Summer of Replacements?

[dmishra]

Based on rumours so far:

Cole for Benayoun
Figueroa/Taiwo for Insua
Defour/Noble for Lucas
Banega /Cattermole for Mascherano
Turan/Ruiz for Babel
Scharner for Plessis
Jonjo for Spearing
Cahill/Shawcross/Kjaer for Skrtel
Jovanovic for Riera
Gulacsi/Hansen/Bouzanis for Cavalieri
Semi-Decent striker for N’gog

All these replacements are realistic and financially feasible as our net spending with such a summer would be around zero. This would leave us with the following squad:

First Team:

----------------------------------Reina-------------------------------------
Johnson-------------Carra---------Agger------------Taiwo/Figueroa
---------------Defour/Noble------Banega/Cattermole--------
---------Cole-----------------Gerrard-----------Turan/Ruiz
---------------------------------Torres--------------------------------

Squaddies:

--------------------------------Hansen/Gulacsi/Bouzanis --------------------------
Kelly----------Kjaer/Cahill/Shawcross---------Kyrgiakos------Robinson
-----------------------------Jonjo---------------Scharner--------------------
---------Kuyt/Maxi----------------Aquilani------------------Jovanovic
--------------------------------Semi-Decent Striker ---------------------

Is this too optimistic? Would you be happy with such a summer?

 

[manwithnoname]

If that lot came off I would be deliriously happy, however it's not going to. Not even anywhere close

 

[Wilko7]

Too many ifs and buts for a meaningful discussion.

 

[Stulikesdrums]

Nothing against the OP, but I find these hypothetical threads a waste of time.

 

[Vanbasten84]

I think hes playing football manager

 

[dmishra]

[quote author=Stulikesdrums link=topic=40970.msg1135678#msg1135678 date=1279108243]
Nothing against the OP, but I find these hypothetical threads a waste of time.
[/quote]

This is not entirely hypothetical. There are 11 replacement scenarios I've listed out of which 3 have already happened, 2 are being considered near certainties and the remaining 5 (which admittedly happen to be the more exciting of the scenarios) have been rumoured on and off over the past 6 months. So yes, while there exists a sufficiently large amount of 'if and buts', there is an excellent chance of at least 8 out of 11 of these exact scenarios happening. That doesn't exactly plunge it in the category of Football Manager.

In any case, I'm thinking out loud here. Which of these scenarios do you think will come to fruition?

 

[keniget]

To go from a midfield of Alonso/Masher to something like Cattermole/Banega is depressing as fuck.

 

[TheBunnyman]

The logical solution would be to play Gerrard in CM, at least in the majority of games.

A Gerrard - Defour CM, with Aquilani in the no10 role, looks a lot better to me than a Cattermole - Defour CM with Gerrard in the no10 role. At least on paper.

 

[HC]

Is it not plausible that Sterling and Shelvey might get some proper first team action this season given the fee's paid for them - I know they are both young but yeah, we spent what - £4m on the pair of them. I'd be happier to dip them in to the foray and get them involved and grow the pair as players than spunk 3/4 times that figure on some journeyman who'll be flogged as soon as were under new ownsership and back in the black.

 

[Cerberus]

[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=40970.msg1135724#msg1135724 date=1279111101]
The logical solution would be to play Gerrard in CM, at least in the majority of games.

A Gerrard - Defour CM, with Aquilani in the no10 role, looks a lot better to me than a Cattermole - Defour CM with Gerrard in the no10 role. At least on paper.


[/quote]

I agree. We have a 20 million pound player who is now apparently fully fit. He should be starting games and given a chance to prove himself.

 

[dmishra]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=40970.msg1135720#msg1135720 date=1279110548]
To go from a midfield of Alonso/Masher to something like Cattermole/Banega is depressing as fuck.
[/quote]

To be honest, what we're looking at currently is Lucas/Aquilani. And I'd take Cattermole/Banega over that anyday.

 

[kingjulian]

I like this thread. Is it also possible to do a 6CM stamp of approval kind of thing for each position and rumors on that position?

 

[kingjulian]

Raheem Sterling is 8 years old. I doubt he will get "action".

*This applies to all possible ways that phrase can be interpreted.

 

[dee]

[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=40970.msg1135767#msg1135767 date=1279114152]
Raheem Sterling is 8 years old. I doubt he will get "action".

*This applies to all possible ways that phrase can be interpreted.
[/quote]

Even Gerrard had to wait until he was 17. I think Sterling has a couple of years minimum before we sell him on eerrr blood him in the first team