Christopher Shabani Nonda

[HypoLuxa]

So it seems as if Shabani not only wants to stay at Blackburn beyond his loan deal, but we have an agreed fee with Roma to sign him permanently if we so choose; along the lines of Bentley and Zurab.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?HLID=429046&CPID=8&title=Rovers+have+Nonda+option&lid=&channel=Football_Home&f=rss&clid=5
What do you all think? Should we pull the trigger in January? Should we wait 'til the end of the season? I know a lot of it depends upon the actual agreed fee, but if it's reasonable so far I think we should sign him. Jeffers hasn't shown thus far that he is an integral part of the squad. Gallagher seems to be turning into a winger, whether by his choice or not. And Derbyshire doesn't seem to be in Hughes's plans for the near future, so with Jason Roberts, Benni and Nonda I think we'd have a good strikeforce for a few years...

[SMUPlayer]

If it was me, I wouldn't be able to hand him a pen fast enough to sign on the dotted line. He's been fantastic in the games that I have seen, getting chances when there has been little to no help from the midfielders.

[Andyobri]

Im not convinced, im not a rovers fan, but he may be the difference in europe, but i don't think he is a premiership striker, i would like to see Gally in there, give him a run of games,

Yes or no?

[HypoLuxa]

I agree Gallagher needs more of a chance in the first team but it seems as if Hughes sees him as a winger now rather than a striker (He played left wing all year last year on loan at Stoke), so I think his days as a striker are gone. I'm still not convinced that Hughes even sees him in his long-term plans.

As far as Nonda, he hasn't put up any gaudy numbers but those goals will come if he can keep working and he can get any type of service from the mid-field. Saying that I doubt Roma's asking price is very low so I'd have questions of whether Hughes even sees his permanent signing as beneficial. We shall see....

[Andyobri]

Hughes is a fan of turning strikers to wingers. Bentley, however i do feel he is a good manager and that rovers are abit of a farm team for united, i would fancy a bet for sparky to take fergies place at united in afew years, they will be watching his european exploits very closely.

I Know i would be.

Whats rovers best 11 then?

[HypoLuxa]

I know I'd be taking a safe bet at Ladbroke's if I were to wager for Hughes to take over for Fergie, but I really really really REALLY don't want to think of that right now.

Bentley's transformation to a RWer has taken awhile but he seems to have really taken to the role. he scored his hat-trick against you guys last year as a striker and then did nothing else. His attacking midfield role (a la Scholes) hasn't really turned into anything, but then we haven't been able to play that style of footy in awhile. Maybe when we are all healthy we can start using Bentley in that role.

A full strength starting XI would look like this...



McCarthy Nonda

Pedersen Savage Reid/Tugay Bentley


Neill Nelsen Zurab/Ooijer Emerton


Big Brad Friedel

Our left side is definitely a worry, though. Neill wants away and I'm all for shifting him out of Ewood sharpish. Gamst has severely disappointed so we're ALL hoping for Sergio Peter or even Gallagher to come on in, deputise in the role and take it over....

[Revelian]

Nonda has been good since his arrival. I like him and I hope we sign him.

We still need more strength in depth, though.

Oh yeah, and I completely agree with getting rid of Neill. He's ache hock.

Revelian