RUMOUR - Church to Swansea

[No Fixed Abode]

This story is in the Swansea Herald today.

[Scarface]

This story is in the Swansea Herald today.

Do you think Rodgers will take Long as well?

Buy one non goal scoring striker and get one free.

[Ian Royal]

Think it's fair to say Rodgers probably rates Church considerably higher than Long given I think Churchy started more than four times as many games as Shane for him. Assuming my very quick count just then was vaguely right.

[loyalroyal4life]

This story is in the Swansea Herald today.

Well i would happily accept a straight swap for scott sinclair

[Royalwaster]

Let him go on loan - maybe BR can get him to start scoring goals?

[roadrunner]

Let him go on loan - maybe BR can get him to start scoring goals?

What a marvelous idea. Who needs four strikers? Hell, who needs three strikers? Long and Hunt can fight the imminent relegation battle all on their own. Worst comes to the worst we can always have Mooney back..

[Hoop Blah]

Church has played a lot of his early football as a wide forward in a 3.

He's done it for us a little too, but perhaps more important Rodgers will no doubt want players that allow him to make tactical changes and not be reliant on one formation.

Never bloody wanted to with us.

Think Church has looked pretty poor out wide personally.

Never wanted what? Do you mean Rodgers never wanted to play different systems?

He did, perhaps too much.

[Alan Partridge]

This story is in the Swansea Herald today.

LOL @ inventing a fake paper

[Focher]

This story is in the Swansea Herald today.

LOL @ inventing a fake paper

[ZacNaloen]

Think it's fair to say Rodgers probably rates Church considerably higher than Long given I think Churchy started more than four times as many games as Shane for him. Assuming my very quick count just then was vaguely right.

It's true but for most of the time Rodgers was in charge Shane was coming back from an ankle injury so it doesn't say very much.

[Row Z Royal]

This story is in the Swansea Herald today.

LOL @ inventing a fake paper

Agreed. It's the Evening Post, isn't it?

[glass half full]

Church was very complimentary about Rodgers a while ago, so I would not rule out a move, although it might be a loan move initially.

[roadrunner]

Church was very complimentary about Rodgers a while ago, so I would not rule out a move, although it might be a loan move initially.

We have three strikers and we really do need another. How on earth can you see a loan move happening?

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Church was very complimentary about Rodgers a while ago, so I would not rule out a move, although it might be a loan move initially.

We have three strikers and we really do need another. How on earth can you see a loan move happening?

One out, one in.

[PieEater]

I couldn't really care less about Church going, I don't rate him anywhere near as good as Cox or Tyson. Cox in particular left having had very few first team opportunities, Church has had loads of playing time and not really taken his chance.

He's a poacher and needs to play off someone, so unless Rodgers is planning a formation change I can't really see how he'd fit in there.

[Royalwaster]

Think this would be a mistake - at the moment, he's not first team material; but I think he's got the stuff to do very well. If we weren't such a selling team, he'd only be on the fringes of the first team and everyone would be going - "Wow, what a hot prospect - he needs to be given more of a chance". Maybe he's been thrown in at the deep end a bit too much?

[Victor Meldrew]

Think this would be a mistake - at the moment, he's not first team material; but I think he's got the stuff to do very well. If we weren't such a selling team, he'd only be on the fringes of the first team and everyone would be going - "Wow, what a hot prospect - he needs to be given more of a chance". Maybe he's been thrown in at the deep end a bit too much?

There comes a time when a club has to decide if a player has a future with that club.
I fear (to use horse-racing parlance) that he hasn't trained on.
He is not exactly a little kid anymore,he's a year younger than Messi and a month older than Andy Carroll,and has been involved in international football with the Welsh senior squad for the past couple of years.
In my eyes he lacks a bit of bottle and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to move elsewhere.

[Ian Royal]

I think he's got bags of potential and if he got the sort of faith and support from the manager that Long has had, he'd have matched Shane in the goals department at least.

[Snowball]

I think he's got bags of potential and if he got the sort of faith and support from the manager that Long has had, he'd have matched Shane in the goals department at least.

Neither defending Long or attacking Church but you have to ask yourself WHY the manager consistently picks one over the other.

Maybe in training Church isn't doing it. There has to be SOMETHING.

Someone in the thread suggested maybe Church hasn't "trained on".

Someone else suggested "bottle".

This one is interesting, as I can't ever remember a "brave" Church goal or attempt, whereas both Long and Hunt have shown bravery in abundance.

I'm NOT saying I agree about either of the above. I thought Church would push on big time this season after a very good first season. But he simply hasn't.

He's started 9 and appeared 9 (12), his 3 goals coming as a sub in a very narrow "purple patch". He's looked "lost" in many games.

I have no idea why. I'm sure he will at least make a decent CCC striker, but something's not right at the moment

[Royalwaster]

Agree he's looked 'lost' in many games - in the games where we played 4-3-3 apart from the Cardiff game, he was the weakest link. I know the jury is out on Long, but one thing I really think with him is that his positioning and general play is much improved. He looks now like he knows what he's doing - whereas Church often doesn't. Still, I do agree that he looks like he could do it. But he needs to do it soon or he'll be moved on ...