CB Watch pt. III

[scotty]

Its really quiet on the rumour mill, scotty.

 

I put that down to one of three possibilites :

- we have identified someone but they are abroad

- our enquiries have all been knocked back

- we havent got a clue who to buy

 

I know what you mean alps, but I strongly suspect that there will be further signings. Cant believe NA would have been so definite about that if they were all going to stall, he didn't mince his words. I'm more concerned about the possibility of losing Corky for an as yet unknown chunk of the season, thats a big blow imho.

[Rebel]

How about Niklas Moisander or Douglas Franco Texeira from the Eredivise - I'd be happy with either of them if not both.

[VectisSaint]

Why is pointing out that we are so weak in central defence an issue of negativity ?

 

Its a fact, FFS. The central pairing that will start the Man C game is the same one that was torn apart by Reading at SMS.

 

Its not negative Alps, but it is stating the obvious. Everyone, including NA, knows we need to add at CB.. In any case, even if we had signed someone I am 99% certain Jos and Jose would start against Man City. As long as we strengthen before window closes we will be OK.

[alpine_saint]

Its not negative Alps, but it is stating the obvious. Everyone, including NA, knows we need to add at CB.. In any case, even if we had signed someone I am 99% certain Jos and Jose would start against Man City. As long as we strengthen before window closes we will be OK.

 

We've bought another striker. F**k knows why.

 

We needed a back-up GK and we bought one. He might not currently be the PL standard we need, but at least we now have more than one, and if NA thinks he can muddle by with Kelvin, thats up to him.

 

We put in some really shaky central defence performances last season, but apparently have done little. There is not even a large string of names we've been associated with. It gives the impression of limited activity. Even if a new CB wasnt thrown straight in, at least we'd know with a new signing that our central defence weakness was address and would be improved in the short weeks ahead.

 

At the moment we dont have a clue of the timescale involved.

[S-Clarke]

We've bought another striker. F**k knows why.

 

We needed a back-up GK and we bought one. He might not currently be the PL standard we need, but at least we now have more than one, and if NA thinks he can muddle by with Kelvin, thats up to him.

 

We put in some really shaky central defence performances last season, but apparently have done little. There is not even a large string of names we've been associated with. It gives the impression of limited activity. Even if a new CB wasnt thrown straight in, at least we'd know with a new signing that our central defence weakness was address and would be improved in the short weeks ahead.

 

At the moment we dont have a clue of the timescale involved.

 

You always say things like this, it's like groundhog day. You seem to create this picture of NA, NC and everyone sat around not giving a damn about anything, when In fact I'm 99.99% sure that there are phone calls taking place, scout reports being read, enquiries being made on a daily basis.

 

They won't all be made available to the press and to be honest in terms of transfer news, the press aren't going to try and dig that far to find our info - they may do for Man City, but not for us. So don't read into the fact that there are little rumors in the press that we're actually doing nothing, I'm certain it's the total opposite.

 

This is also nothing like it was back in 2007 either, we actually had no CB's. Not one. We have 4 at the moment of varying quality, but people are already absolutely sure that Fonte and Seaborne will fail, so therefore we are down to 2 CB's. The reality of the situation is that we have 3 rb's, 2 lb's, and 4 cbs - all we want is a little bit of quality to improve the group, so it's no where near as dramatic as made out.

[VectisSaint]

We put in some really shaky central defence performances last season, but apparently have done little. There is not even a large string of names we've been associated with. It gives the impression of limited activity. Even if a new CB wasnt thrown straight in, at least we'd know with a new signing that our central defence weakness was address and would be improved in the short weeks ahead.

 

At the moment we dont have a clue of the timescale involved.

Actually there were very few shaky defensive performances last season, at least none that I saw, apart from Blackpool at home, but that was largely down to Bart. Jose had a few off days, and we were not great home to Reading, agreed. Seemed pretty certain when we were out in France a couple of weeks back that 1 or 2 CBs would be in before start of season (which is still more than a week away), this came from NA and also the young players when interviewed (check on SaintsPlayer). Stephens is clearly highly thought of as a CB, and apart from one dodgy pre-season game I am told looks good backup. It really would not surprise me if nothing happens until a day or so before the window closes, it is the way transfers work these days, very few transfers have gone through so far in the PL. Whether we play Jos & Jose or Rio and Terry at CB against Man City is of little consequence, if City turn up they will win whatever CBs we put out. J&J are more than capable against Wigan. The concern is that one or other is injured in early game. Thats all.

 

Frankly more concerned about our goal-scoring ability at the moment, apart from Sharp none of our other strikers seems to be able to find the net.

 

Chill.

[hypochondriac]

Actually there were very few shaky defensive performances last season, at least none that I saw, apart from Blackpool at home, but that was largely down to Bart. Jose had a few off days, and we were not great home to Reading, agreed. Seemed pretty certain when we were out in France a couple of weeks back that 1 or 2 CBs would be in before start of season (which is still more than a week away), this came from NA and also the young players when interviewed (check on SaintsPlayer). Stephens is clearly highly thought of as a CB, and apart from one dodgy pre-season game I am told looks good backup. It really would not surprise me if nothing happens until a day or so before the window closes, it is the way transfers work these days, very few transfers have gone through so far in the PL. Whether we play Jos & Jose or Rio and Terry at CB against Man City is of little consequence, if City turn up they will win whatever CBs we put out. J&J are more than capable against Wigan. The concern is that one or other is injured in early game. Thats all.

 

Frankly more concerned about our goal-scoring ability at the moment, apart from Sharp none of our other strikers seems to be able to find the net.

 

Chill.

 

Are you seriously more concerned about our goal-scoring ability than our defence?

[VectisSaint]

Are you seriously more concerned about our goal-scoring ability than our defence?

I think that's what I said in my post, thought it was quite clear. I'm not really worried about anything at the moment, what is the point? Relax, but then with a username like yours I guess that would be difficult.

[Bearsy]

++1

[hypochondriac]

I think that's what I said in my post, thought it was quite clear. I'm not really worried about anything at the moment, what is the point? Relax, but then with a username like yours I guess that would be difficult.

 

Why be confrontational? I'm genuinely surprised that someone considers our goal-scoring ability more of a problem than our defence. Did you go to games last year?

[Smirking_Saint]

We've bought another striker. F**k knows why.

 

We needed a back-up GK and we bought one. He might not currently be the PL standard we need, but at least we now have more than one, and if NA thinks he can muddle by with Kelvin, thats up to him.

 

We put in some really shaky central defence performances last season, but apparently have done little. There is not even a large string of names we've been associated with. It gives the impression of limited activity. Even if a new CB wasnt thrown straight in, at least we'd know with a new signing that our central defence weakness was address and would be improved in the short weeks ahead.

 

At the moment we dont have a clue of the timescale involved.

 

Apart from the fact that most people believed we needed another striker then ? Laughable that you comment of lack of quality but are happy with Lambert, Guly and Sharp, all unproven.

 

As per CB options, I have faith they will be sorted, its reported we havemade a few enquiries and are formulating who to go for, added to this Adkins has stated he is looking for reinforcements.

 

Why are you constantly so ****ing negative ?

 

Have you not realised that your only going to look a fool again when the transfer window closes and we have made the sugnings we require, as we have done for the past 3 seasons ?

[The9]

Have you not realised that your only going to look a fool again when the transfer window closes and we have made the sugnings we require, as we have done for the past 3 seasons ?

 

I think he's hedging his bets on us Burleying it up like in 2007(?) and ending up with Bennett and Makin for a couple of weeks if we get a couple of injuries (don't forget we had defensive injuries then, part of the Burley strategy was to hope Powell wasn't going to be perma-injured). Funny how he seemed to get loads of stuff right between 2007-2009 when we were terrible and getting relegated, and is rubbish at predictions now we've been winning for the best part of 3 years. Will be nice if he's wrong and wronger this season too, but as usual with alpine, somewhere in the panic, abuse and warped logic there's a grain of truth - that being, we do need to sign some better players fairly soon.

[Smirking_Saint]

I think he's hedging his bets on us Burleying it up like in 2007(?) and ending up with Bennett and Makin for a couple of weeks if we get a couple of injuries (don't forget we had defensive injuries then, part of the Burley strategy was to hope Powell wasn't going to be perma-injured). Funny how he seemed to get loads of stuff right between 2007-2009 when we were terrible and getting relegated, and is rubbish at predictions now we've been winning for the best part of 3 years. Will be nice if he's wrong and wronger this season too, but as usual with alpine, somewhere in the panic, abuse and warped logic there's a grain of truth - that being, we do need to sign some better players fairly soon.

 

Ill be lying if I said I wasnt starting to get a little concerned, such is our weakness at the back, but I have confidence we are being run the right way and will make the correct aquisitions in the end, as we have done every TW so far.

 

Unfortunately I get the feeling Alps prefers the confrontation rather than actually being truthful, atleast I hope so, for his sake and that of his counsellor.

[Minty]

but as usual with alpine, somewhere in the panic, abuse and warped logic there's a grain of truth - that being, we do need to sign some better players fairly soon.

It's not the message, it's the way it's put across. I think most fans will agree that we need a CB or two, but don't feel the need to make it out to be the end of the world because we haven't signed them yet.

[The Kraken]

I don't know why anyone takes Alpine seriously. He's just a very angry and bitter man who loves confrontation, flies off the handle and gets uber-aggressive with anyone who disagrees with him, and is spectacularly wrong on a significant number of occasions (yet will never ever admit when this happens, the "let's rest players and aim for the playoffs" incident being a point in case).

 

Quite tragic really.

[Minty]

Amen.

[up and away]

[h=2][/h]

Originally Posted by

VectisSaint

 

I think that's what I said in my post, thought it was quite clear. I'm not really worried about anything at the moment, what is the point? Relax, but then with a username like yours I guess that would be difficult.

 

 

 

 

 

Why be confrontational? I'm genuinely surprised that someone considers our goal-scoring ability more of a problem than our defence. Did you go to games last year?

 

I can't recall many of those games being against Premier opposition? And I do feel our attack will suffer because our known out is to commit players forward to create the chances, which will leave us very exposed in the Premier.

 

Adkins has laid out his 433 stall (for that read 451 most of the time) and using the midfield to give the defence it requires, which should help a great deal. The only problem with that is it can make our defence a hell of a lot better until we have to commit bodies forward to score, then the whole pyramid breaks down.

 

Ever since Fonte signed for us in League 1 he has made a good error per game capable of leading to a goal. Great performances in league 1 masked that heavily but were more apparent in the CCC, same errors but greater thereat to take advantage from. In the Premier I expect that to hike up further but offset more with a 451 set up.

 

We have never had great pace or Premier skills to score goals but an excellent pass and move finished off by hard working players. A lot of that will not be any where near as effective next season. So based upon everything I saw last season and what I expect to pan out in the Premier, it looks like a toss up as what will be the stronger unit, defence or attack. There was no doubt about the CCC, but we are no longer in the CCC or playing the same system.

[The9]

his counsellor.

 

Who should be sacked.

[The9]

Amen.

 

Hallelujah brother.

 

[Rasiak-9-]

Darren '50 pence head' Powell

 

Believe it or not, I'm living in South London at the moment and what should I get through my door but a flyer advertising top quality personal fitness training from "former Crystal Palace, Southampton and Brentford footballer Darren Powell"

 

So I guess he lives locally and has just made that his passion. Heh.

[Elmore]

I'm so glad you're on the case Alpine. What's your plan?

[scotty]

Believe it or not, I'm living in South London at the moment and what should I get through my door but a flyer advertising top quality personal fitness training from "former Crystal Palace, Southampton and Brentford footballer Darren Powell"

 

So I guess he lives locally and has just made that his passion. Heh.

 

 

Phone him up. I bet he's injured.

[alpine_saint]

So, now seems the time for me to post my usual riposte to the expected "Alps is a negative deranged psycho" abuse.....

 

None of you, and I mean NONE of you, can accuse me of negativity, until such time before the window closes, that we have proof the CB issue has been addressed, namely the sigining of a CB. Until such time, I am correct in my assertion that the weakness has not be addressed and we have a problem starting the season.

 

So why dont you all sit back, deal with it, contribute constructively to ideas for CBs or rumours heard, and THEN start shouting about how right you were and how mental I am, when we actually sign a f**ker...

 

OK ?

[Elmore]

So, now seems the time for me to post my usual riposte to the expected "Alps is a negative deranged psycho" abuse.....

 

None of you, and I mean NONE of you, can accuse me of negativity, until such time before the window closes, that we have proof the CB issue has been addressed, namely the sigining of a CB. Until such time, I am correct in my assertion that the weakness has not be addressed and we have a problem starting the season.

 

So why dont you all sit back, deal with it, contribute constructively to ideas for CBs or rumours heard, and THEN start shouting about how right you were and how mental I am, when we actually sign a f**ker...

 

OK ?

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?37654-Summer-2012-HCDAJFU-Thread-Premier-League-Special-Edition

[jupu]

How about Niklas Moisander or Douglas Franco Texeira from the Eredivise - I'd be happy with either of them if not both.

 

Moisander from AZ Alkmaar would be a great signing: might even be a repeat of Sami Hyypia -story when he moved from Willem II to Liverpool with a ridiculously low price. Moisander is generally regarded as one of the best CB's in the Eredivisie, and has made it clear that he wants to move. Ajax and Anderlecht have previously shown interest but it seems now that any action has gone lukewarm. Moisander just expressed his frustration yesterday in the papers.

 

Most probably we could get him with a reasonable price also.

[skintsaint]

Moisander from AZ Alkmaar would be a great signing: might even be a repeat of Sami Hyypia -story when he moved from Willem II to Liverpool with a ridiculously low price. Moisander is generally regarded as one of the best CB's in the Eredivisie, and has made it clear that he wants to move. Ajax and Anderlecht have previously shown interest but it seems now that any action has gone lukewarm. Moisander just expressed his frustration yesterday in the papers.

 

Most probably we could get him with a reasonable price also.

 

well im convinced - sign him up!!!

[eurosaint]

So, now seems the time for me to post my usual riposte to the expected "Alps is a negative deranged psycho" abuse.....

 

None of you, and I mean NONE of you, can accuse me of negativity, until such time before the window closes, that we have proof the CB issue has been addressed, namely the sigining of a CB. Until such time, I am correct in my assertion that the weakness has not be addressed and we have a problem starting the season.

 

So why dont you all sit back, deal with it, contribute constructively to ideas for CBs or rumours heard, and THEN start shouting about how right you were and how mental I am, when we actually sign a f**ker...

 

OK ?

 

That's much more like it !

Back to the real Alpine !

[NickG]

We've bought another striker. F**k knows why.

 

We needed a back-up GK and we bought one. He might not currently be the PL standard we need, but at least we now have more than one, and if NA thinks he can muddle by with Kelvin, thats up to him.

 

We put in some really shaky central defence performances last season, but apparently have done little. There is not even a large string of names we've been associated with. It gives the impression of limited activity. Even if a new CB wasnt thrown straight in, at least we'd know with a new signing that our central defence weakness was address and would be improved in the short weeks ahead.

 

At the moment we dont have a clue of the timescale involved.

 

Got a feeling that you one day may feel very silly with your "F**k knows why" view of signing Rodriguez.

 

Think NA and NC have shown they are more than capable of "muddling through".

 

Really shaky central defence last season? 46 goals against?

 

Not even a string of names associated with...lol, sound like a school boy, you get point for performances not made up rumours on websites!

 

You haven't got a clue whats going on, NA/NC job is to keep building the club..not appease your inpatience and demands for rumours.

 

In September NA will have been here two years. Reckon we will still be sure he knows what he is doing if review at that stage!

[S-Clarke]

It's a shame you don't post regularly anymore NickG. Always enjoyed reading your posts...especially on our winning runs!

[The Kraken]

It's a shame you don't post regularly anymore NickG. Always enjoyed reading your posts...especially on our winning runs!

Indeed, those were great threads!

[Cheese on Toast]

Maybe Rahdi could come out of retirement

[Jonnyboy]

Maybe Rahdi could come out of retirement

 

dune never posted on the main board.

[Smirking_Saint]

So, now seems the time for me to post my usual riposte to the expected "Alps is a negative deranged psycho" abuse.....

 

None of you, and I mean NONE of you, can accuse me of negativity, until such time before the window closes, that we have proof the CB issue has been addressed, namely the sigining of a CB. Until such time, I am correct in my assertion that the weakness has not be addressed and we have a problem starting the season.

 

So why dont you all sit back, deal with it, contribute constructively to ideas for CBs or rumours heard, and THEN start shouting about how right you were and how mental I am, when we actually sign a f**ker...

 

OK ?

 

Yeah,

 

Im gonna go ahead and pre write my Alpine is a negative thread.

 

Considering you have been consistantly wrong on the subject im sure the bookies wouldnt even take bets on the subject any more.

 

Saying none of us can call you negative is quite laughable though, every pre season, january window and majority of half times are pretty much proof otherwise bud.

[Chez]

So, now seems the time for me to post my usual riposte to the expected "Alps is a negative deranged psycho" abuse.....

 

None of you, and I mean NONE of you, can accuse me of negativity, until such time before the window closes, that we have proof the CB issue has been addressed, namely the sigining of a CB. Until such time, I am correct in my assertion that the weakness has not be addressed and we have a problem starting the season.

 

So why dont you all sit back, deal with it, contribute constructively to ideas for CBs or rumours heard, and THEN start shouting about how right you were and how mental I am, when we actually sign a f**ker...

 

OK ?

 

listen to this fella, our premiership survival is hanging by a ****ing thread I tell you...

[Saint Without a Halo]

Would have loved to have seen an Alpine thread in the Branfoot days! He surely he would have committed suicide?

I wonder what he would have have said about selling Shearer for peanuts and replacing him with the aged Speedie before the season kicked off and the great idea of relegating Matt to the bench because he wasn't fit enough.

 

In spite of all that, with a team of cloggers and long ball merchants centered around the great ex millwall playmaker Terry Hurlock and with Paul Moody in for Le Tiss (for half the season) we still managed to stay up!

 

 

Branfoot Ins

 

Dave Beasant (OK)

Dowie

Speedie

Dixon

Paul Moody

Stuart Gray (OK)

Terry Hurlock

Steve Wood

David Lee

Ken Monkou (Best Buy)

Paul Allen (OK)

Peter Reid

Perry Groves

Simon Charlton

 

Branfoot Outs (enough said)

 

Case

Shearer

Flowers

Ruddock

Horne

Le Tiss (well he tried to get him out anyway and fortunately failed)

 

Now that was a depressing season

Edited 17 August, 2012 by Saint Without a Halo

[Mowgli]

Didn't he sell kenna too?

[Saint Without a Halo]

Didn't he sell kenna too?

 

If so (to blackburn I think) his replacement Charlton was worse too

[explorer saint]

If so (to blackburn I think) his replacement Charlton was worse too

 

He was Ok and scored at Old Trafford dont forget

[SaintRichmond]

We've bought another striker. F**k knows why.

 

We needed a back-up GK and we bought one. He might not currently be the PL standard we need, but at least we now have more than one, and if NA thinks he can muddle by with Kelvin, thats up to him.

 

We put in some really shaky central defence performances last season, but apparently have done little. There is not even a large string of names we've been associated with. It gives the impression of limited activity. Even if a new CB wasnt thrown straight in, at least we'd know with a new signing that our central defence weakness was address and would be improved in the short weeks ahead.

 

At the moment we dont have a clue of the timescale involved.

 

What striker is that then ??

 

..... (counting chickens etc .... )

[Professor]

NA knows what he wants but its not clear how involved he is in the actual transfer decisions (or non-decisions). Hearing him congratulate the cub on the ambition it has shown by being linked with a rumoured £12m signing from Serie A made him sound more like an observer than a member of the transfer team. Fact is, the club has off-loaded its two second string CBs and the only cover now is the inexperienced Jack Stephens. Even the injured Jack Cork isn't available so if one or both of our CB suffers an injury against Man City the situaltion will be dire, but created of the club's own failure to prioritise the CB position and the lack of urgency. The manager has gone public on the need for CB signings and has been let down, as it is already too late to affect the early season games. Making signings after points have been lost is not the intelligent way to proceed.

[S-Clarke]

NA knows what he wants but its not clear how involved he is in the actual transfer decisions (or non-decisions). Hearing him congratulate the cub on the ambition it has shown by being linked with a rumoured £12m signing from Serie A made him sound more like an observer than a member of the transfer team. Fact is, the club has off-loaded its two second string CBs and the only cover now is the inexperienced Jack Stephens. Even the injured Jack Cork isn't available so if one or both of our CB suffers an injury against Man City the situaltion will be dire, but created of the club's own failure to prioritise the CB position and the lack of urgency. The manager has gone public on the need for CB signings and has been let down, as it is already too late to affect the early season games. Making signings after points have been lost is not the intelligent way to proceed.

 

Basically, there is a transfer committee. NA will have made it clear the positions that he needs to strengthen. He would have provided a list of targets, which would have included Clyne, Davis, Rodriguez - and they have been sorted. But having a transfer committee also gives you the scope to offer alternative options to the manager in the position that he wants to strengthen in.

 

For example, if he said he wanted Matt Jarvis and Wolves said they wanted 11m+, the scouts and NC went away and found out that we had a chance for Gaston at 12m...then that would obviously be presented as the better option. I don't think it's being done behind Nigel's back, I just think we're using all our available resources to make sure we source the best possible players we can.

[Gingeletiss]

NA knows what he wants but its not clear how involved he is in the actual transfer decisions (or non-decisions). Hearing him congratulate the cub on the ambition it has shown by being linked with a rumoured £12m signing from Serie A made him sound more like an observer than a member of the transfer team. Fact is, the club has off-loaded its two second string CBs and the only cover now is the inexperienced Jack Stephens. Even the injured Jack Cork isn't available so if one or both of our CB suffers an injury against Man City the situaltion will be dire, but created of the club's own failure to prioritise the CB position and the lack of urgency. The manager has gone public on the need for CB signings and has been let down, as it is already too late to affect the early season games. Making signings after points have been lost is not the intelligent way to proceed.

 

Suggest you revisit the whole interview, and pay particular attention to the first few minutes.

[jupu]

Moisander from AZ Alkmaar would be a great signing: might even be a repeat of Sami Hyypia -story when he moved from Willem II to Liverpool with a ridiculously low price. Moisander is generally regarded as one of the best CB's in the Eredivisie, and has made it clear that he wants to move. Ajax and Anderlecht have previously shown interest but it seems now that any action has gone lukewarm. Moisander just expressed his frustration yesterday in the papers.

 

Most probably we could get him with a reasonable price also.

 

Moisander sold today to Ajax with less than £2.5m. Let's sign him next time (after his spell at Barcelona...)