Scott Dann to Arsenal/Villa

[bluebruce]

Fulham away? Fairly sure that was the first full game I saw him in and decided he played gash.

[RevidgeBlue]

First I've heard of these rumours but he's been atrocious for us thus far considering his 8m price tag. I'd be very surprised if anyone of any note was in for him but in the unlikely event they are, and we could get back what we paid for him I'd think about it very seriously.

On the flip side, he must be better than he's shown so far mustn't he? Time for him to start justifying his pricetag and inflated reputation methinks.

[cmb211087]

Villa have apparantly bid £6m...

[Drover]

Just seen this 6mil bid rumour on twitter too? Looks like Ssn is the source. Can't see it happening myself but to be honest of all the first team players linked with moves away this window this would be the one I'd be least disappointed with. Hanley and givet have been excellent at cb recently.

[Hughesy]

Villa have apparantly bid £6m...

+ Collins and Id deal

[Brownie]

To go against the grain, I think Dann will develop into a top class centre half alongside a big dominant partner. Too early to write off.

[Guest TheArtistFormallyKnownAsJB]

To go against the grain, I think Dann will develop into a top class centre half alongside a big dominant partner. Too early to write off.

Ditto.

[budha]

Both Mirror and Mail are saying we're trying to flog him to Villa.

Samba’s physical presence will be felt at the heart of the defence, particularly his strength in the air. Only Steven N’Zonzi has won more aerial duels than Samba this season but the Congolese defender has the highest aerial duel success rate at the club this term, winning 70% of headers contested. When considering that the remaining central defensive options at the club, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley and Gaël Givet, have aerial duel win percentages of just 39%, 45% and 50% respectively, the side looks far more vulnerable to crosses without Samba.

While renowned for his strength in the air, Samba was also dominant on the ground, winning 76% of his tackles attempted. When comparing Samba to his likely successors at centre half, only Givet has won more tackles made, with a win percentage of 87%. Yesterday’s defensive pairing of Dann and Hanley have won just 50% and 68% respectively.

http://www.eplindex.com/10598/venkys-case-defence-rovers.html

Lies, damned lies, and statistics, but according to the above, we would probably be better off without him..

[LeChuck]

I'm always a bit wary of those kind of statistics, but in the case I think they support what most of us have seen this season - Scott Dann is the weakest centre half that we have.

[roverandout]

you call him a centrehalf?

[Damien]

The thing is everyone is chumming over Hanley now but only a few months back cringed when his name was on the team sheet! I hope that dann does develop into a great centre half AND whilst he is at rovers!

[roverandout]

we all do but thats about as likely as steve kean coming out and saying 'im a crap manager'!!!

[67splitscreen]

IMO, he's a cert to go, according to Nicko he's as good as on HP.

I take that as we owe Brum most of his fee, also I'd imagine he is now in the top five earners.

[Amo]

The thing is everyone is chumming over Hanley now but only a few months back cringed when his name was on the team sheet! I hope that dann does develop into a great centre half AND whilst he is at rovers!

Glad I wasn't the only one who noticed this.

[Waggy76]

The thing is everyone is chumming over Hanley now but only a few months back cringed when his name was on the team sheet! I hope that dann does develop into a great centre half AND whilst he is at rovers!

That is true but Hanley is young and came up through the ranks ..Should probably have gone on loan to a Championship club for half of this season ..He is playing before he is ready ,he is no Phil Jones ..recently the lad has played much better ...

Dann cost upwards of £7 million , he did not set the fee but our great leader signed him , he is a championship player at best over achieved in Birminghams' 1st season up ..I hope Iam proved wrong and he turns out to be a 'good un' somehow doubt it !

[sam_rovers]

So we'd be left with Givet and Hanley as our only central defenders.. sounds Venkyesque

[Rovers_Dan]

venkys have decided we dont need any defenders seeing as we cant get relegated anyway

[Hughesy]

The thing is everyone is chumming over Hanley now but only a few months back cringed when his name was on the team sheet! I hope that dann does develop into a great centre half AND whilst he is at rovers!

Previously yes, but he has grown as player so much over the last 6 months.

Dont forget this lad was always VERY highly rated when at Youth level and often tipped to be better than Jones. Personally I think he is better than Dann and has come on loads in the last 6 months.

He's still not what we should be having as probably our 2nd best central defender though.

[Gally]

Dann could still prove to be a top player for us. When all is said and done, he's had less than a season at a new club, plenty of which he's spent without being fit, and without a settled partner. He's been a bit dissapointing but the way that he's been turned on in the last few weeks has been ridiculous.

[LeChuck]

But that sounds like you're just defending him for the sake of it, rather than using something you've seen him do in a Rovers shirt?

He made an amateur mistake again on Saturday. He completely vacated his position and left a huge hole for N'Zogbia to run into.

I can't even see what raw talent he has that could be moulded into a good centre half; he's not big, he's not fast, he doesn't read the game particularly well, he's not strong.

Hanley has been carrying him for the last few weeks. Dann should be ashamed really.

[Gally]

I thought the goal was more to do with the midfielder (I think it was Petrovic) letting his man go but I take your point. It just seems that in the last month or so people have made a very harsh judgement on his ability without leaving the possibility that he could replicate the form he showed at Birmingham.

The form of a defender is different to most other positions, a defender can make a very positive first impression before eventually showing the reasons why he's not quite up to it, like Khizanishvili, whereas others can have a nightmarish spell before eventually showing their worth. I'm not saying for a moment Dann hasn't been disappointing, he's probably shown why he ended up at Rovers for about 2 million quid rather than a top club for much more, but the way some on here have been slating him since christmas you would've thought that he was so bad that he'll could never be a top defender for us and I don't think there's a defender in the league that could show close to his top form when he's had the fitness problems he's had, let alone the fact that he's had a different partner every other week and had very little protection by the midfield (the main reason why we've not kept a clean sheet this season IMO).

[bluebruce]

Gally...perhaps you're not aware, but Dann cost far more than 2 million. I've never seen any article say it was less than 6. 2 up front, maybe. X

[John]

Was that a kiss at the end of your post?

[bluebruce]

I'm afraid it was lol! I'm writing from my phone, whilst texting a girl, and am very tired, and got caught in two minds as I was about to text her...worse, the mobile version of the site appears to have no edit function so it had to stay! It wasn't a come on!!

[Gally]

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that the 6-7 million figure was including his contract? Something about Brum not losing face about selling their prize asset and Rovers looking like they're actually spending money.