The Soccer Blog: Reinforcements Part 2

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Reinforcements Part 2

By: Ivor | September 22nd, 2010

Unknown-9 Moussa Sissoko really does look like the real deal. Well, at least on You Tube! He’s 6’2” and frighteningly broad at the chest, like an elongated Michael Essien. A great tackler with huge reserves of energy and silky passing skills, he may be just what the doctor ordered if Hargreaves turns out to be finished. Still only 21, he is one to watch. The problem, I’m told by French friends, is that Toulouse’s Chairman wants a ridiculously high fee of around £30M. This is a lot of money to gamble on a player who has yet to play in a true quality league.

Unknown-12 Steven Defour and Axsel Witsel are two of the brightest lights in Belgian youth football. Products of the Standard Liége academy aong with Everton’s Marouiane Fellaini, Defour is a superb midfield general and has been captain of his club since he was 18. A very accurate passer with great dead ball skills, Defour has been the recipient of a number of Fergie ‘love notes’ as he recovers from knee surgery. He is expected to cost £12M to £15M, with a lot dependent on how he heals. His midfield partner, Axsel Witsel, has a lot in common with the aforementioned Fabrice Muamba. Unknown-5 All the defensive skills Ferguson might dream of are there despite his skinny, tall frame. There was, however, a bit of a scandal in Belgian soccer last year when the lad broke an Anderlecht player’s leg during a bitterly contested match and then attempted to stomp the same player as he lay injured. There seems to be a dark side to his character which may make any major side needing to lay out £10M to £12M for him somewhat reticent.

Unknown-11 Lee Cattermole is well known to fans as ‘Clattermole.’ His huge heart and nonstop energy are as well regarded as his tendency to collect yellow cards and cause injuries are not. An old-school type, blessed with the ability to inspire teammates and turn games around, his equal inability to ignore opponents attempts to wind him up has so far left coaches like Steve McClaren, Gareth Southgate frustrated enough to flog him on the cheap. At the moment, having worked hard at nurturing Cattermole’s good gift at two clubs, Sunderland’s Gaffer Steve Bruce is sick enough of his reluctance to exercise self-control that he may indeed strip him of the club captaincy and sell him at a bargain price. Intelligent, but clearly rebellious, Cattermole, a quick-thinking, hard-tackling pit bull of a central midfielder may turn out to be the natural successor to Roy Keane United have needed for years. If he comes at a bargain price, Ferguson may figure he is another ‘problem child’ project he can take on like Cantona, Bosnich, Ince, Keane and Barthez before him.

Unknown-3 Sotiris Ninis is a player Sir Alex has been flirting with for two seasons now. A real dazzler with the ability to pass well and score from both feet, Ninis can play on the wing or in central midfield. Slightly taller than Marko Marin–which probably raises doubts at United–he definitely owns an innate ability to grab a game by the scruff of its neck and transform his teammates. As his contract with the Greek champions Panathaniakos has a £10M get-out clause, a lot of big clubs will be in the queue as suitors once this season ends.

180px-Jack_Rodwell_cropped Jack Rodwell may indeed be 6’2”, English and a natural performer equally at home as a Centre Back or a defensive or attacking midfielder. Can he really be worth as much as £26M, though? Having only appeared in the sum total of 27 games for Everton and played remarkably well in only a few of them, one really does wonder how he could fetch so much dosh. He looks calm, cool and collected on the field, to be sure, and has the look of a natural successor to Rio Ferdinand. But is he value for money?

Tom Huddlestone is a 6’3” midfield rover with the capacity to satisfy all of Manchester United’s needs. Languid of movement, hard tackling and consistently capable of hitting 30 and 40 yard bull’s eye passes, he has improved incrementally every season since arriving at Spurs from Derby County five seasons ago. Unknown-10 His deft ball handling and large size helped him form a fine on-field relationship with United’s erratic Bulgarian superstar Dmitar Berbatov for two seasons at White Hart Lane. A very different kind of player than Paul Scholes, his laconic kind of stop/start style reminds me of Juan Roman Riquelmé and would suit Berbatov’s stylings perfectly. Above all, it would give Manchester United’s midfield a distinct new look. England’s coach Fabio Capello is not too enamored of Huddlestone, though. Unable or unwilling to improvise his movements, Huddlestone is not the old maestro’s favorite. Another bad rap Huddlestone receives concerns his appetite. Tom likes to eat a lot and it sometimes shows on the field. We already have the same problem with Anderson. The word is that Berbatov has been campaigning on Huddlestone’s behalf in a very determined manner. If Ferguson goes after him, it will give fans a true sense of just how influential the Bulgarian has become at the club.

Unfortunately, the club’s relationship with Tottenham’s Chairman, Danny Levy, is fractious at best as a hangover from United buying Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov. Worth between £16M to £18M, I would expect Levy to demand something ridiculous for a fee, like £30 to £40M, simply because Manchester City were willing to pay so much for another English midfielder, James Milner. As the Gaffer continually alludes to getting “value for money” in the marketplace, he may feel reticent about paying above the odds still. On the other hand, as Tottenham have Jenas, Modric. Van Der Vaart, Krancjar, Huddlestone, youth prospect Danny Rose and a Brazilian newcomer, Sandro, all competing for two spots, Rednapp and Levy may be willing to listen to offers soon.

Is there anyone else out there? What do you think? A certain retired Scottish player of my aquaintance thinks the Gaffer ought to take a bargain flyer on Charlie Adam or Blackpool and Graham Dorrans of West Brom after their teams get relegated.

Some Related Man United Posts:Reinforcements: Part 1Chivas de Guadalajara 3 – Manchester United 2 : Match HighlightsWant to Support United AND Get Drunk?2010/2011 Manchester United Jersey???Wayne Rooney Is Either Fine, Dead, or Somewhere in the Middle

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Wednesday 22 September 2010

Reinforcements Part 2

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