Who’s time is up?
Jun 19th, 2009 | By Aylesburyblue | Category: Aylesburyblue Articles, Blues NewsThere’s an article in one of the many football news sites suggesting that Norwich have inquired about taking Colin Doyle on loan for the forthcoming season. I don’t know how much truth there is in this but it kind of makes sense if we are to have Joe Hart as number one and presumably Maik as a quality backup. Doyle’s too good to be a third choice but who else could be surplus to requirements next season.
With Christian Benitez costing an initial £6million he would be expected to start most games and there are many rumours of us bringing in one more forward before the season starts. With McFadden touted for more of a midfield role that leaves Jerome, Bent, O’Connor and Phillips to fill potentially two places.
For me the obvious one to go is Bent who contributed the least last season but I don’t think we would get much for him (Assuming anybody makes an offer in the first place!). I’m a big Cameron Jerome fan and I firmly believe he has to stay because he can do the job if it takes Benitez a while to settle in to the side. On the other hand he is the only one who would command a decent fee. Phillips can still be the man to come on in a tight game and get the winning goal but I don’t expect him to play much next year. O’Connor is a difficult one. At the end of our last Premier League season I would not have cared if he had left but his performances before his injury seriously improved my opinion of him. He is a different type of player to the others and could work well in partnership with Benitez. I’ve not even considered McSheffrey. I seriously doubt that he will be seen in royal blue again.
In defence we are still short, especially with Ridgewell and Murphy likely to be injured at the start of the season. Jaidi has already been released (Sad to see him go but too slow for the Prem) so Martin Taylor has temporarily gone up the pecking order but is it time for the big man to ply his trade elsewhere. Of course this all depends on how many of the centre backs we are currently linked with actually get signed. Assuming we get at least one more in I would rather keep Quedrue and Traore as backups and let the guy go. This would also cut down on the nonsense that will undoubtedly occur when we first play Arsenal.
Mehdi Nafti has moved on to Greece and the loans of Sinclair and Bouazza have ended so midfield is not an area where we have a lot of options. Worryingly it is also the area where there are the least transfer rumours. As a result I can’t really think of anyone who should leave though I bet a few people would make a case for Damien Johnson being sold. You could also make a case for Seb Larsson being allowed to leave as he appears unsettled and had a very difficult season last year. He is still my favourite current player but even I could see that his form had dipped.
I suppose it all depends who we sign. At least it looks like we are getting the replacements in first before anybody leaves but I can’t believe that McLeish would be allowed to continue spending without raising funds somewhere.
What does everyone else think?
As it stands, without further signings, I think the squad is too small to let anyone else go (and that would have included Kelly – very strange not to take up the extra year option and let him go for free).
McSheffrey should go – to restart his career – and Quedrue should go because his lack of pace is a problem at Prem’ level – shame! I think Martin Taylor can do a job (a much maligned player) until we have sufficient reliable defenders to replace.
I’m amazed some have called time on DJ: he should definitely stay because he’s exactly the sort of squad player we need in the Prem’. He’s always been one of our most consistent performers in the Prem’ because breaking up play is his game and so he is more effective at the higher level where we’re often sat deeper. I thought he was great for the last few games of last season when he stepped in for Carsley.
You can probably apply the same logic to a few of our players which is why very few are surplus. The squad looks more at home battling Prem’ survival than free flowing Championship goal scoring. For example, I’m not a big fan of Jerome but I think he’s more effective in the Prem’ where he can run from a deeper playing position and use his pace – whereas in the Championship, his lack of good touch in an often crowded box made him ineffective. Even Bent has a better track record in a deeper playing team because he’s decent at holding the ball up e.g. Everton.
Summary: don’t sell, just buy!
I read an article yesterday that Traore was due to sign for a french side, either Monaco or Marsielle if I remember correctly. On top of that, bearing in mind who we are linked with in what positions, I think Tiny, Mcsheffrey, DJ, Doyle & Bent should go at least. (I cant imagine too many arguing with me on any of them apart from perhaps DJ who finished the season in fine form in the CCC but I still feel he wont add much value in the Prem) We need a ball player in midfield if Benitez is to be a success, to me DJ is just a poor mans Bowyer or Carsley, I will never question the lads commitment but that only gets you so far. I would use McFadden in the left midfield birth more, or just behind the striker in the tougher games where we pack the midfield, and I’d definately keep Seb who will shine again now he has premiership football to look forward too. Im quite optimistic on our chances of survival next season given the investment the board have made so far and it doesnt seem to be over yet with some hefty transfer fees being banded about. KRO
If, as reports suggest, we have effectively signed Espinoza, and are on the brink of signing Roger Johnson and Gooch, then that would mean four new centre backs through the door (with Scott Dann’s signing already announced). Then there’s Ridge to come back, making five centre backs in the squad.
I think Quedrue’s place is fairly safe for the coming season, unless we buy another left back, especially given his versatility. However, Tiny’s days look numbered. If all the centre backs mentioned above come in, then we’ll see him sold. If not, then we might see him put out on loan (with a recall clause) to a Chamionship side with an option for them to buy him in due course.
P.S. Now that Jordi Gomez has decided to go to Wigan, you might want to remove his name from the poll, and add Nemanja Matic.
I think Bent should go because he contributes very little and I bet he’s on a decent wage too. He’s always managed to find a club in the past, we wouldn’t struggle to sell him. I’m ambivalent about O’Connor but I’d keep McSheffrey. When he’s playing with confidence he gives us something we won’t have if he leaves, which is goals from a midfield position. Jerome must stay, the squad has very little pace as it is, and he frightens defenders even if he needs to work on his finishing.
Bent was non-existent last season, didn’t see the point in signing him at the time and I don’t see the point in keeping him now. Big Eck is doing a good job so far with the transfers of Dann, and Benitez with possibly Barry Ferguson, Joe Hart and David Edgar to follow. I’d let Lee Bowyer go elsewhere though, he did the job required last season but he’d get lost in the Premiership at this stage of his career. I was disappointed we didn’t keep Artur Krysiak on and let Doyle go instead. Apparently Nigel Spink rated Krysiak very highly and saw him taking Maik’s place eventually.
With the others I think Tiny and McSheff need to move on now and maybe Phillips in January as I reckon the Premiership defenders might be too much for him this season. We could still do with some creativity in the middle, someone like Mauro Zarate!!
Let Larsson go – we would get good money for him. He is a good player but I think he gave up on Birmingham after relegation. His tone is not one of being committed to the Blues.
WHY oh WHY have we let STEPHEN KELLY go? an absolute mystery.
I think we should rid ourselves of, firstly the dead wood,
1. Bent (an absolute waste of ink on the team sheet) another Mike Newell/Eddie Newton.
2. Martin Taylor (very prone to dropping absolute boll**ks)
3. Bowyer (he’s never gonna be mentally any good look at how he lost his head and us the game against preston)
4. Shroot (lets face it he will never play for us and is costing us wages)
Secondly players we could recoup some money on,
1. Larsson (his heart is just not blue anymore offer him to brucie for 5 to 6 million before he’s worth nothing)
2. Jerome (this kid has pace to burn but when he gets by them white sticks he finishes like a defender)
3. McSheffrey (I like him but sometimes players just need to move on)
4. Doyle (hes not ever going to get a real shot at our no1 spot so be kind let him go)
Thirdly,
Do not waste any more good money on transfers for players like johnson 5 mil!? or a long season of misery awiats!