Summer 2013 Transfer Thread

[The Woolster]

It will be for us. If we sign Williams, he'll be the main centre back signed, I'm sure of that.

 

I'm not saying he wouldn't, but if both Agger and Skrtel are still here if he does come, I would expect them to get plenty of games as well, although that would in part be dependent on us getting in Europe. They can battle it out between them and the 2 in form should get the nod.

 

It was more of a comment on price/value/expectations, for me, and this is clearly in general as there will always be the odd bargain and flop etc, I'd say for one of the big 6 clubs anything from £8m and below is for a squad player, £8-15m is for a regular starter, hopefully a first teamer but you would be ok with 20+ starts a season, £15m+ and you would be wanting a first teamer getting 30+ starts a season.

 

Its a squad game nowadays, and I think the big clubs need sufficient quality in the squad to be able to cover for injuries and to be able to rotate, especially if they are in Europe, and with each new TV deal, transfer fees go up. £10m just isn't a lot anymore. The average transfer fee is about

£5m now, and I would expect all of the players that we buy to be better than average.

[Whelan]

It will be for us. If we sign Williams, he'll be the main centre back signed, I'm sure of that.

 

I really hope not!

 

We need two, Rodgers apparently likes De Vrij, so somebody like him for first choice will Williams as back up. But I would be gutted if he was it.

[LFC Jay]

I'm not saying we should sign Williams but it seems to me Rodgers teams are more about players that fit the system more than having the best players. Skrtel and Agger are both twice as good as Williams but maybe Williams will fit the system better therefore improving our defensive frailties. Like I said I'm not advocating that we get him but who else can we realistically sign? Someone who ticks all the boxes and the right price tag.

[The Golden Eel]

I'm not saying he wouldn't, but if both Agger and Skrtel are still here if he does come, I would expect them to get plenty of games as well, although that would in part be dependent on us getting in Europe. They can battle it out between them and the 2 in form should get the nod.

 

It was more of a comment on price/value/expectations, for me, and this is clearly in general as there will always be the odd bargain and flop etc, I'd say for one of the big 6 clubs anything from £8m and below is for a squad player, £8-15m is for a regular starter, hopefully a first teamer but you would be ok with 20+ starts a season, £15m+ and you would be wanting a first teamer getting 30+ starts a season.

 

Its a squad game nowadays, and I think the big clubs need sufficient quality in the squad to be able to cover for injuries and to be able to rotate, especially if they are in Europe, and with each new TV deal, transfer fees go up. £10m just isn't a lot anymore. The average transfer fee is about

£5m now, and I would expect all of the players that we buy to be better than average.

 

Yeah, I know you weren't, I know what you're saying. But other people have been saying that. I'd expect us to sign Williams and a cheap promising younger CB, such as that French guy Mirin we've been linked with (not that I know anything about him, but someone of that ilk), not Williams and another established CB. He will be the established, ready-for-the-first-team player.

[fowler9]

Ashley Williams is nowhere near as good as Skrtel or Agger, he is however a decent player, he wouldn't be worth the money we'd pay for the role he should have if he joined us though

[LFC Jay]

I know it's been said but we should definitely be in for a Mascarano, Sissoko type player. Not to start every game but to play in games where similar players have dominated us, like Villa when Benteke just bulldozed his way through our midfield. Diame, Mulumbo, Wanyama maybe, we should have at least been in the hunt for Moussa Sissoko.

 

Lucas is a lot better footballer than those mentioned and he'll play better against the better teams because of his tactical, technical and positional play is better, he uses the ball better to but when we need to dig in and power our way through the oppositions midfield, none (with the exception of Gerrard) of our currant midfield seem capable.

 

We're not that far away from challenging for 3rd place, Chelsea have a better starting XI at the moment but they're not a million miles away, it all depends on who they and Man City buy in the summer.

[El Rojo]

If we're looking at centre halves in this division, we could do worse than having a look at Hangeland.

 

He's still several levels above Williams, wouldn't cost much and would be ideal for games against teams like Stoke with his aerial presence for a few seasons.

 

He's 31, but I'd hope we're not so brainwashed by this '24 and under' policy that we'd forget what experienced signings have brought in the past.

[fowler9]

If we're looking at centre halves in this division, we could do worse than having a look at Hangeland.

 

He's still several levels above Williams, wouldn't cost much and would be ideal for games against teams like Stoke with his aerial presence for a few seasons.

 

He's 31, but I'd hope we're not so brainwashed by this '24 and under' policy that we'd forget what experienced signings have brought in the past.

 

good shout to be fair, think I read somewhere he is on a free in the summer?

[ph245]

Speaking of Stoke.... what about Shawcross ?

I'd much rather have him than Williams.

 

He's younger, scores the odd goal here & there and isn't afraid of the rough stuff.

[John McClane]

If we do not have European football next year, will we really buy players just to be part of a squad. Given we could play as little as 40 odd games next season?

[El Rojo]

Speaking of Stoke.... what about Shawcross ?

I'd much rather have him than Williams.

 

He's younger, scores the odd goal here & there and isn't afraid of the rough stuff.

 

Yep. He's the type of player and character we need.

[Jairzinho]

Williams isn't better than Skrtel. It'd be a terrible signing.

 

He's 29 this year and has played all his career at dead end clubs. There's a reason for that.

 

Yep, that's it for me. Not really arsed if he's a bit of a tit, I just don't want us signing someone that isn't good enough.

 

Agreed. He's no world beater, but he's an honest and committed player who'd improve us. He's Dirk Kuyt in a more appropriate position.

 

He really doesn't deserve to be compared to Dirk Kuyt.

[mattyq]

Williams would not be a good signing as far as i am concerned

He's average; would cost a lot of money and when he fails BR will get a lot of blame for signing a Swansea player.

For that reason, i'm out

[etho]

Not big on stats, however this article is quite interesting

 

Overrated or Underrated?: Steven Taylor | Stats Analysis

[fowler9]

Not big on stats, however this article is quite interesting

 

Overrated or Underrated?: Steven Taylor | Stats Analysis

 

I wanted us to sign him when Newcastle got relegated a few seasons ago, been injured a lot and never seemed as good since

[Evil_Ways]

I know it's been said but we should definitely be in for a Mascarano, Sissoko type player. Not to start every game but to play in games where similar players have dominated us, like Villa when Benteke just bulldozed his way through our midfield. Diame, Mulumbo, Wanyama maybe, we should have at least been in the hunt for Moussa Sissoko.

 

Lucas is a lot better footballer than those mentioned and he'll play better against the better teams because of his tactical, technical and positional play is better, he uses the ball better to but when we need to dig in and power our way through the oppositions midfield, none (with the exception of Gerrard) of our currant midfield seem capable.

 

We're not that far away from challenging for 3rd place, Chelsea have a better starting XI at the moment but they're not a million miles away, it all depends on who they and Man City buy in the summer.

 

Think Wanyama would be an ideal signing. He's a beast he is.

[JagSquared]

For me the thing is we wont have the cash to fix all of our problems. What we need is a goalkeeper, 2 centre backs, a beast of a central midfielder, a winger and a striker.

 

It is impossible to integrate that many players in one summer. We need to prioritise and for me the key thing is getting players who can help us win the games we should be winning. Now we are creating the chances but we seem to conceed off every other chance the opposition get. I think our conversion rate would improve if the team has confidence that we wont conceed sloppy goals. It would relax them and stop us snatching and chasing games.

 

For me the focus would be defence. As much as I love reina he needs a new challenge. One of skrtel and agger will likely go so an imposing centrback and a midfileder who can help us dominate games against physical teams. Who those players are I have no idea as I dont watch as much football as others. Finally somebody to take downings role in the side is a must. We need llayers with a winning mentality.

 

Thats before we get into who we will lose.

[moof]

This really is Konchesky all over again, the same knobheads making excuses too.

 

Pathetic.

 

Oh he's great. Let's watch the cunt be terrible for us and the same utter cunts make excuses.

 

Charlie Adam is fucking BRILLIANT.

 

TITS.

 

It's not really the same thing at all. Mainly cause Konchesky was fucking shit and Williams is not. I harbour no grudge towards Charlie Adam and I don't see why anybody would. He was far from our worst player last season, loved playing here and left when he knew he wouldn't be in the team instead of picking up wages on the bench or in the reserves.

[Whelan]

Think Wanyama would be an ideal signing. He's a beast he is.

 

That's the cunt! Him, never watched him really - but the odd occasion he looks exactly what we need.

 

But not sure if he can pass or not.

[etho]

I wanted us to sign him when Newcastle got relegated a few seasons ago, been injured a lot and never seemed as good since

 

It was actually the stats on Williams I was looking at, nothing outstanding about them.

[Trucker Paddy]

He shouldn't be the first choice - but as cover' date=' or third choice I would be okay. The reason that Swansea concede most from corners is that he is the only one who is good in the air, all the rest are average and below.[/quote']

 

So it's everybody else's fault, ok so. That's up there with Robbies Joe Allen is playing shit because of Kenny dalglish, which he later added its actually Stewart Downing's fault.

You know I love you Rob ;)

[Paul]

Do you honestly think he's better than Skrtel? Not just looking at their form this year but that he's been a better footballer over the last four or five years? I'd prefer Coates gets a chance to develop rather than bringing him in.

 

Kuyt has played top level football for all his career. He's a world away from Williams. Williams isn't a rough diamond he's average and of a standard you'll find at all but the worst premier league clubs.

 

I don't have a firm view of him as a player and the real test would come as and when he signed. One thing that I'm certain of is that the ability to bear "the weight of the shirt" has been lacking in far too many players we've signed over recent years and I think his track record suggests he'd cope better than most. That said, I don't care who we sign as long as they come in and improve us defensively. I would like at least one new centre half (I think we need two) to be a real leader though.

[Bjornebye]

ashley williams is a fucking bad bellend. i hope to god we dont sign him.

 

i'd rather we got nick the greek back ffs

[Whelan]

So it's everybody else's fault, ok so. That's up there with Robbies Joe Allen is playing shit because of Kenny dalglish, which he later added its actually Stewart Downing's fault.

You know I love you Rob ;)

 

Erm - the point is that the stat Swansea concede more from corners isn't proof that he isn't good in the air, if you don't believe me then have a look at Laudrup's own comments when he said that they are a small side and will always struggle from set peices.

 

Unless you actually think that Swansea's record from set peices is proof of how good one player is in the air! Obviously, you think it is perfectly acceptable that one player marks 3 or 4 players! It was actually quite a simply argument to make - you would only misunderstand that if you are one of those who look at who the poster is, rather than what the poster is actually saying.

[redfromtubebar]

Williams is a good player but ability wise not up there with Skrtel or Agger. However, he's vocal and a leader, something we desperately need with Carra retiring.

 

Personally, I'd be reluctant to go and spend £12m on him after the Borini and Allen experiences. We've already spent £25m on two ex Swans players who look no better than average. Playing for Liverpool, with the expectations that surround it, is a much different kettle of fish than the Liberty Stadium. Throw in the fact that he's 29 and it's just not a goer for me.

 

However, there's a lot of good centre backs out there. I'd expect (hope) for a leader like Williams but with more ability. I'm hoping we sign somebody with experience too. Shawcross is a good shout and the right age.

 

I think we'll also bring in a younger centre back like De Vrij or Mirin. There seems to be genuine interest in both so I'd expect one of those. Haven't seen either player but both sound promising. De Vrij is the captain of Feyenoord at the age of 21. Must have something about him. Mirin is French so I expect Newcastle to replace Coloccini with him in the summer.