General Transfer speculation thread with guff from Twitter

[Villafan101]

To add my penny's worth. IMO a LB is an absolute must as well a striker to cover if Bent gets injured. However I do think that at some point both Ireland and N'zogbia need to be shipped out. As our only really creative players they both are just not good enough or producing consistantly enough. For the wages they must both be on I am sure we could do a lot better. I would imagine that Paul Lambert has a set wage bill he has to work within and its not so much a sell to buy but more a get rid of deadwood and high eaners that are not producing before bringing in replacements. If Dunne goes we definitely need another CB.

[Pilchard]

And the realisation that nobody is going to be brought in slowly sinks in.

This is a 'football club' that aims to survive and nothing more. Sure they can say things - but actions are ultimately what counts.

[jacketspuds]

Didn't anyone ask PL who the black guy was? :-)

[moose]

On the downside the possibility of using Hutton as a part-ex for Jones has gone too.

[stanthemanisgod]

Think Lambert is looking at the squad in terms of potential more than past performances.

Think N'Zog and Ireland will continue to get picked because of their potential to turn a game when the team is playing the right way, the way he seems to be movng us towards. Also when you think about the money we'd get for them both, the cost of replacements and wages couped with the potential to come in and be more effective from the start it makes more sense to keep them and do business in the areas we currently have no or little potential, LB being one, second striker being the other.

Defoe would be big money in fee and wages but is a proven goalscorer in this league. we may stumble across the next Ba or Cisse but equally we could sign the next Balaban if we rely too heavily on unproven players.

The overriding factor though is I'm confident in Lambert's ability to sign the bes players he can under the contraints he's facing, the constraints will mean it'll take longer to broker some deals than other so I think patience is required. Lets sit back and keep checking all the usual sources every 5 mins for the next week!!

[Villafan101]

I'm trying really hard to remain positive as i was really pleased we got Lambert. However, IF we do not sign anyone else before the end of the transfer window, I really believe we will be in a relegation fight this year. A couple of injuries like last season and we will have no chance, the squad is just too thin at the moment. The youngsters are not really youngsters anymore and have to produce something this season or they need to be shipped out. I dont want to be negative but I just dont think this squad is good enough.

[CI]

Now if the Jones thing isnt happening does that mean that he has someone else lined up?

Based on Lambert being at wolves the other night, Ward & or Doyle ?

[supermon]

To add my penny's worth. IMO a LB is an absolute must as well a striker to cover if Bent gets injured. However I do think that at some point both Ireland and N'zogbia need to be shipped out. As our only really creative players they both are just not good enough or producing consistantly enough. For the wages they must both be on I am sure we could do a lot better. I would imagine that Paul Lambert has a set wage bill he has to work within and its not so much a sell to buy but more a get rid of deadwood and high eaners that are not producing before bringing in replacements. If Dunne goes we definitely need another CB.

agreed, i hate the fact we have two very talented players who lack consistency in the middle. You just do not know what you will get with those two, too many If's with them and would prefer to have just one of them rather than 2 senior inconsistent players

[roadoftrinity]

Now if the Jones thing isnt happening does that mean that he has someone else lined up?

Based on Lambert being at wolves the other night, Ward & or Doyle ?

I would be happy with Doyle but think Wolves would want to much money for him. If he was around £5 million I think he could be the ideal forward to work with Bent. Holds the ball up well and would run the channels.

[stanthemanisgod]

I'm trying really hard to remain positive as i was really pleased we got Lambert. However, IF we do not sign anyone else before the end of the transfer window, I really believe we will be in a relegation fight this year. A couple of injuries like last season and we will have no chance, the squad is just too thin at the moment. The youngsters are not really youngsters anymore and have to produce something this season or they need to be shipped out. I dont want to be negative but I just dont think this squad is good enough.

I see the cause of your negativity to have to admit I'm not quite there yet myself. Signings, any old signings will not automatically improve the side, they need to be the right players, that fit in with what Lambo is trying to do here. I am sure he is doing everything he can to get those players but if nobody comes in I still believe we're in a much better position this year than we were last year.

An effective team is much better than the sum of it's parts, as MoN proved time and time again. I liked the look of the team he selected against W Ham, a bit more of a natural LB and it's a good, not great, team. There is still plenty of quality around that team, Given can still produce the goods, Vlaar looks a decent player, Lowton has the potential to do well, KEA looked composed on the ball, Delph looked like the player we thought we signed. Ireland and N'zog as annoying as they are at times have bags of talent and can produce the spark needed to change a game if Lambo can get their heads right, Bent will score goals.

On top of that we Gabby to come in, Albrighton can create chances, Bannan can use the ball well, the next batch of youngsters in Gardner, Carruthers (sp) and Graelish (sp) are knocking on the door, and Weiman looks handy if a little unpolished.

I'm not denying we would benefit froma little more quality and experience throughout the squad but it's certainly far from the doom and gloom I'm reading from some on here. If Lambo can get that squad believing in themselves again then we'll be ok. The extra quality we know we need and we'll be back in a position to push back up to the right end of the league.

[CI]

Whilst Doyle would be far from Marquee, he does work the front line well and does the donkey work Bent cannot do and shouldn't be doing

[NorthEastVillan]

I'm getting increasingly worried that we're getting too wrapped up in balancing the books rather then assembling a competitive team. It's no good sitting after the window closes with a smug grin on our faces thinking "we've not spent beyond our means though" whilst 4-5 other clubs seem to be overtaking us.

At present I rate our squad at roughly 13th -14th in the league in terms of depth and quality. That's only 4 places off 18th. I just don't want to be dragged into yet another relegation scrap just to prove a financial point.

I know there's only one game been played and i'm jumping the gun massively but you can just see it happening as soon as we're hit with a couple of injuries to key players we're **** again.

Saying that I'm glad Jones and Defoe are no goers. Not the "young and hungry" players that Lambert has been waxing lyrical about.

[Rob182]

PL rules out Defoe and Jones.... Good!!

Kammy I think people have been unfairly influenced all summer by all the nonsense off twitter and "ITK" noise.

Reality is something quite different.

I enjoy getting swept away by the speculation as much as the next guy, but nothing about the Carroll rumours even begin to add up. Maybe I'll be proved wrong but the deal seems to make no sense and conflicts with everything else that has happened in the window so far.

I wouldn't rule Carroll out. One thing you can say about our transfers is that they haven't been excepted. We didn't see links/ rumours about Vlaar, El Ahmadi or Lowton until a day before they signed.

Also, regarding funds, we've never been told that we haven't got funds to spend. Just because we brought in Vlaar, Lowton and El Ahmadi for roughly £3m-each, doesn't mean that we don't have more.

Finally, Carroll is available to buy & Lambert has previously played with a target man, which we currently don't have.

I think he could be on our radar.

[Eames]

Whilst Doyle would be far from Marquee, he does work the front line well and does the donkey work Bent cannot do and shouldn't be doing

Not a marquee? He's not even a **** pop tent.

Avoid.

[jacketspuds]

I agree about Carroll. With Guidetti ruled out until October, PL stating that Jones & Defoe won't be signing for us and Wolves selling Fletcher meaning there's little chance they'd let Doyle go too, I can seriously see us making a move for him.

Newcastle are tring to take the piss and get him on the cheap when they know that they don't really need him.

My only concern is that Liverpool try and get DB9 as part of any deal for Carroll.

[CI]

I don't want Doyle either tbh, but it appears to be Hobsons choice right now

[stanthemanisgod]

I'm getting increasingly worried that we're getting too wrapped up in balancing the books rather then assembling a competitive team. It's no good sitting after the window closes with a smug grin on our faces thinking "we've not spent beyond our means though" whilst 4-5 other clubs seem to be overtaking us.

At present I rate our squad at roughly 13th -14th in the league in terms of depth and quality. That's only 4 places off 18th. I just don't want to be dragged into yet another relegation scrap just to prove a financial point.

I know there's only one game been played and i'm jumping the gun massively but you can just see it happening as soon as we're hit with a couple of injuries to key players we're **** again.

Saying that I'm glad Jones and Defoe are no goers. Not the "young and hungry" players that Lambert has been waxing lyrical about.

Not sure how you're assessing the merits of our squad compared to others but even so it doesn't work that way, I would argue going into last season that Newcastle didn't look to have the 5th best squad in the league, Liverpool probably didn't have the 8th best squad in the league, we didn't have the 16th best squad in the league on paper etc etc.

Did Norwich have the 12th best squad on paper? I would argue not so surely you have to proportion a lot of emphasis on the effect of the manager, the tactics, the confidence the squad has etc etc.

Also you claim that we have the 13-14th best squad but then claim you're glad that a player that would improve that squad in Defoe is not coming, sure there's a phrase about having your cake and eating it.

[Jarpie]

I'm glad we're not in for Defoe, too inconsistent. He might score 3-4 goals in one match and then not score a single goal in 10 matches. I'd much rather have someone who can score goal or two in every other or three games.

[Demitri_C]

And the realisation that nobody is going to be brought in slowly sinks in.

This is a 'football club' that aims to survive and nothing more. Sure they can say things - but actions are ultimately what counts.

great more lies from faulkner. a manager can only do so much if you dont have the players then you have nothing

another depressing season IF no-one else comes in. the wage bills gone down but we have spent less than last season. garbage

[NorthEastVillan]

I'm getting increasingly worried that we're getting too wrapped up in balancing the books rather then assembling a competitive team. It's no good sitting after the window closes with a smug grin on our faces thinking "we've not spent beyond our means though" whilst 4-5 other clubs seem to be overtaking us.

At present I rate our squad at roughly 13th -14th in the league in terms of depth and quality. That's only 4 places off 18th. I just don't want to be dragged into yet another relegation scrap just to prove a financial point.

I know there's only one game been played and i'm jumping the gun massively but you can just see it happening as soon as we're hit with a couple of injuries to key players we're **** again.

Saying that I'm glad Jones and Defoe are no goers. Not the "young and hungry" players that Lambert has been waxing lyrical about.

Not sure how you're assessing the merits of our squad compared to others but even so it doesn't work that way, I would argue going into last season that Newcastle didn't look to have the 5th best squad in the league, Liverpool probably didn't have the 8th best squad in the league, we didn't have the 16th best squad in the league on paper etc etc.

Did Norwich have the 12th best squad on paper? I would argue not so surely you have to proportion a lot of emphasis on the effect of the manager, the tactics, the confidence the squad has etc etc.

Also you claim that we have the 13-14th best squad but then claim you're glad that a player that would improve that squad in Defoe is not coming, sure there's a phrase about having your cake and eating it.

On Defoe I just don't think we should be going for players reaching the end of their careers looking for one last move before the end. I can just see Defoe being hard to motivate and being happy to sit collecting his wages for a couple of seasons.

I think we should be looking at players that are younger and eager to prove themselves. Players who will bust a gut for the club. Both Defoe and Jones are the complete opposite of that.