The 2013-2014 Football Thread

[Kariya]

if they buy him _now_ he will be ridicilously overpriced: his release fee clause comes into effect in the summer: ~45 mio euro (which IMHO is overpriced)

currently he would be even more expensive

as a player he is very dynamic/energetic with an ace shot and great 1-2s but he isn't a classical dribbler
considering his age(20) though he is extremely mentally mature already, simply because Schalke threw him into the big games right from the start (30+ internationa cup/CL games, 10+ national squad games, cup final)


the next german youngster are already on the the horizon as well: Max Meyer from S04 (already considered a 'younger' Götze) and Timo Werner from Stuttgart

I think Wenger is desperate. He knows this season is a golden chance to win silverware. But he has 5 midfielders out of the squad and 1 or 2 of the remaining 4 isn't even match fit. He can't buy a striker because that market is essentially non-existent this window. So the next recourse are attacking midfielders. And Draxler at 20yrs old is a good investment. He's a typical Wenger-type player. A young attacking midfielder that can swap anywhere in the front 3 of his 4 3 3 formation.

Add that to the 11 match-days of hell coming towards his team and you can understand why...

He needs bodies in quickly.

Someone once told me Arsenal are the unluckiest team in the EPL and i thought he was crazy. But now i'm starting to agree with him.

 

[takao]

takao,

Draxler; how far is he behind Reus?

Cheers,
OW

reuss is obviously more expierenced at 24. Imho he also a better dribbler especially in the box. Part of this is because he is more explosive... Which makes him one of the best counter attacking players of the BL. Reus is also the better finisher
Both are long shot aces and can delivery absolute screamers and set pieces. draxler is imho the better build up player but reus is better for through passes.
On draxlers plus side: he has no real weakness: he is even quite dangerous when going for headers and can tackle for the ball on defensive duty

 

[daneoni]

I actually don't think Wenger will get anybody in. Don't think Draxler is coming in the summer either. £37m is too high for Wenger no matter how flushed he is. He is still Le Professor of Economics.

Plus Shalke seem to be stalling too for a summer move from PSG, Chelsea or City so they can get their money.

Arsenal fans have been down this road plenty of times.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Well, Schalke's sporting directer has just stated that they are "not interested" in selling Draxler, and also that the £37m buyout clause was

"only in place for last year, from now on the transfer fee is up for negotiation".

If true, there's almost no way Arsenal will get him without paying through the nose.

With rapacious, rich clubs out there like PSG, Real/Barca, Chelsea and Man City, buyout clauses have to be set incredibly high to function as any sort of protection.

 

[daneoni]

^
Yup.

I really wish Wenger moved for Mitroglou, the player Fulham have just nabbed. 25yrs old with a 23 goals in 25 matches stat. Sure its the Greek league but if you score 23 out of 25 matches it means you're at least half-decent.

Would have been a decent plug to the crack.

Also quite surprised he came to a club in relegation battle and sacrificed the Champions league. Guess the pay package was too hard to resist. That and they've signed some quality players which will help their cause.

Oh well at least Wenger will have money to spend in summer (Puma deal). Fingers crossed he ACTUALLY brings in what he needs to bring in then. Sagna and Arteta need to be replaced going forward.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I really wish Wenger moved for Mitroglou, the player Fulham have just nabbed. 25yrs old with a 23 goals in 25 matches stat. Sure its the Greek league but if you score 23 out of 25 matches it means you're at least half-decent.

Jozy Altidore had a great scoring record at AZ in the Netherlands, but he's struggled mightily in the Premier League. Mind you, he plays for Sunderland, where he gets terrible service and sees little of the ball, and was for a time managed by Paolo Di Canio...

Buying players from the big clubs often works out to be a bargain, since when the big boys get rid of a player they often do so at a loss (though Andy Carroll was still probably overpriced when Liverpool sold him...). The problem is, Chelsea and Man City are smart enough not to sell to direct rivals.

 

[daneoni]

^
Touché

Its been a terrible window overall. Seems Man Utd got the best deal done.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Its been a terrible windows overall. Seems Man Utd got the best deal done.

If you truly need to make a raft of important signings in January you've already bungled your season and there is little chance you'll get back on track. It's a good time to pick up a squad player or two for injury cover perhaps - but not a good time for marquee signings. Mata may be one of the exceptions, though he can't do it all alone.

For every Luis Suarez there are half a dozen Andy Carrolls.

 

[daneoni]

Agreed.

Well Wenger has officially put the kibosh on Draxler but says he is 80% sure of bringing someone in.

 

[Fizzoid]

Just saw this on the BBC's transfer feed, and it was too funny not to share

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Just saw this on the BBC's transfer feed, and it was too funny not to share

Brilliant. That whole "DENCH" business is extremely bizarre. He looks so sad.

 

[Fizzoid]

Here's another one, which I believe was posted on AFC Wimbledon's Twitter feed

 

[daneoni]

Racing Santander have been thrown out of next year's Copa Del Rey having refused to play yesterday due to unpaid wages.

Meanwhile, Wenger's '80% sure signing' looks to be virtually complete

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Still no word on Konoplyanka. On paper it doesn't look like a bad transfer, though he might be the next Aquilani...I am surprised Liverpool haven't been linked with a single defender. Rogers must be holding out hopes that Cissoko and Sakho will come good. He might be right but at the moment they do not look like Champions League-quality defenders.

Meanwhile, Wenger's '80% sure signing' looks to be virtually complete

He's 31 years old and neither French nor German. An odd choice for Wenger. It's a loan for the remainder of the season, but I haven't heard talk about whether it may become permanent. Stopgap?

 

[oscillatewildly]

Just saw this on the BBC's transfer feed, and it was too funny not to share

[url=http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd192/croptonboy/frimpong_zpsa41a2796.jpg]Image[/URL]

Get Bieber in, he'll show him how to grin like an idiot.

Are Manchester City about to fill their gaping hole with a defender from FC Porto?

At the moment and re this season, Manchester United and Arsenal have failed this transfer window.

Cheers,
OW

 

[Lord Blackadder]

At the moment and re this season, Manchester United and Arsenal have failed this transfer window.

I think January is especially bad for the Premier League because in England clubs buy talent rather than develop it themselves. When stopgaps are needed the youth/reserve squads just don't have the resources.

 

[daneoni]

Still no word on Konoplyanka. On paper it doesn't look like a bad transfer, though he might be the next Aquilani...I am surprised Liverpool haven't been linked with a single defender. Rogers must be holding out hopes that Cissoko and Sakho will come good. He might be right but at the moment they do not look like Champions League-quality defenders.



He's 31 years old and neither French nor German. An odd choice for Wenger. It's a loan for the remainder of the season, but I haven't heard talk about whether it may become permanent. Stopgap?

Kono's transfer seems to be faltering over (you guessed it) wages.

As for Kim, it seems to be purely a stopgap. Since no Wilshere, Ramsey or Flamini. Arteta and Ox aren't match fit either. He's a veteran and knows how to pass and take free kicks. Should suffice.

There are rumours he's moving for 35yr old Klose too.

Yeah...at least he's German...*shrug*

Are Manchester City about to fill their gaping hole with a defender from FC Porto?

I think that move is off because City feel they're being robbed by the valuations. Can't blame them since they just lost £50m and FFP is breathing down both they and Chelsea's necks

At the moment and re this season, Manchester United and Arsenal have failed this transfer window.

I think January is especially bad for the Premier League because in England clubs buy talent rather than develop it themselves. When stopgaps are needed the youth/reserve squads just don't have the resources.

Arsenal on paper didn't need to strengthen anywhere besides up front which can only be realistically done in the summer. But the usual Jan/Feb curse has changed plans.

United have done well. They got rid of Anderson and Nani might be on his way out. On the flip side they brought in one of the best attacking midfielders in the business.

 

[Happybunny]

Here in the Netherlands the only really big news was that PSV finally got rid of their albatross, Ola Toivonen was sold to Rennes in France.
Toivonen had made it clear for more than a year that he wanted to be gone, and it was increasingly evident that he was a disruptive member in the team.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Toivonen. Whew, that's a very Finnish name. His goalscoring record for PSV looks good though.

Kono's transfer seems to be faltering over (you guessed it) wages.

Yes, I assumed that the holdup was the discussion of personal terms. It would be nice to have a left-sided winger, but we aren't desperate. Andy Carroll aside, Liverpool's ownership seem uninterested in paying over the odds for anyone.

I still think we need a defender. On paper the team is probably good enough to finish fourth, but an improved defense would make it much more likely.

 

[daneoni]

Get Bieber in, he'll show him how to grin like an idiot.

Are Manchester City about to fill their gaping hole with a defender from FC Porto?

At the moment and re this season, Manchester United and Arsenal have failed this transfer window.

Cheers,
OW

Toivonen. Whew, that's a very Finnish name. His goalscoring record for PSV looks good though.



Yes, I assumed that the holdup was the discussion of personal terms. It would be nice to have a left-sided winger, but we aren't desperate. Andy Carroll aside, Liverpool's ownership seem uninterested in paying over the odds for anyone.

I still think we need a defender. On paper the team is probably good enough to finish fourth, but an improved defense would make it much more likely.

Yep. FSG seem to be pinching their pennies. Rumours are that Liverpool have to pay more to match his wages due to the UK Tax system...and they're balking at the prospect.

Defenders seem to be as scarce as Forwards. City were priced out and Chelsea even had to go and find a 19yr old.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Rumor has it that Arsenal tried to swoop for Salomon Kalou, but were rebuffed. Not sure I'd rate Kalou as Premier League material anymore. Then again, I'd say the same for Kolo Toure - he's managed to make me nostalgic about Sotirious Kyrgiakos...

Yep. FSG seem to be pinching their pennies. Rumours are that Liverpool have to pay more to match his wages due to the UK Tax system...and they're balking at the prospect.

I'm sure that Konoplayanka's agent is talking net wages, and making Liverpool get out the calculator to find out what that will cost the club.

All signs point to the market being overpriced.

 

[takao]

IMHo Arsenal had quite good transfer windows the last few times: Podolski, cazorla, giroud, özil... after a few years where they lived off selling their squad some actual good signings

Kono's transfer seems to be faltering over (you guessed it) wages.

As for Kim, it seems to be purely a stopgap. Since no Wilshere, Ramsey or Flamini. Arteta and Ox aren't match fit either. He's a veteran and knows how to pass and take free kicks. Should suffice.

There are rumours he's moving for 35yr old Klose too.

Yeah...at least he's German...*shrug*

Klose scored 33 league goals in 69 games for Lazio ... he still knows how to put the ball into the net and plays well together with Özil and Podolski

he is more injury prone than in the past but his contract is running out AFAIK in the summer so Lazio trying to cash in 1-5 mio wouldn't be surprising
as a stop gap measure until Arsenal can get their hands on their player of choice one could do worse

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Apparently Liverpool have inquired about Micah Richards but Man City categorically refused to talk. He's not really lived up to the early hype, but good defenders are hard to find at the moment, as has been said already. Rogers is apparently making at least feeble efforts to strengthen things at the back...

IMHo Arsenal had quite good transfer windows the last few times: Podolski, cazorla, giroud, özil... after a few years where they lived off selling their squad some actual good signings.

I agree. But they are short on attackers. Their league campaign will depend on Giroud to a great extent. They will definitely need to get a forward in the summer, and that means big spending. As in more than £40m+£1.

Looks like the Konoplyanka deal might go all the way to the wire, if it happens at all. Hardly a transfer saga, but the media are feeding off scraps today. Based purely on his youtube highlights, he seems like he might be a good squad player but our season's hardly in jeopardy if we don't get him.

 

[oscillatewildly]

I think January is especially bad for the Premier League because in England clubs buy talent rather than develop it themselves. When stopgaps are needed the youth/reserve squads just don't have the resources.

EPL clubs loan out a lot of young players - experience at a level higher than reserve football/think the player isn't good enough...;not sure about mainland Europe. Also, TV money and pressure don't help - funds to try to buy instant success.

...United have done well. They got rid of Anderson and Nani might be on his way out. On the flip side they brought in one of the best attacking midfielders in the business.

Mata is a nice bonus but he doesn't fix centre midfield. On Anderson; I keep expecting to see an advert along the lines of 'This is an appeal on behalf of Food For Florence...'.

Isn't Zouma one of the top prospects in Europe? Anyway, he's been loaned back to St. Etienne.

Cheers,
OW

 

[daneoni]

^
Freddy Adu was a top prospect once

I jest.

EDIT: Kallstrom loan move official.