Summer Transfers 2016

[Your Usual Table]

EDIT: Removed

[denishurley]

Summer Transfers 2016

Wouldn't have thought Pedro Mendes would want to deal with Man Utd, given his famous 'non-goal' at Old Trafford.

[Borracho]

Summer Transfers 2016

Bayern always seem to get these big signings wrapped up in the middle of spring. Are the transfer window rules different in Germany or something?

Not that I'd be rushing out to buy Hummels myself after that horror show at Anfield.

[denishurley]

Summer Transfers 2016

Ya No Good Duck wrote: Ah shite.

Now I just look like I'm not making sense!

Transfer predictions
- Arsenal to spend the summer linked to a top striker but it doesn't happen, for whatever reason
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to join an upper-mid-table side, start well and fade

[Amor de Cosmos]

Summer Transfers 2016

Rumour that Junior Hoilett will be off to Besiktas shortly.

[1974ddr]

Summer Transfers 2016

Leandro Bacuna: "Within two years now I try to make my next move. Where this is going to be, I don't know at the moment, but I want to grow in two years."

"That does not necessarily have to be in England. Ajax or PSV? I think so. If you look at those clubs, they play Champions League football almost every year. If you do you get a chance, why not?"

I'm no expert on Dutch football; is there more than one club called Ajax or PSV? The reference to the CL makes me think not, but that would make the statement delusional at best...

[cantagalo]

Summer Transfers 2016

Did he ever actually do anything at Rangers apart from scoring that excellent goal against Brentford?

Edit: Hoilett that is, not Bacuna.

[Duncan Gardner]

Summer Transfers 2016

Ollie Norwood is apparently interesting Bournemouth.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Summer Transfers 2016

cantagalo wrote: Did he ever actually do anything at Rangers apart from scoring that excellent goal against Brentford?

Edit: Hoilett that is, not Bacuna.

Not a lot. He'll be remembered for the pass to Zamora at Wembley, and a run of good form since JFH took over. That latter is widely regarded as putting himself in the shop window.

On QPR's recent unpopularity charts — which is an extensive list — he's behind Boswinga and Shaun Wright-Philips, and probably tied with Armand Traore.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Summer Transfers 2016

Hummels to Bayern is just depressing. It's not that Hummels is an amazing player or anything. It's just yet another iteration of a depressing power dynamic.

[G-Man]

Summer Transfers 2016

Ya No Good Duck wrote: I'm more puzzled by the lack of resistance from Dortmund. Götze, Lewandowksi, Hummels... Does there ever come a point when they say "Enough of this shit" or at least extort Bayern for all they're worth?

Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has acknowledged that Hummels will probably move to Munich, and was gracious in noting that for Hummels the move would make sense: a new challenge at the age of 28, moving back to his hometown etc. But he said that Bayern will have to pay what Dortmund want, and that'll be a lot.

I don't think Dortmund are in a great position though. Hummels' contract expires in 2017, so he could pull a Lewandowski: sit out a year and move to Bayern on a free.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Summer Transfers 2016

So who's going to be the new manager at Swansea? Whoever it is has a lot of work to do.

[Sean of the Shed]

Summer Transfers 2016

denishurley wrote:
Transfer predictions

- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to join an upper-mid-table side, start well and fade

You're not the only one predicting that, well, the transfer part at least.

[danielmak]

Summer Transfers 2016

Ya No Good Duck wrote: I'm more puzzled by the lack of resistance from Dortmund. Götze, Lewandowksi, Hummels... Does there ever come a point when they say "Enough of this shit" or at least extort Bayern for all they're worth?

Lewandowski wasn't sold. Dortmund refused to sell him because Bayern wouldn't meet the price, so he played out the final year of his contract (very well I should add) and then moved to Bayern on a free.

I have mixed feelings about this. Hummels is clearly one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga and maybe in football, but a lot of that comes from his skill on the ball and on set pieces. His speed has diminished quite a bit and he gets caught on the break more than I'd like to see from a top quality defender. He was much better this season than last, when I think he was just exhausted from the WC. On the plus side, I'd expect that he will feel the lack of a break after the Euros and Bayern might end up with a tired defender.

With all of that said, how many top class center backs does Bayern need? Although Dortmund is still in striking distance for the title, the reality is that this thing was done after Dortmund pissed away some points via draws. And Bayern should do the business against Atletico.

[pebblethefish]

Summer Transfers 2016

denishurley wrote:
Transfer predictions
- Arsenal to spend the summer linked to a top striker but it doesn't happen, for whatever reason

Wow, Arsenal really are becoming the new Spurs then.

[3 Colours Red]

Summer Transfers 2016

danielmak wrote: With all of that said, how many top class center backs does Bayern need?.

All of them it seems, considering the injury crisis they've had in that department this season.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Summer Transfers 2016

What will Leicester's first team look like by the time they play their first Champions League group game?

[Borracho]

Summer Transfers 2016

danielmak wrote: With all of that said, how many top class center backs does Bayern need?

They don't actually have any, if you look at their squad. Benatia, Badstuber and Boateng are all middling enough defenders. Javi Martinez is a converted midfielder. Dante is (a) out on loan and (b) useless.

[G-Man]

Summer Transfers 2016

Boateng middling? Only if you judge him on his disappointing intrermezzo with Man City.

[Borracho]

Summer Transfers 2016

He's pretty cumbersome, and has been directly responsible for a lot of the goals they've leaked in the Champions League over the last few years.

He's especially susceptible to losing his man when a fast, low cross comes into the Bayern box. I've seen him do it dozens of times.

[Janik]

Summer Transfers 2016

Rogin the Armchair Fan wrote: What will Leicester's first team look like by the time they play their first Champions League group game?

Yes, that is a good question. I suspect it will be a very active summer, with bids hopefully being fended off. Even if no-one of importance leaves (fingers and toes crossed), some more definitely need to come in, that is for sure. A club can't rely on just 19 players with Champions League Football also involved.

[colinwasp]

Summer Transfers 2016

A club can't rely on just 19 players with Champions League Football also involved.

No reason why not. They've managed to do it this season and they will have one less League Cup game to play.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Summer Transfers 2016

Boateng middling? Only if you judge him on his disappointing intrermezzo with Man City.

well would you have us judge him on his time at bayern?

[Janik]

Summer Transfers 2016

colinwasp wrote:

A club can't rely on just 19 players with Champions League Football also involved.

No reason why not. They've managed to do it this season and they will have one less League Cup game to play.

Leicester will play 43 games in total this season. Or really 38, as the sides that played in the League Cup (3 matches) and FA Cup (2) were Leicester City FC reserves.

The reserves won't be playing in Champions League games. Rotation will definitely be needed, as otherwise players will be out on their feet by mid-October. As well as the extra games and suddenly being on a regular weekend-midweek-weekend schedule that 1st XI have barely ever faced this season, there is also the step up in intensity of the competition in the CL.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Summer Transfers 2016

No, there was no law involvement or FA involvement in the Vardy situation. It was entirely dealt with in-house. But then the same was true of Smith, J. Pearson and Hopper.

Were they not on a club tour? I thought that the vardy incident was just something unpleasant that happened on his own time. It's an unsavoury incident, but I'm not sure that it really has a huge amount to do with leicester to be honest.

And there are 25 first team players at every club, every club is going to have a bunch of arseholes. The only reason that people don't know who the arseholes are at norwich is that very few people pay much attention to norwich.

As well as the extra games and suddenly being on a regular weekend-midweek-weekend schedule that 1st XI have barely ever faced this season, there is also the step up in intensity of the competition in the CL.

I don't know if the champions league is going to represent a step up in intensity of competition at all. Most champions league group stage games are like facing an opponent of mid PL standard. But leicester would have a relatively tough draw. so it could be a bit trickier than that.