We watched the Swansea Arsenal game yesterday, and the 2-2 draw was a good game to watch with Michu and Gateshead-born Danny Graham scoring two second half goals for Swansea.
Michu – a top striker for 2M by Swansea
The 26 year-old Spaniard Michu is one of the best buys of the summer with the Welsh club getting him for £2M from Rayo Vallecano, and in 24 total appearances he has scored 15 goals, and has proved he is a Premier class striker, and he scored within 20 seconds of coming on in the second half yesterday – or was it 30 seconds?
So we wonder how much he would cost if Newcastle went after him, and if the Magpies are willing to pay £10M for Remy – then maybe we could go after this lad in the summer.
But there’s no way Swansea manager Michael Laudrup will let him go in January, and that’s where his comment “We don’t want to do a Newcastle” came from – comparing losing Michu with Newcastle losing their top scorer Demba Ba.
But it’s food for thought, because a decent bid from Newcastle in the summer could maybe land the striker, and remmeber that at the end of January we’ll still only have three recognized strikers, and need to bring a fourth striker in over the summer, with Andy Carroll also being mentioned as a possibility.
Newcastle looked at Danny Graham in the summer of 2011, and the 27 year-old former Middlesbrough, Carlisle and Watford striker is more of a traditional center forward, but lacks the class of a Michu, and certainly he would not be a first choice at Newcastle.
But he’s a Newcastle supporter, which is why we thought it strange that Sunderland are reported to be interested in signing the Gateshead lad, who joined Swansea in June of 2011 for £3.5M from Watford, and he’s scored 17 goals in 54 total appearances for Swansea since that time, with 14 Premier League goals in 50 appearances included in those stats.
The question about Danny is whether he has the class to be a success at Newcastle, being more of a journeyman striker, and we have our doubts on that one.
But no such concerns about Michu, who will probably leave Swansea in the summer, but there will be other big clubs in for him at that time.
What do you think?
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21 comments so far
AusMagpie
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:34 AM
Comment #1How about a CB or is that too much to ask?
Santon03
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:36 AM
Comment #2Now this is BS
KevinHann
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:41 AM
Comment #3I politely disagree on Aubameyang being better scorer than Remy. Comparing their ratios Remy is more prolific. He also offers better variety in terms of the way he scores – lots of headed goals, plus he can comfortably play wide.
But the decisive factor is his experience – Remy is the finished article while Aubameyang is still establishing himself. Despite Loic’s poor form he is more likely to adapt to the pace of English football and slot in straight away. Don’t forget, we need experience over talent right now.
Some stats:
Remy – 227 games, 79 goals, 24 assists.
Aubameyang – 176 games, 46 goals, 28 assists.
Remy goals – 27 R-foot, 9 L-foot, 21 headers, 7 penalties, 1 free kick, 1 tap-in, 13 no info.
Aubameyang goals – 18 R-foot, 5 L-foot, 5 headers, 2 long shots, 3 tap-ins, 13 no info.
Also Remy could turn out easier to capture at this point. PEA’s contract expires in 2016 which allows Saint Etienne to dictate the transfer fee and he is a bit of a hot asset right now.
pizzicatochan
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:41 AM
Comment #4Ed, I know you are torn by Ba’s departure, but please do not be deluded. CB is our highest priority. We should need Douglas, Sakho, Alderweireld, Mirin, Van Dijk, etc. If possible, I would like to have Williamson shipped out.
KevinHann
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:43 AM
Comment #5Guys, we won’t be shipping out players you don’t like unless an unexpected offer comes in, so what’s the point discussing it? We are short of a CB, any of you think we are more likely to sign 2 CB’s better than Williamson and find him a new club than simply buying one?
Plus we don’t need to offload Mike. He would be alright as a 3rd or 4th choice.
Mister Tuff
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:44 AM
Comment #6repost
sticklebricks -re Remy. If he regains his form prior to an injury in May last year he will be excellent. Goal ratio was nearly 1 in 2 games. Super fast -does not get barged off the ball -bursts through defences. Like always these days we are associated with a gamble -will he get his form back. He was supposed to be valued at £20 million before the injury -due to his lack of form he is cheaper. We are playing the risks again but if he comes to SJP time will tell if the risk/cheap purchase has paid off.
Les Grossman
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:47 AM
Comment #7Desperate for a couple of defenders in My opinion!
Then a striker!
But just like to bring to the fore that after saturdays debacle, surely…..but surely…..you all can see that Both ameobis, sammi in particular, obertan and Williamson, are nowhere near premiership class players. Sammi for me is frist division maximum! Terrible, and yet we keep getting told that he is the future of this club….god help us all if thats what Pardew thinks, and after the last couple of games, i find myself doubting Pardews abaility to get us out this mess!! To say he has shown tactical ineptness (If tehre is such a word) would be the understatment of the season!!!
KevinHann
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Comment #8I haven’t watched any of them in details, but I think a couple video compilations of their goals are not the right way to judge which one will be better for us.
What I’d like to know is how do they perform on other aspects than just scoring. Do they help the team. Do they track back – especially important when talking about a role on the flank if they are to fill Ba’s shoes in a 4-3-3. Speed demon with lethal touch doesn’t tell the whole picture.
nufc1984
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:50 AM
Comment #9Kevin- good research mate. I was just looking at the last 60 odd games and aubameyang looked to be most prolific at moment. He’s also less injury prone and when u look at stats from last 12 months aubameyang is up there with the best for all round team play. Only 7 players above him in castrol rankings.(like opta)
nufc1984
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:52 AM
Comment #10Kevin go on castrol rankings. Great website that produces stats for all round game play. Goal, touches, influence on game and general team play and basically gives them points. By their reckoning Simpson is ranked 750th in defenders in Europe in last year. Debuchy is 200th. Big upgrade if u believe their points system.
KevinHann
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:55 AM
Comment #11On the striker vs defender priority:
We do need a striker, arguably as much as we need a defender. With Steven Taylor returning soon we have 3 CBs fit. And at the front we are left with Cisse and Ameobi. Not only does that leave us extremely vulnerable to a single injury, but it also limits us in terms of the formations we could successfully employ. 4-3-3 wouldn’t be as efficient with Obertan and that’s not exactly Marveaux’s best position. Do we want to gamble with Cisse as the only source of goals and hope Ben Arfa will suddenly reappear in top form?
Lilongwe Geordie
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:56 AM
Comment #12Les
Williamson would be okay as squad back up, but not a regular starter.
Sammi was very poor on Saturday, really needs to be loaned out to give him experience and see if he will ever develop.
Obertan has shown signs of improvement since his return from injury, and is another handy squad player, particularly in the latter stages of games with his pace.
Shola has gained us crucial points at times, and is quite comfortably premier league standard.
None should be starting regularly, and none would with a fully fit squad. All of them have had to play more then would have been hoped/expected this season.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:01 AM
Comment #13Laudrup is not going to sell Michu – he is priced at £30M.
…and he is happy playing for a manager with a philosophy and an identity!
nufc1984
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:04 AM
Comment #14Good point Jesper. Probably the reason why I’d prefer a foreign manager. They are less likely to just hoof it: haven’t known many English managers to play It on the ground. Would rather lose the odd game badly like scousers but stick to philosophy, than hoof it every game and lose anyway.
Bruva_muz
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:18 AM
Comment #15When are the blog’s for CB going to arrive, to much talk of strikers for my liking.
Sazzer
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:22 AM
Comment #16It will be money for value vs potential resale value if there is a choice. PEA is younger so it would be bit higher in terms of potential. Paying few pounds more for PEA now will be earn backed on next sale. They both do their job for the team, they both provide assists, and goals. Remy is better header. PEA has knack to find positions like Chicarito. And both are better outside the box than Ba and Cisse.
mumbaNi
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:30 AM
Comment #17Why is it strange when Chopra did the same thing? Good backup player.. but would be overpriced for the playing time he would get
TheLooneyToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 10:37 AM
Comment #18Graham Maybe. But Laudrup himself has said that Michu wont go bellow 32 million £.
Les Grossman
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Comment #19Lilongwe Geordie
Totally disagree with al of that.
These are players who in effect are our second team!
They are supposedly here to rteplace players in theirpostions and come in and do a job! Sorry a good job. They cant even get anywhere near doing a good job.
Even when you bring obertan on, end of match, yes he can run with the ball, yes he is quick and yes he does lash it into the crowd or stright at the opposing player 9 times ouit of 10!
I said before the Brighton Match, if Shola, Oba, Sammi, Willo do not shine against these, when they should be busting a gut, then they will be proven to be simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
Not only did they not shine, but they didnt even try to shine!!
Nile Ranger came on, and show more desire in 10mins of play than any of the aforementioned! They were terrible.
Never rated Sammi, and he gets worse everygame I see him play. He would struggle to get in the Brighton team!! In fact the majority of our playersd would have struggled on Saturday!
Cut out the sentiment, get rid of the dead wood, players who arent good enough and get rid of them now.
Would rather have played all the kids from the start, at least they would have made an effort!
posada
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:40 AM
Comment #20How can you say that Danny Graham is a journeyman striker. The lad is having a great career. He gets goals in the premier league. We have had several strikers who didnt get goals and they cost a fortune.
If he was called Dani Grahami and was French we would be offering 15M for him.
jon.c
Jan 7, 2013 at 4:19 PM
Comment #21After watching the Brighton game i was totally gutted there was no passion by the players and our subs just forget them. should we go down (hope not)our few good players will be off to pastures new and what we are left with a load of rubbish it will take time to get out champ league.