Summer '08: Ins and Outs

But if Bouazza stays, it could seriously hamper FFC's plan to field 7 or 8 right backs...

 

I like what Roy and Fulham are doing so far. Should stave off relegation worries with the team he is constructing. I also hope Bouazza stays, cause he has a lot of talent if he can just stay out of the physio room.

 

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsA ... nings.aspx

Zamora and Pantsil are signed for 6.3m, collectively.

I wonder if Painstil may have been brought in as well because of the couple of Ghanian players Fulham has at Germinal Beerschot in Antwerp, Belgium. All 3 are from Ghana. They'll have a companion if they ever make it to London.

 

£6.3m for the pair isn't so bad, I guess. I'm going to think of this as £4m for Zamora (not much more than we were rumored to be spending on Kitson; way less than Crouch was sold for) and £2.3M for Pantsil (less than we spent for Baird last summer and Pantsil couldn't possibly be that bad, could he?).

 

Ok, so is he Paintsil or Pantsil? Seems the FFC PR folk can't keep it straight either.

 

Wikipedia says it's Paintsil. Interestingly, it also says:

Let's hope our transfer documents got it right!

While he may be comfortable in a variety of positions, football-lineups.com says he's played primarily as a right back both for the cheaters and for Ghana (including every match Ghana played in the 2006 World Cup and the 2008 African Nations Cup).

 

£6.3 is a fair deal for those two. I have my doubts about his ability as a goalscorer, but Zamora is a good holding forward who has an ability to involve others in the offensive action. This seems to be the direction RH wants to head in: good players who double as quality team players with some ability to carve chances for others.

 

Hull have signed Tony Warner.

For what it is worth the Sun is reporting that Norwich are interested in signing Stefanovic and are also trying to get Omozusi on loan.

 

I highly doubt Roy will get rid of Omozusi. With trying to get good depth to the squad that just seems counter productive.

 

If we sign Stoor, it might be necessary to loan out Omozusi. As much as I'd like to have him available, we can't let him rot on the bench - he needs to play. If Stoor doesn't happen, we should let him compete with Paintsil.

 

With the Simunic situation unsettled, reports are that we are now after Wolfsburg defender Alexander Madlung. Anyone know anything about this guy?

 

I don't like the idea of selling Stefanovic unless it's dead certain that someone else will be coming in; Hangman, Hughes, Baird, Leijer is probably not enough depth at center back. On the other hand, you can't sell someone that nobody wants any part of. (I'm looking at you, Baird.)

Loaning Omozusi out somewhere that he'll get regular playing time sounds like a good idea to me; better that than playing for the reserves and a spot start here and there when other guys are hurt.

For that matter, on top of Omz and Paintsil and potentially Stoor, isn't Volz still in the mix for that spot? The consensus seems to be that he's stagnated over the last couple of years, but I tend to believe Roy can get him back on the right track in the same way we hope he can do with Collins John.

What's the deal with Simunic? Omsdogg's post is the first I've heard of the situation being "unsettled."

I know nothing about Madlung, but Wikipedia tells me that he used to play at Hertha with Simunic, is also gigantic (6'4.5"), and is younger than Simunic or the Hangman (just turned 26 last week). Two caps for Germany. 5 goals in 55 appearances for Wolfsburg since he moved there from Hertha two years ago. Wolfsburg finished 5th in the Bundesliga last year and qualified for the UEFA Cup. Pretty good set of qualifications, which naturally makes me wonder... why would he sign with us? It's not like we're the kind of place he'll get enough exposure to push Metzelder and Mertesacker for a starting spot for Germany.

 

Both Hertha and Wolfsburg are middle-tier to high-end football clubs in Germany... but they aren't ever good enough to win the Bundesliga and never good enough to go very far in Europe. He may just be bored with the Bundesliga and want to move. His size would be great to have. He's probably comparable to David Wheater at Middlesbrough. He might do well in England.

 

In non-Fulham related transfer news, Hleb has left Arsenal for Barca.

The gunners are getting weaker and weaker. I honestly think they won't make the Champions League this year.

 

Don't doubt Arsene Wenger. If there is anyone in the profession of football managing I respect more with regards to buying and selling talent it is Wenger. They WILL be in the Champions League this season and they will be factors in the league title this season as well. I am not saying they will win it, but they will definitely be a part of the discussion.

The summer is not over and transfers are not completed. I am sure Arsenal will sign a player or two this summer to offset the loss of Hleb and potentially Gilberto Silva and Emmanuel Adebayor.

 

Yep, Arsene Wenger will find some unknown African player with a French passport to step in. He's pretty much John Schuerholz...every time you think the Atlanta Braves have lost too many good players to stay competitive, they pull a Jaret Wright out of nowhere and win another division championship.

 

Ooh, ooh, pick RBNY!

 

I don't doubt Arsenal will sign a player or three now that they have the funds available with losing Hleb and (I'm guessing) Adebayor, but they are ripe for the picking. It still depends on what happens in the transfer market, but Portsmouth for one has nothing to fear from Arsenal, and Villa and Everton aren't too far off the mark.

Hasn't Arsesnal not won anything since the 2005 FA Cup? I say Wenger is bordering on overrated.