Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move to C
Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:18 pm
Just a quick look at five players we've been linked with so far this Summer
Home > Cardiff City, Premier League > Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move to Cardiff City
Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move to Cardiff City
June 10, 2013
Eight weeks on from Cardiff City’s promotion to the Premier League, numerous players – some better known than others – have been linked with a move to South Wales.
As the bluebirds prepare for their first season back in the top-flight for over half-a-century, ViewFromTheStands looks at some of those who Malky Mackay could make an approach for this summer.
Bafétimbi Gomis
Upon promotion to the Premier League, it is inevitable that the odd high profile name will be bandied around. In this case, Gomis – who certainly falls under that top bracket of players of which this club has not been linked with in many a year (excluding the over-the-hill Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, of course).
At the age of 27, the French international striker has come off the back of another successful season, with 18 goals and five assists in his 33 appearances for Lyon last season. It’s form similar to that which seen him replace David Trézéguet ahead of Euro 2008 – with two goals on his début against Ecuador making him the first French player to score a brace on his full international start.
Though what about the Centre Forwards style of play? As can be seen in this snapshot (right) taken from Gomis’s last home start for Lyon against former club Troyes – a match in which the prolific forward scored twice – he likes to make a nuisance of himself in and around the six-yard-box. Though there is more to ‘baby Drogba’ than simply scoring tap-ins, with his trademark hold-up play and high passing accuracy (he completed 17 of his 20 attempted passes in the Troyes game) making him a real force in Ligue 1.
It’s no secret that Malky Mackay carries out a full check on all potential signings, with his trademark dossiers allowing him to build on the strong team spirit that has been constructed in the camp during his two year tenure. One of the negative aspects of Gomis’s game is his lack of defensive duty – something which can be highlighted using StatsZone. This time, using the final game of the season against Rennes as an example (below), Gomis’s defensive abilities in the hour he was on the field culminated in two fouls committed in and around the opposition penalty area. It could be argued that the role of the striker is to simply score goals, though in modern football being able to attack from the back and defend from the top is key – though with Malky refusing to rule out a move for the international striker when quizzed on the subject last month, a move for Gomis may still be on the cards.
Carlton Cole
Moving closer to home, and being perhaps a little more realistic, former West Ham striker Carlton Cole is another player to have been linked with a move to the Bluebirds this summer. Cole is notorious for dividing fans with his all-round ability: he can work hard for the team, bringing others into play, but as a result his goals-to-game ratio is pretty slim.
With spells at Chelsea, Wolves, Charlton and Aston Villa under his belt, Cole moved to West Ham back in 2006 where, in a seven year spell which came to an end this summer, the former England international striker managed 47 goals in just over 200 games – not a terrible record when combined with his assists tally, though a large amount of those goals came during West Ham’s spell in The Championship two seasons ago.
It was during that spell in the second-tier of English football that Cole showed Cardiff first-hand what he was capable of, being a driving force in his side’s 5-0 aggregate victory against the Bluebirds in a match that was soon forgotten due to the controversial rebrand which surfaced minutes after the final whistle blew at Upton Park. Upon the Hammers’ return to the Premier League, Cole found starts hard to come by following the loan signing of Andy Carroll – a move which incidentally paved the way for Nicky Maynard to join Mackay’s men on transfer deadline day last year.
With the odd 30 minute cameo not really being enough to judge Cole on, during his last 90 minute appearance for West Ham – a goalless draw against Liverpool at Anfield – the 29-year-old showcased his mobile ability drifting around the pitch, though in what many way encapsulates the player perfectly in recent years, his passing ability let him down (below). On the face of it a 62% pass accuracy is not exactly terrible, though with many of these passes being no more than a few yards, Cole’s ability to bring team-mates into the game appears to have diminished, and it’s no real surprise to see West Ham part company with the player.
Much has been made of the ability – or lack of according to some – of striker Rudy Gestede, with the Benin international dividing fans – much in the same way as Carlton Cole. Gestede played his part in Cardiff’s promotion to the Premier League last season, contributing more to the side per minute than any other player. Cole would arguably be an improvement on that, though with reported high wage demands and age against him, it would probably be better to stick than twist in this instance.
Hal Robson-Kanu
Inevitably, Cardiff have been linked with almost every Welsh player in the British game (though for some reason Gareth Bale hasn’t been tipped with a move to South Wales?!) – This could be down to ‘lazy journalism’ (a lazy term in itself); though in some cases certain moves make sense: Alas Robson-Kanu.
The Welsh winger, who has really come of age over the last 12 months, has this week openly admitted that he would call time on his Reading career- which stretches back to when he was nine-years-old playing in the academy – in order to further his playing career in the Premier League. Though Aston Villa and West Brom are the two sides now being constantly linked with the English-born midfielder, a move ‘back home’ so to speak could make sense.
Taking screen-shots from Reading’s last victory of the season away at Fulham (below), Robson-Kanu had a progressive influence right across midfield. He completed 21 of his 23 passes, with nine of these in the attacking third. His two goals in the opposition box help highlight his desire to break forward from the left, which, combined with his defensive capabilities and Welsh routes, make Robson-Kanu a worthy target for Mackay to chase.
Jamie Mackie
Sticking with the wide areas, another recently-relegated winger to be linked with a move to the Welsh capital is QPR’s Jamie Mackie. Though Robson-Kanu enjoys roaming across the midfield, Mackie is a far more attack minded player – deployed as an attacking midfielder and striker last season on numerous occasions, as well as high up on the left of midfield to highlight his versatility.
Fans should not be put off by the fact that Mackie was part of a relegated side (just look at David Marshall and Mark Hudson!), though his lack of playing time for Rangers last season is a little worrying. Just five starts under Hughes and Redknapp in what was a hugely disappointing campaign for his side, Mackie would go on to make a further 12 appearances from the bench – pointing towards his ability to change a game with his fresh legs.
Mackie completed a full 90 minutes just twice last season, against Norwich and, rather surprisingly, champions Manchester United. In the home fixture against Norwich (below), Mackie, deployed in a forward position, failed to have any real impact on the game. Though he attempted a total of 11 passes in the attacking third, he struggled to get in the game, and judging by that performance it is no surprise to see why Redknapp opted for different options.
It may seem a little harsh to judge players on one-off games, though in Mackie’s case the statistics are the same across the board – an ability to play in a range of attacking roles, but no real end product and it would be surprising to see Mackay make a move for his fellow Scotsman.
Leon Barnett
Many would agree that the most impressive aspect of the Bluebirds promotion last season was the ability of their defence to shut-up shop and keep out the opposition. With the Hudson-Turner centre back pairing working effectively throughout the season, disaster struck when City player of the season Hudson picked up an injury with 10 games remaining, ruling him out of his side’s run-in. Enter Leon Barnett.
Under the radar, the Norwich defender joined City on an ‘emergency loan deal’, though his eight games at the heart of the City defence seen him become somewhat of a temporary hero in what seemed like a celebration every week during Cardiff’s promotion run. What stood out most about the defensive abilities of Barnett was his calmness and composure dealing with balls in the air.
Barnett made nine appearances for his parent club last season, with his last two full appearances coming against Liverpool and Chelsea – 5-2 and 4-1 defeats respectively. Despite conceding four times against former European Champions Chelsea, Barnett had a relatively decent game. As can be seen by the screenshot below, it was a similar story for the 27-year-old in the yellow and green of Norwich as it was in the red of Cardiff (it still feels wrong saying that!). With successful headed clearances as well as numerous aerial duels and tackles won, Barnett highlighted his no-nonsense ability, alongside showcasing another aspect of his game: short passing. Barnett completed 13 of his 14 short passes – certainly not a mind blowing statistic, though in a fixture where Norwich were starved of any sort of possession, Barnett helped build attacks from the back, and even walked away with an assist. It should also be noted that the two long-balls Barnett played ended up going straight to the opposition – there’s a lesson to be learnt there!
The signing of Leon Barnett, similar in many ways to when he joined the Bluebirds on loan earlier this year, will not exactly capture the attention of many outsiders if it does go ahead, though the Englishman can certainly offer the newly-promoted side with decent cover in an area which they have looked so strong in over the past 12 months – though of course, the Premier League is a whole different ballgame.
Best of the rest: Joseph Yobo, Solomon Kalou & Dirk Kuyt
Three high profile ex-Premier League players have been linked with a move to the Bluebirds in the past seven days, all of which would fall into a similar category as Gomis – not exactly world class, but certainly of Premier League quality. Though all three players offer something different, it’s hard to see Mackay making a move for the experienced stars.
Yobo, currently plying his trade in Turkey, would certainly bring experience after spending 11 years in the Premier League with Everton, before his move across Europe. Kalou and Kuyt, two players of similar attacking mould, likewise know what it takes to succeed at the top level – though wage demands could have a big say in whether or not Mackay is to make a move in the coming weeks.
With the season still two months away, we’ve barely touched into ‘silly season’, where we can expect City to be linked to many more players of this calibre. What we do know however, is that there is more chance of the Welsh side sticking closer to the Norwich model than the QPR model – experience is key, though young, hungry players can equally offer a platform to build and stay in the Promised Land for many more years to come.
Home > Cardiff City, Premier League > Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move to Cardiff City
Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move to Cardiff City
June 10, 2013
Eight weeks on from Cardiff City’s promotion to the Premier League, numerous players – some better known than others – have been linked with a move to South Wales.
As the bluebirds prepare for their first season back in the top-flight for over half-a-century, ViewFromTheStands looks at some of those who Malky Mackay could make an approach for this summer.
Bafétimbi Gomis
Upon promotion to the Premier League, it is inevitable that the odd high profile name will be bandied around. In this case, Gomis – who certainly falls under that top bracket of players of which this club has not been linked with in many a year (excluding the over-the-hill Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, of course).
At the age of 27, the French international striker has come off the back of another successful season, with 18 goals and five assists in his 33 appearances for Lyon last season. It’s form similar to that which seen him replace David Trézéguet ahead of Euro 2008 – with two goals on his début against Ecuador making him the first French player to score a brace on his full international start.
Though what about the Centre Forwards style of play? As can be seen in this snapshot (right) taken from Gomis’s last home start for Lyon against former club Troyes – a match in which the prolific forward scored twice – he likes to make a nuisance of himself in and around the six-yard-box. Though there is more to ‘baby Drogba’ than simply scoring tap-ins, with his trademark hold-up play and high passing accuracy (he completed 17 of his 20 attempted passes in the Troyes game) making him a real force in Ligue 1.
It’s no secret that Malky Mackay carries out a full check on all potential signings, with his trademark dossiers allowing him to build on the strong team spirit that has been constructed in the camp during his two year tenure. One of the negative aspects of Gomis’s game is his lack of defensive duty – something which can be highlighted using StatsZone. This time, using the final game of the season against Rennes as an example (below), Gomis’s defensive abilities in the hour he was on the field culminated in two fouls committed in and around the opposition penalty area. It could be argued that the role of the striker is to simply score goals, though in modern football being able to attack from the back and defend from the top is key – though with Malky refusing to rule out a move for the international striker when quizzed on the subject last month, a move for Gomis may still be on the cards.
Carlton Cole
Moving closer to home, and being perhaps a little more realistic, former West Ham striker Carlton Cole is another player to have been linked with a move to the Bluebirds this summer. Cole is notorious for dividing fans with his all-round ability: he can work hard for the team, bringing others into play, but as a result his goals-to-game ratio is pretty slim.
With spells at Chelsea, Wolves, Charlton and Aston Villa under his belt, Cole moved to West Ham back in 2006 where, in a seven year spell which came to an end this summer, the former England international striker managed 47 goals in just over 200 games – not a terrible record when combined with his assists tally, though a large amount of those goals came during West Ham’s spell in The Championship two seasons ago.
It was during that spell in the second-tier of English football that Cole showed Cardiff first-hand what he was capable of, being a driving force in his side’s 5-0 aggregate victory against the Bluebirds in a match that was soon forgotten due to the controversial rebrand which surfaced minutes after the final whistle blew at Upton Park. Upon the Hammers’ return to the Premier League, Cole found starts hard to come by following the loan signing of Andy Carroll – a move which incidentally paved the way for Nicky Maynard to join Mackay’s men on transfer deadline day last year.
With the odd 30 minute cameo not really being enough to judge Cole on, during his last 90 minute appearance for West Ham – a goalless draw against Liverpool at Anfield – the 29-year-old showcased his mobile ability drifting around the pitch, though in what many way encapsulates the player perfectly in recent years, his passing ability let him down (below). On the face of it a 62% pass accuracy is not exactly terrible, though with many of these passes being no more than a few yards, Cole’s ability to bring team-mates into the game appears to have diminished, and it’s no real surprise to see West Ham part company with the player.
Much has been made of the ability – or lack of according to some – of striker Rudy Gestede, with the Benin international dividing fans – much in the same way as Carlton Cole. Gestede played his part in Cardiff’s promotion to the Premier League last season, contributing more to the side per minute than any other player. Cole would arguably be an improvement on that, though with reported high wage demands and age against him, it would probably be better to stick than twist in this instance.
Hal Robson-Kanu
Inevitably, Cardiff have been linked with almost every Welsh player in the British game (though for some reason Gareth Bale hasn’t been tipped with a move to South Wales?!) – This could be down to ‘lazy journalism’ (a lazy term in itself); though in some cases certain moves make sense: Alas Robson-Kanu.
The Welsh winger, who has really come of age over the last 12 months, has this week openly admitted that he would call time on his Reading career- which stretches back to when he was nine-years-old playing in the academy – in order to further his playing career in the Premier League. Though Aston Villa and West Brom are the two sides now being constantly linked with the English-born midfielder, a move ‘back home’ so to speak could make sense.
Taking screen-shots from Reading’s last victory of the season away at Fulham (below), Robson-Kanu had a progressive influence right across midfield. He completed 21 of his 23 passes, with nine of these in the attacking third. His two goals in the opposition box help highlight his desire to break forward from the left, which, combined with his defensive capabilities and Welsh routes, make Robson-Kanu a worthy target for Mackay to chase.
Jamie Mackie
Sticking with the wide areas, another recently-relegated winger to be linked with a move to the Welsh capital is QPR’s Jamie Mackie. Though Robson-Kanu enjoys roaming across the midfield, Mackie is a far more attack minded player – deployed as an attacking midfielder and striker last season on numerous occasions, as well as high up on the left of midfield to highlight his versatility.
Fans should not be put off by the fact that Mackie was part of a relegated side (just look at David Marshall and Mark Hudson!), though his lack of playing time for Rangers last season is a little worrying. Just five starts under Hughes and Redknapp in what was a hugely disappointing campaign for his side, Mackie would go on to make a further 12 appearances from the bench – pointing towards his ability to change a game with his fresh legs.
Mackie completed a full 90 minutes just twice last season, against Norwich and, rather surprisingly, champions Manchester United. In the home fixture against Norwich (below), Mackie, deployed in a forward position, failed to have any real impact on the game. Though he attempted a total of 11 passes in the attacking third, he struggled to get in the game, and judging by that performance it is no surprise to see why Redknapp opted for different options.
It may seem a little harsh to judge players on one-off games, though in Mackie’s case the statistics are the same across the board – an ability to play in a range of attacking roles, but no real end product and it would be surprising to see Mackay make a move for his fellow Scotsman.
Leon Barnett
Many would agree that the most impressive aspect of the Bluebirds promotion last season was the ability of their defence to shut-up shop and keep out the opposition. With the Hudson-Turner centre back pairing working effectively throughout the season, disaster struck when City player of the season Hudson picked up an injury with 10 games remaining, ruling him out of his side’s run-in. Enter Leon Barnett.
Under the radar, the Norwich defender joined City on an ‘emergency loan deal’, though his eight games at the heart of the City defence seen him become somewhat of a temporary hero in what seemed like a celebration every week during Cardiff’s promotion run. What stood out most about the defensive abilities of Barnett was his calmness and composure dealing with balls in the air.
Barnett made nine appearances for his parent club last season, with his last two full appearances coming against Liverpool and Chelsea – 5-2 and 4-1 defeats respectively. Despite conceding four times against former European Champions Chelsea, Barnett had a relatively decent game. As can be seen by the screenshot below, it was a similar story for the 27-year-old in the yellow and green of Norwich as it was in the red of Cardiff (it still feels wrong saying that!). With successful headed clearances as well as numerous aerial duels and tackles won, Barnett highlighted his no-nonsense ability, alongside showcasing another aspect of his game: short passing. Barnett completed 13 of his 14 short passes – certainly not a mind blowing statistic, though in a fixture where Norwich were starved of any sort of possession, Barnett helped build attacks from the back, and even walked away with an assist. It should also be noted that the two long-balls Barnett played ended up going straight to the opposition – there’s a lesson to be learnt there!
The signing of Leon Barnett, similar in many ways to when he joined the Bluebirds on loan earlier this year, will not exactly capture the attention of many outsiders if it does go ahead, though the Englishman can certainly offer the newly-promoted side with decent cover in an area which they have looked so strong in over the past 12 months – though of course, the Premier League is a whole different ballgame.
Best of the rest: Joseph Yobo, Solomon Kalou & Dirk Kuyt
Three high profile ex-Premier League players have been linked with a move to the Bluebirds in the past seven days, all of which would fall into a similar category as Gomis – not exactly world class, but certainly of Premier League quality. Though all three players offer something different, it’s hard to see Mackay making a move for the experienced stars.
Yobo, currently plying his trade in Turkey, would certainly bring experience after spending 11 years in the Premier League with Everton, before his move across Europe. Kalou and Kuyt, two players of similar attacking mould, likewise know what it takes to succeed at the top level – though wage demands could have a big say in whether or not Mackay is to make a move in the coming weeks.
With the season still two months away, we’ve barely touched into ‘silly season’, where we can expect City to be linked to many more players of this calibre. What we do know however, is that there is more chance of the Welsh side sticking closer to the Norwich model than the QPR model – experience is key, though young, hungry players can equally offer a platform to build and stay in the Promised Land for many more years to come.
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:36 pm
Just giving this a little bump
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 4:06 pm
I would take Yobo and Barnett. Along with Gomis and Kalou.
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 4:52 pm
What about Tom Ince???
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 5:17 pm
Barnett, Yobo, Kanu and Cole please
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 5:46 pm
Barnett, Kalou, Kuyt and Ince Please Malky???? 
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:54 pm
The OP read like one of MM's famous dossiers 
Can't say I am over roared by any of the players mentioned and I really hope we don't go for any of the last 3.
Can't say I am over roared by any of the players mentioned and I really hope we don't go for any of the last 3.
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:57 pm
Caerphillyblue1927 wrote:What about Tom Ince???
What about Jordan Rhodes
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:14 am
Spoke to a West Ham fan on holiday today. He said he was glad to see Cole go, as, although he gave 100%, he couldn't hit a barn door! So he's not good enough for us!
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:17 am
Caerblue54 wrote:Spoke to a West Ham fan on holiday today. He said he was glad to see Cole go, as, although he gave 100%, he couldn't hit a barn door! So he's not good enough for us!
^^
Agree with this. Many are saying he's an improvement on Gestede, though that shouldn't be the case - we can surely find better/ cheaper players than Cole.
Re: Summer transfer window: Five players linked with a move
Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:37 pm
TopCat CCFC wrote:Caerphillyblue1927 wrote:What about Tom Ince???
What about Jordan Rhodes
How about both TC?
