I've got to say I'm delighted that all the signings have now been confirmed. Adding much needed quality to the side. Looking a little deeper, in affect, all 7 could been seen as 1 season loans, as the two permanents are just one year deals. It's entirely possible that none of these players will be at the club next season. It is Zola's job to try and forge a team spirit with so many short term players, and I can see this could be a potential problem, but hopefully the characters chosen will not have a less than a 100% attitude. I can see Almunia, Pudil, Hall & Abdi as certain starters and maybe Beleck will turn out to be a force. Vydra will have to play himself in with his injury problems and Anya will almost certainly be an impact player. There's a few more to come in. A backup keeper and a couple of forward players and maybe another defender will be added to a growing squad. This will give us good options, but I believe the two forward players will be first team regulars. The team that lines up against Spurs will be an interesting one, but I feel we should look to the Gillingham match for strong clues as to Zola's starting line up.
If someone wouldn't mind writing an article about the signings coming in and their thoughts, that'd be great. I'll stick it up on the homepage.
Ok lets have a dose of reality here. Almunia, The most despised goalkeeper arsenal have ever had. Fitz hall, Several poor performances against us culminating in being punched by boothroyd. injured more than not. Better than maps? Pudil, Better than options we have Anya, Failed in the lower leagues and has not climbed out of them Beleck, Look and plays like devon white but with more weight Abdi, Loses weight he will be similar to Hogg Vydra, Hasnt been fit in 2 seasons. We are saved hallejuh. Erm no.
No. These are simple facts that as usual with new signings everyone forgets. We need a couple of players with championship experience who can be relied on.
Only time will tell if they are good signings or not (as I suggeste earlier, the law of averages suggests some will be, some won't be) but on paper... Almunia....played over 100 games for a PL Top 3 club plus Champs League...can be brilliant, can be shocking..looks a confidence player and if he gets it, he should be decent for our level. We are still a Championship club remember! Hall...not everybody's cup of tea but has experienced 3 promotions from our league...solid, reliable and experienced..maybe not as good as Mapps but we have to move on. Pudil..experienced Czech international..done well in pre-season..could be the best naturally left-sided player we've had at left back for several years..seems delighted to be at WFC too which is good Albi...another full international with Serie A experience..again has looked good pre-season..should give us flair and creativity in central midfield..needs to work on re-discovering his goal scoring form he showed in Switzerland.. Vydra...an unknown..coming back off a serious injury..not yet seen in pre-season..wouldn't put money on him being the 20 goal striker we could do with but could play a part as he regains full fitness Beleck..again an unknown..could offer us something different up front..highly rated by many users of this forum.. Anya..amazing speed but still learning his craft as a winger..hopefully he will flourish under Zola and could be a great player to be bringing on against tiring legs in the last 20 mins! Add Tommy Smith maybe, possibly Angella as he's not in the Udinese squad, buy a really decent proven striker, keep the best of last season's team (Murray, Hogg etc), hope that squad players like Garner, Mingoia etc develop under Zola...and hopefully its gonna be a good season!
Facts? Really? Don't think so. Not being provocative, but I completely disagree with every comment you've made there. They're either lies or taking one aspect of a certain player and twisting it so it makes them seem like a poor signing. Don't think you'll find one person who agrees with you.
Ok. Take my facts and tell me which one is wrong and why? they are very simple observations based on facts and statistics.
Impossible to say until at least 10 games in to season. I'm just looking forward to seeing us pass the ball well. If fully fit Vydra could be different class in the Championship though.
Anya, Failed in the lower leagues and has not climbed out of them - Not true, went to the GHA and has played in Liga Adalente, last season played for the team that ran away with Segunda B Almunia, The most despised goalkeeper arsenal have ever had - Obviously not true, just an extreme exaggeration
We now have a squad of 34 players - 33 when excluding Deeney. Looking ONLY at quantity, not quality from the theory that 3 players for each position is required: We have 3 keepers for one position - GOOD We have 6 central defenders for two positions - OKAY We have 2 left backs for one position - OKAY We have 3 right backs for one position - GOOD We have 6 central mids for 2-3 positions - GOOD Of those, 4 are holding mids for 1-2 positions - GOOD 2 are "creative/box-2-box" for 1 position - OKAY We have 2 Left Mids for 1 position - OKAY We have 5 right mids for 1 position - TOO MANY We Have 7 strikers for 1-2 positions - (WAY) TOO MANY Areas in need of addressing: - right mids - we have too many - strikers - we have way too many if we only play one striker in our formation. Looking at quality other areas need addressing also. Keepers - experienced first choice, young talented backup, youth to go on loan. GOOD Central defenders - 3 senior top choices (who will play?) - easily our best position in terms of quality. EXCELLENT Right Back - Experience and talents to battle for starting berth. GOOD Left Back - expecting great things from Pudil, ****o okay as backup. GOOD Holding Mids - challenging central def as our strongest position - we have quality and numbers. VERY GOOD Creative attacking mids - Is Almen Abdi a creative mid? If not we're in trouble with only McGinn and the Prince. OKAY Left Mid - We have Murray to play there with Forsyth as backup. Murray is a star but Forsyth not good enough to back up. OKAY Right Mid - Is Anya a right wing? If so there is hope. If not we're in trouble. We have lots of them but they are all shyte. POOR Strikers - We all hope Beleck and Vydra are the answers but we also know that this league is tough on newcomers. OKAY My general assessment based on very little actual knowledge is: We have great defensive assetts but need something in the offensive department. Oh and here is the squad list with positions and sides that the above is based on! [table="width: 500, class: grid"] [tr] [td]Squad Number[/td] [td]Name[/td] [td]Position[/td] [td]Side[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Manuel Almunia[/td] [td]Goalkeeper [/td] [td]na[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]30[/td] [td]Jonathan Bond [/td] [td]Goalkeeper [/td] [td]na[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]34[/td] [td]Jack Bonham [/td] [td]Goalkeeper [/td] [td]na[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]5[/td] [td]Martin Taylor [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]33[/td] [td]Nyron Nosworthy [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Fitz Hall[/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]Central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]17[/td] [td]Dale Bennett [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]21[/td] [td]David Mirfin [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]29[/td] [td]Adam Thompson [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Tommie Hoban [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Daniel Pudil[/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]Left[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]3[/td] [td]Carl ****inson [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]left[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]12[/td] [td]Lloyd Doyley [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]right[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]2[/td] [td]Lee Hodson [/td] [td]Defender [/td] [td]right[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Almen Abdi[/td] [td]Midfielder[/td] [td]Central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]4[/td] [td]John Eustace [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]32[/td] [td]Jonathan Hogg [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]14[/td] [td]Ross Jenkins [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]15[/td] [td]Stephen McGinn [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]19[/td] [td]Prince Buaben [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]11[/td] [td]Craig Forsyth [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]left[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]22[/td] [td]Sean Murray [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]left[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Ikechi Anya[/td] [td]Midfielder[/td] [td]Right[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]7[/td] [td]Mark Yeates [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]right[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]23[/td] [td]Piero Mingoia [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]right[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]24[/td] [td]Matthew Whichelow [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]right[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Connor Smith [/td] [td]Midfielder [/td] [td]right[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]26[/td] [td]Britt Assombalonga [/td] [td]Striker[/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Steve Leo Beleck[/td] [td]Striker[/td] [td]Central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]9[/td] [td]Troy Deeney [/td] [td]Striker [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]10[/td] [td]Chris Iwelumo [/td] [td]Striker [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]25[/td] [td]Joe Garner [/td] [td]Striker [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]27[/td] [td]Gavin Massey [/td] [td]Striker [/td] [td]central[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td]Matej Vydra[/td] [td]Striker [/td] [td]Central[/td] [/tr] [/table] That table took me ages to fill in. anyone have a simpler way, a tool or something?
Wouldn't mind someone going through it to ensure I have the sides right. Am unsure about a few. Also wanted to signify players who could play different roles but didn't find a method.
Couldn't have put it better myself. I really don't know what some are people expecting and why some will look for trouble even when we are signing good international players. It beggars belief really....oh well, you're never going to please everyone. We don't have a fool running the club anymore and we're not going into administration.....that alone should be enough.
In a later quote you say look at the facts Almunia. Not despised and if you listen to most sensible Arsenal fans he was excellent but lost a bit of confidence not helped by the press. Hall. You seem to say that Boothroyd punched him because he wasn'y playing well! He has been a regular player for 3 sides that have been promoted which suggests he is very good at this level but not good enough for the PL hence a 1 year contract. Pudil you are almost complimentary about. Beleck. Has played for 30 minutes and you are comparing him to Devon White. Look him up on You Tube and I'll think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Anya. Didn't do well in his early career but his spell at Glen Hoddles academy seems to have helped and he has worked himself up to a La Liga squad so he must have something. Abdi. A full international who is nothing like Hogg. Hogg is a defensive midielder where as Abdi plays in the hole behind the forwards. Vydra. As you say he has an issue with injuries but a lot of guys have rated him very highly making him, at one point, player of the year in the Czech Republic 3 years ago. I'm sure not all of these will be succesfull but that never happens anywhere. What I would be interested to know is who (bearing in mind we are owned by a family that were always going to loan us players from Udinese and Granada) would you have signed and your reasons for signing them or would you rather stick with the squad from last season?
My thought. 10 being the best I could hope for at Watford and 1 being someone I want shot. Almunia - an experienced keeper similar to having TK last season. 9 Hall - big and strong and competition in the centre of defense. I don't know who to pick for the two central defender berths. 8 Pudil - great expectations. Good going forward but will he cope with the strains of the championship. Probably 9 Anya - probably a development player. Won't play a massive role I think. Worried we'll have another Macca on our hands - all flair and no end product. 6 Abdi - Swiss international! Should be the creative midfielder in a midfield triangle with Hogg and Eustace. 9 Beleck - My secret hope. Big and strong. Who knows. 7 Vydra - huge potential if injury free. Will need time to regain fitness and match fitness. Could be great but for now 7. I expect Almunia, Pudil and Abdi to be regulars. Fitz also if he can displace either Nossy or Taylor. The remaining 3 are development players and won't play much imho.
Fair play to you for this and I think it highlights the fact that if there more signings to come we need to offload some players so here is a list of players to leave. Please remember though that this is only my opinion and it doesn't mean it will happen!! Bonham Loan Hoban Loan (24 hour recall) Bennet Loan Mirfin Leave Doyley leave Thompson or Hodson Loan Jenkins Loan or leave Forsyth Loan Mingoia, Whichelow, Smith. 2 out of 3 on loan depending who is most likely to be involved in the first team Assambalonga Loan Deeney Sack The tree Leave Massey loan
Re the loans being able to play all at once, the answer is yes they can. Season long loans from outside of the English leagues are treated as permanent transfers, therefore those players do not count towards our allowed 5 loanees.
No need for 24 hour recall for Hoban. We have lots of players to cover at centre back. Doyley leave? Blasphemy! Hodson won't leave on loan. Thompson should go on loan of the two. Pretty much agree on the rest. I presume the Tree is Iwelumo? Some of these will happen but not all as we will need some to be squad players.
Except for the food. I think I'll wait to see them play but at the very least we have a decent sized squad and as much as I've joked about it Almunia does seem like a very good signing for a couple of years.
Almunia - You don't spend that long at a top 4 club unless you're decent, adds top experience, he'll be a great signing. 8 Pudil - Has impressed in every friendly, seems delighted to be here. Should be the answer to the long running left-back problem. Full international. 9 Anya - Probably the most underwhelming of the 7 new faces due to his previous time in the UK. Don't expect him to be anything more than an impact player - which somebody like Whichelow could have probably offered. Low expectation could work in his favor though. 5 Abdi - Similar to Pudil, potentially one of the best players in this division with a decent pedigree. His passing and vision will be key to Zola implementing his new style of play. Fully expect everything to go through him in the middle of the park. Full Swiss international - absolute step above anybody else we have. 9.5 Vydra - Not sure about this one. Hasn't been fit enough to participate in any of the friendly games, but must have shown something for Zola to take him on? Previously very highly rated, but having been out with a bad injury for a while, not really expecting him to offer much until later in the campaign. 6 Hall - Sensible signing. Offers some experience and has been promoted a number of times. 1 year contract is perfect. 7 Beleck - Looks good on paper/youtube. Again, highly rated youngster and looks to have the physical attributes to do some damage in this division. My prediction, there will be no middle ground with this guy - he'll either dominate the division, or flop. 7 So from this list, you'd have to say that there are 3 or 4 really solid signings, and then a couple of punts that could go either way. I'd expect a couple more players to come in and you'd think they would be players likely to nail down a starting spot. We already have a decent base of young players to add depth (I include Beleck, Vyrda and Anya in this). All in all, come opening day, I think we'll have a really strong squad. It's going to be really interesting to see how the new guys settle in and how successful Zola is integrating them into a new squad, whilst also introducing a completely new philosophy in regards to the playing style. I'm expecting a slow start to the season. We'll get it right some games and we'll get it totally wrong in others. However, you'd expect us to push on after Christmas and really start building towards making a proper push for Promotion next season. Essentially, all of the signings are on a season long trial. Those who impress will be here next season, and those who don't, will be replaced. One of the most promising things, is that all of the guys coming in are pretty much risk-free. Really glad we didn't give out long term deals to Almunia and Hall.
Listening to Zola's interview, he thinks that Almunia will offer Bonham and Bond excellent advice (which he already has apparently). Pudil will play mainly as a full back, offering cover at left mid. He's delighted to have signed Abdi, he reckons we're very lucky to have him available given his skill and passing abilities. His comments about Belleck and Vydra led me to believe neither will be first choice going into the season. He called Belleck a diamond in the rough, and said that if he recovers, Vydra will be an exceptional player for us
In spirit of our latest sponsor I ran a season of FM whilst on holiday with the latest weegie update (all transfer for all teams done).. It's hit January and we're top of the league, stormed the division. Beleck is top goalscorer with 15 goals in 25 game Vyrda has played 11 with 5 off those of the bench, and has scored 9. Pudil has chipped in with 6 and is the highest rated defender in the division. Abdi has scored 3 times, and has the best rating in the entire division. Ikechi has scored 4 and has the most assists in the squad. Almunia and Hall have both in pretty solid.
