Transfer rumours and speculation to take us through to summer.

Lukerz

I do also think we have to see what sort of players Haller & Fornals are because, whilst we may feel we are short in the squad, if they are of a certain quality that improves our 11 to a level like seen when we had Payet, it gives the opportunity for all the current players to get better.

Have always said quality over 'getting bodies in' is the only way clubs like us progress.

baracks_a_hammer

Luke

You say we don’t need a specialist DM but what happens if Rice is for some reason not available. At least a little further forward Noble and Wilshere could potentially interchange.

If Rice is out, then in comes...... I can’t even bring myself to type it

ianbishoplegend

Mooy would replace Noble and then some

Lukerz

baracks_a_hammer said:

Luke

You say we don’t need a specialist DM but what happens if Rice is for some reason not available. At least a little further forward Noble and Wilshere could potentially interchange.

If Rice is out, then in comes...... I can’t even bring myself to type it

Snodgrass?

baracks_a_hammer

Too much of a square peg in a round hole.

And neither would I want Zab there either TBH

OldCastleSwift

For me, you need a shadow eleven. Like-for-like players that can replace someone without the formation or tactics being compromised. If Rice is a specialist defensive midfielder, we need another defensive midfielder in the squad to cover him.

I would rather not have to rely on Snodgrass or Noble being able to do a job there; I'd prefer someone who knows the position and would offer genuine competition.

ianbishoplegend

I refuse to jump on the Sanchez bandwagon - until I see him have 3 bad games in a row this season

Hamstew

ianbishoplegend said:

I refuse to jump on the Sanchez bandwagon - until I see him have 3 bad games in a row this season

Oh you'll see more than 3

ASLEFshrugged

MarkNobleLocalHero said:

Does Yarmolenko really have a bad injury record or is that statement made just because he was unlucky with ONE injury with us?

He was out for two months during the second half of 2017/18, most articles describe it as a "foot tendon" injury although one does say it was his Achilles but its not clear whether it was the same foot (I'm pretty sure he has two).

Other than that he seems to have missed the odd game here and there like every other player but no lengthy absences from the squad(s) so to suggest he is unreliable fitness-wise is nonsense.

MarkNobleLocalHero

Thank you ASLEF, were it not for the heat I could sleep at nights now!

Lukerz

I think there is also an argument to say that starting the season with Reid, Wilshere & Lanzini fit is three players we didn’t have at the start of last season (well from September onwards in Wilshere’s case). Then there’s Yarmolenko, who only played until October. So that’s three players we are going to have in our squad this season from the off that didn’t contribute at all last season due to injury. Lanzini obviously contributed the most with the last couple of months of the season, but he was not available until February. Then there’s Sanchez &, despite the fact he seems pretty rubbish, he is also available where he was unavailable after September last season.

So that is five players who, although part of last seasons squad, did not contribute much between them & so whilst they are not ‘like new signings’, they are still part of the squad & so we can’t just go & replace them all for fear of them suffering another similar injury this season. The only one I would replace is Sanchez, who is not good enough IMO. That may be something else playing on Pelle’s mind with the signings. He has 4-5 players added to his squad this season who he couldn’t call upon last.

As many have said, losing AC, Byram & Fernandes are not massive issues as none of them contributed at all last season. Obiang will need replacing though as he has always got through a fair few games. The biggest losses were Perez (who got 6 goals as often a 4th choice striker) & Arnie. Obiang will be a reasonable squad loss too. We have replaced Arnie but it is a risk going with Antonio as the forward replacement for Perez.

MarkNobleLocalHero

Lukerz;
I don't think you can say that AC didn't contribute at all last season unless you accompany the statement with an IMO. He played 14 games and scored one goal.

When he did play he always made a contribution IMO though not so much in the goal scoring department.

secrethammersfan

I would also qualify that the risk with Antonio as a forward (not a striker, attacking midfielder?) is as much as the risk with getting anyone else in. He will be playing off and onto different players, in a fresh formation. We know he has the strength, stamina and passion, and we also know he really wants to play there, as opposed to further back on the wing. These factors probably mea it's less of a risk than getting in someone who is in talks with two other clubs as well as West Ham.

Brother_Sledge

We appear to be short of defensive midfielders and quite long on attacking ones, my hunch is Anderson could cover the Rice or Noble role very well. He reads situations and wins a decent amount of challenges. His comfort on the ball and passing out of defence would be excellent springboard for counter attacks

ASLEFshrugged

Snoddy has proved he can play in a CM role but Anderson playing anywhere deeper than his current position would be a shocking waste of our most effective attacking player.

If Obiang goes then we only have Noble, Sanchez, Zabaleta or someone from the kids as cover for Rice.

steve

Newcastle splashing the cash :puzzled:

Hamstew

:hmm:
7 goals in two seasons for Hoffenheim as a center forward?

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

I thin Haller for £5mil more is the better deal

PrestonHammer

So he is the equivalent of Carlton Cole?

grey_til_I_dye

NO ONE is the equivalent of the one and only :ccole:

IronHerb

Bruce is quoted as saying " It is been going on for a little bit now, so to get him is great for everybody." So as Bruce has only been in situ for a week is someone else buying the players or did Bruce have an input prior to his arrival? :hmm:

Wednesday may have a case.

ianbishoplegend

Snoddy ponders a lot in the CM role. A lot of his work ethic is chasing after the ball he lost.

baracks_a_hammer

IH

Steve Bruce is their head coach not manager (per their website). Which suggests someone else takes care of the transfers

IronHerb

Yeah, but he's also old school. :biggrin:

baracks_a_hammer

Would have expected Obiang’s departure to have been concluded/announced by now?

IronHerb

Apparently completing his medical today in Italy. Should be done and dusted soon.

OldCastleSwift

Pellegrini is quoted as saying when Obiang goes, he will be replaced.

C&H has speculated that that could mean replaced by someone already in the squad, i.e. Cullen, and not necessarily with a new signing.

Giant_Hammer

Hmm, to my mind saying he will be replaced infers that it will be by someone new. Otherwise I would have thought he would say that we have a replacement. Could be a confusion caused by Pele's use of English though I suppose. :hmm:

OldCastleSwift

I would have thought so too Giant, but I wonder if C&H could be trying to manage expectations :hmm:

grey_til_I_dye

Or sound like he knows more than he does...