January Transfer Window

[Bluemoon]

Do we need to buy/strengthen further ?

[trautmansdropkick]

I would like another goalkeeper - promote Pantilimon to the first team and cash in on Hart while we still can. I cannot help but feel that Hart's best years are in the past - his head and ego is now controlling present and future.

[eaststand]

Real competition for Hart will most likely come in in the summer, i think that will be enough to get Hart back to his very best. I don't believe he's playing particularly poorly but he was outstanding for a good 18-24 months, saved things he shouldn't have been saving and making no mistakes. Go back to the Dortmund game which has to have been the best display a keeper has put in in the last 5/6 years and up there with the all time greats.

I don't think it's his ego, every top, top player needs confidence in themselves to the point of being accused of arrogance (cliche!). I think it's complacency. He's England no.1 with no one realistically good enough to keep him on his toes and a squad of which isn't good to afford the manager the ability to drop him and shock him back to his best. Then at his club a similar case where Pantilimon is never going to threaten him. He's a keeper at the end of the day, he fucks up it leads to a goal. Having said that i think to have and maintain that kind of ridiculous levels of constant concentration that being a world class goalkeeper requires, requires your club and/or country having someone good enough to take your place off of you if mistakes creep in. He doesn't have that.

For me some of the mistakes can be attributed to a loss of that readiness and concentration. These mistakes have effected his confidence in his judgement i.e. that over-compensating against Villa for their 3rd. Every time he plays he'll want to ooze the clam, controlled, confident assertiveness of 18 months ago, he doesn't want to outwardly hesitate. Over-thinking, like always happens when a player is getting flak. As a result he impulsively decided he was needed off his line before the striker has taken his first touch. Every man and his dog knows that if Joe stays on his 6 yard line and Wiemann beats him with his first touch, then it's time to take your hat off for him. But because he is too eager to not look hesitant, he rashly decides to move off his line early - rather than doing the text book thing, something he always done: letting the striker show his hand with his first touch and then and only then get out to him, saying on his feet, making himself big and saying "are you good enough to beat me". We all saw the result; the out of character mis-timed movement off of his line allowing that first touch to become a finish and giving himself no chance of doing anything but watch events unfold. That's just not Joe Hart.

I've never been a massive Valdes fan but he's available on a free in the summer and someone like him could be a reasonably cheapish way of getting Hart back to what he does best, back to the in-human multiple saves and infrequent mistakes.

[trautmansdropkick]

After the Bayern game - I REST MY CASE.

[eaststand]

Haha that just had to happen!

I stand by what i said though. You've got to show a bit of a faith with players like him, who might be going through a tough time, but when our team/squad is mostly made up of short-term visitors, we need to keep characters like him in the dressing room. Probably the biggest reason why letting Barry leave was such a mistake.

[eaststand]

I mean our main-stayers/spine of the squad (not just the starting XI):

Barry - Out of contract in the summer
Lescott - Out of contract in the summer
Richards - Will be in the last 18 months of his current deal come January

If we're thinking of add Hart to that so easily and coupling it to the fact we replaced yet another manager this summer... It's not the recipe for any form of success. It wouldn't be far off being back to square 1!

[Bluemoon]

A world class centre back

[trautmansdropkick]

A couple of thoughts regarding Centre Back:
1) We've not seen Demichellis in a Sky Blue Shirt yet - I hv seen him in Spanish and International games and I am looking forward to seeing his PRESENCE ('cos that's what he brings to the back line [and no one else does at the moment - VK inspires by example] Demi has a huge PRESENCE - a la Andy Morrison or Dave Watson or Van Buren when he was with us).
2) We really should only look for CBs in the last couple of seasons of their career - if you don't believe, start going to our Junior sides games or just watch the highlights of the EDS and our under 18's that are on the MCFC web site each week. We have a good load of talent coming along nicely - I suggest you may also like to look at the England under 16's and under 17's sides that have done so well this Summer with significant presence from our youngsters. (and a few very good 'seas guys as well).

[wxmblue]

Woaaaaaaaaaaaah ........... I go away for 10 minutes (or so) and you want to rid Joe Hart? ;D

I think he'll be our number one for many, many, many years and can only see him improving!

Although - I agree, of late, he has been a little error prone but think of the times where he's kept us in it!

Have faith!

[trautmansdropkick]

At the very least, I want him dropped for two reasons - (10Costel Pantilimon is a regular International Goalkeeper who has never let us down in three years (despite being crapped on by Mancini last May) and, (2) Hart needs to stop living his own cartoon image and start behaving like a serious professional footballer.

[wxmblue]

Has the doctor cut down on your pills Graham? ;D

I do like Pantilimon but Joe's the boy for me!

Hart seemed to thrive when Shay Given was at the club?

To keep a keeper like Given confined to the bench then your alright!?

[trautmansdropkick]

Your final line should read 'USED to be alright'

[wxmblue]

Have faith!

[wxmblue]

Hahaha I'll give you that!

Have faith and he'll come good!

[Bluemoon]

Rumours

In

• Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid
  
  
• Iker Casillas - Real Madrid
  
  
• Rodney Kongolo - Feyenoord ( Signed already apparently )
  
  
• Willy Caballero - Malaga
  
  
• Andres Iniestia - Barcelona ( I don't think so )
  

Out

• Gareth Barry - Galatasaray
  
  
• Micah Richards - Roma / Spurs / Newcastle
  
  
• Aleksandar Kolarov - Galatasaray
  
  
• Joleon Lescott - ?
  
  
• Edin Dzeko ?