According to a couple of papers this morning we're about to steal 23 year old Club Deportivo Chivas USA goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, from under the noses of Celtic.

Now, this would be a surprise, but also nice to know that O'Neill is using his old club contacts to get in new players.

It would be a surprise because we've heard so much from the manager about having a small squad that you'd think he'd be spending his time in areas where we didn't already have a quality player and some very good cover.

On the other hand, quite a few people are questioning the scouting tactics of O'Neill and this story could add credence to their suggestions, but I've got a feeling this is really poor journalism or a very clever agent.

If this keeper does sign then those suggesting there are problems with the scouting system may very well be right.

Anyway, it's a story for Monday morning to get you talking but this is the week it's all going to happen. With over 10% of the season gone, in terms of league games played this January without adding to the squad, it looks like Martin O'Neill is, once again, going to do all his business in the closing days.

In other news very quickly and so I don't have to write something else, reports are suggesting Cahill is joining Bolton for £4.5mn. sometime this week. I for one will be very annoyed if we let him go, especially after all these comments of having a small squad.

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ozavfc21 said:

i heard that cahill was going to bolton too. the keeper thing may be true because i also heard that carson wants to go back to liverpool if rafa goes because he feels he can be there number one, even though he would do better with us, oh and apparently the big news signing today is only routledge so not that great huh, at this rate i cant see us qualifying for europe and will be lucky to finish in the top 8, we need to but at least two or three players cause of our small and tired squad.

January 28, 2008

Zidave said:

"If this keeper does sign then those suggesting there are problems with the scouting system may very well be right." While my views may be biased as an American and clouded as an optimistic MON fan. Regardless of them, what makes you certain that signing him marks the pitfall of our scouting system? With Man U, Arsenal, and Celtic also having sniffed around him, maybe he turns out to be a real quality keeper. Not to mention, imo, this does not mean that we won't sign Carson or some other quality keeper. We need more than two keepers if we plan on Europe and Guzak seems like a quality replacement for Sorenson. I think we should wait and see how he does before calling him an awful signing, but that's just my opinion.

January 28, 2008

Damian said:

Zidave .. I'm not calling him an awful signing, I don't ever recall ever seeing him play .. I'm saying that for those that are saying the scouting system isn't up to par may well use this story to confirm it for themselves .. as in, we're stealing him from Celtic instead of finding him ourself .. remember also that since we've been hearing all these 'small squad' comments, over 10% of the season in january has been played and while we've done well, it's not as if january was a surprise - if squad numbers were that important surely some deals could have been arranged for earlier in the month ...

January 28, 2008 | url

David bintley said:

Tommy's going and Scott is on loan. Why is this an "awful" signing and bad scouting?

January 28, 2008

alwaysvilla said:

is someone having a laugh why do we need a keeper isnt a rb a creative midfielder and another striker more important.If carson is going back we have all summer to look for a keeper plus Taylor is not that bad.Cahill going thats a bad move i like the lad and he is better than Zat and finally my last moan WAYNE ROUTLEDGE you gott be taking the pi** he cant even get in spurs side ,quality signigs my arse!!!!

January 28, 2008

Damian said:

at David bintley who has called this an 'awful' signing?

January 28, 2008 | url

Da vid said:

Now now calm down... Scott will stay following Hicks' comments this morning about Rafa staying for the next 2 years and 17 mill for Mascharano rubber stamps that one. Martin always uses the last few days, only desperados get in straight away, and regardless of squad size we don't fit that. Finally I am sure that most of us couldn't pick a quality player from a Nike advert so trust the man who has taken us to 5th for near relegation with DOL and let him do what he does...bring in players that WILL benefit the club and our brand of football, which incidentally looks pretty good from where I am sitting!!! Carson, Gudjohnsson?, Bosingwa and SWP for me!!!

January 28, 2008

Abz said:

I follow MLS, and have done even before Angel went there, I've got a bit of a soft spot for the RedBulls now! But anyway, a few stats about Guzan and his previous team, Chivas USA: Chivas USA topped the Western conference last season, scoring 46 and conceding 28 in 30 games during the regular season. Last season, Guzan had a 0.93 goals against average, and called up into the U.S national. From what I've seen, he seems a good keeper with alot of potential but I don't think we really need strengthening in the GK department. Oh well, only three days to go in the window, we wait with bated breath!!

January 28, 2008

Dizzy Mugs said:

It would be a shame if Cahill left, especially for not much money. I think if we kept him for 2 more years, he'd be worth 10-15 mil because he has such good potential.

January 28, 2008 | url

Juan pablo Angel said:

Knight in 4 mil Cahill out 4.5 mil So that means we will have swapped a very promising centre back for a clumsy, muppet and half a mil! Another case of bad business in the transfer market! Also watched the full replay of the Blackburn game and my suspicions have final been confirmed, Reo Coker is an absolute joke!!! Sort the right side out in the next few days and then buy a quality midfielder in the summer to back barry up.

January 28, 2008

Johnnyf said:

I agree totally with Juan pablo, was at the game and Reo Coker had a terible one, losing the ball far too often and carelessly passing the ball away or longing it. I'm sure some signings will come but I get the feeling that are not going to be of the calibre we have been promised. Either way, spose Martin will get the best out of them... UTV

January 28, 2008

tonebone said:

got to agree with damian. we hasnt said anywhere this would be an awful signing, but if this is our first signing u have to question what our scouts are doing. they did not find him - we our stelaing him from Celtic rather than finidng him ourselves!!

January 28, 2008

AK28 said:

Yes he will get the best out of them but the best out of an average player isnt enough to get us where we want to be. I cant believe we are being linked with Routledge. How can we be taken seriuosly when we are going out and buying players from teams that can't get on teams that are below us in the league. NRC and Harewood are an example of this. Our major summer outlays were 2 players that nearly got West Ham relegated last year. MON needs to open his eyes and look to Europe for players and not rejects from other Prem teams.

January 28, 2008

Villain from Texas said:

Prices being equal---which they are not---I prefer Carson to Guzan. But Guzan will be a very good keeper for someone. I've seen him play several times now; he's quality. If Americans can produce one thing, it's a quality keeper (Tim Howard, Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller).

January 28, 2008

tonebone said:

AK28 is right Routledge is utter garbage and not the sort of player we should be linked with. at least harewood had actually had 1 good season in the premiership. Routledge never will!!! he is a champoionship player simple as that. lets face it guys we arent signing anyone any good!! And please dont anyone say u never know with villa and MON - CAUSE he keeps his cards clos to his chest etc etc!!! well he doesnt in fact u know about our transfers ages before they happen - Petrov, young, reo coker etc. The only last minute signings he has made are maloney who doesnt even play for us and Salifou who i am not even sure has even moved to the uk yet!!

January 28, 2008

Az_ said:

Our scout system is pretty poor, we all know that. However Sorenson is clearly on his way out so this isn't the worst move in the world. Honestly though if MON makes no other signings (it's looking that way) then we will not finish top 6 unless we are really lucky injury wise. If we were in the same position as Chelsea with the amount of players they have out we would be well and truly screwed. I'm not necessarily even talking about the lack of numbers here but more the lack of good back up.

January 28, 2008

villafandan said:

just a thought: what if our scouting network are out doing what they ought to be; looking for a right back and right winger? what if recent developments at liverpool have unexpectedly put the carson deal into question? what better way to find a back up keeper than from under the noses of another club? seems ok to me. as far as squad coverage for injuries goes, well you often find clubs can have an "injury culture" and we certainly do not. ever noticed how many injured players suddenly leap off the treatment table when a new manager is brought in? while we will certainly need to be lucky to avoid major injuries to key players, i don't see us ever missing players due to a stubbed toe like other clubs with big squads might.

January 28, 2008

THE PHANTOM said:

I think MO'N should look at an attacking midfielder as well as a right winger and attacking fullbacks to complete the side as then we would be a threat on the wings well as down the center, we would be a an bird in full flight. Although i have complete faith in MO'N to get the right players and make a solid, exciting team that plays exhilarating football. Possible Signings although adventurous (Vicente or Juan Román Riquelme)

January 28, 2008

tonebone said:

villafandan, that is exactly the point. we are having to play players that have got small knocks and arent 100% fit. if u watched the game on sat it was clear a number of our players were not fully fit or just exhausted and needed a break!!! it is going to cost us big time!!

January 28, 2008

brett said:

riquelme's back at boca so that aint happening, aimar would be amazing and valencia are falling apart so half of the players will want out, cant believe we arent seemingly pursuing miguel further

January 28, 2008

Zidave said:

I see your point now Damien. I guess in my heart sometimes I would like to see us pull a Wenger and sign Solifou type players, but that's just not reality. It's not the type of manager we have. On the bright side. Our manager does not make rash decisions to buy players. With the excellent support from RL we have, he's not pressure to obtain instant success to buy himself time. We can focus on the long-term. Keeping that in mind I don't see MON being quite so slow this summer. The problem we had last summer was who wants to join a bottom half team? Come this year, I have no doubt in my mind we are going to finish top half. This will make us a whole lot more appealing. Players can look at our season and want to be apart of it. That's, why I think this summer won't be quite as 'slow'. It won't change the type of manager we have, but it should make some difference and instead of buying the short-term players, we can purchase the long-term players that we want.

January 28, 2008

stevievillaa said:

2 juan pablo's comment that reo coker is a joke..r u serious? reo coker has been brilliant 4 us since he came,ya he had bad game against blackburn but dat doesnt make him bad player.c him last monday night against liverpool,he was class!..anyway,we need 4 quality players otherwise no chance of top 6.. badly need right back right midfielder creative midfieder nd def another striker

January 28, 2008

Michael P said:

To steal who?

January 28, 2008

ozavfc21 said:

so the big news yesterday was mellberg staying till end of season well whoopdie doo we knew that anyway

January 29, 2008

afolayan smart said:

pls iwant to played as your midfieder send a mesage to me

April 18, 2008 | url

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