The benefits of selling to buy

[David Hodgson]

With talk of Crouch & Garcia being offered in part-ex for Torres, it got me thinking back to Rafa's comments about needing to 'take 2 steps forward'. Good as Garcia and Crouch are, it's likely they wouldn't figure in Rafa's dream 11 for next season. Possibly Sissoko, too, wouldn't. So, if we were to go on a mega selling spree, what could we raise ?

 

A quick tot up suggests that Crouch, Bellamy, Cisse, Garica, Sissoko, Gonzalez, Pongolle would comfortably fetch £50m. Add to that the £20m net we usually spend, and Rafa's got £70m to spend without Tom & George having to invest a penny in the playing squad. Even if they added a paltry 10-15m that would provide the sort of 'war chest' that could see Rafa bid for 2 strikers at the Torres/Tevez level, plus two world class wingers.

 

I don't want to particualrly lose Crouch, Garcia, Sissoko or Bellamy, but selling them to afford Torres, Tevez, Malouda and Alves would be well worth it. Surely ?

[Magic8Ball]

Its a benefit only if you can actually realise both objectives - ie get the right price on both the sale and the purchase otherwise its an inconvenience

[Greenoak]

Wake up - we are in 2007 not 1967

 

It is all about SQUADS of 20 players not the first 11 only, so sorry we dont sell. The only player there that is now fringe and note core is MOMO but considering the numbers of midfielders rafa playes each game there is still a reason for keeping him..

[Owen1978]

Wake up - we are in 2007 not 1967

 

It is all about SQUADS of 20 players not the first 11 only, so sorry we dont sell. The only player there that is now fringe and note core is MOMO but considering the numbers of midfielders rafa playes each game there is still a reason for keeping him..

 

I personally think it should be the other way round, you build a first 11 capable of challenging for the the prem & Cl and then build a squad around that, personally i dont care about the CC & FA cup, so rafa can put out his reserves for those thus greatly reducing the number of matches the first 11 has to play which equates to less rotation!

[Knox_Harrington]

A quick tot up suggests that Crouch, Bellamy, Cisse, Garica, Sissoko, Gonzalez, Pongolle would comfortably fetch £50m. Add to that the £20m net we usually spend, and Rafa's got £70m to spend without Tom & George having to invest a penny in the playing squad. Even if they added a paltry 10-15m that would provide the sort of 'war chest' that could see Rafa bid for 2 strikers at the Torres/Tevez level, plus two world class wingers.

Of those mentioned I think it would be a real mistake to let Crouch go, because he will improve year on year, already has the makings of a twenty a season striker, can accept his place will be rotated and with better service will keep banging them in. I'd be loathe to let Garcia go as our problems include goals from midfield, he's versatile and his attitude is spot on and again, he can accept his place is a squad place.

 

The other concern is hitting the ground running making four major changes, plus Lucas, Voronin and Leto. Players take time to bed in. Personally if at all possible I'd get another season out of Garcia in order to give Kewell every chance to prove his fitness knowing we have cover and only change it at Christmas if it wasn't working. Kewell's potentially too good to give up on. I'd bring one forward in as you aren't ever going to sign another Crouch and a ball carrying wide man who can play either side. Too much too soon would be a real mistake as far as I'm concerned.

[sutty]

Of those mentioned I think it would be a real mistake to let Crouch go, because he will improve year on year, already has the makings of a twenty a season striker, can accept his place will be rotated and with better service will keep banging them in. I'd be loathe to let Garcia go as our problems include goals from midfield, he's versatile and his attitude is spot on and again, he can accept his place is a squad place.

 

The other concern is hitting the ground running making four major changes, plus Lucas, Voronin and Leto. Players take time to bed in. Personally if at all possible I'd get another season out of Garcia in order to give Kewell every chance to prove his fitness knowing we have cover and only change it at Christmas if it wasn't working. Kewell's potentially too good to give up on. I'd bring one forward in as you aren't ever going to sign another Crouch and a ball carrying wide man who can play either side. Too much too soon would be a real mistake as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

Agree on Crouch

 

I think that Garcia is more disposable though.

 

Agree on the second paragraph, totally.

[Mike]

i can't see us signing another 2 forwards - especially if he buys a left winger. that is unless garcia bellamy and cisse go.

[Stevie H]

think garcia's expendable because he's neither one thing nor the other. he's not a striker and he's not a specialist wide midfielder either, whereas if we were playing a 4-3-3 thing he'd be great as one of the front 3. with kewell, riise, leto and maybe one incoming available for left mid luis would struggle to get a game there and he'd be behind gerrard and pennant for right mid.

 

agree entirely about crouch though, will be annoyed if he's sold.

[hideNseek]

WE need to keep Crouch and Garcia, not bothered about the others on your list.

[Gilps]

think garcia's expendable because he's neither one thing nor the other. he's not a striker and he's not a specialist wide midfielder either, whereas if we were playing a 4-3-3 thing he'd be great as one of the front 3. with kewell, riise, leto and maybe one incoming available for left mid luis would struggle to get a game there and he'd be behind gerrard and pennant for right mid.

 

agree entirely about crouch though, will be annoyed if he's sold.

 

Think we're more likely to see a 4-2-3-1 than a 4-3-3. In which case Luis would get a fair few games as the central one of the 3.

[Benitez]

Crouch is currently the best forward at the club. And letting him go would be a mistake and pure madness. Crouch can be part of this team as the team moves forward and improves, because he is good enough. So letting him go would be a step back, as we'd then need to replace him as well, which would be hard.

[hideNseek]

Don't think you can replace Crouch.

[honourablegeorge]

A quick tot up suggests that Crouch, Bellamy, Cisse, Garica, Sissoko, Gonzalez, Pongolle would comfortably fetch £50m.

 

 

Aye, but with agents and players trousering part of the fees, plus the paying up of contracts and whatever else, we'd be lucky to see half of it.

[David Hodgson]

Wake up - we are in 2007 not 1967

 

It is all about SQUADS of 20 players not the first 11 only, so sorry we dont sell. The only player there that is now fringe and note core is MOMO but considering the numbers of midfielders rafa playes each game there is still a reason for keeping him..

 

 

FFS I do realise that. Following my 'logic' we'd end up, potentially, with a pool of strikers including Torres, Tevez, Kuyt and Voronin. That not squaddy enough for you? In centre mid we'd have Gerrard, Alonso. Lucas and Mascherano. Must I go on ?

 

I realise that Crouch would be a big loss, but I'm not sure that at 11-12m he wouldn't be worth letting go. Personally I'd swap Crouchie for Bent plus a couple of mill. I'd also swap him for Owen, and I'd definitely part-ex him for Tevez.

[Romario]

If torres was banging in 25-30 goals a season I'd say fair enough to the Crouch swap but Crouch over the last 2 seasons has shown he's every bit as good as Torres in his goal scoring. I don't get to see enough of Torres so I'm really interested to see just how good he is. A huge amount of cash plus Cisse seems ideal even though Cisse has probably outscored him every season.

 

The Torres fee and lack of interest in Cisse are conundrums I can't answer.

[Mikey]

With talk of Crouch & Garcia being offered in part-ex for Torres, it got me thinking back to Rafa's comments about needing to 'take 2 steps forward'. Good as Garcia and Crouch are, it's likely they wouldn't figure in Rafa's dream 11 for next season. Possibly Sissoko, too, wouldn't. So, if we were to go on a mega selling spree, what could we raise ?

 

A quick tot up suggests that Crouch, Bellamy, Cisse, Garica, Sissoko, Gonzalez, Pongolle would comfortably fetch £50m. Add to that the £20m net we usually spend, and Rafa's got £70m to spend without Tom & George having to invest a penny in the playing squad. Even if they added a paltry 10-15m that would provide the sort of 'war chest' that could see Rafa bid for 2 strikers at the Torres/Tevez level, plus two world class wingers.

 

I don't want to particualrly lose Crouch, Garcia, Sissoko or Bellamy, but selling them to afford Torres, Tevez, Malouda and Alves would be well worth it. Surely ?

Out of the list you produce there, the only player I would be sad to see go is Crouch, and if he went to get Torres I could live with it.

 

Of the others, Cisse, FSP & Gonzalez are clearly never going to get a game even if they stay at the club; Sissoko never made the bench for the CL final; Garcia seems a better player when he's not playing because everyone forgets how dreadful he is at keeping possession; Bellamy is leaving anyway; so whats the problem?

 

If you sell them all and don't buy anyone in the only position we are weaker in than this season is up front.

[hideNseek]

Bent is no way in Crouch's league.

[yellow jumper]

Of those mentioned I think it would be a real mistake to let Crouch go, because he will improve year on year, already has the makings of a twenty a season striker, can accept his place will be rotated and with better service will keep banging them in. I'd be loathe to let Garcia go as our problems include goals from midfield, he's versatile and his attitude is spot on and again, he can accept his place is a squad place.

 

The other concern is hitting the ground running making four major changes, plus Lucas, Voronin and Leto. Players take time to bed in. Personally if at all possible I'd get another season out of Garcia in order to give Kewell every chance to prove his fitness knowing we have cover and only change it at Christmas if it wasn't working. Kewell's potentially too good to give up on. I'd bring one forward in as you aren't ever going to sign another Crouch and a ball carrying wide man who can play either side. Too much too soon would be a real mistake as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

agree with the sentiment. at the very least they can both be the best impact subs in the league.

 

lucas, voronin and leto should be worthy cup men initially.

 

however, would countenace, letting one or both of them go, if tevez was available for between 15 and 20 million (assuming we had the money after wrapping up torres), and he wanted the move. leave benayoun alone, sign one left winger and perhaps a quality left-sided utility defender depending on sami's status and aurelio's fitness.

[Walrus]

50M? don't think so.

[Rich Gobey]

Bent is no way in Crouch's league.

 

They have different qualities. Both are very good players.

 

Bent is certainly in Crouchies league.

[David Hodgson]

50M? don't think so.

 

You do the math(s).

 

Bellamy £9m

Crouch £11m

Sissoko £12m

Cisse £7m

Garcia £6m

Pongolle £2.7m

Gonzalez £3m

 

 

Crouch is currently the best forward at the club. And letting him go would be a mistake and pure madness. Crouch can be part of this team as the team moves forward and improves, because he is good enough. So letting him go would be a step back, as we'd then need to replace him as well, which would be hard.

 

Why didn't the 'best forward at the club' start the most important match of the club's season then ?

 

Crouch is good enough to stay, but it wouldn't be 'madness' to sell him if it facilitated buying say an Eto'o or a Tevez. There's even a reasonable argument that either Owen or Bent would represent an improvement on Crouch.

[Cobs]

Why didn't the 'best forward at the club' start the most important match of the club's season then ?

 

Rafa f*cked it up

[David Hodgson]

Rafa f*cked it up

 

Ah, my mistake ...and Rafa's.

 

Hindsight ...it makes tactical geniuses of us all.

[Cobs]

Ah, my mistake ...and Rafa's.

 

Hindsight ...it makes tactical geniuses of us all.

 

i said it pre match

[_00_deathscar]

You do the math(s).

 

Bellamy £9m

Crouch £11m

Sissoko £12m

Cisse £7m

Garcia £6m

Pongolle £2.7m

Gonzalez £3m

Why didn't the 'best forward at the club' start the most important match of the club's season then ?

 

Crouch is good enough to stay, but it wouldn't be 'madness' to sell him if it facilitated buying say an Eto'o or a Tevez. There's even a reasonable argument that either Owen or Bent would represent an improvement on Crouch.

 

He offers something different to all of them - and Eto'o, Tevez and Owen I'll give you...but BENT?