[Archived] Shabani Nonda Signs

[benhben]

So what do people think? Stronger upfront this year or last year?

Bellamy is a better player (in my opinion) than any of the current forwards we have, but we have a much stronger striking squad than last year.

McCarthy, Nonda, Roberts and Derbyshire is a better all round package than Bellamy, Dikov, Kuqi, (who was the fourth?)

What would you rather take, the bellamy influence or strength in depth?

[frosty]

So what do people think? Stronger upfront this year or last year?

Bellamy is a better player (in my opinion) than any of the current forwards we have, but we have a much stronger striking squad than last year.

McCarthy, Nonda, Roberts and Derbyshire is a better all round package than Bellamy, Dickov, Kuqi, (who was the fourth?)

What would you rather take, the bellamy influence or strength in depth?

The fourth was Sinama Pongolle.

[T4E]

I'd rather have FSP than Jeffers, and from what we've seen so far I think he offers more than Roberts. Other than that you'd have to say we're stronger this year, if only because the balance is tipped by the emergence of a young, hungry Matt Derbyshire.

[joey_big_nose]

I'd rather have FSP than Jeffers, and from what we've seen so far I think he offers more than Roberts. Other than that you'd have to say we're stronger this year, if only because the balance is tipped by the emergence of a young, hungry Matt Derbyshire.

Agree with this. Roberts has been disappointing. We need him to find his feet really to really make us look like a decent outfit up front.

Derbyshire is a real addition because his enthusiasm puts McCarthy and Nonda, both more relaxed sorts of striker, under pressure to up their work rate. It will be interesting to see how Benni responds to being dropped.

Between the four of them it is hard to say who should start the next game as all have their strengths. Good problem for Hughes to have.

[Neil Weaver]

Getting the flak jacket on, whilst Roberts might have decent potential, I'd rather have Shefki back on the eveidence so far. I'd look on em both as subs who might make something happen, and Kuqi wins that one for me.

[OscarRaven]

Benni > Derbs > Nonda > Gally > Roberts > Jeffers

Two out in the summer and two better in would be my plan. Roberts needs to up his game and lose his current kuqi'esqe first touch. Might be time for Gallagher to move on and Jeffers is fizzy pop standard - one of the new boys will have him. Nonda would be staying for me (assuming the price is right).

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Benni > Derbs > Nonda > Gally > Roberts > Jeffers

The last two for me...dont let the door hit your arse on the way out.

[Exiled_Rover]

Benni > Derbs > Nonda > Gally > Roberts > Jeffers

The last two for me...dont let the door hit your arse on the way out.

That's pretty harsh, they've been injured all season.

[BuckyRover]

I think everybody is being quite harsh on Franny.

He has been ravaged by injury. We already know he isn't on much money. I would rather see him play a few games before we decide to get rid of him

[Martin]

I think the majority are very harsh on Roberts. He will come good.

I don't think we need to buy a striker in the summer. I say we keep the current crop and out Jeffers. I have always been in support of signing Nonda. He, like Roberts, can be unplayable in the same way Drogba is.

Mccarthy, Nonda, Roberts and Derbyshire I think is a perfectly balanced strike force, perhaps it lacks raw pace, but that is expensive. I'd be more than happy to go into next season with our current squad.

Any idea how much the option on Nonda is?

[RoyRover]

I'd be happy if we signed Nonda in the summer, however I hope that he wouldn't be the only striker that we sign. Jeffers should be unloaded and unless Jason Roberts improves drastically I could see him leaving (although I think that he's a decent player and could score goals for us, he just hasn't found his feet this season), but I'm sure that Hughes would want to recoup some of the £2 million that he spent on him, before selling him. If that was the case then we would have McCarthy, Nonda, Derbyshire and Gallagher as our strikers. I'm sure Hughes would want another quality addition up front, so in the end we could have five or six strikers, if Roberts were to stay. I think six forwards would be too many, while five would be just right.

[broadsword]

Why buy any strikers at all then, if you think Roberts is a decent player? It doesn't make any sense.

This is the Jason Roberts that gave Arsenal such a tough time in a Carling Cup semi, yes?

And how people can slate Jeffers when he hasn't even been able to play is beyond me.

[92er]

Jeffers has played a number of games and has hardly looked effective; maybe people want to get rid of him because he has missed so many games that maybe a more useful player could be brought in next year.

[LeChuck]

I can't see how we can have Jeffers and Derbyshire in the first team picture next season. Realistically we're going to have four strikers in the side, with Gallagher possible acting as a fifth but doubling as midfielder. I don't think we could afford to have two of the four (or three of the five including Gally) as lightweight strikers.

If we want to add a quality player to the side then one of Nonda or Roberts also has to leave in my opinion as they do quite similar jobs. On the basis of what we have seen so far this season, Nonda has been the most impressive...but he is only on loan and we shelled out a fair amount for Roberts, so it would be a tough one to call over who would stay.

For next season I'm expecting us to have something like; McCarthy, New Addition, Nonda/Roberts, Derbyshire, Gallagher.

If that new player was a quick one (say a poorer version of Bellamy) then I think we'd have a good mix of players there. I see no possibilty how Jeffers can stay though, we have too many strikers on the books and he's easily the most dispensable.

Edited February 26, 2007 by LeChuck

[RoyRover]

Why buy any strikers at all then, if you think Roberts is a decent player? It doesn't make any sense.

In the event that the club don't agree with my thoughts of Jason Roberts being a decent player and decide to sell him.

[herbergeehh]

Unless Andre the giant has moved into the coaching staff at Ewood, I would think Roberts is staying. I hope he will score soon though, one or two against Arsenal for instance..

[elwaxo]

That's not really the point, they presumably know each other from the international set-up and speak the same language (French) whereas apart from possibly Henchoz and Berner who both sound like German-speaking Swiss, there aren't any other francophiles in the squad.

im recknin' henchoz is french speaking.

[Guest shoppybrfc]

What about selling Roberts to a champ/newly promoted side next Season? We're sure to get what we paid for him and then use that money for Nonda and still have a bit left over hopefully. Nonda could be having a Drogba this season, and turn out even better next Season.

[benhben]

Keep them both. Have faith Roberts will come good whilst Nonda adds depth to the strikeforce. Nonda wont be expensive as roma clearly dont want him that much. A tugay replacement or a right back are the only weaknesses in the squad that I can see, but even that is uncertain with Mokoenas recent display. Cant ever see Bert being a decent right back though!

[RoyRover]

Brett has done very well this season at right back and has been one of our best players. At the moment he is our first choice right back and with players like Ooijer and Zurab, we have plenty of cover. I wouldn't be surprised if Hughes looked to bring in a more recognised right back during the summer though. Roque Santa Cruz is saying that he would like to leave Bayern Munich for Spain or Italy. Personally I'd jump at the chance of signing him, an old fashioned centre forward, who has yet to fulfill his enormous potential. I don't really see it happening though, but you can always dream.

[Florida Rover]

Shabani turns 30 years old tomorrow.On the basis of what we have seen,do we re-sign him or is the jury still out?

If he scores us the FA Cup winner would that colour your judgement?

[tcj_jones]

I wouldn't pay anything over 500k for Nonda. Even then, we could probably get a better striker. He may have scored 8 goals, but I swear half of them have been tap ins. He's not a bad player, but he doesn't look anything special these days and is approaching 30.

Roberts has ben injured for a grerat deal of the season, but has still been largely disapointing. I wouldn't want to sell him though as he hasn't had a proper chance to assert himself since his injury.

Personally, I was a bit gutted to see Pongolle leave as I thought he looked a really handy player. With Bellamy leaving, there was room for a striker like Pongolle and I'm surprised that we didn't keep him.

[cn_barlow]

I think he's done pretty well really. He'd almost certainly be better next season, but i think hughes will be looking to bring in another top quality striker to play along side McCarthy.

Wouldn't mind him as a squad player but his wages would be extortionate!!

So thats a no from me

[pick32]

Think we need another top quality striker to play alongside bennie, And i would sooner see derbyshire play he looks like he can become a prolific premiership goalscorer in a couple of seasons he could probably get 10 a season now.

[James No. 7]

Cant ever see Bert being a decent right back though!

Yeah, because's he's an excellent right back.