Gylfi or a new striker?

[Dirk Gently]

Just for fun (I've heard no rumours or anything like that) what would be your thoughts if we got an offier to swap Gylfi (most promising youngster, future of the club and all that) for a "proven" striker - one who'd be virtually certain to get us the goals we need at this level (e.g. Hulse, Beckford, Chopra, etc). Who the striker might be isn't important, its the concept 'm interested in.

Go for it and swap him?

[PEARCEY]

I've said no because I would like him to stay at the club for a few years before he moves on to better things but a swap with say Chopra would be tempting.

[winchester_royal]

Not a chance. Gyfli will be 10x the player either Chopra or Beckford will ever be.

[Ian Royal]

No way. So we get a new striker who we know will score goals if given the opportunity? We lose one of the main avenues of supply for that striker.

Don't know what Thor did wrong to get dropped, he's impressed me from the little I've seen of him. Certainly much more than Long, despite his much improved performance yesterday.

[southbank1871]

Gyfli will be 10x the player either Chopra or Beckford will ever be.

That's a brave and quite ridiculous statement.

Reluctantly I'd say yes given our situation. A proven consistent goalscorer is invaluable.

[winchester_royal]

Gyfli will be 10x the player either Chopra or Beckford will ever be.

That's a brave and quite ridiculous statement.

Reluctantly I'd say yes given our situation. A proven consistent goalscorer is invaluable.

Chopra has never done it in the top league. I'll be suprised if Beckford proves a success in the Prem as well.

Sigurdsson is as good in terms of technique as any player you'll find in this country, and in my opinion the only things he lacks ATM is decision making, and that will come with experience.

[howser]

This shouldn't even be a speculative option, everyone, or nearl everyone, fans , media etc...... can see we need a striker who can put the ball away, the only ones who seem blind to this are Madejski and his crew !!

[rhroyal]

Gyfli will be 10x the player either Chopra or Beckford will ever be.

That's a brave and quite ridiculous statement.

Reluctantly I'd say yes given our situation. A proven consistent goalscorer is invaluable.

Chopra has never done it in the top league. I'll be suprised if Beckford proves a success in the Prem as well.

Sigurdsson is as good in terms of technique as any player you'll find in this country, and in my opinion the only things he lacks ATM is decision making, and that will come with experience.

I'd add strength and pace to that, not so easy to develop.

[rob the royal]

No way. So we get a new striker who we know will score goals if given the opportunity? We lose one of the main avenues of supply for that striker.

Don't know what Thor did wrong to get dropped, he's impressed me from the little I've seen of him. Certainly much more than Long, despite his much improved performance yesterday.

I vote no.

I would have liked to have seen the Sheffield United game simply to see how those two got on up front. For me if Long can keep playing like that he should be a starter. Church is starting to worry me. I admire his work rate and I love to see the opposition getting no time on the ball from the moment they get a hold of it, but he doesn't seem to me to be showing signs of improvement for all the games he's had on the bounce. Long's just had a handful and is already on the up.

I'm glad I'm not the manager. But if I was I'd be tempted to go for Thor and Long up front, afterall it was the first time they'd played together the other night, Long is a bit rusty and Thor's only just come to England... Rasiak is pretty low in my pecking order but to be honest Church looks like joining him down there. If I was the manager I'd be looking high and low for one more striker, otherwise the next few games could see us drop points we could have taken just because we're messing about with our striking options trying to find the best combination or trying to play our strikers into form.

But would I sell Gylfi. No way.

[winchester_royal]

Not sure pace is a problem TBH, as he seems to go past players with such ease, a bit like Little used to do. Strength will come as he plays more football, I remember an interview with Dolan earlier this season who said they didn't expect him to really come through for another couple of years, so don't think he's fully developed yet.

[rob the royal]

Not sure pace is a problem TBH

Yeah not a problem for me either.

[RobRoyal]

How would we get Chopra or Beckford to agree to come to us?

Problem one is that even if we got a decent wedge of cash for Gylfi, how can we attract a player of similar quality to come to the club? How many "proven" Championship strikers want to join a relegation struggler that have just sold one of their best creative players?

Problem two is that any transfer fee we got for Sigurdsson would likely be made up in part of installments and clauses generated by promotion for the buying club, number of games played etc. As he's only had half a season at this level you can't expect a club to come in with an offer of massive cash up front. What we could actually go out and spend might not be anything like the potential, "rising-to", transfer fee we received.

Problem three is that, if the time does come to see Sigurdsson (and I guess it's likely if he continues to show promise above what the squad are achieving) then the longer we wait the better. With a couple of season's experience and improvement under his belt he could command a big fee from a Premiership club willing to take a chance on him adapting to the top tier. Right now I doubt that would happen. We'd get very little of the player's potential value. I suppose that's something that can be partially guarded against with a sell-on clause.


We also couldn't be sure that the incoming player would adapt quickly enough to save us. Sigurdsson is having a large positive impact on our performances on a consistent basis. It would be a seriously risky and short-termist move.

[Pablo]

He´s got 9 goals and 6 assists in 25 games from midfield. A 20 year old Reading Academy product.

I SAY NO.

[West_Reading]

Not a chance. Gyfli will be 10x the player either Chopra or Beckford will ever be.

This.

Not too sure about Beckford but Gylfi is infinitely more talented as a footballer then Chopra. He has the complete package, strength, touch and technique.

I say not too sure about Beckford, because from what little i've seen of him he defintely has a spark about him which makes me believe he would be a success at the top level. I would still take Gylfi over him anyday though, just not sure about 10x the player, maybe 3x

[Terminal Boardom]

Chopra has never done it in the top league. I'll be suprised if Beckford proves a success in the Prem as well.

Sigurdsson is as good in terms of technique as any player you'll find in this country, and in my opinion the only things he lacks ATM is decision making, and that will come with experience.

That's one hell of a pair of RTGs you have there w_r.

What does it matter if Chopra hasn't done it at the top level? We are at the arse end of the CCC if you hadn't noticed so someone who can stick the pigs bladder in the onion bag is what's needed.

And your claim of Sig being as good interms of technique as any player you'll find in this country is, frankly, laughable. Good? Absolutely! But he has a hell of a lot to learn which, tbf, you have alluded to. His first touch is not the best. His shooting is way off. I could go on.

That aside, it would be ludicrous if we sold him. Ian Royal rightly points out that if we were to get rid of Gylfi we lose one of the main avenues of supply for that striker. He is someone we should be building the team around. It is BMCD's job to get the best out of him - preferably in a more central role.

[winchester_royal]

Chopra has never done it in the top league. I'll be suprised if Beckford proves a success in the Prem as well.

Sigurdsson is as good in terms of technique as any player you'll find in this country, and in my opinion the only things he lacks ATM is decision making, and that will come with experience.

That's one hell of a pair of RTGs you have there w_r.

What does it matter if Chopra hasn't done it at the top level? We are at the arse end of the CCC if you hadn't noticed so someone who can stick the pigs bladder in the onion bag is what's needed.

And your claim of Sig being as good interms of technique as any player you'll find in this country is, frankly, laughable. Good? Absolutely! But he has a hell of a lot to learn which, tbf, you have alluded to. His first touch is not the best. His shooting is way off. I could go on.

That aside, it would be ludicrous if we sold him. Ian Royal rightly points out that if we were to get rid of Gylfi we lose one of the main avenues of supply for that striker. He is someone we should be building the team around. It is BMCD's job to get the best out of him - preferably in a more central role.

His shooting is well off?

The only time i've ever seen him misstrike a ball is when he's off balance, which is where decision making comes into it. By technique, I am only referring to how he strikes the football, and the way he gets dip and accuarcy on the ball is, IMHO, as good as any. Obviously he isn't Prem standard yet, and that's why he should stay with us for a couple of years, but he will be, and when the time comes we're gonna get a lot of money for him.

[Ian Royal]

You definitely have some Rose Tinted Goggles on in your earlier posts on this thread w_r.

[winchester_royal]

You definitely have some Rose Tinted Goggles on in your earlier posts on this thread w_r.

Not really, more like STG's (Sig Tinted Goggles), but I honestly believe he will be a top 6 prem player by the time he's 25. Obviously I hope he isn't, because it means he won't be with us anymore.

[Ian Royal]

He's no better than the likes of Kitson, Sidwell or Little IMO. That puts him up with the best we've ever had. I think you're getting a little too carried away.

[Ian Royal]

How would we get Chopra or Beckford to agree to come to us?

Problem one is that even if we got a decent wedge of cash for Gylfi, how can we attract a player of similar quality to come to the club? How many "proven" Championship strikers want to join a relegation struggler that have just sold one of their best creative players?

Problem two is that any transfer fee we got for Sigurdsson would likely be made up in part of installments and clauses generated by promotion for the buying club, number of games played etc. As he's only had half a season at this level you can't expect a club to come in with an offer of massive cash up front. What we could actually go out and spend might not be anything like the potential, "rising-to", transfer fee we received.

Problem three is that, if the time does come to see Sigurdsson (and I guess it's likely if he continues to show promise above what the squad are achieving) then the longer we wait the better. With a couple of season's experience and improvement under his belt he could command a big fee from a Premiership club willing to take a chance on him adapting to the top tier. Right now I doubt that would happen. We'd get very little of the player's potential value. I suppose that's something that can be partially guarded against with a sell-on clause.


We also couldn't be sure that the incoming player would adapt quickly enough to save us. Sigurdsson is having a large positive impact on our performances on a consistent basis. It would be a seriously risky and short-termist move.

You've clearly not read the first post.