ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Transfers from the big four

I've just read the post below about Sissoko. Some of the comments attached have given out about buying players from the big four. Basically it was made out to be heresy of the highest order and that we are lowering ourselves by taking the big four's cast offs.

I honestly don't agree with this. Sissoko I know is different in that Liverpool thieved him from under us. But in general, to me there is no difference between a player being bought from an English top four side and one being bought from say a Spanish top four side. We would be all happy to take a player from Real or Barcelona if we thought he would be a good addition to our squad. What is wrong with doing the same if a Utd or Chelsea player became available? So what if we sign a player from Liverpool? If we get a quality player at the right price, it doesn't matter where he comes from. Tim Howard, Utd. Mikki Arteta, spell with Rangers, Scottish big two. Kanchelskis, Utd, Pete Beardsley, Liverpool. Gary Ablett, Liverpool, won a cup medal with us in '95. All examples of the quality of player available to be had from a big four club.

And when you think about it, turning your nose up at these supposed bigger club's players is hypocrisy of the highest order. We release academy players and youngsters on their first professional contract to lower league clubs every year. How many players have we sold to supposed lesser clubs in the Premiership and lower leagues? Players that have gone on to have good careers and have been a good and talented servant to these clubs.

It's common knowledge that not every signing is a gem, that's fair enough. But talent is also talent and it should be snapped up whatever the source.
Kieran Fitzgerald, Dublin Posted 13/12/2007 at 15:22:57

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Comments

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Carl Hamlet
1 Posted 13/12/2007 at 20:28:07

lmfao, love how Gary Ablett snuck in there!

But yeah i agree, i dont care where a player comes from, aslong as he is a good addition to the squad

paul mcmullan
2 Posted 13/12/2007 at 20:35:59

thats absolute nonesense. he is a useless pile of dung that boy sissoko. dont knock back talent i agree but dont acept a pile of shite either, he’s like a big tird in the middle of the field

David Jones
3 Posted 13/12/2007 at 20:44:32

I will take any player from any team if he fits the bill. Sissoko doesn?t, he?s garbage.

Micky Norman
4 Posted 13/12/2007 at 20:59:04

Kevin Sheedy. Nuff said

trev not
5 Posted 13/12/2007 at 21:17:39

abel xxxaviar.Nuff said

trev not
6 Posted 13/12/2007 at 21:21:08

we were big 4 then(honest)

Alan Clarke
7 Posted 13/12/2007 at 21:26:24

I’ll echo David Jones, I’ll take good players. I won’t accept cast offs like sissoko and wes brown. These are cast offs because they are not good enough and should be playing for teams like Middlesborough or Fulham

stuart mitchell
8 Posted 13/12/2007 at 21:30:50

Dave Watson

G Nickson
9 Posted 13/12/2007 at 21:36:02

Sissoko has been rubbish last season, but he certainly wasn’t last season - in fact, he was one of their better players last year I thought and has a physical presence that we lack in the middle.

I’d be happy with that signing, depending on the price, of course.

Steve Taylor
10 Posted 13/12/2007 at 22:14:25

Sissoko was starting to look a decent player before his eye injury. Since he’s been back he’s played like he needs a bell in the ball.

No ta.

Mark Perry
11 Posted 13/12/2007 at 22:20:47

Get the right players from where we can dont care if they come from Satans 2nd 11. But Sissoco since his injury has been very very poor, I dont know if it that which has casued it but he seems to slow in the tackle and I can pass water further than he can accuratly pass the ball.

I believe that Vogel is a much better option as he is:

1) - Free
2) - Experienced, acptain of Swiss side.
3) - Played for some of the best clubs in Europe, and once coveted by Manure.
4) - Looked very good in the last Euros.

Rob Hollis
12 Posted 13/12/2007 at 23:20:09

Sissoko has looked good at times. It depends who he links with I suppose. There are not too many bad players in the Premier League, it is mostly the blend. Osman is now twice the player with Pienaar in the side for example.

Sissoko might be a player with a decent club!

Mark Pendleton
13 Posted 13/12/2007 at 23:28:00

If Moyesey wants them and think they’ll improve the squad then i’m not too concerned where they come from. Some players can look bad in one team and perform well in another - depends on many factors.

Barry Bragg
14 Posted 13/12/2007 at 23:08:55

Sissoko is off to the African Nations cup in January so can’t see us going for him somehow regardless of anything else. Plus he is cup tied for Carling and Europe so would only be available for the league. Just can’t see it - unless he is avaolable for a knock down £3m or something.

Roy Coyne
15 Posted 14/12/2007 at 00:42:12

It would be foolish to ignore possable signings from the so called big 3 plus Liverpool,but lets be clear I doubt Dave would give Siss the chance to snub us again and pay a higher fee than last time ,unless they gave him on a try for the season and buy if he works out as I cant see any PL team bidding for him as he is no where near the player he was when we went for him last time.

Paul Coldock
16 Posted 14/12/2007 at 01:33:27

Didn’t Pineaar have a rough season with Dortmund last season? Just a thought...

Paul Coldock
17 Posted 14/12/2007 at 01:41:44

Sorry, that should be Pienaar! Its been a long day!!!

David Jones
18 Posted 14/12/2007 at 03:07:27

My personal view is that Sissoko is pure garbage and has been from the off, but even for those who think he was once a decent player I still have to ask...have you no ambition?? Surely we are now looking to move on to become a real class side, big fumbly lumps like Sissoko are not what we need at all. For me being ?better than what we have? no longer ticks enough boxes, we are looking for real quality now. Signing mediocrity like that would be nothing but a criminal waste of funds. I just want people to understand that being big and black and playing central midfield doesn?t make you Patrick Vieira. He was those things plus a worldclass footballer to boot, Sissoko is nowhere near that level, a joke in comparison. We were looking at Lucho Gonzalez in the summer, this is the calibre of player we now need to be looking for.

Oliver McAdam
19 Posted 14/12/2007 at 13:06:10

Sissoko looked like a new version, perhaps better version of Vieria when he first arrived. Since his eye injury, his form has been poor, his passing isnt up to standard and goes out of position. However I’d love to have him, his size and strenght is badly needed in our side, especially in europe. At liverpool he hasnt had chance to regain his form, fair enough as they have Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano and Lucas Leiva. Everton have Lee Carsley and Thomas Gravesen. Do we want the big 4 cast offs, if they are better than our players than yes. I’d also have Wes Brown for 1-2million in January, he’s better than Jagielka. If we could get them two for 6-8million then we will still have money available for another creative force to replace Ossie (who has been great this season, but there is better) such as Arshavan or the unwanted Fernandes (his attitude to football since arriving at Valencia has been terrible, says something about how much he wanted that transfer!)

Besides, Moyes seems to be a master at getting players whos career is on the decline and making them reach their potential - Arteta, Pienaar, Big Dunc, Lee Carsley, Gravesen, Osman.