Bent and Defoe

[manwithnoname]

Christ, I've wanted us to sign these two for about three or four years now, and watching them smack in goal after goal is really irritating

The same year we bought fucking Lucas, Defoe was available for the same price

Have we got the *worst* scouts in the entire Premiership?

 

[SummerOnions]

Yes, after Frank Arnesen.

 

[Delinquent]

Defoe really is a fantastic little player. Bent has done great at smaller teams where they build the team around him but for some reason failed to make an impression at Tottenham. He's also been very disappointing when he's appeared for England. I'm not sure whether it's his mentality or other reasons but he has struggled when he's tried to make the step up. Of the two, I'd prefer Defoe but either would represent a massive improvement on what we've got. That said, I'm not convinced either would make a great partner for Torres.

 

[Judge Jules]

...which of course is the crux of the problem. Torres' injury record probably means any other striker on our books will actually play a fair number of games, whether alongside him or (perhaps more likely) in his place when he's out, but Torres' quality means that that can't be guaranteed.

Incidentally, who do people reckon WOULD be a good partner for Torres? Genuine question.

 

[the count]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38156.msg1022311#msg1022311 date=1262033597]
...which of course is the crux of the problem. Torres' injury record probably means any other striker on our books will actually play a fair number of games, whether alongside him or (perhaps more likely) in his place when he's out, but Torres' quality means that that can't be guaranteed.

Incidentally, who do people reckon WOULD be a good partner for Torres? Genuine question.
[/quote]

I have always thought that Rooney and Torres would be the perfect combo.
Thank heavans it didn't happen.

 

[Delinquent]

Realistically, I would've loved to have seen Diego here to partner Torres. Completely unrealistically, Kaka or Aguero would also be excellent.

Anyone with a bit of creative flair and an eye for goal could work though. An unselfish, playmaking forward preferably.

 

[Fabio]

Pacheco!!!!!

 

[Fabio]

DZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Wizardry]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38156.msg1022311#msg1022311 date=1262033597]
...which of course is the crux of the problem. Torres' injury record probably means any other striker on our books will actually play a fair number of games, whether alongside him or (perhaps more likely) in his place when he's out, but Torres' quality means that that can't be guaranteed.

Incidentally, who do people reckon WOULD be a good partner for Torres? Genuine question.
[/quote]

I think the player was on our books for a while. Jari would have, IMO, been almost perfect for Torres. The only concern would be that he might have impinged on Gerrards role a little. Having that threesome playing together would have been mouth watering.


Otherwise I think Rooney is a great shout. He's shown (with Ronaldo) that he knows how to play the lesser role for the sake of the team and still be a tremendous contributor and a goal threat.

Despite his struggles to get in the first team just now I still think Klose would be a very good partner for Torres and would love to see us go for him in Jan or July. He can't be happy without regular first team football and if Benitez can sign someone like Voronin he can surely sign a German of real quality.

 

[keniget]

[quote author=Delinquent link=topic=38156.msg1022305#msg1022305 date=1262033309]
Defoe really is a fantastic little player. Bent has done great at smaller teams where they build the team around him but for some reason failed to make an impression at Tottenham. He's also been very disappointing when he's appeared for England. I'm not sure whether it's his mentality or other reasons but he has struggled when he's tried to make the step up. Of the two, I'd prefer Defoe but either would represent a massive improvement on what we've got. That said, I'm not convinced either would make a great partner for Torres.
[/quote]

Agree with most of that. I was reflecting the other day on what a great buy Defoe would've been for us (even though at the time I wasn't particularly enamoured by him).

I've always said, on the subject of Bent, that I don't think he's someone who'd succeed when in and out of the team. He needs to be playing week, in week out.

And I used to go on about Diego all the time. Imagine if we'd have signed him instead of Keane - a real class act that actually fits into our team.

*sad face*.

 

[MaBigTip]

How Rafa didn't go after Tevez with everything he could ill never know. Would have probably been a reason for Javier to stay too. Think how easy it is to make a lineup with him.

 

[Wizardry]

[quote author=Assulin link=topic=38156.msg1022427#msg1022427 date=1262049344]
How Rafa didn't go after Tevez with everything he could ill never know. Would have probably been a reason for Javier to stay too. Think how easy it is to make a lineup with him.
[/quote]


Putting aside his OT baggage etc I think Tevez would have been an asset; he's also the absolute quintessential Rafa player which makes it an utter mystery why we didn't chase him with everything.

Maybe Rafa thinks Kuyt is exactly the same as Tevez and there's only room for one of them. That would be a shame.

 

[LarryHagman]

Bent & Defoe would have been great for us. 10 mil for Bent last summer was a steal, and a poor miss. Manager probably doesn't fancy them.
Equally, its quite frustrating to see Tevez clicking into gear when he surely would have come here had we pursued him. Instead we got Aqua, remains to be seen how that pans out. Maybe the HP deal we got Aqua on was easier on the finances and we were never really in for Tevez, who knows?
Mind you, Bent & Defoe would probably have gone the same way as Crouch, Bellers & Keane.

 

[MaBigTip]

Nah, see the way i see it, is we could have picked up a RB for cheap. And probably have ended the summer having bought Tevez, Aqua and a bargain RB. If so I'd imagine we would be contending this year.

GlenJo was too luxurious of a signing despite his obvious world class potential and attacking play.

 

[darkstarexodus]

This thread makes baby Jesus cry.

$(Bent + Defoe ) <= $(Keane)

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

I'm sure I will be blasted for this but what about Fuller from Stoke City?

Surely he isn't good enough to carry the front line but as a substitute he has been excellent nearly every time I have watched him play.

 

[Avmenon]

I think we failed with a 9 million bid for Defoe once, though.

 

[Spionkop69]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38156.msg1022311#msg1022311 date=1262033597]
...which of course is the crux of the problem. Torres' injury record probably means any other striker on our books will actually play a fair number of games, whether alongside him or (perhaps more likely) in his place when he's out, but Torres' quality means that that can't be guaranteed.

Incidentally, who do people reckon WOULD be a good partner for Torres? Genuine question.
[/quote]

Kenny Dalglish - circa 1977-86.

 

[vantage]

Once City were in the frame, we never gonna get Tevez. Same will apply to 90% of the top layers we chase. Once they break into the top 4, and they will, it's gonna get tougher.

 

[Delinquent]

[quote author=Yoshi_Benayoun link=topic=38156.msg1022482#msg1022482 date=1262074192]
I'm sure I will be blasted for this but what about Fuller from Stoke City?

Surely he isn't good enough to carry the front line but as a substitute he has been excellent nearly every time I have watched him play.
[/quote]

😱


:'(

 

[Tinto]

[quote author=Assulin link=topic=38156.msg1022468#msg1022468 date=1262064464]
Nah, see the way i see it, is we could have picked up a RB for cheap. And probably have ended the summer having bought Tevez, Aqua and a bargain RB. If so I'd imagine we would be contending this year.

GlenJo was too luxurious of a signing despite his obvious world class potential and attacking play.
[/quote]

It seems to me we could only afford Magic because of the money Portsmouth owed us for Crouch. I don't think we actually had that 17m to spend elsewhere unless Portsmouth paid up in full, which given the state of Portsmouth's finances would have been very unlikely.

 

[keniget]

[quote author=Tinto link=topic=38156.msg1022526#msg1022526 date=1262084617]
It seems to me we could only afford Magic because of the money Portsmouth owed us for Crouch. I don't think we actually had that 17m to spend elsewhere unless Portsmouth paid up in full, which given the state of Portsmouth's finances would have been very unlikely.
[/quote]

Good point. And given that Lens are joining the queue of clubs suing Pompey for monies owed, I'm thinking the owners are thankful for that deal now.

 

[Squiggles]

I've been a fan of both players for a long time too. Portsmouth landed one of the bargains of the decade by signing Defoe for such a modest fee; He was a creative proven goalscorer wasting away at Spurs, as Jol favoured a Keane, Berbatov partnership, and none of top clubs, to their cost, plucked up the courage to go for it. Even when he was at West Ham it was clear he would've been the ideal replacement for Michael Owen.

Bent, well I banged on about him all summer and still believe we could have offered him sufficient game time for him to be a success. 90% of the forum labelled him shit and overrated. Since then he's smashed in goal after goal for Sunderland and looks an astute signing.