For one, seniority. In terms of time spent out on loan, Carroll's got a leg up on Nabil, and it's hardly fair to the rest of our youth teamers hoping to make it if we discard him without really giving him a full year in and around the first team (a la Fryers, for example) to see what he's worth. Bentaleb needs to improve his reflexes and decision-making (although he's quite good as he already is), so a loan that guarantees him 30-40 appearances would be beneficial for him as well.
Also, Carroll's done okay-ish as a central midfielder for QPR, but I suspect his attributes (quick passing, an eye for the slide-rule pass, a slight frame) are more suited to the AM position: at least, I'd like to see him tried there. Hence, I've tried to tailor the squad in a way that affords Carroll the responsibility of being one of the primary back-ups for Eriksen/Lallana/Lamela, with Townsend and Lennon being the 'conventional' replacements for the wider players in that trio and Holtby being the 'emergency' replacement, pushed up from deep should Carroll subsequently also injure himself/prove unable to carry out the role effectively.
Now that I've hopefully softened you up/bored you stiff, as a return question, what are your views on Steven Caulker? No snappishness, if you please.
Interesting. For me it's the other way around, Bentaleb has shown himself capable at a high PL level this season. Carroll hasn't done that yet. So for me Bentaleb has stepped ahead of Carroll in the pecking order. Age and how long they've waited really doesn't come into it much for me, it's about how good they are and to what extent they've proved themselves good enough. In short, come August I would be more confident that Bentaleb would do a job if called upon in the Premier League than I would be about Carroll.
Haven't watched QPR at all this season, but I don't see him as a number 10. From what I've heard QPR have been fairly defensive and direct this season, not a system that suits Carroll so I'm not reading too much into his performances there. Do you think we would get goals from Carroll in that position? I struggle to see that he would be a regular scorer, for me that's important from a player in that position when playing a lone striker. He's not the biggest and will need time to develop into a deeper role, but I think he can.
For Caulker, I always rated him. I was very impressed with him at Swansea, but I haven't seen him much at Cardiff. I rated him higher than most on here whilst he was in our squad, thought he got an unfair amount of criticism as he was never given a chance to start regularly or form an understanding with a regular partner next to him like he did at Swansea. I think his age gets underplayed at times, he's still only 22, there's been a lot of very good PL defenders that have been playing in smaller leagues at that age and I have in the past listed some of them. I really don't see why he shouldn't be able to sort out his shortcomings given a few years.
However, I'm not sure he's who I would want to see us go for this summer. There have of course been speculations that he was let go because of some backroom issues, in which case he might not even be an option for us. But even if that's not the case I really think what we need at the back is someone with a bit more experience and even more importantly someone that's good at organizing at the back. Qualities I think are lacking in both Dawson and Kaboul, and something I seriously doubt Chiriches is ready for. That really only leaves Vertonghen as someone that organizes the back 4 and he's not outstanding at it either and has had a disappointing second season. I would like to see a Naybet or Gallas type signing more than another young player (in an already young back 4, particularly if you take away Dawson/Kaboul). I don't know who exactly that should be to be honest, I don't think it's Rio Ferdinand for example, but I hope Baldini will know of someone. Wouldn't mind Lovren, but he will surely be very expensive at this point. Would like to see someone with PL experience, but again, not a lot of obvious names available.
That being said we have some serious issues at the back. Dawson and a Poch high pressing game and play it out from the back style? Not convinced. Kaboul's ongoing injury issues makes him a less than stellar candidate too. I honestly wouldn't mind if we replaced both, in that case one experienced player and Caulker back would make me happy. Although being one of four and not a first choice might not be what Caulker wants at this point. If the experience player that can come in isn't available/gettable and we have to go for someone a bit younger I wouldn't be against Caulker being that player. Wouldn't be top of my (realistic) wishlist, but I wouldn't mind at all. He's quite physical, but also good with the ball at his feet. Should in theory be able to form a good partnership with Vertonghen.
This could be the conclusion to most of my posts about potential new players, but Poch worked primarily with Lovren and Fonte this season. Some of us probably would have wanted to see the club take a chance on Lovren in the summer, but I don't think anyone wanted Fonte. As long as Poch gets players he thinks he can get integrated in his system I will be happy with that.
