Question of the Week: How would you invest 50m?

[Filipower]

Veloso.

Bad choice man, this isn't FM

 

[Keegan]

Veloso was a tongue-in-cheek selection - every transfer window for the past three seasons we have been linked with a move for him, except for the last window. Pretty much an insider joke now. Zat Knight sucks, Wheater needs alcohol or sex to relax him before he plays as he will do great for 60 miniutes then do something totally nuts next as he did in his last game when he got himself red-carded. Our first problem is a goal-scorer. Sturridge would fit the bill nicely. Next we need three defenders to join Cahill - Baines, Samba and pretty much anybody who will stay put and actually tackle from time to time. Muamba works best just infront of the back 4 - that's where he played for the England U21's and looked pretty good. I'd play a 4-1-3-2 now with Petrov---Benayoun-----Kakuta in the midfield and Sturridge & Ngog up front.

-------------------Jussi--------------------
Boyata------Cahill--------Samba------Baines
------------------Muamba------------------
---Kakuta--------Benayoun--------Petrov---
------Sturridge---------------Bellamy-------

 

[Mandieta6]

No Holden, no Davies, no Lee? And although not as shocking, no Reo Coker, no Eagles?

 

[Sevillista]

It's hard to say for Sevilla, since big money wouldn't necessarily bring big players. All of the exciting players in the world are at big clubs or are on the radar of big clubs. I would pay that whole sum of money to get Modric into a Sevilla jersey. That wouldn't have been too unrealistic a year or two ago, but now that Chelsea are keen to sign him, I don't think he'd settle for anything less.

More realistically, I would sign one or more of the following for Sevilla:
- Borja Valero (almost had him last summer)
- Javi Martinez
- David Villa in two years when he is no longer good enough for Barcelona

I'd use the leftover money to build a monument to Kanoute outside the stadium.

 

[Arnau]

Borja Valero is a real chance but Javi Mtz a wet dream, he is very expensive (Athletic don't sell their players) and these basques are very loyal to his club. Sevilla need a classy forward as well, Manu del Moral is not a real competece to Negredo and Kanoute, Perotti had an impressive debut season but haven't improved (next Capel??) Muniain would be gold but he's from ******* Athletic. Fullbacks are average too, remember when you had Alves, David and Adriano? haha.

EDIT: Jurado would be a great signing for Sevilla, he is good and can play in diferent positions.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

My favorite Sevilla player was Julio Baptista. I used to always buy him in FM/CM back then, and it would probably take someone only 10 seconds to convince me that he was still world class and one of the 10 best players in the world if they wanted to.

 

[Keegan]

No Holden, no Davies, no Lee? And although not as shocking, no Reo Coker, no Eagles?

Holden and Lee when fit would be where Benayoun and Kakuta are now. I think Davies is somewhat past it - 35 is a bit much for a striker. He has not been his usual ebullient self this season. Reo Coker is a useful player but he wouldn't play ahead of a fit Holden and Eagles sucks, unfortunately. He's maybe had two good games since joining and one was in a pre-season friendly.

 

[Mandieta6]

Well, he's just joined, Ramires sucked for us when he first arrived, and he was good for Coyle at Burnley, I don't think he'd have signed if he wasn't good enough. I dunno, Davies is certainly getting on with it, but he's still probably one of, if not the, best targetman in the Prem. He's acknowledged his poor form recently and I think we'll have to see if it was complacency, age, or other, in the next few matches. Kind of hoping it's the first one, since I like Davies.

 

[Keegan]

Davies has admitted that he took his place in the team for granted. I would not downplay his importance to the team over the past 5-6 years and there were times where he has practically carried the team on his shoulders, but all season he has not created anything of note outside of the first game with QPR, he has actually gone games without getting off a shot at goal (which sucks for a striker) and has not given defenders much to do. Eagles got 11 goals in the Championship last season for Burnley but has so far failed to give a good account of himself. He seems unable to beat a player when on the flank and doesn't get crosses in, when in the center he doesn't tackle or shoot much. We are in the smelly stuff at the moment and we need all the players to pull their fingers out and show some industry. The key to players that I like is mobility - the only player in my fantasy team that doesn't really show that is Berbatov and we all know how that happened. I wouldn't have gone for Eagles if I were Coyle, but I bow to his superior knowledge of the player.

 

[Dytza]

The name that instantly comes into my mind when I think of 50 M for Barça is Thiago Silva definitely. Other than that, I would bring a LB (Jordi Alba, Mathieu, or why not Stefan Radu ).

 

[Arnau]

Yeah, Radu is perfect for 3-4-3, Jordi Alba in a 4-3-3.

 

[Sevillista]

Borja Valero is a real chance but Javi Mtz a wet dream, he is very expensive (Athletic don't sell their players) and these basques are very loyal to his club. Sevilla need a classy forward as well, Manu del Moral is not a real competece to Negredo and Kanoute, Perotti had an impressive debut season but haven't improved (next Capel??) Muniain would be gold but he's from ******* Athletic. Fullbacks are average too, remember when you had Alves, David and Adriano? haha.

EDIT: Jurado would be a great signing for Sevilla, he is good and can play in diferent positions.

I still have faith in Perotti. He has looked better this season again. Manu has been decent as well with the ball at his feet, though he hasn't put any away yet. I think he might succeed with some more experience. We've been trying for years to replace Alves, but haven't found anyone decent. Coke has had a couple of great performances though, so maybe he will prove to be a good fit.

Frankly, the only positions that couldn't use improvement are RW and GK.

My favorite Sevilla player was Julio Baptista. I used to always buy him in FM/CM back then, and it would probably take someone only 10 seconds to convince me that he was still world class and one of the 10 best players in the world if they wanted to.

Baptista carried us for two seasons, but I can't say I rate him very highly. I'm glad we sold him and were able to get some great talent in return. He's had only fleeting success ever since.

 

[yoyo913]

Radu will be such a big disappointment for you guys. I like the guy cause he's Romanian but every time I see Lazio play he always makes small mistakes here and there. They did have a fast pace to the tempo so that might be why. I don't think he has the mental strength to play for Barca.

 

[Mandieta6]

No Holden, no Davies, no Lee? And although not as shocking, no Reo Coker, no Eagles?

Entirely simplistic, but, Coker, Eagles with goals, Davies with assist today (missed a penalty though).

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I don't really rate Reo Coker. Davies is good, and I love the poor unfortunate Stu Holden.

 

[Mandieta6]

So, what would I spend 50m for Chelsea?

Option A: Spend a huge chunk of it on a creative right winger, although Sturridge seems to be doing alright recently, so I'd probably leave that. But yeah, get Gotze or Hazard. Hell, Mata-Gotze/Hazard-Sturridge looks pretty good too.

Option B: Spend 30-50m on Lahm. There's still doubts about Bosingwa, and Ivanovic doesn't offer the attacking drive we need against most sides. We don't have much in terms of youth prospects either.

Option C: Go for youth. First thing's first, get the De Bruyne done for 8m. Then get Jordan Lukaku, who I think could come for around 3m. Loan De Bruyne to Vitesse, have Jordan come and train with the u-18s, and then start loaning him. With 39m left, I'd say another 7-8m for Inkoom, or maybe spend big and get van der Wiel for 25m or wait on Santon's development and get him from Newcastle for 10-15m depending on performance. Sign Bannan for another 10-15m and loan him back to Villa.

So that's either 51m, 41m, or 33m, depending on which RB we get (VdW, Santon and Inkoom, respectively). Going with Inkoom, I'd use some of that to get Gary Cahill in January, maybe.

Option D: Spend it all on Modric or something.

Option C would be the one I'd go with.

EDIT: I have a soft spot for Coker because back at West Ham he had so much potential. He's a decent battler with lots of stamina and strength and acceptable passing. Midtable guy at best, but he's not a bad player. Davies is excellent, nearly got him in the draft.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

The player known as "Gotze/Hazard" is at the top of a LOT of club wishlists. Tops Bayern's too.

Lahm won't leave Bayern. He's the captain. I honestly just don't see him leaving. Enough money and MAYBE Schweinsteiger can be had (although with the team being so good right now, maybe not), but no way for Lahm. He's also not the best crosser and seems to have put the final stamp on the question this season, answering that he is much better on the left than the right.

 

[Filipower]

Porto:

Bring 10 south-americans for €5M and sell at least two of them for €30M+. Easy

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I would have thought

"Porto: Give all 50m to Hulk so he never leaves"

 

[Mandieta6]

Seeing Shifty's post has reminded me of something. Change 'Gotze/Hazard' to 'Gotze/Hazard/Muller'.

EDIT:

Seeing Fili's post has reminded me of something. Change 'Gotze/Hazard/Muller' to 'Gotze/Hazard/Muller/Hulk'.