is this an accurate summary

[Phil236849]

1. Rafa wants a right winger/midfielder.

 

2. Simao is no 1 target. Any move in doubt as Benfica holding out at moment for large wonga and claiming Chelski interested.

 

3. Walcott also likely to be high-level target for the £ allocated here, even if he plays more CF/LW. Probably he's heading up the @rse.

 

4. Order of other linked targets unclear.

 

5. Other linked targets are Diana, Galletti, Srna, that-brazilian-new-cafu, Pennant...?

 

6. Whether we would actually buy these (now) is unclear. May depend on who Rafa thinks he can get in the summer. However, number of fixtures suggests he would be keen to reinforce, particularly given strong links to guys of arguable quality (stelios, solano) in the Summer.

 

7. It's all gone quiet, but the search is not over for january yet, just feels like we're in a key moment of a poker game.

 

Am I missing anything?

[Guz]

Kromkamp

[Phil236849]

naaaaa

[Guz]

I can actually see a Kromkamp / Finnan combo on the right working pretty well.

 

I don't know, solely because I've hardly seen him play but my point was that we've got someone else who can play on the right of midfield now which may make us less desperate for a genuine right midfielder in this transfer window.

[Guest roger]

If Pennant costs any more than £3-4M we should tell them where to stick him, they only paid £2M less than a year ago I think, deep down inside I think we should only offer what he cost them!

 

Pennant is bad news. I wouldn't have him for free!

[Magic8Ball]

Someone mentioned Queresima ( in another thread)

 

Isnt this kid like C Ronaldo ?

[G Richards]

Not sure we should sign an expensive right midfielder tbh, since Stevie is doing more than fine there and the team looks well balanced. At a guess I'd say Srna would cost no more than £6M, and that's about the max we should pay IMO, given that we are doing well without a Simao or Joaquin type.

 

I would argue that perhaps our main needs are Striker (Kuyt), LB (Bridge) and another centre midfielder in summer to replace Hamann (Nolan or Parker).

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I'd be happy with pennant. very good player.

[windy city red]

Someone mentioned Queresima ( in another thread)

 

Isnt this kid like C Ronaldo ?

 

sort of but he has less flair and doesnt do that stepover nonsense. however, his crosses are way way better.

[Eskimo]

Someone mentioned Queresima ( in another thread)

 

Isnt this kid like C Ronaldo ?

 

Whilst at Valencia Rafa made some enquiries about Quaresma, who was with Barca at the time, not sure what happened in the end....Good player but his ego is a problem although that may have calmed down in recent years.

 

 

 

sort of but he has less flair and doesnt do that stepover nonsense. however, his crosses are way way better.

 

I donno at the time he was seen as a much better prospect than Placcy but as I mentioned above he had an attitude problem, which resulted in Barca getting shot of him...

Edited January 16, 2006 by Eskimo

[Puma]

What interests me most in Rafa is that he is most defenetly his own man. He has very specific ideas about is transfer dealings and in the players he want's. You can see it in the comments that Kromkamp made that he met up with Rafa and Rafa was explaining tactics and where he saw Kromkamp fit in.

 

Same scenario with Crouch. Who the hell saw that coming ? I'll admit I thought it was a joke when he was first linked. He ended up here and I think one would really struggle trying to argue it was a bad move by Rafa.

 

Hence I've stopped trying to second guess Rafa. I'll follow along and hope for the best - perhaps chip in a wish or two but other than that I'm leaving it for Rafa.

 

I'll take a wild guess - Rafa to sign a RW that hasn't been linked with us and people will need to learn how to spell his name

[Flight]

I can actually see a Kromkamp / Finnan combo on the right working pretty well.

 

 

Actually Kromkamp was a midfielder until a couple of years ago.

[Spike]

Larsson is a great shout - probably just what we need at the moment in terms of finishing.

 

RW - depends on what you want. At the moment I think we have a lot of balance on the right. To me a flair player who can't defend will limit Finnan's probing and we all know he can play a top ball in. Anyway, a RW who can beat players is largely worthless at the mo as we don't have a box playing forward. Sure, we have crouchy but I'm not sure if he has the pace to get in behind the defence when our winger is on the byline. Same with Moro I'm afraid.

 

I'd rather strengthen our left back position if we can't afford the players we are in for.

 

For that I'd be quite happy with Bridge as we don't seem to have a player that can attack and defend 100% in that position.

 

If that gives Kewell more freedom then on current form then it's like signing a new winger anyway.

[Guest Red Mist]

I think we should forget about a right winger. Stevie is good enough. Besides, I'm not entirely comfortable with Stevie and Xabi in the centre together, must be that 1st half in Istanbul or something...

What we need is a striker and a left back, and then we'll be sorted.

[Spike]

until the summer...

[meepins]

RW who can beat players is largely worthless at the mo as we don't have a box playing forward

 

I'd disagree with this because what such a right mid would bring is balance.Also that RW would be an outlet and a good option.We wouldn't ideally want to become overly reliant on the left wing to produce the play for goal scoring opportunities.

In terms of defensive vulnerability, I can't see it being a problem given the strength of the centre and Finnan is no mug either.