 

What has prevented him getting a run at CB at Derby and WBA for two seasons?

This season is not the time to go giving other team's younger players a go in our starting 11.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

West Brom fans on twitter were saying "that's norwich relegated then" after the rumour came out.  They really do not rate him at all.  I know he did well at Derby, but the fact he's mocked at a club like West Brom doesn't fill me with confidence. 

 

[KeiranShikari]

A lot of them also said that Mulumbu would keep us up,

 

[Indy_Bones]

What has prevented him getting a run at CB at Derby and WBA for two seasons?

Basically because he had proven/more experienced performers ahead of him, whereas in both cases each side was struggling for a RB, hence why Wisdom played there instead of at his favoured CB position.

Let's face it, 3-4 years ago we'd have all laughed at the idea that Russ Martin was actually a centre half who was simply playing RB, yet look what happened...

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

I'll be honest, Im disappointed with this move. Firstly I dont rate him, but secondly the use of the loan system to acquire this type of player is rather unsatisfactory for me. Im not sure if Liverpool still consider him a youth prospect or whether they just dont want him, but either way its disappointing. I think we should only be using the loan system to acquire a quality above what we could ordinarily get. I dont think we should be using it to bring in average unwanted players who arent an improverment on what we have, or to be furthering someone else's prospect.

If we'd have signed him on a permanent then id be less disappointed, but to pay over a million for an average/unwanted ?youth player who doesnt improve the squad and doesnt become our asset? - Just feels a bit hollow to me

 

[Indy_Bones]

How does he not improve the squad TGMD?

A few WBA fans claim he's not much good, and suddenly our fans believe we've signed another Andy Hughes...?

Rodgers believes that he has all the potential needed to be a top player at this level, in fact they even gave him a new 5 year contract in May (presumably because he's *bleep* and they like to *bleep* money away for no good reason), and he's got experience at this level to boot.

Personally I've always thought he looked decent enough from the handful of times I saw him play for WBA, and as a low risk player who gives us genuine cover in an area that worries many of us, there could have been MUCH worse signings.

He could end up being the next Miquel, but on the other hand he could be another Naughton level loan, and I'm far more inclined the believe the latter, especially when the only real critics I've heard of the guy are a few miserablist WBA fans who are probably just bitter that they've got X number of years of watching awful Pulis style football to look forward to!

 

[Dubai Mark]

No problem with this, its not as though we have a squad full of loan players, one or two carefully chosen is fine if it gives us decent cover and money to spend in other areas. Right now I am in the "I totally trust the CEO & Manager mode" and feel that lessons have been learnt from previous seasons......plus I much rather see our approach than that of Watford. 

 

[Beauseant]

I have a friend who's a Liverpool season ticket holder and watches all their reserve games as well, and has done for years. His comment on Wisdom was that he was amazed he was being loaned out as he expected him to challenge their first team centre backs. He says he's strong as an ox, fast and a tremendous signing for us, but hey, what does he know compared to a couple of dozen embittered Baggie fans?

 

[Brian Fantana]

I like the look of him but I do have concerns whenever we loan players and particularly defenders. I appreciate this is a bit of a quirk but I do think the defense in particular should settled and know each other well, I have concerns that players coming in knowing that they are only there for a year could unsettle what we have. I think my concerns might go back to the Rodent era but I always have my doubts about loans.

Having said that I hope the lad does good but I expect him to be back up to the first team unless AN is thinking about 3 central defenders with wing backs.

 

[KeiranShikari]

If he wants a chance to challenge for a place at Liverpool then he'll have to perform here, don'y think it'll unsettle him too much. Remember back in our Lambert PL year we used the loan system rather well.

I think this guy has the ability to take the shirt from either Martin or Whittaker and he'll only improve as the year goes on. No point listening to the WBA fans as he was playing in a shite team during that spell, he might have not been perfect but he was good enough to warrent that contract.

Great signing, one which should leave a decent amount of money in the pot for the remaining positions.

 

[Canaryboy]

Don't know much about him other than that he is very quick, and that if there is anything we are short of in that position (if we consider him a centre back) it is somebody with pace, could come in handy when facing teams who look to break with pacey forwards or who try and get balls over the top. 

Besides, we've let Cuellar and Miquel go. Even if he isn't a world beater he has to be better than those two at this level. Feel a bit bad saying that about Cuellar because at his peak he'd have walked into our team, but his legs have gone. 

If he is being brought in as a right back then we he can challenge Whittaker and leave Martin as a centre back. Alex Neil did say a while back that he likes versatile players, and perhaps signing a player who can play right back & centre back kills two birds with one stone again. Backup to Whittaker, plus a body in to replace Cuellar and Miquel.

If Turner also leaves then I think we'll still bring in another defender.