Quiet at the top

[Brizzle]

So it doesn't actually seem like any of the top teams (Us, City, United, Chelsea & Arsenal) are getting any concrete links with players at the moment.

Do we think there will be any more signings taking place?

City - no idea who they might still be looking to buy. Would think they might want to sell a few players. I have been wanting us to sign Clichy for years but if he is happy as back up they wouldn't be able to do much better.

United - still need a CB if they plan to stick with 3 at the back. Potentially also a CM with Carrick out and Fletcher shite.

Chelsea - who knows, looks like they did their deals early.

Arsenal - they are being linked with selling Vermaelen. There was a lot of chatter about them needing some muscle in midfield, would be interesting to see if they get this or stick with Flamini.

 

[Aidan O' Neill]

Yeah, it's a bit quiet, but there's still almost a month left to do business in. If (and it's a big if) Fletcher stays fit he is a very decent player worth his place in that squad. I do think United could do with another midfielder though and agree that they need another centre back. I rate Evans and think Jones has potential, but I'm not a fan of Smalling. City don't need much else. Jovertic will be like a new signing *cliche alert* this year and has looked sharp in pre-season. Arsenal could do with a bit of steel in midfield. Flamini is pushing on a bit. Fuck Chelsea. It looks like we're wrapping up deals for two Spanish full backs, I'd guess all focus is on a striker/verstaile attacking player. If we could get somebody top notch I'd be happy with our business.

 

[Brizzle]

I rate Evans and think Jones has potential, but I'm not a fan of Smalling.

Agree on this - I think Evans is a v good player - just not massively convinced by the other two. Jones struggles from the fact he is played in loads of different positions and so moving back to CB might take a while to adapt to. I don't rate Smalling so would love to see him at their starting back 3!

 

[SummerOnions]

Clichy counts as home grown. They might sell Kolarov and buy Baines or something

Utd need a new defence still. Not arsed about their attack, they're pretty weak

Chelsea look decent but they'll play shit football no matter who they sign

Arsenal still need a decent LB and Giroud will get crocked again

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Clichy counts as home grown. They might sell Kolarov and buy Baines or something

They just signed Kolarov to a new contract in the summer.

 

[Brizzle]

Not arsed about their attack, they're pretty weak

Hmm.. I disagree.. I think the players they have, if made into more of a unit are actually very strong. RVP, Mata, Rooney, Young, Welbeck, Hernandez, Januzaj, Valencia. They have a lot of options, lots of experience and lots of skill. It was great last season to see Moyes take that group and try to score from crosses only. I think they'll win a lot more games this season.

 

[Brizzle]

They just signed Kolarov to a new contract in the summer.

And he played against us as captain too I think so unlikely to leave

 

[SummerOnions]

Hmm.. I disagree.. I think the players they have, if made into more of a unit are actually very strong. RVP, Mata, Rooney, Young, Welbeck, Hernandez, Januzaj, Valencia. They have a lot of options, lots of experience and lots of skill. It was great last season to see Moyes take that group and try to score from crosses only. I think they'll win a lot more games this season.

Oh almost definitely. But playing a 3-5-2 without a decent defence or defensive mid is gonna lead to Argentina 2010 style problems. Like a 5-0-5 formatiom

 

[SummerOnions]

They just signed Kolarov to a new contract in the summer.

Did he? Don't rate him at all, always forget they signed him for like £20M!

 

[gkmacca]

LFC, in recent months, have actively sought to cut out the leaks and keep any deals as quiet as possible, so I wouldn't worry about the silence.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

So it doesn't actually seem like any of the top teams (Us, City, United, Chelsea & Arsenal) are getting any concrete links with players at the moment.

Do we think there will be any more signings taking place?

City - no idea who they might still be looking to buy. Would think they might want to sell a few players. I have been wanting us to sign Clichy for years but if he is happy as back up they wouldn't be able to do much better.

United - still need a CB if they plan to stick with 3 at the back. Potentially also a CM with Carrick out and Fletcher shite.

Chelsea - who knows, looks like they did their deals early.

Arsenal - they are being linked with selling Vermaelen. There was a lot of chatter about them needing some muscle in midfield, would be interesting to see if they get this or stick with Flamini.

City continues to be linked with Mangala, the French CB from Porto who is rated by some as world class and ready to take City's defence to new levels of superdom. I haven't seen him before, to be honest, so his superness could well be true... I didn't see him at the World Cup because he was behind Varane, Sakho and Koscielny in the pecking order. /shrug.

United are good as it is. Their backline is fantastic, and the midfield is coming together. Their bench is ridiculously stacked. I hope this is what's in Van Gaal's mind anyway.

Chelsea is curiously linked with an outgoing move - selling Schurrle to Atletico Madrid. Not sure there's much to that; would be a silly move in my opinion for them to do so.

Arsenal are being linked with William Carvalho again. He was for a long time linked with the Mancs, but I suppose Van Gaal is happy with his fantastic midfield. I'm happy that he's happy. Arsenal are also linked to Quintero, an attacking midfielder I think, whom they will probably play at full back just because they have too many attacking mids. They're also curiously linked with Agger today, after they dump Vermaelen on the Mancs or Barca that is. Not sure why these teams even bother, but hey, anything that improves our chances of completing the league and CL double works for me!

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Did he? Don't rate him at all, always forget they signed him for like £20M!

Yup, back in June. I actually like him; maybe he was overpriced, but he's a good full back on both ends of the pitch whenever I've seen him play.

 

[mark1975]

Yeah, the most active time of the window always seems to be the last week or two, for everyone, it'll come. I think most of the big sides will make a big(ish) signing before the close of the window.

 

[Mystic]

United will do most of there signings in the last two weeks, I hope they're panicked over priced and not ideal signings. Hopefully we'll have all of ours sorted out before Southampton. We seem on course, what with Manquillo already having a medical, Moreno seemingly close, and Reus flying to Liverpool this weekend.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

If Arsenal get that quality DM they will be looking in great shape, the strongest they have looked since the mid 2000's, no chance their run of finishing in the CL spots will come to an end this season, 3 of the top 4 places are locked up already.

If that rumour about Schurrle is true the club should be on that, quality player who would be a great fit for us, slim chance of them doing business with us though.

 

[mark1975]

I don't think they're "locked up" at all, there's a few teams who can challenge and, like I said, it's pointless making predictions based on what is currently theoretical. Arsenal have bought well, but it's got to translate onto the pitch, they need to lose their current mentality, because it's a disease that's eaten away at their chances for years.

 

[Brizzle]

If that rumour about Schurrle is true the club should be on that, quality player who would be a great fit for us, slim chance of them doing business with us though.

What is the rumour?

EDIT - just seen above. Great if they sell him but would expect him to go for big bucks!

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

United will do most of there signings in the last two weeks, I hope they're panicked over priced and not ideal signings. Hopefully we'll have all of ours sorted out before Southampton. We seem on course, what with Manquillo already having a medical, Moreno seemingly close, and Reus flying to Liverpool this weekend.

They have the financial power to get by even if they get the pricing wrong, so if it's the right player at the wrong price, it still helps them somewhat.

 

[Frogfish]

City - Linked to Cavani. Can't see it at all. Mangala may be the only other inbound as otherwise I think they are done.

United - Desperately need a CB as they will be playing with 3 at the back. Keane is not enough.I expect one, maybe even two, new CBs. Also expect a CM and despite these knee issue rumours for Vidal I guess he'l still be the one. CM does seem to be the centre of their attention at the moment and with good reason.

Chelsea - Still having links to strikers. Otherwise think they are done too.

Arsenal - keep seeing links to another striker and today Agger.

Liverpool - Manquillo, Moreno and two strikers or a striker and winger will complete our transfer season.

 

[mark1975]

I still think we'll buy a keeper.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

What is the rumour?

EDIT - just seen above. Great if they sell him but would expect him to go for big bucks!

He'd be worth it, just the type of player we need.

 

[Mystic]

They have the financial power to get by even if they get the pricing wrong, so if it's the right player at the wrong price, it still helps them somewhat.

Yep, but by "not ideal signings" I mean I reckon they'll panic and get the wrong player, a bit like Fellani last year.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

He'd be worth it, just the type of player we need.

Yeah I like Shurrle a lot and if Chelsea are really letting him go, we should be all over it. Don't see it happening though.

 

[Frogfish]

Yeah I like Shurrle a lot and if Chelsea are really letting him go, we should be all over it. Don't see it happening though.

Ha ha - they wouldn't even let us have Bertrand they are that scared of strengthening our team ! I can imagine them loaning him to Shanghai Shenhua and paying them£10m just to keep him away from the PL.

 

[Holle]

LFC, in recent months, have actively sought to cut out the leaks and keep any deals as quiet as possible, so I wouldn't worry about the silence.

Yeah, apparently they even knocked Dunk's garbage bin over.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Ha ha - they wouldn't even let us have Bertrand they are that scared of strengthening our team ! I can imagine them loaning him to Shanghai Shenhua and paying them£10m just to keep him away from the PL.

We should form one of those clubs in Asia like City, buy Schurrle from them, and loan him to us! 😀

 

[localny]

City bought a club in Asia? madness

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

City bought a club in Asia? madness

Ha. Well at first I was just exaggerating, but I just found that the City owners had taken a (believed to be) 20% stake in Yokohama Marinos in Japan:

-- http://www.insideworldfootball.com/...ll-group-invest-in-japan-s-yokohama-f-marinos

[article]May 21 - City Football Group (CFG), owners of Manchester City, Melbourne Heart and New York City Football Club have taken a minority stake (believed to be 20%) and formed a partnership with the Nissan-owned Yokohama F Marinos, one of Japan's leading sides.

The deal represents the first significant foreign investment in a J-League soccer club and will see YF Marinos benefit from CFG's experience in Manchester City.[/article]

 

[localny]

So probably a FFP workaround..

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Yeah not sure how that works; probably something about some exclusion for helping to develop football or whatever. Not that FFP really has any teeth at this point against the biggest clubs.