Right then, who should we sign?

[The Great Mass Debater]

Not sure about his value going up by a factor of 25 in just 12 months

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/25/rudy-gestede-blackburn-swansea-fa-cup-match-report

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/crystal-palace-transfer-target-rudy-5019366

 

[ZLF]

He has had a good 18 months that's for sure

In other news i see we have made tentative enquiries about a Leroy Fer return

 

[Boyerboy]

Yes Zipper. I flagged up a rumour from a previously reliable source in this a few weeks ago. (See thread on transfer rumours) Rumour has come up again. It is intriguing. He seems to have finished the season well and does have ability in buckets.

 

[splutcho]

In other news i see we have made tentative enquiries about a Leroy Fer return

SURELY not?!

 

[KeiranShikari]

Silly season. 

 

[Yellow Fever]

I could see Fer coming back if we hadn't added Dorrans, Andreu and Mulumbu. We also still have his replacement in Odjidja-Ofoe, who could well prove to be a key player this season.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

I think its unlikely, but generally VOO was supposed to be Fer's replacement. If, for instance, it is felt that VOO might never be an option (for fitness or whatever), then we still havent replaced Fer. I doubt we'd be giving QPR a profit, so reversing the deal might suit all parties. We probably have to pay less for Fer than anyone else (perhaps there are planned installments, or buy-back clauses, sell-on fees waived, add-ons nullified). Fer is a proven Premier League performer - not a world beater but certainly competent, and he's a ready-made fit for the team, knowing most of them.

It might actually work for all involved, representing a lower-risk transfer for all concerned. Sure most fans would forgive him after a few games, fickle bunch that we are. Im not advocating it either way, but there are a lot of potential circumstances in which this might make a lot of sense.

 

[Stan The Fan]

QPR last season were shambolic and with the exception of Austin I think its fair to say they all under achieved. Many NCFC fans felt that Fer was a 'lazy' player and were glad to get rid and get such a large amount of money for him. Do we need another midfielder?

 

[Yellow Fever]

QPR last season were shambolic and with the exception of Austin I think its fair to say they all under achieved. Many NCFC fans felt that Fer was a 'lazy' player and were glad to get rid and get such a large amount of money for him. Do we need another midfielder?

For me, Fer was more a case of being 'casual' rather than 'lazy'. He was excellent with the ball but when it was lost he tended to amble back to cover the defence. If he changes that, he could be an excellent player. I certainly think we shoud strengthen elsewhere first.

 

[Boyerboy]

Many fans did regard Fer as lazy but then many fans regarded Chris Martin as lazy.   Even more fans voted the very energetic and largely ineffective Lee Croft as POTS.  There are even some City fans who claim not to understand how Dorrans gets into the squad.

It is arguable that many City fans (and fans in general) do not understand modern football and still regard workrate and "passion" above ability but I'll keep my opinion to myself. It has only been 62 years since a foreign team came and using skill and tactics ran rings round our hard working passionate and physical players.  Then it was an all time great team.  Now it is any foreign team that really wants to.   So, it is no surprise that it has taken us time to adjust and the "He may have all the skill, vision and footballing gifts in the world but can he survive on a wet Tuesday night in February at Stoke" attitude still persists in our football. 

Fer showed in his time with us that he had a good footballing brain and a good range of skills.  Both here and at QPR he was playing in a poorly motivated team verging on shambles.   He is certainly good enough to be one of our best players.  Whether we need him and whether we should sign him are different questions.  For me , there is no doubt that Leroy would be an asset.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

For me, Fer was more a case of being 'casual' rather than 'lazy'. He was excellent with the ball but when it was lost he tended to amble back to cover the defence. If he changes that, he could be an excellent player. I certainly think we shoud strengthen elsewhere first.

Its possible he was instructed to do this. Hughton admitted at the start of the season he didnt know where best to play him and indeed he was played in the Hoolahan role to begin with. Was he AM? DM? CM? LM? he was played in all those positions. If Hughton wanted him to be an attacking outlet he might have been instucted to keep out of the dirty stuff (leaving that to Johnson and Tettey) so he could have more impact up the pitch.

Wasnt his nickname before joining us 'The Bouncer' or something like that? That doesnt strike me as a nickname someone gets with a poor work-rate and lack of desire to get stuck in.

Just a theory...

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Many fans did regard Fer as lazy but then many fans regarded Chris Martin as lazy.   Even more fans voted the very energetic and largely ineffective Lee Croft as POTS. 

Why was Andy Hughes so hated then??

 

[Suffolk Canary]

Wasnt his nickname before joining us 'The Bouncer' or something like that? That doesnt strike me as a nickname someone gets with a poor work-rate and lack of desire to get stuck in.

Yeh it was!  I always thought he was more of a yaya toure type bow-to-box player rather than a Hoolahan type. His physical assists were wasted by having him too far up the pitch. 

Although he's undoubtedly a very good player, he's not the kind of player you need in a relegation battle. If we could establish ourselves a bit, I'd be happy to have him back. I feel AN would get a lot more work rate out of him than Hughton did. 

 

[Boyerboy]

Andy Hughes wasn't just ineffective, he was inept.

As an aside, I recollect us being on Sky and Gary Birtles (you know, the one who makes Andy Townsend sound like Jean-Paul Sartre) telling viewers how much Norwich fans loved and admired Hughes for his honest endeavour and commitment to the cause. Viewers were lefty in no doubt that Hughes was a great favourite here.   They were not told that the lead thread on the PinkUn that day asked whether Hughes was the worst City player ever.   Even some pros rate effort above ability.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Whilst you dont get points for effort, I once saw something posted by Darren Huckerby I think at a youth game

'Hard work defeats talent, when talent does not work hard'.

There's a lot to be said for industry and work-rate, its a mental ability after all - and football is played in the mind every bit as much as it is played on the pitch. If this werent the case home advantage would count for nothing.

 

[Yellow Fever]

No smoke without fire?

FutbolUkraine ‏@FutbolUkraine 
Dynamo Kyiv departed to pre-season training camp in Austria without Mbokani but with Yarmolenko

 

[KeiranShikari]

There was another tweet saying that he'd meet up with the rest of the Kiev team on Wednesday.

Not excited about this if true really, hope we don't lose out on Gestede to Watford.

If we end up with both I guess I'll have been wrong on the Hooper thing.

 

[Din]

I would prefer Gestede to Mbokani. But that's mainly because I don't know anything about him, and have never seen him play before. He could well be a better signing, but I really like Gestede and think he has all the ingredients to do well in this league. 

Only downside is some Blackburn fans I was speaking to on another forum said they can't see him being sold for less than £7m. Not sure Gestede is worth that really and think we could get someone a little better with that sort of money. £5m or less and I'd be delighted with it. I'd be gutted if he ended up at Watford.

Saw we have been linked with Jordan Cousins, a Charlton midfielder. Can't see that being true as we literally don't need any more centre midfielders, and our other targets suggest we're not in the market for another one.

 

[KeiranShikari]

7m would be the total after we stay in the league and he hits a certain number of goals/appearances. Of course if his goals keep us in the league just one time then he's easily payed off that investment. Leicester signed Ulloa for 8m last summer if I remember correctly, it's just the going rate.

Yeah, heard about Cousins last week. Doubt it but I guess it could be another one of those loanback dealies.

 

[Canaryboy]

Jordan Cousin is really highly rated, to a similar degree that Redmond was when we signed him from Birmingham, so whilst we have far too many midfielders including several young ones I would love for us to sign him. 

And he wouldn't take up a place in the 25 man squad for this coming season.