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Transfer Deadline Day: SBI Live Commentary

Dimitar Berbatov of Fulham

By IVES GALARCEP

The final day of the January transfer window is here, meaning clubs all across Europe will be looking to secure their last-minute deals in order to improve their squads and improve their chances of a successful season.

Several high-profile players have been linked to potential deadline day moves, including Fulham’s Dimitar Berbatov, Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos and Lazio’s Hernanes to name a few. Not all of the names thrown around at the deadline ever actually move, but we could see some surprises on this final day.

SBI will be providing regular updates of the action, so please feel free to follow along here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section bleow.

Enjoy the action (Today’s commentary is after the jump):

Comments

  1. Dan keeps talking about a potential Scocco – Altidore partnership, and I don’t disagree in theory, but Poyet does not play 2 strikers and has publicly come out and stated that he sees Scocco as a striker in a 3 man front. It’s odd to play a small man as a lone striker in a 4-3-3 in England, but that seems to be what Gus intends.I’d assume he must pull Scocco back to be more level and connected with the wings and not so isolated as he plays Fletcher and Altidore, who can win duels and hold up the ball. What makes it more odd is that the way Gus will have to play Scocco is pretty much the way Jozy played at AZ. If he was open to that style of play, then why hasn’t he tried to play Jozy that way when that’s clearly where he’s had his success in the past? Maybe Poyet didn’t watch any tape of Jozy? Weird.

    Reply
    • yep, unfortunately, poyet’s quotes made it seem pretty clear about where scocco will play. not sure why he thinks it will work, but then again, he’s the one making the big bucks.

      and you’re right, if he does indeed make it more of a flat 4-3-3 for scocco, i have no idea why he hasn’t tried the same with jozy.

      Reply
      • yeah, Gus has done a pretty good job of it so far, but he’s lacked any creativity regarding deployment of his strikers. He received a lot of criticism at Brighton for not having a plan B when his standard tactics didn’t work, so a bit of that may be what’s at work here. He sees Jozy is big and strong so he envisions him as only a hold up player despite anything that happened the last two years in Holland.

    • I saw the same comment by Poyet the other day where he believed that Scocco could play striker. I am like you though. I have a hard time seeing Scocco play lone striker at Sunderland given his size and the state of the midfield. To me, it would make more sense to move Scocco out wide and move Borini to striker than to play Scocco at striker. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. It is speculated that Scocco will play tomorrow, but he will be coming off of the bench. Odds are probably that Fletcher starts tomorrow . . . I guess. Odd tidbit: In some of Poyet’s comments about Scocco he comments about how he is good at shooting at distance. Just what Sunderland fans in the 20th row need.

      Reply
      • Borini is even smaller than Scocco and he seems to have taken to his role on the wing, so I personally don’t really see that happening. I agree about the shooting from distance, though. This team already does way too much of that. They need to figure out how to actually make a smart pass in the final third instead of just panicking and launching 40 yard blasts. Jozy and Ki are the only ones on the side that make calm, smart passes in the final third.

    • seems to be confusion on this, a late BBC news story indicates that although Stoke’s bid was accepted, but Cattermole nixed the deal.

      Reply
  2. Can’t believe anyone would choose to pay to get Lee Catermole. On behalf of all Jermaine Jones haters/fans out there. He gets more cards and plays more reckless than Jones. Not hyperbole.

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    • Not hyberbole at all on that summary. In watching Sunderland this year, I am scratching my head wondering why a club would make Cattermole their priority. I have not been impressed with him at all. From what I have seen of Cattermole, I would take Edu over him and Stoke just let Edu go because he couldn’t make the bench. All I knew of Cattermole before this season was his affinity for picking up lots of cards. Was he that highly rated coming into the season and is he just in bad form? Is there something that I am not getting (besides the English thing as Nate pointed out)?

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    • He gets stuck in and wins balls in the center of the pitch. That has some value for sure, especially in England where, “Get stuck in” is written on their flag. He’s a below average passer, though.

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  3. Any truth to the rumors that Geoff Cameron is in play as part of the deal for Stoke City to obtain Lee Cattermole from Sunderland? Seems like he could replace Cattermole as the CDM for Sunderland and be added depth for the CB and RB positions.

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  4. Any truth to the rumors that Crystal Palace were taking a look at Fabian Johnson? I guess I’m wary of him moving from a team that truly values him, but getting him over in England would get him closer to more American teammates.

    Reply
    • @Dainja: I am not so sure that Hoffenheim still “truly values” Fabian. His performances so far this season have been only weak to average, and just the fact that he has not signed a contract extension could mean that Hoffenheim does not rate him enough to give him an offer he can’t refuse. Of course, Fabian might be eager to get out of Hoffenheim like Daniel Williams was. It’s a weird club and moving to Crystal Palace might be a great move for Fabian, get him re-energized, because right now, and I am speaking as a Fabian fan, he is being overrated by a lot of fans in his current out-of-form funk. Here’s the link to Palace.

      http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Crystal-Palace-linked-American-Fabian-Johnson/story-20529456-detail/story.html

      As much as we all like Fabian, it is very telling that Bayer Leverkusen brought in Andres Guardado from Valencia for their left side, apparently to play mostly left back but potentially filling in as left winger. With Fabian out of contract in June, Bayer no doubt would have gone for him instead of Guardado if they rated Fabian, which apparently they don’t. Dortmund also, desperate for a midfielder after Balzikovsky’s injury plus in need of a back up for to Schmelzer at left back also ignored Fabian. I no longer think Fabian is a lock to start this summer in Brazil at left back unless he picks up his game and no way will Klinsmann start him in midfield.

      Reply
      • i don’t know what basis you have for thinking that bayer leverkusen were ever looking at fabian (the only link i heard was moenchengladbach), but it’s worth noting that guardado is only there on loan until the end of the season, so they still, theoretically, could be looking to get fabian when he’s out of contract.

      • Hmmm. yeah. I guess that scenario is is possible with Guardado leaving Bayer this summer to be replaced by Fabian. Hadn’t thought of that, although I would be surprised if a plan like that could be kept out of the press. Personally I would love to see Fabian go to Crystal Palace and we can hope the team stays afloat and that Reading and Daniel Williams move back to the PL. And Eric Lichaj also, which would mean either Reading or N Forest would have to move up 2nd place in final Championship standings.

      • also, regarding his status for the usmnt, he doesn’t have to be tearing it up in the bundesliga, he just has to be better than the other alternatives for us at left back (if klinsmann’s considering him for that position at all).

        unless you think beasley would be better (i don’t), or that lichaj’s improved that much (i haven’t seen him at LB for forest, so i don’t know), then i think he’s still got it.

      • Well, I was thinking Timothy Chandler at left back. I’ve been reading a few SBI poster saying how great Timothy is at left back and I am certain they are basing that on hard evidence of past performances.

      • interesting, because I don’t see the posts about how great a LB he is, only that he may get looks there since we have a veritable dearth of options, as usual, at the position, no matter what Beasley and Fabian do

        personally, I hope not tho

      • didn’t think of chandler. but considering he hasn’t had the greatest season either (at right back, no less), i don’t see how he displaces fabian.

      • weeellll, beachbum, i did sorta kinda exaggerate the greatness comments. but after Timothy’s world-class game last weekend against Hoffenheim brought out all of his fanboys, there have been a number of posts saying that he is good at left back and that he could play left back with Cameron at right back and Fabian Johnson left winger. If I remember correctly, Timothy did play left back against France a couple of years ago, and his left foot was very weak. (Wasn’t that the only time?) So yeah, I don’t see Klinsmann including Chandler on a roster because of his reputed LB-RB versatility. It would either be right back or nothing and my gut feeling is it will be nuttin, that Klinsmann is not going to risk bringing him back in the chemistry mix.

        I like Castillo at LB, but apparently his new coach has shifted him the past game or two to midfield. Tijuana is the team to watch for potential surprises for WC call-ups. I am hoping like he!! that Joe Corona can get it together. I got a feeling about that guy, that he could do great things in Brazil.

      • I am surprised you say “no way will Klinsmann start him in midfield.” When he has done that over and over again this past year. Now I would understand if you said, “no way I would start him in midfield.” I might even agree with you. But have I missed something from Klinsmann about who he plans on playing in midfield? You follow the bundesliga much more than I do that is for sure, so help me understand. Because his past record says he rates him in midfield.

      • point taken. yeah, u r right. my opnion that Klinsmann will get smart by June and see the light and only play Fabain as midfielder in an emergency situation.

      • @Louis Z: Last season Hoffenheim had, I think it was four coaches. and when rumors started flying that the third coach was going to be fired (I think Number 3 was Marco Kurz), Williams vented his anger in a newspaper interview saying how screwed he thought it was and the team should stick with Kurz and he was in the doghouse after that and in comes Number 4 coach Markus Gisdol and Williams jumped ship.

        Williams seems to be starting every game for a team that played in the PL last year and he is only 24 and, unlike Michael Bradley playing for Toronto, Williams in a situation where he can still improve a huge amount. I thought Klinsmann in his first 18 months before the mutiny story favored Williams too much at the expense of others, but cannot blame Williams for that. I like the guy a lot and would be happy to see him raise the level of his game. He can be beast and a possible bench option in Brazil.

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