The Spring & Summer 2019 Transfer Rumours Thread

[Scott7 5,124]

Barker is a City ace, apparently.

 

What does that make Silva?

[Rousseau 9,350]

I checked out Barker's Wikipedia page, and it seems someone beat me to it:

 

""Brandon Lee Colin Barker (born 4 October 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays for Manchester City, as a left sided winger. He also hates the pope and loves doing the bouncy. ^[3][4][5][6] Barker has previously played on loan for Rotherham United, NAC Breda and Hibernian. He has also represented England at the under-18, under-19 and under-20international levels.

 

At least there are some citations to back up the claim.  

[alexscottislegend 2,055]

Just now, Scott7 said:

Barker is a City ace, apparently.

 

What does that make Silva?

'Ace' is one of these meaningless cliches used by lazy journalists. My pet hate is so-and-so has 'lifted the lid' on an issue. As if they had been struck with a sudden inability to speak.

[alexscottislegend 2,055]

So...Barker, Jones, Murphy, Middleton, Hastie and maybe Stewart. Only Ojo a candidate for the right side. For the first time I am starting to doubt our transfer policy.

[Rousseau 9,350]

All our attacking midfielders/wingers/forwards (whatever you want to call them) have some quality that we can use, but none are marquee signings that go straight into the first team. 

 

Jones has pace, but lacks end-product; Ojo is raw, but has a eye for goal; Stewart's slow, but intelligent and crafty; Murphy can be decent, but he's injured most of the time. 

 

Barker's more of the same, in that sense. 

 

I was somewhat impressed when I saw him at Hibs a couple of years ago. It's another option. I'm content. 

 

I just really wanted a marquee #10 that walks straight into, and improves, the first XI.

[Scott7 5,124]

1 minute ago, alexscottislegend said:

'Ace' is one of these meaningless cliches used by lazy journalists. My pet hate is so-and-so has 'lifted the lid' on an issue. As if they had been struck with a sudden inability to speak.

Correct. Don’t get me started or the topic will go off the rails. See what I did there? Twice.

[Rousseau 9,350]

5 minutes ago, alexscottislegend said:

So...Barker, Jones, Murphy, Middleton, Hastie and maybe Stewart. Only Ojo a candidate for the right side. For the first time I am starting to doubt our transfer policy.

I think you're being harsh. 

 

Middleton and Hastie are young, but they're not getting in the first XI. They'll be loaned. Signing young promising talent is the way to go. 

 

Murphy is injured, so we can't rely on him. 

 

Jones and Stewart were intelligent buys. Decent players, that know the league. 

 

I would agree that none are marquee signings that go straight into the first XI, but they're clearly the right type of player -- young, pacy, can beat a man -- which is the right way to go; it's just that they're below the level that we'd all want. Maybe it's about improving them?

 

I'm happy with the transfer policy, in general.  

[der Berliner 3,231]

1 minute ago, Rousseau said:

All our attacking midfielders/wingers/forwards (whatever you want to call them) have some quality that we can use, but none are marquee signings that go straight into the first team. 

 

Jones has pace, but lacks end-product; Ojo is raw, but has a eye for goal; Stewart's slow, but intelligent and crafty; Murphy can be decent, but he's injured most of the time. 

 

Barker's more of the same, in that sense. 

 

I was somewhat impressed when I saw him at Hibs a couple of years ago. It's another option. I'm content. 

 

I just really wanted a marquee #10 that walks straight into, and improves, the first XI.

 

Jones has - this season - often shot at goal as soon as an opening was there. As opposed to others (including Kent) who needed to wriggle and dance their way into a packed penalty area, trying to run a ring around the goalie before losing the ball ...

 

IMHO, we needed and still need these more direct guys.

 

I haven't seen much of Barker lately, but a Man City chap on a free ain't too bad business. Might well be that Murphy has struggled to come back from his injury as well / soon as we hoped and with Middleton on a trip to gain much needed first team footie, Barker might be a sensible option. Could be that we see Muprhy or indeed Jones in a more central role?

 

But let`s wait and see what actually happens.

 

[der Berliner 3,231]

14 minutes ago, alexscottislegend said:

'Ace' is one of these meaningless cliches used by lazy journalists. My pet hate is so-and-so has 'lifted the lid' on an issue. As if they had been struck with a sudden inability to speak.

Yep ... language has IMHO detiorated these last few years, as certain phrases and words are being liberally and stereoytpically used at a shotgun level, be that ace, snubbed, dropped, flop and whatnot. It almost elevates Tom Miller's commentaries to poetic levels ...

[Rousseau 9,350]

1 minute ago, der Berliner said:

 

Jones has - this season - often shot at goal as soon as an opening was there. As opposed to others (including Kent) who needed to wriggle and dance their way into a packed penalty area, trying to run a ring around the goalie before losing the ball ...

 

IMHO, we needed and still need these more direct guys.

 

I haven't seen much of Barker lately, but a Man City chap on a free ain't too bad business. Might well be that Murphy has struggled to come back from his injury as well / soon as we hoped and with Middleton on a trip to gain much needed first team footie, Barker might be a sensible option. Could be that we see Muprhy or indeed Jones in a more central role?

 

But let`s wait and see what actually happens.

 

I agree, and I like Jones' intent a lot, but he's not scored -- that's what end-product is, IMO.

 

I'm not displeased with Barker.