Glen Johnson....

[El Rojo]

Glad to see all the people who know better then Rafa. Any time Rafa has got his no one target he has been superb baring Moreintes, which no one saw been anything other then a star.

 

Johnson is very good and will add considerably to our team. He is an improvement on Arbeloa in my opinion.

 

I'd like to see Arbeloa stay too though - we'd have excellent options down the right for the season. Seems unlikely he will, sadly.

 

He had a couple of dodgy games towards the end of last season against Arsenal and Chelsea, but I think he's been very, very solid over his time with us.

 

A snip at £2m or whatever it was too. Another excellent Rafa signing.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Rafa seems to be getting his first choice target for one of the few positions we need to strengthen. I'm pretty happy with that.

 

Makes a change to summers gone.

[old skool tom]

stunned at the price!!!!!!!!!!! rather spend all our cash and other transfer dough (dossena,pennant & hopefully lucas?) on david villa which would make a huge difference to the team instead of a bit of a difference! hope am f##kin wrong but i think the surprising british summer has scrambled rafas bonce

[Karl_b]

If Arbeloa leaves, which unfortunately looks likey as he's too good to play back up to Johnson or as cover for centre back, then will Rafa bring in someone else or promote Darby? I'd be happy to see the latter as I think we've seen with Insua that it can reap rewards.

[Troubadour]

we shouldn't sell arbeloa. one injury to johnson (if he signs) and carra will have to play right back again.

 

That's such a doomsday scenario. Philipp Degen will be waiting in the wings, ready to pounce. I can see Rafa spending £18.5m on a player who won't get a sniff as soon as his injury problems clear up. Imagine that, two world class right backs for an average cost of £9m.

[Strontium]

Putting the Johnson fee into perspective: Arsenal look like they may sell Bacary Sagna to Madrid for £20m.

 

I don't think Sagna is appreciably better than Johnson.

[ToxtethTerror]

I think Sagna is only slightly better but I'd prefer Johnson as he is English. £20m is huge money though.

[cmuller]

we shouldn't sell arbeloa. one injury to johnson (if he signs) and carra will have to play right back again.

 

Move Insua across? Maybe it's my rose tinited specs but I always remember full backs at least being able to do a short term job on the other side of the pitch. Jones/Nicol etc.

 

It's a problem most clubs - Essien being wasted at full back, Arsenal playing kids. Only Utd seem to not suffer - but thats probably because they've got the likes of OShea who can do a reasonable job across the back 4.

[Thants]

One thing it does give us is pace at the back, by God we need some pace especially when hit on the counter attack. I give Johnson a cautious welcome.

 

He'll be too fast for Carra to belt him one thats for sure.

 

Here's two goals.

[YOUTUBE]xwB-JQbmLqo[/YOUTUBE]

 

I think you'll appreciate the quality of this clip:

[YOUTUBE]U7YpUYtUhi4[/YOUTUBE]

 

Oooo an even better one. We didnt feature enough in the goals of the season, now we have the winner in our team.

[YOUTUBE]lLbFyc_jg18[/YOUTUBE]

[ToxtethTerror]

He'll be too fast for Carra to belt him one thats for sure.

 

Ha Ha..... nice one.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Sagna is a way better right back than Johnson.

[jackofdk]

Sagna is a way better right back than Johnson.

 

I don't believe you. Glen's got better* hair as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*less bad

[moxter]

I would rather gnaw my own arm off than read 1000 posts of this thread, so no insight from me. I'm moderately happy - I think we DEFINITELY need a right back who is far superior to Arbeloa, and Johnson fits the bill; that said, I think he's decent rather than brilliant, and I imagine £17m is a hefty chunk of our summer spending budget. Seems a few £m overpriced to me, I would have thought £12m would be nearer the mark. Still, it's a problem position.

 

If Dossena fucks off that doesn't bother me. I don't rate arbeloa either but if he leaves then there's little strength in depth. "Carragher can do a decent job" arguements don't wash at this level, we should have specialist backup, not odd job men.

[Whelan]

If the rumous of 5 million for Richards turn out to be true then we wouldn't have to worry about Carra at right back.

 

I would certainly be more prepared for us to spend 5 million on Richards then three million on Distin.

 

If Downing does come on loan then we can probably afford to spend the money in other areas, and right back is the next priority.

[Major Tom]

Sagna is a way better right back than Johnson.

 

Not going forward. Maybe positionally and probably defensively.

 

I wouldn't say he is way better. If he's better at all. Sagna was v.good two seasons ago but, from what I saw of him last season, he was a little laboured.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

If it was a hair competition they'd both be thrown out!

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Not going forward. Maybe positionally and probably defensively.

 

I wouldn't say he is way better. If he's better at all. Sagna was v.good two seasons ago but, from what I saw of him last season, he was a little laboured.

 

But, for me, the main job of a full back is to defend. So for me, Sagna is a much better full back than Johnson because the lad can't defend. Don't get me wrong I am moderately excited we're signing players like this but the lad is a defensive liability.

[rebel23]

Johnson is bound to pickup injuries due to his style and playing extra games, nailed on just like Torres will so it's a concern.

[Thants]

Johnson is bound to pickup injuries due to his style and playing extra games, nailed on just like Torres will so it's a concern.

 

Sphinctersayswhat??

[Guest LFD]

I don't think 17 million is too high, given he's the current English right back, he's coming off a good season, he's signed a new long term deal recently and considering how the whole market has appreciated this summer with the money flying around.

[jackofdk]

It's funny how it's all of a sudden a fact, that Arbeloa will leave.

[nibbler]

He's Red, He's new, He's banned from B&Q, Glen Johnson, Glen Johnson.

 

I love Tuesdays.

[Tyler Durden]

But, for me, the main job of a full back is to defend. So for me, Sagna is a much better full back than Johnson because the lad can't defend. Don't get me wrong I am moderately excited we're signing players like this but the lad is a defensive liability.

 

The current system deploys 2 DMs though and that is designed to cover attacking full backs so he should be ok, plus its not like rafa wont be drilling him for his defensive duties

[Major Tom]

But, for me, the main job of a full back is to defend. So for me, Sagna is a much better full back than Johnson because the lad can't defend. Don't get me wrong I am moderately excited we're signing players like this but the lad is a defensive liability.

 

Fair enough but I am not sure Sagna is exactly a behemoth in defence.

 

Anyways, personally I think, in the modern game, a fullback needs to be able to add width to the attack. Something Johnson does with some success. For Portsmouth at least.

 

On the face of it, he appears the perfect foil for Kuyt on the right.

[cmuller]

It's funny how it's all of a sudden a fact, that Arbeloa will leave.

 

Maybe wrong here but hasn't he only got a year or so left on his contract - and no sign of another?

 

Even without Johnson, we need to cash in if we are not to agree an extension to his current deal.