Winter Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

The last line was just a response to your comment about RVP's goal record, I know it wasn't great (but he had a lot of injuries), however his ability could never be called into question, he always had sublime skills.

That's not quite right, last season he got 20 in 44 and the season before 9 in 16 (that can't be considered a full season), so although 1 in 2 does apply it's not really 1 in 2 for 2 full seasons. Yes his record is good this season, but I base my opinion on what I've seen of him, I wasn't impressed with him last season and although he's scored a fair few this season I'm still not totally convinced.

He's scored goals for a couple of season in all, before that he didn't score many and I personally don't think he's a player that will win you tight games as he relies on service, if there's no service to him he won't get you a goal unlike the best forwards.

He might turn out to score a hatful from now on, I'm just saying I'm not sure he will based on what I've seen of him and for that reason I think he's a big risk (I could be wrong of course).

My point about RvP's goal record was that it was good enough to suggest he would push on from then. I didn't mention it to suggest he was no good.

It doesn't matter if they were full seasons or not. The fact is, his goal to game ratio (which is as reflective a stat as any), however you want to spin it was 1 in 2 for 2 years and is now 1 in 1. That is a decent ratio over a considerable amount of games and counting now....

It can be argued it is actually harder to have 1 in 2 over an injury hit season because you don't necessarily get a run in the side.

Having said that, it is my view that he would be a reasonable gamble to take. You're welcome to conclude of your own devices that the gamble is too great and wouldn't try to convince you otherwise considering.

But I am curious to know who you actually think we should be chasing as a forward to slay all before him on the world stage.

[Özim]

I wasn't asking you about Costa. Again.

Let me phrase it another way then. Who would you have us target in the summer?

I don't know, I'm not sure there's anyone available unless we pay megabucks, most of them moved last summer, we'll have to see after the World Cup.

Cavani, Falcoa, Lewandowski, Benzema, Higuain are the obvious choices (not sure any will be available) but perhaps we should look at Rossi or El Shaarawi.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Who's available? There's this little thing called bidding for a player and persuading them to come.

You won't know until you try.

And this rubbish that people won't move because it's a world cup year, load of tosh. Give them the money and they'll be on the first flight to London.

[Power n Glory]

I wasn't asking you about Costa. Again.

Let me phrase it another way then. Who would you have us target in the summer?

If we weren't linked with Costa, would you even know who he is or care? It's always hard asking fans that question unless you're watching different league 24/7.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Actually PG yes. I'll be pedantic and assume you want to now why, lol.

He is the top scorer in Spain (I know I have said it a dozen times now)...... At the mid way point in a season that tends to get recognition. Whenever a players scoring is on par with Messi or Cronaldo a big deal is made of it. Secondly I heard the Spanish correspondent on football weekly with James Richardson waxing lyrical about him and explaining that he was on the same amount of goals roughly as Cronaldo but has taken less pens. That was a few weeks ago. He has also drawn attention because of the fact that not only is he the top scorer, but his team are level with Barca and are playing exceptionally well. Moreover, if you want another reason, Spain have been trying very hard to nationalise him and 5 finger discount him away from Brazil. Suffice to say he has attracted more attention than the usual run of the mill newspaper gossip column snippet in which journo's are as much stabbing in the dark as they are reporting genuine links.

I hadn't actually even realised we were linked with him at all until I read it on this thread. I was kind of just hoping he would be somebody Wenger was looking at behind the scenes and then suddenly we are linked with him in the papers who have begun to make a big deal of it.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

If someone has strong objections about why we might not sign a player, isn't it reasonable to ask who they think we should actually be going for? After all, the player in question in doubt, is not a premiership player so it takes seeing foreign football to see him anyway.

I'm not one of those people who expect fans to have the knowledge of scouts as if it were their job, but the fact is we are low on options and Costa is at the very least an interesting idea in theory, which I suspect is why it's being debated at length. That is hard to deny.

[Penguin]

If Costa genuinely is another Adebayor then fair enough. I wouldn't want to spend £10m on him let alone £30m. But I wonder if people are being too picky just because he's not as flashy as Suarez or Aguero. We missed the boat on Suarez (if there ever was a boat) and players of that quality down grow on trees. The best forwards in the world are already taken and as Blink said, the only chance we have of getting one is if we go for a younger player, but then we'd be in the same old position of having to wait for him to step up. We have players in their prime now that don't have the time to waste waiting for that.

Even if Costa's not as good as those names technically it doesn't mean he cant slot into our system perfectly and become the goal machine our squad needs. He's at the prime age so he has the balance of experience, hunger and time. £32m could be a bargain over 5 or 6 years.

We have a solid base to build on now. We have the best CB partnership we've had for a decade, an up and coming goalkeeper who's finally coming good. A CM that can rival any and Mesut fucking Ozil. With the right signings there is no reason why we can't challenge for trophies.

[Bumble]

shame there isn't a way for us to get lukaku, could do with running down his contract as mourinho doesn't seem happy with him. he has done the biz at west brom and now everton. would fit into our system as well. any striker we sign looks like would have to fit into our system as it doesn't appear we will play with both giroud and any new guy up front unless we are chasing the game and panicking.

never seen costa play but then again not seen most of the players we are linked with play. it seems there are a lot of people who have plenty of spare time to watch other leagues to build up a dossier of any player we are linked with.

[GP]

2 more goals this evening.

Costa

Awful Starbucks

[fakeyank]

I'd take Adebayor back..