Benteke / Quality young forward or Paulinho

[hybridsoldier]

Paulinho if we get him could make a huge difference. His energy and physicality alongside Sandro and Dembele would create a real powerhouse central midfield. The combination of strength, pace and workrate as well as them all being pretty decent on the ball will make them a real force...if we keep them all fit and firing.

Obviously the down side will be a lack of creativity, despite Dembele's qualities he is not a playmaker. Holtby could have a role to play here and we could see some combination of the 4 playing which is really something to look forward too.

Villa would be a really shrewd signing, he is still quality and I don't think you can teach the instinct for goal he has. Also he can easily swap roles with Bale and give us fluidity up front with Lennon too.

I don't think we are making blockbuster signings but they are the right signings for our budget and ambitions.

 

[ralvy]

I disagree with the OP. I think we need Paulinho as much as a new striker (if not even more than). Both Sandro and Dembele are fucking awesome (the former more than the later), but sadly they also are severely injury prone, and those midfield positions are key for the high pressing game AVB is still trying to implement. Not only that, adding Paulinho to those two gives us plenty more options when we have to try new formations due to injuries in all sides of the field.

On the other hand, Benteke does indeed look very promising, but if the front line of Ade, Bale and Villa clicks, then I don't think we will really need him. Sure, Adebayor does come from a shit season, but we should wait to see what he does with a full pre season.

 

[ItsBoris]

I don't think it's a matter of either/or. Bringing in Villa and Paulinho would be great business and already greatly increase the quality of our team. That doesn't mean that we have to stop there though, I think we could sign someone like Aubameyang for under 10 million, and hopefully a creative player as well (Bernard maybe?). We can't only buy strikers though, we need quality in multiple positions.

 

[Kendall]

Watching Pauilinho recently, I'm convinced he is an absolute star. He bossed Spain's midfield without really looking like breaking a sweat. He was so cool and casual. Where Scot Parker is a bit of a runner, a snapping-at-your-heels workshorse, Paulinho is an absolute general.

 

[Kendall]

I'd like to see Benteke at spurs, who else are we going to attract ?

P.S. your .... is in the sink!

 

[peteblue]

I agree with Kendall. I watched Pauilinho last night against Spain, he looked the business. would love to have him at WHL, He could make our team a lot better and assist our strikers in scoring. He is a box to box midfelder who can defend and also go forward and scores goals as well. Just waht we need IMO.

 

[NEVILLEB]

I like the midfield of

Sandro - Paulinho - Dembele

But we need to splash the cash for two forwards and a left back.

 

[marty funkhouser]

Sorry to spam but great username. Pretty, pretty good.

Always good to see another appreciative Larry fan

 

[mil1lion]

I have a feeling we'll sign Leandro at a knock down price towards the end of the window. It sounds like Villa will come cheap too.

I agree that we could do with a young talented centre forward but why do we have to spend a fortune? The only striker we've really splashed the cash on in the past was Darren Bent. What was Berbatov? About £10m?

The biggest signing we'll make this summer is Baldini. We've been crying out for better structure in the transfer window. It's time for us to start unearthing a few gems.

 

[JerryGarcia]

I agree with Kendall. I watched Pauilinho last night against Spain, he looked the business. would love to have him at WHL, He could make our team a lot better and assist our strikers in scoring. He is a box to box midfelder who can defend and also go forward and scores goals as well. Just waht we need IMO.

Yep, anyone who can boss a midfield including Xavi and Iniesta gets a thumbs up from me. I also think Benteke for anything over about £12m is a huge risk although I fully understand that he's worth much more to Villa.

 

[sloth]

As good as Paulinho seems to be i'd much rather be using the 17m towards a quality young forward who's going going to score us 20 goals a season, it could be the case that we have Ade, Defoe and Villa for next season so with Villa perhaps struggling with the pace of the premier league or getting injured it will be the same as last season.If we are going to sign a quality young forward as well as Paulinho then happy days !

Imagine if you were in charge of transfers:

Levy: So we've got this list of targets how should we approach it?
Rio Bryan: One at a time... obviously!!
Levy: Errr... OK... so who's first then?
[Knock on the door]
Levy: Yes, come in.
Darren Eales: Hi Boss, I've got the president of the Corinthians on the phone, wants to know what we want to do about Paulinho...?
Levy: Rio Brian?
Rio Bryan: Hmmm, where is he on the list? Nope I think a striker's the priority, just tell the fellow we'll talk to him later in the window, we've got bigger fish to fry at the moment...
Darren Eales: Sure? I've just been speaking to Paulinho's agent, he reckons Inter and a couple of others are sniffing around...
Rio Bryan: Look, I think a striker's the most important, I'm not going to fuck around with players like Paulinho... I don't care how fucking good he is... I want to concentrate on a striker.
Darren Eales: Righto boss! [Leaves room]
[Silence, Rio Bryan looks at Levy, Levy looks at Rio Brian]
Rio Brian: So, how we getting on with the striker situation?
Levy: Spoken to all the relevant people earlier today. Villa don't want to sell at all. Del Nido's up to his usual games...
Rio Bryan: Surely Villa will sell at some price?
Levy: They might if we want to offer them £30m
Rio Bryan: He's not worth that much...
Levy: Precisely.
Rio Bryan: So what now?
Levy: We wait

[8 weeks pass]

Rio Bryan: What news on the striker situation?
Levy: Villa won't budge, say they'll do us a deal on Bent though. Damiao's done his cruciates. Apparently Cole's available...
Rio Bryan: Ok, Ok, you win, let's call back Corinthians, he'll be better than nothing...
Levy: Rio old son, Paulinho was bought by Chelsea last month...

 

[SpurSince57]

Best go out and shake the Magic Quality Young Forward Tree, then.

 

[Spurz]

Seems like everybody including paulinho himself has told the world he is coming here... Except our club. What's going on? It's scaring me! Just announce it.

 

[JerryGarcia]

Always good to see another appreciative Larry fan

Welcome (slightly late) to the board you carwash ****!

 

[hellava_tough]

Yeah we need a striker, but we also need Paulinho. Why? Because the players in midfield are getting tougher, stronger and quicker with every passing season.

Take Bayern's midfield 3 for instance - Swienstieger, Martinez, Muller (2013), Swienstieger, Kroos, Muller (2012)

You're talking about big, strong mo-fos who'll tackle, press and generally be a pain in the arse for the opposition. They score goals too, but these goals come from stamina-driven late runs into the box, rather than supreme flair and creativity.

Have Bayern used this tactic to good effect? Well, we all know the answer to that question. 2 Champions League finals in a row (a travesty they didn't win both), destroying Barcelona and beating Real Madrid in the semi-final stages in 2013 and 2012 respectively.

 

[sloth]

Yeah we need a striker, but we also need Paulinho. Why? Because the players in midfield are getting tougher, stronger and quicker with every passing season.

Take Bayern's midfield 3 for instance - Swienstieger, Martinez, Muller (2013), Swienstieger, Kroos, Muller (2012)

You're talking about big, strong mo-fos who'll tackle, press and generally be a pain in the arse for the opposition. They score goals too, but these goals come from stamina-driven late runs into the box, rather than supreme flair and creativity.

Have Bayern used this tactic to good effect? Well, we all know the answer to that question. 2 Champions League finals in a row (a travesty they didn't win both), destroying Barcelona and beating Real Madrid in the semi-final stages in 2013 and 2012 respectively.

To which I'd add that pure quality is pure quality. If you get a chance at a player head and shoulders above the average we have, at a decent price you must sign him, and he will improve us, even if on the face of it he's not the obvious missing piece in the jigsaw.

 

[marty funkhouser]

Welcome (slightly late) to the board you carwash ****!

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Benteke looks the real deal to me. We should try everything to bring him in

Think he's a scum supporter as a lad though so if Wenger shows interest and its all a similar package I'm sure he'll choice the dark side. Would be a real real shame

 

[Legend10]

Both please

 

[ultimateloner]

17m on Paulinho is good. He is 24, versatile and gives us goals. If he performs as expected then him + Sandro + Dembele have our midfield sorted for the next 3 years (if no one departs). Thats a great core to have.

We have problems up front but we can always push Bale up to compensate.