[Astle1968]

I would rather us sign Rodriquez for £12mil than deeney for £35mil.

However I would prefer us to go for Afobe or King from Bournemouth, or have a punt on somebody from outside the uk- but won't happen in a month of Sunday's with pulis in charge.

If we can get the player Southampton had 3 years ago then £12m is an absolute steal. However the chances of that are probably less than 5% and even lower when you consider that even if he never had the injury he would likely struggle to replicate that form in our set up.

We would likely be signing an ok mid lower mid table PL quality player for an over inflated fee thats in line with most PL transfers who will end up scoring between 6-10 goals for us depending on his game time and where he plays.

I'd also like King although Afobe doesn't do much for me. However we have no chance with King as he's worth something to Bournemouth. The only reason Rodriguez is available is because he's no use to Southampton. If Bournemouth we're trying to sign Foster or Evans we would be laughing at them for attempting it or ridiculing the bids like Leicester for Evans. If we stick to the domestic market the vast majority of players will be ones who are deemed not good enough by their current clubs.

With players like Chadli and Evans that's fine but the rest are going to be extremely average at best. Doesn't mean their poor players or even necessarily bad buys but it's just extremely dull at a time when to many everything about the place is stale and boring already.

[Standaman]

If we can get the player Southampton had 3 years ago then £12m is an absolute steal. However the chances of that are probably less than 5% and even lower when you consider that even if he never had the injury he would likely struggle to replicate that form in our set up.

We would likely be signing an ok mid lower mid table PL quality player for an over inflated fee thats in line with most PL transfers who will end up scoring between 6-10 goals for us depending on his game time and where he plays.

I'd also like King although Afobe doesn't do much for me. However we have no chance with King as he's worth something to Bournemouth. The only reason Rodriguez is available is because he's no use to Southampton. If Bournemouth we're trying to sign Foster or Evans we would be laughing at them for attempting it or ridiculing the bids like Leicester for Evans. If we stick to the domestic market the vast majority of players will be ones who are deemed not good enough by their current clubs.

With players like Chadli and Evans that's fine but the rest are going to be extremely average at best. Doesn't mean their poor players or even necessarily bad buys but it's just extremely dull at a time when to many everything about the place is stale and boring already.

I agree although I might be slightly more optimistic about Rodriguez but on the balance of probabilities £12m is not a steal he would be at half the price.

While Evans and to a lesser degree Chadli have been good buys I would caution against the glib assumption that just because a player is coming from the back end of a top 6 squad that they are anything other than over priced and over paid but still average.

We desperately need expand our horizons but from all of the evidence to date we won't. Pulis' much vaunted scouting trip to the continent took in one match Benfica v Sporting largely to watch Carvelho being not "athletic enough".

[barnestormer]

12 million has got to be a structured deal on his succsess at B71,if it was a straight up 12  it would surely be a done deal and announced quite quickly

[Standaman]

12 million has got to be a structured deal on his succsess at B71,if it was a straight up 12  it would surely be a done deal and announced quite quickly

Player currently on holiday so nothing likely to happen formally in any event. Southampton reportedly looking for £15m but it is thought £12m will do the job.

[wba_1996]

I'm hoping this falls through. In fact I'm hoping all the deals we try to do fall through until the dinosaur either walks or is forced to listen to our scouts.

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Would be a good gamble even at that price (AND with the amount of cash sloshing around the PL atm)...personally I would think he is a good fit for us...particularly as Big Ron and HRK (much as I like them) are currently only our other striking options...?

[Topman]

So this seems to be getting closer to our first signing. If this guy does sign is that our front line then Rondon, Hal and Jrod? Because If it is it isn't exactly getting pulse racing. Any normal club would by another up top, do people think that's us done upfront?

[Hull Baggie]

So this seems to be getting closer to our first signing. If this guy does sign is that our front line then Rondon, Hal and Jrod? Because If it is it isn't exactly getting pulse racing. Any normal club would by another up top, do people think that's us done upfront?

I would hope we would be in for another Rondon type target man as well. Rodriguez being the wide left player with Phillips wide right and Chadli through the middle looks good.

[skyclad99]

So this seems to be getting closer to our first signing. If this guy does sign is that our front line then Rondon, Hal and Jrod? Because If it is it isn't exactly getting pulse racing. Any normal club would by another up top, do people think that's us done upfront?

We could sign Benzema to be honest and still not score. If we put Jrod up front on his own like we have done with Rondon then its only going to go one way........

[paulosull]

Good player, who would improve our forward line but he needs a run of game's with rondon.

[Standaman]

I think one or two posters are forgetting who are head coach is. Innovative formations with wide attackers in them aren't going to happen

Broadly there are 4 options and which option Pulis has in mind defines what else we are going to do.

1. Playing Rodriguez in a rota of lone strikers along with Rondon and Robson-Kanu in either a 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1

2. Playing Rodriguez as the 10 in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1

3. Playing Rodriguez as a wide player in a 4-2-3-1

4 Playing him as the second striker in a 4-4-2.

Personally I hate the first option. I cannot see Rodriguez as a lone striker in a Pulis team. He has done it for Southampton but they are a passing team and he doesn't have to chase hopeful balls down the channel if this was the plan we got the wrong Southampton player we should have gone for Long. If we are only playing one up top we  don't need another striker. Typically teams that play with these systems have 2 and a spare. If we needed additional cover we should look to Roberts to provide it.

The second option of playing him as a 10 is a lot better than as a lone striker. However we would need to get an additional target man in as cover for Rondon. Equally we wouldn't need both Morrison or Chadli whose best position is behind the striker.

Wide in a 4-2-3-1 is possibly worse than the lone striker option our wide players don't see enough of the ball in the final 1/3 and sit too deep most of the time to impact the game in an attacking sense.

A 4-4-2 with Fletcher out of the picture it might be possible to get the necessary box to box midfielder in to make this work. Again another striker would be required even possibly 2 and then there is the question of what do we do with Chadli and Morrison. 

I think he can fill in a number of positions and as such could be an asset, however to make a real impact he needs to have a position in the team where his skill set works to our best advantage, I see that as being a withdrawn striker which has some implications for the rest of the window.

[overseas baggie]

I think one or two posters are forgetting who are head coach is. Innovative formations with wide attackers in them aren't going to happen

Broadly there are 4 options and which option Pulis has in mind defines what else we are going to do.

1. Playing Rodriguez in a rota of lone strikers along with Rondon and Robson-Kanu in either a 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1

2. Playing Rodriguez as the 10 in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1

3. Playing Rodriguez as a wide player in a 4-2-3-1

4 Playing him as the second striker in a 4-4-2.

Personally I hate the first option. I cannot see Rodriguez as a lone striker in a Pulis team. He has done it for Southampton but they are a passing team and he doesn't have to chase hopeful balls down the channel if this was the plan we got the wrong Southampton player we should have gone for Long. If we are only playing one up top we  don't need another striker. Typically teams that play with these systems have 2 and a spare. If we needed additional cover we should look to Roberts to provide it.

The second option of playing him as a 10 is a lot better than as a lone striker. However we would need to get an additional target man in as cover for Rondon. Equally we wouldn't need both Morrison or Chadli whose best position is behind the striker.

Wide in a 4-2-3-1 is possibly worse than the lone striker option our wide players don't see enough of the ball in the final 1/3 and sit too deep most of the time to impact the game in an attacking sense.

A 4-4-2 with Fletcher out of the picture it might be possible to get the necessary box to box midfielder in to make this work. Again another striker would be required even possibly 2 and then there is the question of what do we do with Chadli and Morrison. 

I think he can fill in a number of positions and as such could be an asset, however to make a real impact he needs to have a position in the team where his skill set works to our best advantage, I see that as being a withdrawn striker which has some implications for the rest of the window.

Very good analysis and I agree that the "withdrawn striker" is the best option.  I think we also need options depending on whether or not we are chasing the game, and/or to be flexible depending on whether we are at home or away, and whether we are away at one of the big 6 sides.  The sole option last season of Rondon or HRK was totally unacceptable.

Chadli of course can also play as the withdrawn striker, as could Phillips, so depending on who else we may sign both up front (Deeney or another) or out wide (Jakob Murphy?), I could see Morrison being sold as surplus to requirements.

For me, having viable options this season is an absolute must.

[Hull Baggie]

Surely playing Rodriguez in the withdrawn striker role means that Chadli is either out wide left (out of position apparently) or on the bench? Is that a good use of resources?

I think having Rodriguez starting out as the wide left player in a fluid 3 behind a central attacker is a far better use of the player. Phillips, Chadli and Rodriguez are all capable of playing anywhere across that line so it shouldn't be an issue. During our good run last season Phillips and McClean occaisonally swapped wings, and Chadli would occupy a wide space allowing either Phillips or McClean to cut inside.

[Westie]

All this assumes that we'll actually sign the bloke!

[Hull Baggie]

All this assumes that we'll actually sign the bloke!

well yes that goes without saying , otherwise we'd have nothing to discuss.

[baggiebof]

As always, it is all about balance. The 4-2-3-1 last season looked good when Morrison and Phillips were running in beyond Rondon. I personally have always liked the balance of the 3 behind the striker in this formation to consist of a play maker that comes inside and short to create, a player who runs beyond the striker and another that can pick it up in space and drive us forward. Chadli, Rodriguez and Phillips could fill those roles hopefully.

[saml30]

As always, it is all about balance. The 4-2-3-1 last season looked good when Morrison and Phillips were running in beyond Rondon. I personally have always liked the balance of the 3 behind the striker in this formation to consist of a play maker that comes inside and short to create, a player who runs beyond the striker and another that can pick it up in space and drive us forward. Chadli, Rodriguez and Phillips could fill those roles hopefully.

Completely agree. A 3 of Phillips, Rodriguez and Chadli could be very good, it's a shame the tactics of the team is likely to let them down

[Standaman]

I think the withdrawn striker role is the best option, but once we go down that path it does throw up some question marks about Chadli and Morrison. Until the squad is finalised and we have a few games we won't know how we are setting up.

[Adder]

4 main candidates for 3 places is not a bad place to be though. Whoever isn't performing is on the bench, quite a healthy thing to have. If that happens to be a £10m or £12m player then so be it....plus people get injured of course.

[superbobgod]

Odds last few days has been us at 1/20 and Burnley 25-1.
Sky Bet has suddenly changed to 1/6 and Burnley 4-1 - Hope its just a little flutter someone has had and not someone in the know Burnley end!!!!

Has anyone seen anything to back this up like a Burnley Journo on twitter?

[tambag]

Only thing is Burnley are rumoured to be selling Keane to Everton. So they will have money to spend.

[caravanc58]

lots of media quoting £14m for Rodriguez now not the £12m being reported earlier.

[wba_1996]

Hope he goes Burnley, £14m for an injury-prone Southampton reject. Awful business.

[baggie38]

People want us to sign players then moan about a (REPORTED) fee. The club cant win.

[overseas baggie]

Only thing is Burnley are rumoured to be selling Keane to Everton. So they will have money to spend.

If Burnley are willing to offload Andre Gray to buy Rodriguez then I'd far rather we buy Gray!