Albion still confident of signings
Friday 28th January 2011, 11:30AM GMT.
Albion go into the critical hours of the transfer scramble still confident they can add firepower to boss Roberto Di Matteo’s survival quest.
The Baggies have been scouring the market in search of the extra forward the boss wants to beef up his team’s goal threat.
They have ruled out speculation linking the club to Blackburn’s controversial striker El-Hadji Diouf and Brazil international forward Ewerthon, who is a free agent after negotiating his release from Palmeiras.
But Albion are still pondering a move for Hamburg striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, as well as possibly adding to their defensive ranks by recruiting Jeffrey Bruma from Chelsea’s junior ranks.
And they have dismissed reports of Blackburn taking Graham Dorrans over the weekend. Claims that an £8m bid had been made were rubbished by the club today. Dorrans is still viewed as a “core player” who is not for sale.
Instead, the focus is on recruitment, Choupo-Moting is out of contract this summer and that could free him up for a move before Monday’s transfer deadline.
Di Matteo, frustrated by the loss of Villa’s John Carew to Stoke, wants a power player to supplement main striker Peter Odemwingie and, at 6ft 2in, Choupo-Moting fits the bill.
Although his German club have an option to extend his deal at the end of this season, they are unwilling to offer the Cameroon international the pay increase he is seeking – and his agent is keen to find an opportunity for the player in England.
The Baggies’ strong contacts at Chelsea have also steered them towards 19-year-old Bruma, who can play at centre-half and right-back.
The rookie defender, who has made four Chelsea appearances and has one Netherlands cap, is being looked at as a potential loan deal.
With close of business on Monday night looming, Albion are under pressure, but the club remain confident they can tie up at least one deal to strengthen their ranks.
In the meantime, Di Matteo has acknowledged that the returning Roman Bednar might also be an option up front following his loan spell at Leicester.
The head coach said: “Roman has applied himself better since he’s come back. He’s realised the grass is not always greener so has come back with a good attitude and is trying to work his hardest.
“That’s why he has been on the bench. Maybe he needed that move.
“I think we are looking at the whole squad to help us because in a long season you are going to have players suspended, injured or out of form.
“We’ll need everyone so you look at who is in better form, better frame of mind or more confident.”
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lets swop Dorrans for Diouf aye boing boing
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Please not not Bednar, he’s just not good enough.
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I would take Blackburn’s hand-off if they do offer 8mil for Dorrans who has done little to impress this season, he is just too lightweight. This could be spent on a dect centre half and right back. 7 mil and David Dunne?
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I notice they haven’t ruled out Owen!
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Surely with this so called strong Chelski connection, we could enquire of loaning some of their reserve forwards! We need goal scorers to stay in the prem and the obvious is that we need to defend better as worst goals conceded in the league. Come on yo baggies, please start getting some clean sheets registered!!
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2 Hagley Baggie
This season Roman Bednar has not been good enough but we know from past performances that he can be good enough. We have seen previously that he can score goals in the Premier and he was apparently outstanding in the reserve match against Wolves recently. If ever there was an example of a player blowing hot or cold Bednar is that player. How we could do with a hot spell now.
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6. It’s since he has been caught blowing more than hot and cold that has been the problem with Roman!
Heard on the radio earlier that we have met Readings valuation of 7mil for Matt Mills? I think if this is true it is a ridiculous amount of money although he is better than Pablo or Tamas.
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“Di Matteo, frustrated by the loss of Villa’s John Carew to Stoke, wants a power player to supplement main striker Peter Odemwingie and, at 6ft 2in, Choupo-Moting fits the bill.”
Both Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller are 6ft 3in. Just saying!
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Hall Green
Ah, but can Bednar or Miller dominate in the air? If we’re chasing a game like Blackburn with big defenders sat deep, you can’t throw Miller on and pump crosses into him. Perhaps that was the idea with Carew and Eric Choupo Cameroon bloke.
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3. 1973 Baggie. The reason Dorrans has not really impressed YET this season is because he is being played in a mainly defensive role. We need him to be the attacking midfielder (instead of Morrison) and you will be seeing a different player. We all know he has a goal threat when playing this way. RDM please take note.
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Welcome back Sir Terence. Please note though, extended leave passes I shall not sign for regular posters, which includes you Tezza. Going AWOL is NOT an option even for Knights of The Ladies Garter.
As one of the Mafia pointed out, this poker game will end at 23.59hrs on Monday. JP usually wins.
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I’m with everyone who wants to see some new faces. However, I can’t help saying , if I was JP, I’d be thinking , new striker , Ok , but what am I paying Fortune, Bednar, Cox and Miller a combined total of probably something in excess of 50k a week for? That’s 2.5 million a year or more. If they’re not good enough , why are they here, and if they are, then why aren’t they playing ? We seem to have a lot of nearly men. If we survive, and I think we will, I would like to see a massive clearout in the summer. It is very necessary.
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Sky are saying Were getting the Brazilian ewerthon striker
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12 Smethwick
I think that’s why Bednar and now Reid and Millar have been sent out on loan this season. Whilst the rethoric of getting them fit has been used there is some truth that DRM perhaps doesn’t fancy them at this level.
Fortune has been a bad buy. Looked good the last time he was here under Mowbray but has failed to reproduce that form.
I guess I’m agreeing with you but in order to have that clear out we will have to invest to secure our premier league status.
It does seem that our striking recruitment over the last few seasons has been more miss than hit. Though I’m sure we’re not alone – and we haven’t wasted 15m like some up the road.
11 Cyril – JP does usually have a trick up his sleeve – and he needs one this time too!
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Hot off the press:= Vela has come in on loan according to his agent.
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glad it looks like we got vela hopefully bring back that winning mentality still fink we could do wiv another forward and a cb
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Well said Baggie Ed (No.10).
Dorrans has not been given a chance to play in his more natural attacking midfield role. Morrison has been poor for a number of matches and should be dropped.
I also think it’s a pity we went for Fortune instead of Jason Roberts at the start of the season.He would be just what we need now.
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about time we got some inclination of whos coming,im sure any one of them will do the buisness but with 2 stikers on, what formation does RDM go with, a 4-4-2 or the 4-5-1, with a striker tucked in behind odemwingie
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why has ewerthon been released by palmeiros, if he aint that good do we want him
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only dozza got an for a pass, needs to play more, rdm scarred to drop scharner
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I’ve only just caught up with the news,but we’re supposed to be on the brink of signing Carlos Vela.I have to admit that I didn’t know that much about him before,but I’m now getting excited by the prospect.This is due to me checking clips of him on You Tube,and I’ve gotta say,this guy can do things that Bednar and Miller can only dream of.He seems to have it all-pace,clinical finishing,confidence,and bags of natural ability.I hate to say it,but he reminds me of St.Peter,but on a higher level of class.
If no one else has tried to steal him yet,Albion should travel down south tonight,bundle him in the back of the van,and get him up here,pronto!
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Carlos Vela signed for rest of season. Obviously Mr. Wenger wanted him to go to a footballing club, where he can carry on learning good skills from our adept coaching staff. Great piece off work Jeremy,Roberto and Dan.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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moderators on this site human or computerized, cant post anything, amazing!!!!
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HELP
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looks like we got Carlos Vela from Arsenal then!
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AMS14. Looks like it worked too. The Official Site says we have the Arsenal forward signed, sealed and delivered.
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Just read the E&D report of us signing Vela…..What a negative report! If it had been Dinglehampton it would have made the front page and they would be pushing for top 4 next season…..I may be wrong but I don’t think they will make the play off’s next season :)
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1973 Baggie
Moderators at work again with my 1st post with what I’m lead to believe was the personal tragedy for Dorrans and believe me no wonder he struggled with his form,then his problems with injury so your criticism of him is way out of order.
I should definitely get me a course of happy pills if I was you.If your that unhappy I,ll buy your season ticket off you to put you and those who sit in the surrounding seats out of the misery that surrounds you.
Pablo hasn’t played more than 2 consecutive games so we haven’t seen his true form and Tamas was playing well before his suspension.
Hope the signing of Vela shuts up the Moaning Moron Brigade and gets rid of the nervous bordering on aggressive atmosphere at the Hawthorns till we have a 2 goal lead.
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Choupo-Moting has a very uninspireing goalscoring record as does the inexperienced Vela. Lots of Arsenal fans recon he’s ‘one for the future’ and are ‘hoping he can come on like Wilshire did’ at Bolton. He’s coming now and I’m guessing thats our lot as far as strikers are concerned. However Owen would be a mistake and Diouf wouldn’t go down well around here. He’s a scumbag and needs to go to a scumbag club. We don’t need to sell our soul for success,teams like Blackburn, Stoke and Wolves do.
As for Vela obviously I wish him luck and will support him with every kick in a Baggies shirt, but he is a quick stop solution and more of goal hope than a goal threat.
If the boy can’t score loads of goals for Arsenal how many is he going to knock in for us? Blues have signed Obe Martins. Bolton only wanted Vela as backup. WE’RE PINNING OUR SEASON ON THE LAD!
Ok it’s better than standing still and putting our faith in Miller and Bednar for the upteenth time (neither will be up to scratch at this lever)but with teams around us signing up the Santa Cruz’ and the Martin’s and the Carew’s and the Bent’s. I’m not saying we should’ve got these players as they would be out of our budget but this transfer window will have given them a confidence boost and instead of inspireing us immediately we’re going to have a period of working out weather this lad is ready yet, talented or not.
I really hope he proves me wrong and bangs in a hat trick against Wigan but I’m not sure his impact will be that strong or sudden if at all. He is not Jay Simpson but remember how the Gooners were waxing lyrical about him before he utterly dissapionted us.
We do need defensive options down the middle. Bruma again is inexperienced however his limited record does show a succession of clean sheets so perhaps if we play Jara/Reid, Olsson, Bruma and SHOREY we might actually get our SECOND clean sheet of the season at some point. Cech is always a weak point and I’m sure teams have been targeting for a while now. HE MUST BE REPLACED BY SHOREY IF WE ARE TO SURVIVE.
Wall Heath is right we are a small club up here but whereas Peter was signed from obscurity and few of us were truly aware of his talents I think a few of us are a little more clued up on Vela. One thing we know for sure is that he hasn’t any experience of a relagation dog fight or playing week in week out for a side that rely on his goals.
With former Brazillian stikers going for free’s (even if Paleirmas are letting him go, his goal scoring record across europe and south america is impressive) and us desperately in need of a permanent solution I can’t help but feel for the first time this season that we’ve backed the wrong horse.
Having said all that I wish you all the luck in the world Carlos, and we will all be supporting you down at the Hawthorns, but to paraphrase a Gooner from one of the other sites, your gonna have to work hard here to show Arsenal what your made of, this isn’t gonna be a walk in the park.
Here’s to living in hope rather than expectation.
Boing Boing
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Sid,
Totally agree mate, I made a comment about Diouf yesterday, nothing libel, but didn’t get shown?????
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Wow, thats a first, the moderators actually allowed me to post something, now i am lost for words.
Bring on Wigan
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I heard Andy gray interview this morning,they asked if this was the lowest point of his career, no i used to play for wolves he replyed ,aye boing boing
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(32)
Sir Terry,
Gray also stated, ” I’ve never had any luck, down the Custard-Bowl “.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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