Winter Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[Özim]

You're counting goals against Ecuador, Belarus, Georgia and so on? Or three against a side that capitulated after two minutes in the Disney Cup? If we're just using blanket stats then Toure is just as good a striker as the pair of them, only trouble being he's not a striker.

I'm counting all the goals scored in England which is what counts, you can't pick and choose.

[Özim]

Well no. Giroud is winning this one because he's striker for the team at the top of the league. That may change of course, but right now how much more impact could Negredo have had in our shirt? You could say he might have turned the tide against Utd and changed that result, for example. Pure speculation. But he could also have put in a shit performance against one of the lesser sides we beat and the gypos lost to.

Plus there's the fact the refs are blatantly cheating for city at home, that will have a bearing on everything.

Right that's all down to Giroud I suppose

Negredo scored the goal to give them the lead against us btw at 1-1

Giroud has been poor in recent games, he had a good spell but I have to say he's offered very little recently and we've looked toothless up front when he's played.

[Letters]

Well no. Giroud is winning this one because he's striker for the team at the top of the league. That may change of course, but right now how much more impact could Negredo have had in our shirt? You could say he might have turned the tide against Utd and changed that result, for example. Pure speculation. But he could also have put in a shit performance against one of the lesser sides we beat and the gypos lost to.

Plus there's the fact the refs are blatantly cheating for city at home, that will have a bearing on everything.

Giroud had a good start to the season but since the Southampton game he's only got one league goal

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/ol...82442.html#GB1

I rate him but he's not at the level of a striker who will lead the line in a title winning side. I don't know enough about Negrado to know whether he'd be a huge improvement but we need better if we're serious about pushing on.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Negredo, Soldado, don't need either. We already have Giroud, he may not be as lethal (or non-lethal) up top but roll the dice and take your pick, stick Negredo in the spuds team and Soldado in the gypos and all we'd be hearing about is Soldado. Don't need either unless we want a direct replacement and I bet you we'll be hearing, "whatever happened to Negredo", in no time at all. That's because he's playing at a circus, not a football club. And circus performers always have their time in the spotlight but things will change there with the next mercenary uprising. Who we really need is Henry Mk II - who is he? Where do we find him? Pace, technical ability, flair, etc, etc. Our plan B, or even plan A.

Even if I were to accept the idea Giroud is at Negredo's level, we only have one Giroud. Only one player consistently capable of playing in his position. Some try to argue that Bendtner is of the same ilk but most peoples issue with the Dane is nothing to do with him being too similar to Giroud. There is enough room in a squad for 2 players that are similar.

In Negredo falls off the radar it will be because he understandably is competing with world class forwards and not the likes of Nicklas Bendtner for a first team place. There is no shame in that even if it is a circus act of a club.

I don't see the need to bring Negredo's goals into it (although it is quite respectable) but just watching him play a few times, seeing how he handles himself against defenders and the goals he makes for himself is quite telling. I remember earlier this season I watched City against Everton. Negredo completely mugged off Distin(I think it was) in one touch of the ball on the edge of the area and in the second touch the ball was in the net. Soldado would have never scored that goal....not in a million years and certainly not against a defence like Everton's on the edge of the area. As much as I like Giroud and am happy we have him, he wouldn't have scored that either.

They are only comparable in nationality and goal tallies from last season in my view. He has looked easily the equal of anyone at City (though Aguero is better) and if we had him, I'd have no doubt we would be about 5 points ahead rather than 1 right now.

You would have to go back some considerable time to recall a forward as good for the price he came at.....but time will tell for sure if he is a dud, which I most certainly believe he is not.

I'm right with you. I was making similar posts a couple months ago.

As for the head-to-head with Soldado, that was an actual thing during the summer. I remember Spain-based pundits sitting on the fence re who was the better.

This proves how overrated "technical ability" is though. Apparently Soldado is better because hes pretty on the ball. He must be the Wilshere of forwards
http://www.totalfootballforums.com/f...do-vs-soldado/

I suspect the Spanish pundits were making the comparison without the consideration of who would do better in the premier league. Had they done so I don't think they'd had been quite so splintered by the fence they were perched upon.

[Dr Singh]

I fully agree. Negredo was an unbelievable miss. I'd never heard of him before despite his impressive record, and just looking at him you can tell he was tailor made for the EPL. He's an animal.

The argument isn't how much better is he than Giroud. The argument is how much better our squad would be with Negredo in it. I'd go as far to say if we were given Negredo now, we'd be clear favorites for the league. People are skeptical about our chances because the whole world knows that any injury/loss of form to Giroud is catastrophic to our chances.

Our need for a striker is so obvious. You can't say options don't exist when you have players like Negredo and Higuain moving clubs over the summer.

By the same token, you can't say options don't exist when you have Martinez (32m release clause), Benteke (Probably 20-25m), or even Berbatov (2m).

I must admit I do find it absolutely hilarious that we could (apparently) just get Giovinco on loan and Berbatov for 2m. This would emphatically complete our squad and help us maintain our title challenge. Not having options AT LEAST as good as that by the end of January is tantamount to mismanagement for me. Of course this is assuming that Giovinco is indeed available for loan.

[Power n Glory]

We'll find out one way the other if we have enough to win the title. I don't think Giroud is enough but we've held out long enough till the transfer window opened. I believe a major signing is more fuel to the fire to inspire this squad.

[Master Splinter]

Gonçalo Lopes ‏@_GoncaloLopes

15m€ offer from Arsenal to buy Antoine Griezmann. Morata just a second option.

Real Sociedad asks 30m€ for Antoine Griezmann

Hope this happens.

[Marc Overmars]

Hey Maccy, how good is Griezmann?

[Penguin]

Tbf to Wenger, he wasn't the only manager to miss out on Negredo. I don't even think his name was mentioned in the transfer speculation thread on here until City had already signed him. In hindsight it was clearly a mistake to let him go, especially for that price, but he wasn't exactly in high demand.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Pretty good. Slightly questionable attitude - was recently banned after going for a late night session before matchday but otherwise has had a great 18 months. Scored some beauties this season, has a very strong strike and with no little skill.

In short: sign him up!