Transfer gossip.

[morty]

Overall I would agree about the overseas players not really working for us.

However I would argue Fer is the exception;   yes he was frustratingly inconsistent but he was influential on the pitch;  we won 7 of 28 starts with him but just 1 in 10 without him - a huge difference.   It was the woeful defence & inadequate strikers that got us relegated that season,  not the midfield.  We then  sold him for a handsome profit - whats not to like?  

Overall he provided far more value than any of the other summer signings that season (Hooper, RvW, Elmander)

Doesnt mean I would chose to have him back though.

I actually really liked him as a player, but I always viewed him as not quite fulfilling his potential. He had all the physical attributes to be a Viera, but looked like he couldn't quite be arsed.

 

[Dubai Mark]

Morty, agree with your last comment re Fer.......but, thats coming from someone who actually rated Elmander, there I said it!

 

[morty]

Morty, agree with your last comment re Fer.......but, thats coming from someone who actually rated Elmander, there I said it!

I rated Elmander, but bringing in him as a solution for lack of goals was nonsense, he has never been that sort of player.

 

[ZLF]

When Fer was on it you could see he was a genuine dutch international - and was impressive to watch.  It felt like a first season adapting to the more frantic pace of the prem compared to the eredivisie.      Most fans did not seem to want to give him that time to learn.    If AN could get him to work then we would have  a player on our hands again.   It just not likely.

As for Elmander - he was the player to light Hooper and that contribution was underrated - hoops never scored when johan was not on the pitch.     He was only one of two players who gained more than a point per started game that season,  and nobody was better.  So again he added something to the team...  

 

[eatonparkboy]

When Fer was on it you could see he was a genuine dutch international - and was impressive to watch.  It felt like a first season adapting to the more frantic pace of the prem compared to the eredivisie.      Most fans did not seem to want to give him that time to learn.    If AN could get him to work then we would have  a player on our hands again.   It just not likely.

As for Elmander - he was the player to light Hooper and that contribution was underrated - hoops never scored when johan was not on the pitch.     He was only one of two players who gained more than a point per started game that season,  and nobody was better.  So again he added something to the team...  

I think you have it there about Fer. Dutch footballers have talent but at times seem to think that talent alone will prevail. Not so. And Fer, for all his talent on the ball, was totally ineffective off it. He is a big lad and just standing in front of an opposition player ought to put them in two minds but I have this lingering memory, and that is backed up by watching him twice for QPR this season, of him just jogging back. Yet for all Snodgrass shortcomings, particularly where he was played, lack of effort was not one of them. Fans memory will be more affectionate for Snoddy but he didn't have half of Fer's ability.

I doubt even Nigel Worthington could have not faulted Fer for lack of effort.

 

[ZLF]

As I said - Fer was frustrating & for precisely that reason.  I do think the managers take some blame for allowing him to get away with that.

Snodgrass did combine effort and ability,  if a little selfishly that season;  For me a more apt comparison would be that prem season from BJ (or even howson).   Loved by the fans, yet from the same number of starts as Fer earned fewer points and we improved significantly when BJ didnt play,  the opposite of Fer.   Yet the lamented lost player is the one who tried hard - not the won who could help us win games.

But then I am in Wengers camp when it comes to his "english disease",  our obsession with visible effort rather than effectiveness.  What is the point of ineffective effort? 

 

[ZLF]

Apologies for diversion from transfers;

I do think Pinto will be a decent addition and if he and Jarvis are wrapped up thats a great start to the window.

Add in a CB & Naismith its looking good.

And have heard from a boro fan to support a pinkun post that they are interested in ruddy - which has surprised me a bit.   Plenty to discuss adn look forward to

 

[morty]

Apologies for diversion from transfers;

I do think Pinto will be a decent addition and if he and Jarvis are wrapped up thats a great start to the window.

Add in a CB & Naismith its looking good.

And have heard from a boro fan to support a pinkun post that they are interested in ruddy - which has surprised me a bit.   Plenty to discuss adn look forward to

Ha, anything generating traffic here is welcome!

I wouldn't be averse to Sebastian Haller, more of an out and out striker.

But a lot of our business could well be based on moving players like Hooper, Grabban and Lafferty on.

 

[ZLF]

Indeed & the more we sign the more will have to be culled from the  25 man list to fit them in.  Loanees (Elliott B, Hooper, Turner + youngsters who are not going to play) and fringe players (VOO, Grabban & Lafferty) will be the first to go / be omitted  

We have had 20 regular appearers this season,  incl underage Redmond. The list in order of minutes played is    

Bassong, Brady,Tettey, Howson, Martin,Redmond,Ruddy, Jerome, Wessi, Dorrans, Olsson, Bennett, Whittaker, Wisdom,ONeil, Dave,Rudd,Jarvis,Grabban  & Mulumbu.

After Bennett they all played less than 50% of the pitch time.   Jarvis, Mulumbu Dave & Rudd  wont be leaving. 

I would suggest that depending on who we sign whittaker (no start since Toon tells a story), Grabban (jerome & Dave preferred) are most at risk along with the loanees & fringe players,  although Dorrans (surplus with Naismiths arrival?) and Wisdom (mutual cancellation of loan,  although statements this week suggests thats unlikely) could enter the mix

I dont see us dropping to 3 strikers (simply too skinny and thats not what naismith is good at) so if we do sign Haller I suspect only one of grabban or lafferty will leave,  grabban will earn us some cash so likely to leave if someone bids but lafferty just wants to play;   

 

[morty]

Its hugely complex, especially with the strikers.

I suspect Sheff Wed would like Hooper, but I suspect Hooper likes his Premiership wages.

Lafferty wants to play, and he ain't gonna get it here, but can Leeds afford his wages?

Grabban doesn't look like he wants to be here, and his chances appear limited, but would I be happy selling him to a rival, to maybe score 4 or 5 goals that keep them up? No.

 

[ZLF]

Dont see Hooper being in our squad of 25 players to use come 2nd Feb - and agree a continued loan is most probable 

Likewise I can see only one of grabban and lafferty making the same cut if we sign another striker;  4 is plenty in 25 names as we will almost certainly continue with 1 up top.

 

[morty]

Dont see Hooper being in our squad of 25 players to use come 2nd Feb - and agree a continued loan is most likely - and can see one of grabban and lafferty making the same cut if we sign another striker;  4 is plenty in 25 names as we will almost certainly continue with 1 up top.

I would be happy with three. Mbokani, Jerome and Haller. Naismith is neither midfielder or striker, so could fulfill either role.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Its hugely complex, especially with the strikers.

I suspect Sheff Wed would like Hooper, but I suspect Hooper likes his Premiership wages.

Lafferty wants to play, and he ain't gonna get it here, but can Leeds afford his wages?

Grabban doesn't look like he wants to be here, and his chances appear limited, but would I be happy selling him to a rival, to maybe score 4 or 5 goals that keep them up? No.

Wages shouldn't be an issue for Wednesday as their owner is cheesed and already shown that he's willing to use it. Expect Laffs would be willing to take a cut with the Euros coming up.I think we'll try our hardest to sell Grabban to a Champs side although who knows, if we sign a better player then maybe they'd risk selling to Bournemouth.

lol I knew it wouldn't take long for some bored high school student on his Christmas holidays to start a rumour about Leroy Fer.We wouldn't want to pay the fees required to get him, who knows if AN would want him [Personally a fan of fer and thing Neil would have gotten consistency out of him] and I doubt he'd even want back. Wouldn't be surprised to see him off to a comfy team in the middle of the Spanish league next season.

 

[ZLF]

Weds signing hooper would be the best outcome - he seems to be hitting some form for them at the right time;  and maybe we can engineer a swap deal with Lees if our rumoured interest was correct & we still think he is good enough at CB (I remain to be convinced)

I know what you mean Morty,  but I would be nervous about a 3 striker squad - an injury/suspension and a run of poor form from having no options.  

 

[KeiranShikari]

Agreed.

Although I do think that if we sell Grabban as well as the other 2 we would have signed Naismith and an out and out forward. Don't think the board will be finishing a window with too few players in a position again.

 

[morty]

Rumours still knocking about that we have bid 7 million for Ranocchia....

 

[ZLF]

fingers crossed...  if true it seems we are aiming big for a CB with him and N'Koulou being mentioned...

Too many leaks though - have a fear of being used and gazumped... 

 

[morty]

fingers crossed...  if true it seems we are aiming big for a CB with him and N'Koulou being mentioned...

Too many leaks though - have a fear of being used and gazumped... 

Oh definitely...

 

[KeiranShikari]

Even if we don't get him seeing Norwich bid 7 million quid for Inter Milan players still makes me feel as if I've stumbled into an alternate reality. Premier League really is mental.

A beeb journo is saying we're offering him 3 million euros p/y, I hope that's at least enough to get him to fly over here and have a look, He's Italian so I'm sure he'd appreciate a club owned by a chef. If he's more into the organized crime stuff I'm sure our new chair knows some people. 

Easy jokes aside I doubt he'd ever seriously consider us for the reasons that Parma posts pretty much every time we're linked to an Italian. If he has hopes of playing for their national team then staying in Italy would be the smart move. We can dream though.

 

[Number 9]

I have reminded myself today that the transfer window ain't open yet, I think we all appreciate that it's better business to keep things quiet til 'the player is in the building' BUT getting a bit twitchy here.

Just day or two to go.