The OFFICIAL Transfer Rumours Thread

[Christmas Tree 4725]

I think he'll move this week once he's arrived back in the UK. It won't be the price holding it up, it will be him deciding which of the teams he wants to join. Once that's ironed out the clubs involved will agree a fee.

[Gemmill 44864]

Well it's reassuring to hear your thoughts on it, cos you're usually so spot on with this kind of thing.

[Holden McGroin 6583]

Well it's reassuring to hear your thoughts on it, cos you're usually so spot on with this kind of thing.

 

[David Kelly 1245]

It's only really central midfield that we have any genuine strength in depth.

 

No natural subs of a Premier League standard in any other position that I can think of.

Genuine strength in depth? We have Tiote, Sissoko and Colback who are premierleague quality players and more often than not have had to play one (or more) of Jonas, Abeid or Anita. That's not strength in depth in my book.

[The Fish 10857]

Genuine strength in depth? We have Tiote, Sissoko and Colback who are premierleague quality players and more often than not have had to play one (or more) of Jonas, Abeid or Anita. That's not strength in depth in my book.

 

It seems I rate Abeid and Anita higher than you do and to have 5 players vying for 2 positions is all right. Especially when one is just a youngster.

 

It'd be unrealistic to expect a club that's likely to be battling for a midtable spot to have more quality centre mids. I can't think of any club out of those gunning for the title that have that kind of depth. Maybe Spurs? Maybe.

 

Put it this way, if we were playing two centre mids we'd pick from Abeid, Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Tiote. That's not bad if you ask me. Certainly more depth than we have in goal, at fullback, at centre back, on the wing, or up front.

[David Kelly 1245]

It seems I rate Abeid and Anita higher than you do and to have 5 players vying for 2 positions is all right. Especially when one is just a youngster.

 

It'd be unrealistic to expect a club that's likely to be battling for a midtable spot to have more quality centre mids. I can't think of any club out of those gunning for the title that have that kind of depth. Maybe Spurs? Maybe.

 

Put it this way, if we were playing two centre mids we'd pick from Abeid, Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Tiote. That's not bad if you ask me. Certainly more depth than we have in goal, at fullback, at centre back, on the wing, or up front.

We'll likely play three central midfielders (everyone is playing that way these days) and I repeat that only three of them are premiership quality (and I have doubts about two of them given their inconsistency and lack of interest). Anita has had 1 good game in three years and clearly far too slow, weak and small to play in this league. Abeid couldn't get a game ahead of Raylor and Jonas last season (admittedly Carver was picking that team and he's a moron).

To continue your argument from another thread, Cattermole is far better than Abeid or Anita. And he's pony.

I don't think it would be unrealistic to expect more quality than we have because I don't really think we have any. Sissoko clearly has quality but has very little interest in showing it for us. Tiote's standards have dropped a lot in the last couple of years and I'm no longer convinced about him at all. Colback is our best midfielder by virtue of being consistantly ok. Benhind them we're shite.

 

Of course we are weak and probably weaker up front, on the wing and in central defence and personally I would target those areas as a greater priority, but that doesn't mean we should be remotely confident about central midfield.

[The Fish 10857]

https://twitter.com/football_oranje/status/618029011936145412

 

[The Fish 10857]

We'll likely play three central midfielders (everyone is playing that way these days) and I repeat that only three of them are premiership quality (and I have doubts about two of them given their inconsistency and lack of interest). Anita has had 1 good game in three years and clearly far too slow, weak and small to play in this league. Abeid couldn't get a game ahead of Raylor and Jonas last season (admittedly Carver was picking that team and he's a moron).

To continue your argument from another thread, Cattermole is far better than Abeid or Anita. And he's pony.

I don't think it would be unrealistic to expect more quality than we have because I don't really think we have any. Sissoko clearly has quality but has very little interest in showing it for us. Tiote's standards have dropped a lot in the last couple of years and I'm no longer convinced about him at all. Colback is our best midfielder by virtue of being consistantly ok. Benhind them we're shite.

 

Of course we are weak and probably weaker up front, on the wing and in central defence and personally I would target those areas as a greater priority, but that doesn't mean we should be remotely confident about central midfield.

 

No way is Cattermole better than any of our midfielders. He just tries hard. Well whoop de fuckety do.

 

I say again, there isn't a team outside the top 6 of the Premier League with more strength in central midfield than us. Abeid is a good if inexperienced midfielder and Anita is technically proficient and if we do play the passing game that McClaren & his staff are hoping to bring, you'll see a much better footballer than has previously been witnessed.

 

Cattermole ffs, he's a shitcunt

[Alex 35079]

Well it's reassuring to hear your thoughts on it, cos you're usually so spot on with this kind of thing.

[David Kelly 1245]

No way is Cattermole better than any of our midfielders. He just tries hard. Well whoop de fuckety do.

 

I say again, there isn't a team outside the top 6 of the Premier League with more strength in central midfield than us. Abeid is a good if inexperienced midfielder and Anita is technically proficient and if we do play the passing game that McClaren & his staff are hoping to bring, you'll see a much better footballer than has previously been witnessed.

 

Cattermole ffs, he's a shitcunt

I agree Cattermole is wank but he's better in the premier league than Anita and Abeid. Anita is clearly far too small and weak to succeed here. Yes he might be able to do better if we played a bit football but he didn't look any better playing wit Cabaye than he did last season. I've litterally no idea what you've seen in Abeid to make you think he's good enough.

 

As for teams outside the top 6, one name leaps to mind, Everton. McCarthy, Barry, Besic, Barkley, Osman, Gibson and Cleverly. That midfield absolutely pisses on ours. As does Southampton, Swansea, West Ham and Stoke.

[Happy Face 29]

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[The Fish 10857]

I agree Cattermole is wank but he's better in the premier league than Anita and Abeid. Anita is clearly far too small and weak to succeed here. Yes he might be able to do better if we played a bit football but he didn't look any better playing wit Cabaye than he did last season. I've litterally no idea what you've seen in Abeid to make you think he's good enough.

 

As for teams outside the top 6, one name leaps to mind, Everton. McCarthy, Barry, Besic, Barkley, Osman, Gibson and Cleverly. That midfield absolutely pisses on ours. As does Southampton, Swansea, West Ham and Stoke.

 

 

Fuck off man

 

Barry is class, no arguments there, save to say that he's as mobile as Grey's Monument. Barkley is a prodigious talent, but unrefined at the moment. Osman is a fine professional but he's older than Barry. Cleverly, Gibson and McCarthy are bang average, imo the former 2 benefiting from being English.

 

You're making out like they're Brazil 1970. They've performed at a higher standard than some of ours, no doubt, but how much of that falls at Pardew & Carver's feet? We've 5 players for 2 positions and you're saying we've no strength in depth there. Remove Barry and Barkley and Everton's central midfield is journeymen and decidedly average.

 

Sissoko and Tiote would walk into that team and you're on the finest crack that money can buy if you think that the central midfield personnel owned by Stoke and Swansea has more depth than ours, and West Ham?! Jesus wept. I understand that hyperbole can be a useful tool in discussion, but that's fucking ludicrous. Nolan? Noble? Fucking Kouyate?!?!

 

Howay man, that's mental!

[strawb 4248]

McCarthy isn't average, and Gibson is Irish.

 

Think the actual answer is somewhere between the two of you. We should expect our midfield to be better now with better staff but its still not great.

 

Also hate the idea that there is positions where you apparently have to be massive, strong and fast to be a good footballer. Its simply not true Cannavaro was 5'9" was he "too lightweight"

[The Fish 10857]

McCarthy isn't average, and Gibson is Irish.

 

Think the actual answer is somewhere between the two of you. We should expect our midfield to be better now with better staff but its still not great.

 

Also hate the idea that there is positions where you apparently have to be massive, strong and fast to be a good footballer. Its simply not true Cannavaro was 5'9" was he "too lightweight"

 

I don't think it's great, I just think we have depth of mid-table Premier League central midfielders.

[David Kelly 1245]

Fuck off man

 

Barry is class, no arguments there, save to say that he's as mobile as Grey's Monument. Barkley is a prodigious talent, but unrefined at the moment. Osman is a fine professional but he's older than Barry. Cleverly, Gibson and McCarthy are bang average, imo the former 2 benefiting from being English.

 

You're making out like they're Brazil 1970. They've performed at a higher standard than some of ours, no doubt, but how much of that falls at Pardew & Carver's feet? We've 5 players for 2 positions and you're saying we've no strength in depth there. Remove Barry and Barkley and Everton's central midfield is journeymen and decidedly average.

 

Sissoko and Tiote would walk into that team and you're on the finest crack that money can buy if you think that the central midfield personnel owned by Stoke and Swansea has more depth than ours, and West Ham?! Jesus wept. I understand that hyperbole can be a useful tool in discussion, but that's fucking ludicrous. Nolan? Noble? Fucking Kouyate?!?!

 

Howay man, that's mental!

I repeat, Anita & Abeid are shite. You are calling players from other teams journeymen but those two aren't close to that quality. I'd take Barry, Barkley, Besic and McCarthy over all of our midfielders fwiw. You take Barry and Barkley out of a three man midfeild of theirs and you can put out Besic, McCarthy & Osman/Gibson/Cleverly. That's a mid table midfield there with two players as backup. You take out Sissoko and Tiote from ours and you're left with Colback, Abeid & Anita with no back up at all. That there is a relegation battle if ever I saw one.

You might mock Swansea, West Brom and Stoke's midfield but we've seen them regurlarly murder ours. It's time to stop believing the hype of our players because it simply doesn't translate to performances on the pitch. Partially that's due to our awful coaches but it's also due to players not being good enough (Abeid, Anita, Raylor, Jonas) and believing their own hype/not being interested in being here (Sissoko/Tiote). I'd take honest players who put everything in like Nolan, Noble, N'Zonzi etc. Hell even useless shite like Glen Whelan and Jonjo Shelvey outplay our lot.

Our midfield is poor unless Sissoko and Tiote can regularly play at their best. More likely neither of them will even be playing for us next season and if they are they will put in the same disinterested displays as they did last season unless we sign much better quality to play with them.

[David Kelly 1245]

McCarthy isn't average, and Gibson is Irish.

 

Think the actual answer is somewhere between the two of you. We should expect our midfield to be better now with better staff but its still not great.

 

Also hate the idea that there is positions where you apparently have to be massive, strong and fast to be a good footballer. Its simply not true Cannavaro was 5'9" was he "too lightweight"

I'm not saying you have to massive to be quality in any position. But really small players have to be exceptional. Anita is anything but exceptional. I can't understand how a scout of Carr's renown couldn't see that.

[strawb 4248]

 

I don't think it's great, I just think we have depth of mid-table Premier League central midfielders.

 

I think I agree with you. Central midfield shouldn't really be a priority for us at the moment, but with how football is played at the moment and a premium on retaining the ball I can see why a ball playing midfielder might be brought in. Especially as I expect us to play with a central 3 next year.

[strawb 4248]

I'm not saying you have to massive to be quality in any position. But really small players have to be exceptional. Anita is anything but exceptional. I can't understand how a scout of Carr's renown couldn't see that.

 

Because it isn't true?

 

You mentioned Osman who plays in almost the exact same position as Anita. He is tiny. Is he exceptional?

[David Kelly 1245]

Because it isn't true?

 

You mentioned Osman who plays in almost the exact same position as Anita. He is tiny. Is he exceptional?

No but he has some strength. Anita is small, not strong and not particularly fast. He is a tidy passer of the ball but that's never going to be enough over here. We've seen time and time again small players who have ability fail because physically they can't match their skill. In just the last few months we've released Adam Campbell who has the same problem. I fear Adam Armstrong will end up the same.

And the way football is going it's just going to be more and more the case. The likes of Toure and Pogba are such good athlete's they can boss other players out of a game easily. Putting up the likes of Anita against them is a complete missmatch. But even smaller players such as Hazard have got more of a physicality about them, they have to or they won't be able to get the opportunity to show their skills.

[The Fish 10857]

I repeat, Anita & Abeid are shite. You are calling players from other teams journeymen but those two aren't close to that quality. I'd take Barry, Barkley, Besic and McCarthy over all of our midfielders fwiw. You take Barry and Barkley out of a three man midfeild of theirs and you can put out Besic, McCarthy & Osman/Gibson/Cleverly. That's a mid table midfield there with two players as backup. You take out Sissoko and Tiote from ours and you're left with Colback, Abeid & Anita with no back up at all. That there is a relegation battle if ever I saw one.

You might mock Swansea, West Brom and Stoke's midfield but we've seen them regurlarly murder ours. It's time to stop believing the hype of our players because it simply doesn't translate to performances on the pitch. Partially that's due to our awful coaches but it's also due to players not being good enough (Abeid, Anita, Raylor, Jonas) and believing their own hype/not being interested in being here (Sissoko/Tiote). I'd take honest players who put everything in like Nolan, Noble, N'Zonzi etc. Hell even useless shite like Glen Whelan and Jonjo Shelvey outplay our lot.

Our midfield is poor unless Sissoko and Tiote can regularly play at their best. More likely neither of them will even be playing for us next season and if they are they will put in the same disinterested displays as they did last season unless we sign much better quality to play with them.

I categorically disagree with your evaluation of the players' ability so that's a bit of a dead end conversation-wise.

[Alex 35079]

Difficult to properly judge Anita when he's been pissed about with so much since he arrived.

[Alex 35079]

I categorically disagree with your evaluation of the players' ability so that's a bit of a dead end conversation-wise.

Props to DK because that's a first.

[David Kelly 1245]

Props to DK because that's a first.

I take that as a massive victory

[The Fish 10857]

If he doesn't rate Abeid, there's really not much hope for him.

 

[strawb 4248]

No but he has some strength. Anita is small, not strong and not particularly fast. He is a tidy passer of the ball but that's never going to be enough over here. We've seen time and time again small players who have ability fail because physically they can't match their skill. In just the last few months we've released Adam Campbell who has the same problem. I fear Adam Armstrong will end up the same.

And the way football is going it's just going to be more and more the case. The likes of Toure and Pogba are such good athlete's they can boss other players out of a game easily. Putting up the likes of Anita against them is a complete missmatch. But even smaller players such as Hazard have got more of a physicality about them, they have to or they won't be able to get the opportunity to show their skills.

 

Sorry mate I can't get on board with this at all. Did Scholes have physicality (not sure what this means really), Gascoigne, Makelele?

 

Putting Anita up against Toure and Pogba is a mismatch physically obviously, but is also a mismatch is footballing ability (probably because Anita is 7 Million signing and Pogba is being touted at 10x that). Putting them against Xavi and Iniesta is also a mismatch physically, but footballing wise which of the pairs would you have had in their prime?