Still in Need of a Striker

Nilmar is still a very real possibility – and Kqql (usually reliable on these sorts of things)

:)

13 millones por Nilmar

http://www.elperiodicomediterraneo.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=477839

Jozy will be loaned out , his salary is too high for # 5 Striker… (900K Euros)

and Valvadere is only going to have first team squad of 20-21, means there only be 4 fwds (2 FW/ 2 SS)

Marco Ruben is about the same height as Nilmar, 1.79m. Negredo by the way is only slightly taller at 1.85m

Thanks Kenez…I was thinking Ruben was bigger.

what about Javier Chevantón of Seville?

The issue of size is somewhat important but not the most important. When Rossi and Nihat were playing in tandem, the team was scoring goals and we ended up in second place.
Moreover, there are lots of “powerful” forwards/strikers that share a similar body profile, Diego Milito comes to mind.
Granted, Nilmar is no Ibrahimovic (or an Altidore) when it comes to body size but skills and finishing can compensate somewhat.

I agree size is not all, otherwise Zigic would be on the agenda. However I do think we lack some physical presence up front. None of Rossi, Llorente or Pereira are going to frighten defenders. I think Negredo does offer that but I don’t know about Nilmar.

I’ve never been too impressed by Chavantón, he’s not really been a regular at Seville.

Maddi,

Can you confirm the workings between the first team the the B in Segunda? I have read some comments in the Spanish forums about Jozy going to Villarreal B so he can be called up when needed, but others say it is not possible.

Cheers

Pico – with Villarreal playing in the Segunda B, players could be called up from the B team at any point during the season. I do not know if there is a change when a team goes to Segunda A, but I do not believe there is – someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Valverde has already said he would like to retain a 1st team of 20 to 22 players as he would be able to call on players from the B team. The problem for Jozy and other non EU players is that in Segunda B they are only allowed to register two. So should they decide on Dutra and Renan for the B then there would not be a place for Jozy.

It appears to me that there is a contradiction in two statements made by Valverde. First he stated that all the players that have been out on loan would get their chance to show their worth during pre season. However he has also said he would like a 1st team squad of between 20 – 22 players.
We already have 20 1st team players and are looking to bring in a midfielder and a striker making 22 in total. All the players like Arzo, Marcos, Escudero, Montero and Marco Ruben are hopeful but it would appear that there’s very little chance that they could actually make the squad.

It really would be shocking to me if we kept our team at 20, and even, to a degree at 22 (I would like to see 23 total at minimum (an extra creative midfielder), and possibly both Fuentes and Arzo for a total of 24). Right now, going with players from last year and players who should probably make the squad, we are looking at something like this:

GK: Lopez, Oliva (2)
Defenders: Angel, Venta, Godin, Gonzalo, Marcano, Capdevila (6)
Midfielders: Cazorla, Cani, Pires, Ibagaza, Eguren, Senna, Bruno (7)
Forwards: Rossi, Jony, Llorente (3)

That is a total of 18 “definites”.

If we are adding another striker and another central midfielder (total 20), I think there is still room for at minimum two more of the former loanees. I see the last central defender position coming down to a choice between Fuentes/Arzo, but probably not both (although I would like to see them both on the team). After that, surely we have room for (by necessity) at least one more creative midfielder: which would probably be Escudero or Fuster, for a total of 22. If we kept both Escudero and Fuster, as well as Arzo and Fuentes, that would come out to 24.

Does that make sense?

Kenez…who would you say are the 20 definitely on the team? Have I missed anyone in my funk from being stuck at work?

i think it wud be better if we keep lil more depth in teh squad lack of depth last yr cost us cl against arsenal, its nt like we wud have won bt atleast we wud had a chance. plus we didnt qualify for cl.
escudero shudnt be loaned he has lot of potential can add an extra width to teh team. im happy Jozy is going, i hope he leaves for a big fee.

In the twenty I was including Fuentes and Fuster. There has been some interest shown for Fuentes but he appears content to see out his one year extension. All I’ve seen suggests that Fuster (age 27) has been brought back for the 1st team not to go back to the B team.
With the two we’re looking to bring in takes it up to 22. Add Arzo and Escudero and it’s up to 24.
There are more games in the new Europa League than in the Champions so you need depth. The question is do you achieve this with a bigger 1st team squad or utilising the B team as and when necessary.

I am a big Fuentes fan, but looking back, I am wondering if we would have resigned him if we knew (impossible to predict, I know) that Recre was going to be relegated and we would pick Arzo back up.

I have not watched Arzo too much, but my impression is that he is a pretty good young CB.

rahul says: How come u no like Jozy?

Agreed. Same question. How come you won’t give Jozy a chance to play. He’s barely been given a fair chance to play. Player must be given chances to start and play with full squad to know if they can really play. He must move if not given fair chance to play. He is world cup player not segunda.