In Canada, on the NHL Trade Deadline, TSN, The Score and Sportsnet all devote a day of coverage to the madness that is the NHL trade deadline. In essence, imagine a fancy sports studio, eight to ten talking heads, a whole bunch of cliches, metaphors and the over dramatization of anything hockey. To be honest, it is great television, albeit slightly too dramatic for regular sports programming, but entertaining regardless.
With that in mind, Posts By Panos will attempt to dramatize the madness that is the football transfer deadline by listing the Top 10 Transfers of the Winter Signing Period. Enjoy after the jump.
10. David Luiz (Benfica --> Chelsea €25M)
It might have taken the entire month of January, but Chelsea finally have secured a central defender. With inconsistency becoming common practice in John Terry's game and with injuries to Alex and other pretenders Chelsea were lacking a spine in their backend. Enter Mr. Luiz, who has been rather disappointing in his form for Benfica this season. Luiz will have to play well to justify his enormous fee, but he is young, talented and commanding at the back. If anything the signing will decrease the average age of the Chelsea starting eleven.
9. Ibrahim Afellay (PSV --> Barcelona €3M)
In terms of pure bang for your buck, Barcelona have definitely done well signing the versatile Afellay for a mere €3M. He is a young player who will slide into the Barca style of play with no difficulties and will provide adequate cover for Pedro, Iniesta and perhaps as he matures, Messi. Afellay has all the ability to be a future star for both Barca and the Oranje.
8. Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria --> Inter Milan €12M)
In terms of debuts Mr. Pazzini certainly had one that cannot be forgotten. Introduced at halftime this past weekend during Inter's match with Palermo, Pazzini scored two goals and drew the winning penalty to help Inter fight back for a 3-2 victory. Pazzini is young, only 26, but still has yet to establish a proven track record of scoring goals. The question also remains whether he can break into the starting eleven at the San Siro but for only €12M, it is worth the gamble.
7. Darren Bent (Sunderland --> Aston Villa €28M)
Darren Bent has a proven goal-scoring record in the EPL and although some have argued that he has a poor footballing brain, Special Report - Mutaz Bakhiet, Bent will continue to score goals in the future. For the amount of money that was spend on a player that is entering his late 20s, it still is a bit of a gamble for a team that is fighting for its survival in the Premier League.
6. Andy Carroll (Newcastle --> Liverpool €41M)
Ladies and gentleman, meet the 7th most expensive footballer of all time, Andy Carroll. Unlike Bent, Carroll is just about to enter his prime as a footballer and with Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard playing off him, well the goals will be flowing, just like his ponytail. Horrible hair joke, my apologies. The price, however, is slightly high as you can sign a couple Javier Hernandezes and still have room for a defender or two for €41M.
5. Yuto Nagatomo (AC Cesena --> Inter Milan €6M)
While other transfers are involving higher fees and higher profile players, Inter Milan have managed to solve their problematic left-back by bringing in Nagatomo from Cesena. Nagatomo is coming off a very strong Asian Cup and will look to solidify the back four at the San Siro. Furthermore, Nagatomo has frequently been labelled as the best left-back in the Serie A and now will get to strut his stuff with the big boys and at only 24 he has room to grow.
4. Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg --> Manchester City €32M)
In the ever revolving door of center forward at Manchester City please enter Mr. Dzeko from Germany. Dzeko has proven himself in Germany and has shown his world-class attributes in the biggest of stages. If he could start banging in the goals for City, watch out because Mr. Dzeko could become the EPL's next biggest star.
3. Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria --> AC Milan FREE)
Cassano is a typical enigmatic footballer, talented, arrogant and the ultimate baby. However, for a price that is disclosed as free, Milan have scored the ultimate bargain. In his first four games with Milan he has notched four assists and is playing some of his best football in the attacking midfielder role behind Zlatan and Robinho. Cassano comes with baggage but my oh my can he play.
2. Fernando Torres (Liverpool --> Chelsea €58.5M)
Nando is one of the world's greatest strikers on his day. The problem is that he hasn't had his day too often in the past two years as both fitness and form have abdonded him. He was even dropped from Spain's winning eleven during the World Cup. However, he is still one of the greatest strikers and with him entering the Chelsea attack he could be extremely dangerous.
1. Luis Suarez (Ajax --> Liverpool €26.5M)
Luis Suarez signing for Liverpool has to be the number one signing of the winter period because he provides the ultimate combination of the form, age and price tag. Suarez took the 2010 World Cup by storm with his stunning goals for Uruguay and of course with his controversial red card during the quarter-final against Ghana. However, at the end of the day Suarez will link up beautifully with Gerrard and new strike partner Carroll in the revamped Reds attacking line. Suarez has succeeded at every club he has been with and this is the perfect signing for 'Pool.
As a fan of the Reds, I certainly hope that Suarez's link-up play and Carroll's aerial ability can offset Torres' recent return to form. Although now that the sting and the shock has worn off, we have spent quite a bit of time waiting for this return to form. I'm particularly interested to see how Meireles' run of late adds to the mix. Long live King Kenny!
ReplyDeleteQuestion Panos -- since Dalglish's return to the reins, we've played best pushing the ball up the middle on the ground, with Meireles and Torres connecting with beautiful angles. I know Suarez fits this style of play (as would Charlie Adam and Ashley Young -- *le sigh*), but how about Carroll, one of the best aerialists around? Do you think this'll warrant a change in Kenny's attacking strategy into "run for the flags and cross in the box?"
No doubt Sav, that Liverpool played their best football in the past couple of weeks with Gerrard and Meireles operating through the middle and having Torres making timed runs into the box. Suarez will fit into the role occupied by Torres, while Carroll will act as a target man.
ReplyDeleteCarroll can and will hold up the ball in the middle of the park allowing the midfield to make runs to his left and right, thus widening the defense and creating gaps for both Gerrard and Suarez to exploit. The beauty of Carroll is that he is dangerous regardless of the situation, hence his goal against Arsenal at the Emirates. Having a skilled aerialist will allow Liverpool to be dangerous from set-pieces where previously their best threat was Sotirios Kyrgiakos, although one of my own, not quite up to the standard for the EPL. It will definitely be an interesting rest of the season for Liverpool, but keep in mind that Carroll will be on the shelf for the next 2-3 weeks, so we won't see the new attack till March at the earliest.