do you want us to sign David Bentley?

[Paco]

Another fucking Arsenal reject in our side for an over priced fee.

[philyburkhill]

Yes, but I'd rather we sign some top class. Not sure we have the money though.

[drewy]

Have we not learnt our lesson?

[philyburkhill]

If we're going to play our current system. I'm certain he isn't going to be good enough. I still rate him though, and its not like he is an Arsenal reject.

[OnizukaEikichi]

the key is not to sign anyone whose name starts with 'Bent'

[Paul]

I don't want Bentley - he's not fast enough and his goal tally isn't high enough for a position where we need more goals. If we're going to sign more forwards, they have to be of the Gerrard/Torres match winner calibre, rather than the Pennant/Kuyt/Benayoun/Babel "can do a job" variety.

I think money will be tight this summer and so I'd spend, in order of priority, on a left back and right back first. After that I'd fill the right midfield/attack slot, but then we also could use a top player in the Babel position too, as well as another top striker. We haven't got anything like that sort of cash so it's two full backs for me - and Bentley can stay at Blackburn or go to Everton or Newcastle, which are about his level.

[philyburkhill]

You're harsh on Babel to lump him with the mediocre players, Babel is only 20 and can be a top player in years to come.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by philyburkhill

You're harsh on Babel to lump him with the mediocre players, Babel is only 20 and can be a top player in years to come.

I didn't say he was mediocre, mate; I just said he's a "can do a job" player, which is what he currently is. I think he's got a decent chance of coming good, but in the ideal scenario I was describing above, I wouldn't be betting the title on Ryan Babel becoming a nailed on match winner next season.

[Dirk]

Unless I watched him on a consistent basis, which I haven't, I don't know enough about the lad. Save for brief bits on Goals on Sunday. I don't think I've watched one Blackburn game this season, except for when we've played them. It was the same last season and the same the season before that and the one before that.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Dirk

Unless I watched him on a consistent basis, which I haven't, I don't know enough about the lad. Save for brief bits on Goals on Sunday. I don't think I've watched one Blackburn game this season, except for when we've played them. It was the same last season and the same the season before that and the one before that.

I'm also a bit like that. However, I do know he's not fast enough and that he doesn't score enough.

[King Emlyn]

No, top quality only from here on in.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by King Emlyn

No, top quality only from here on in.

Agreed, but I doubt we'll get it. I was saying "no more squad players" a year ago to no avail.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by Paul

Agreed, but I doubt we'll get it. I was saying "no more squad players" a year ago to no avail.

The issue for me is one of money. How much will we have to spend in the summer? Who knows. I've completely tempered my expectations in the transfer market until those two have gone. They've been funding acquisitions with loans and, if they are still here in the summer, lending conditions will be tighter still.

[Rashid]

This would be a Crouch type signing as opposed to a Tores one. Don't come back back moaning in a years time wanting to replace them when he does sign.

[Dirk]

A futher point, has there been a more credible source than The People?

[spider-neil]

Originally Posted by Paul

I didn't say he was mediocre, mate; I just said he's a "can do a job" player, which is what he currently is. I think he's got a decent chance of coming good, but in the ideal scenario I was describing above, I wouldn't be betting the title on Ryan Babel becoming a nailed on match winner next season.

with that attitude paul we would have binned ronaldo after two seasons

season 1 -
league
goals 4
assists 4

cups
goals 2
assists 0

europe
goals 0 (ZERO!!!!)
assists 0 (ZIP!!!)
total goals - 6 total assists - 4

season 2 -
league
goals 5
assists 4

cups
goals 4
assists 0

europe
goals 0 (ZERO!!!!)
assists 0 (ZIP!!!)
total goals - 9 total assists - 4

season 3 -
league
goals 9
assists 6

cups
goals 2
assists 1

europe
goals 1
assists 0 (ZIP!!!)
total goals - 12 total assists - 7

wow! it was sooo obvious ronaldo was going to explode the next season
for the record babel has already out scored AND out assisted ronaldos first season (and we have 8 games still to play).
we need to be patiant and give babel playing time so his talent can flourish like ronaldo was afforded, we can't afford ready made world stars so lets nature them and not let our panick for the title force us into hasty decisions.
I said before he joined babel has world class poitential and nothig I've seen from the lad has made me change my mind.

as for bentley take it from some who has seen the 'glamour' wide players this season, bentley contribution has been at LEAST as fruitful and in many case more so.

[spider-neil]

as for the people who come out with comments like 'we need a torres signing rahter than crouch signing' we really should dig up the the liverpool way vaults and see just who was advocating torres' signing seeing as how his scoring for AM could be described at little more than modest.

bentley is TOP player people should top making judgements based on WHO he plays for and concentrate on HOW he plays.

[Brownie]

Not good enough for us.

[spider-neil]

Originally Posted by Brownie

Not good enough for us.

brownie using any source you like to do your search show me a wide midfielder who has scored and assisted more than bentley who doesn't

a) play for the top 3
b) play as a foward striker
c) cost less than 25M
you can search any league you like

[G Richards]

All depends on the money. Bentley is an improvement on what we currently have on the right (Kuyt, Pennant, Benayoun), but the issue is whether or not he is enough of an improvement.

If we want to challenge strongly for the title next season then we need two first teamers (I know it's a squad game, but you know what I mean!) We need two players of the calibre of Torres and Mascherano in our most needy positions to improve that first eleven. Do that, and it is game on.

I'd not be averse to signing Bentley if, for example, we also signed Alves. Alves to be the overlapping, pacy, all action fullback; Bentley to exploit the space that would be created. Those two players would significantly upgrade the whole right side, and with a great spine already in place we'd really improve. But Bentley on his own? Probably not.

[Brownie]

Originally Posted by spider-neil