by gatesy on September 3, 2010
So the 25 man squad for the first half of the season has been announced as is the new Premier League rules. No surprises really. Here’s the list:
- Mark Schwarzer,
- David Stockdale,
- John Pantsil,
- Fredrik Stoor,
- Aaron Hughes,
- Rafik Halliche,
- Chris Baird,
- Brede Hangeland,
- Carlos Salcido,
- Stephen Kelly,
- Zoltan Gera,
- Clinton Dempsey,
- Bjorn Helge Riise,
- Dickson Etuhu,
- Kagisho Dikgacoi,
- Danny Murphy,
- Jonathan Greening,
- Simon Davies,
- Damien Duff,
- Andrew Johnson,
- Diomansy Kamara,
- Moussa Dembele,
- Bobby Zamora,
- David Elm,
- Eddie Johnson.
The only thing that worries me slightly is that we only have two recognised goal keepers. And one of them is out for around two months. Pascal Zuberbühler isn’t featured in the 25 man squad at all, meaning if Schwarzer returns to the first team next week we will have a young, untested ‘keeper on the bench.
Elsewhere in the squad both Johnson and Kamara are included showing that Hughes has faith they’ll be fit and ready for the first team before Christmas, whereas Senderos is left out.
by Lork on September 2, 2010
Here’s a quick round up of the ins and outs, if I’ve missed any leave it in the comments section and I can edit it in:
In (player/old club/cost) -
Salcido, PSV, Undisclosed (estimated £2 million)
Senderos, Arsenal, Bosman
Dembele, AZ Alkmaar, Undisclosed (estimated £4 million)
Halliche, Benfica, Undisclosed (estimated £1.5 million)
Dalle Valle, Liverpool, Player Exchange
Kacaniklic, Liverpool, Player Exchange
Greening, West Brom, Undiclosed (estimated £2 million)
Out (player/new club/cost) -
Konchesky, Liverpool, Undisclosed (estimated £2.5 million plus two player exchange)
Smalling, Manchester United, Undisclosed (estimated £9 million)
Buchtmann, Cologne, Undisclosed (estimated £200k)
Payne, Gillingham, Undisclosed (estimated free transfer)
Released After End Of Contract -
Andranik
Brown
Omozusi
Foderingham
Kallio
Moscatiello
Uwezu
Nevland
Osei-Gyan
Owusu
note: Omozusi and Brown have sell-on clauses because we weren’t willing to release their registration without compensation
I think we’ve done ok as far as transfers go. Like I’ve said I think we needed a Bobby style player, and with just Kelly as reserve to both full back positions there should be some concern. Stoor’s never looked comfortable since he joined, so maybe this is finally Briggs’ breakthrough season and I really hope he gets a run out at Stoke who will be a test in the Carling Cup. Other than that our squad looks pretty good all over the pitch I reckon.
I was suprised a few players didn’t leave, Eddie Johnson, Elm, Stoor for example. But the strength of this transfer window has been just that, that hardly anyone left. All but one of our key players last season have stayed, and in Salcido we seem to have a very good replacement for Konchesky.
Schwarzer was linked with a move to Arsenal all season, a player that would have helped them immeasurably and why they decided to be so stingy I don’t know, it could well be their shortcoming as it was last season. He stayed however even against his will, which is great news for us and a hark back to the old days where if a club decided a player was staying he was staying. I hope that Fulham fans don’t hold it against him that he wanted a move so badly. Afterall, you couldn’t blame him for wanting a shot at the Champions League and the title, and wanting to move to Arsenal is alot different to wanting to leave Fulham. Reading between the lines it seems that he would have gone should we have signed a replacement but that never materalised and we can look forward to arguably the greatest goalie in our history carrying on with us next season.
Zamora also stayed, which is good for us and for him if the rumours of a double your money contract are true, but I never expected him to leave. Dempsey probably flirted with it, he’s easily good enough to play for a top 10 team yet he’s started one of four games this season so I’m really pleased to see him still here. Other than him, Schwarzer and Konchesky I didn’t think anyone would leave so in terms of that it’s been a great transfer window.
Our ins are quite interesting. We have Dembele who is a player who promises much based on his few appearances so far and looks to be a starter for us already. Senderos is a player I really like and I’m gutted he’s picked up such a bad injury because I think this is the perfect club for him to settle and finally live up to the potential that he showed a few years ago at Arsenal. Halliche who I assume is a replacement for him is an unknown quantity, apart from a few decent performances in the World Cup I haven’t seen or heard much about him. Not even Benfica fans could tell me alot! However he’s cheap and he’ll be our 4th choice defender so even if he turns out to be poor, which I doubt he will, there isn’t much risk.
Salcido has alot to live up to I think as Konchesky’s replacement. Konchesky’s part in our team shouldn’t be underestimated, his attacking and defending play contributing significantly to our recent successes, yet somehow in his most consistant episode of his career he’s been labeled as someone who’s error prone and will garuntee the opposition a golden chance per game which is really unfair. I wish him luck at Liverpool and I’m sure he’ll do well. Salcido excites me though. Someone known for his tenacity, skill, agression, strength, ability to attack and defend equally well and with a beast of a shot on him, sounds like the perfect left back. To make a profit on swapping these left backs and bring in two talented young players (especially Dalla Valle who by all accounts is a very talented young player and one that Elias has been after for a while, we had a 3 million pound bid rejected for him last summer) is really good business, credit must go to Alistair Mackintosh for that. Greening’s signing was just making a loan permanent, I think he’s an alright player who can do a job for us which is all we need in a reserve.
| Andranik |
| Wayne Brown |
| Wesley Foderingham |
| Toni Kallio |
| Luca Moscatiello |
| Michael Uwezu |
| Erik Nevland |
| King Osei-Gyan |
| Dan Owusu |