Transfer Window Thread

[fitzyefc]

Yes it probably would as last summer wefailed to capatalise by not improving and now other clubs have surpassed us.

I think with our current squad at its peak were the 7th best side however thats barring any injuries. We are a top keeper and a 10 and another striker away from challenging the top 4.

 

[tim cahill]

Oh how I'd love that Nolito speculation to be true!

I'm in the 'it's too good to be true' camp though. Sadly

 

[Furey1878]

In the end of season fan interview with Martinez, when asked about Nolito, Martinez said he likes him but he's more of a player who makes something happen in the final third. He said he'd prefer someone like Pienaar who can play from a bit deeper and link midfield and attack.

Nolito soundls like he would be a great addition. Had a great season, experienced, probably in his prime right now and operates best on the left which was a problem position for us last term. However, 12 mil is a lot for us, he's 29 for all you paranoid Fifa Career mode players and completely untested in England.

So while my answer is not a definitive No-lito, it's not a definitive Yes-lito, either.

 

[Robertor]

Serious question mate - how many seasons do you thinks Jags has left making 40+ starts at Prem level? I reckon that (barring any serious injury) he's got two seasons at his current standard, one at a slight drop off and then one where he will show substantial decline.

Galloway and Browning are not the right partners for Stones quite yet - both could do with going out on loan and getting regular starts in order to push their development. Sitting on the bench for us and getting ten minutes once every five or six games for the next two years is not the way to maximise their development.

So I think we should be looking for someone around the 23 to 26 years old range, who could come in and make 20 starts a season if injury to Stones or Jags necessitated it. And wouldn't it be a good idea for that incoming player to be approaching the standard good enough to ease Jags out of the starting lineup in the next two to three years? I don't see the point in waiting until it becomes urgent.

We should definitely look for someone with a view to replacing him in a few years (I agree with you about how long he has left) but there's no way he needs replacing in the current team now.

 

[mkrudden]

If this is true what kinda of new age number 10 is this? We'd have players in the middle tripping over each other.

I'm confused about this too mate.

Purely from a tactical point of view, is he talking about an Iniesta type of player? I can't think of any other examples?

 

[Paul Rideout]

Some guy asked about him within the football forum and Martinez said something like "yes I like him, I like anyone who scores a phenomenal hat-trick against us, however he isn't the type of phenomenal player we are after. He plays phenomenally high up the pitch and for our phenomenal "number 10" position, I want someone with character who can pick up the ball in deep positions, like our phenomenal Gareth Barry, and also be able to dictate the play further up the pitch i.e. not Nolito.

If Mirrallas left though I do think we've be interested.

Other side of the coin - Martinez said that signing Deulofeu wasn't realistic. Now we know that negotiations were going on for months therefore he was talking guff.

Fixed to represent the unedited interview.

 

[Tree13]

In the end of season fan interview with Martinez, when asked about Nolito, Martinez said he likes him but he's more of a player who makes something happen in the final third. He said he'd prefer someone like Pienaar who can play from a bit deeper and link midfield and attack.

Nolito soundls like he would be a great addition. Had a great season, experienced, probably in his prime right now and operates best on the left which was a problem position for us last term. However, 12 mil is a lot for us, he's 29 for all you paranoid Fifa Career mode players and completely untested in England.

So while my answer is not a definitive No-lito, it's not a definitive Yes-lito, either.

If we have £12.6m avaialble to spend on an attacking midfielder then we should be trying to get Yarmolenko from Kiev - less than 12 months left on his contract.

 

[Nymzee]

I'm confused about this too mate.

Purely from a tactical point of view, is he talking about an Iniesta type of player? I can't think of any other examples?

To me if this is the way he wants to go I think that almost certainly means we'll be playing 4-3-3 this season and not 4-2-3-1. In his usual formation the 10 get a free role but wouldn't be required to drop that deep to get that ball since the 2 DM's would be feeding him.

 

[TrixyStevens]

Apart from Stones (and an in form Lukaku) there is nothing that stands out in the squad. No playmaker, striker cover, centre half cover, new keeper and another winger to challenge Mirallas and Deulofeu. Injuries can and will happen. Imo a top 10 finish considering the top 5/6 teams have strengthened.

 

[Furey1878]

I'm confused about this too mate.

Purely from a tactical point of view, is he talking about an Iniesta type of player? I can't think of any other examples?

Something like that. In interviews he's used Pienaar and David Silva as examples of the type of player we're after.

 

[FTY]

Nolito would be perfect, just what we need

 

[Tree13]

We should definitely look for someone with a view to replacing him in a few years (I agree with you about how long he has left) but there's no way he needs replacing in the current team now.

If you are looking solely at his level of performance, and only at this immediate season, yes. But would you stifle the development of Galloway and / or Browning by asking them to be the 3rd CB in the squad, on the basis that you want Jags to make 40 starts because he's still tip-top?

Obviously there's no sense in spending £8m on a no-mark like Evans to sit on the bench as 3rd CB - you'd effectively be paying out a wedge to buy the flexibility needed to loan out one of the youngsters.

So you could take the likes of Evans in on loan - at least you wouldn't be buying him - and loan out Galloway (for argument's sake) for as long as it takes for him to be ready to come in and take over from Jags, or you can buy/loan in someone young and upcoming (but older and more experienced that Stones) who will genuinely compete for a starting spot fairly quickly.

In my humble opinion, if we are considering paying anything like an £8m fee for a CB it shouldn't be for someone who ISN'T going to push, and eventually take over, from Jags. Otherwise we will have to pay out AGAIN in a couple of years to replace Jags (unless we get lucky with Galloway or Browning). We just don't have the money to spend £8m on someone markedly below the standard of Jags and Stones AND still bolster other areas of need.

 

[Kantareller]

Nolito would be ace.

 

[Nymzee]

"Finally, according to reports, Everton sent their head of player recruitment Ian Atkins to Benfica's U21's match against Birmingham City last night.

SportsWitness have revealed Atkins travelled to St George's Park yesterday to watch Benfica youngsters defeat Birmingham City 1-0.

Let's hope we see the next Cristiano Ronaldo or João Moutinho gracing the Goodison turf in the distant future."

--

From the Echo... pissing Joao Moutinho!

 

[AaronTheBlue]

nolito meant to be going to barca isnt he