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We still need new blood

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Published Date: 22 July 2008

Harry Redknapp has reiterated his desire for more new blood, despite last night's 4-1 victory at Bournemouth.

Club-record signing Peter Crouch grabbed a double while Jermain Defoe and Sulley Muntari bagged one apiece in the Dean Court friendly.

It was Pompey's best pre-season display so far and achieved without Niko Kranjcar, Lassana Diarra, Kanu, John Utaka and virus victims Sylvain Distin and Ben Sahar.

Meanwhile, David James featured in another Blues friendly last night at Dorchester Town, which finished in a 1-1 draw.

They will now head to Nigeria on Friday to play two matches, one against Manchester United.

In the meantime, Redknapp is adamant he is still on the hunt for further reinforcements to bolster his squad in the forthcoming season.

He said: 'Last night was about getting the players minutes on the pitch and it was a good win.

'We were missing Diarra, Kranjcar, Distin and David James, four massive players.

'Sylvain's got a virus, a lot of the lads have had it, he's been rough. He doesn't miss training, he never misses a game or anything.

'Despite winning, though, I still think we are one or two players short.

'Honestly, I think there are one or two areas we got away with a bit last year and if we can get a couple of top quality players in there we can be a very good team.'

Meanwhile, Sulley Muntari has been linked by the foreign media with a £15m switch to Inter Milan.

And defender Martin Cranie has become a loan target for Championship rivals Charlton and Coventry.

The full article contains 271 words and appears in n/a newspaper.

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Last Updated: 22 July 2008 9:01 AM
Source: n/a
Location: Portsmouth

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Mr Clapp,

Southsea 22/07/2008 09:45:58

£15 million and Champions league football, not to mention playing for the 'special one'
Here's hoping Sully stays put!

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POMPEYBEN,

London 22/07/2008 09:48:58

At that price it will fund who Harry wants to bring in........

Got a bad feeling Sulley maybe going.

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Trueblue1,

bristol 22/07/2008 09:51:43

state the obvious WE NO WE NEEd A WINGER yes loan martin out he is not far away from makeing a good player one for the future and england remember true blue said it frist whatch this space he will be worth big bucks in couple of years , as for sully let him go themn we can put the final peice in are jigsaw speculate to ecumulate

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Blue Pompey Phil,

winchester 22/07/2008 09:54:15

i wouldnt want him to go, but 15m that may be too much to refuse. we have plenty in that position and he hasnt always impressed although it was his first season. If we used that money to finance the move for SWP, the team overall would have a far better look to it. I am still a huge fan of Mendes, he can more can do a job in the middle alongside Diarra and with cover from Diop, Davis and Hughes we should have enough.

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Ken Benobi,

Lee-On-Solent 22/07/2008 10:19:31

I am a big fan of Mendes, he has bags of creativity and is always a goal threat but he doesn't possess the raw power and athleticism of Muntari, look at how he muscled his way forward and blasted home his second against Villa last season. We do want to keep him. Of course a winger such as SWP is a priority as we have far less cover out wide but that can be achieved without losing our top players, it looks like a few clubs are interested in the players we want to sell to raise cash.

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Benji fan,

22/07/2008 10:41:45

diop and hughes arew not players you want in your squad if we are gonna be challengin for the top 6. We have out grown them now and should be looking to keep people like muntari and sign players of his quality or better now. get rid of diop and hughes get in d'allasandro and SWP.

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Trueblue1,

bristol 22/07/2008 10:49:23

well benobi thay are to different types of players compleatly different , munt only 22 a boy pedro is 32 give me pedro all day long if sully goes davis can do a job

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pupag,

chichester 22/07/2008 10:52:05

15m let him go if thats the price we need creativity im the middle of the park diarra has great drive, energy and reads the game v.well but we need someone with an eye for a pass even if it is mendes, then splash out on left back and SWP who can play through the middle as a different option.
its gona be a great season whatever!!!!!!!

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Andy Weller,

22/07/2008 10:53:30

Question - how come clubs such as Fulham, Sunderland, Wigan, Bolton all seem to have pots of money to spend and we are struggling to raise cash after winning the FA Cup and entrance to Europe, surely there is more in the pot??

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Ken Benobi,

Lee-On-Solent 22/07/2008 10:59:41

Well Trueblue, I'd say your statement about respective ages is if anything a reason to choose Muntari over Mendes. Muntari still has lots of time for improvement and could end up as good as or better than Michael Essien, there was nothing between them at the World Cup. Mendes, quality that he is, is sadly just going to decline from now on, far better to think long-term. Besides, Diarra and Kranjcar both have ample time to grow also, they will both be capable of the variety of passing that embodies Mendes' play before long. If anything though, I'd get rid of Diop. Doesn't run, only attribute is power and presence (Which Muntari has) and he's only going to get worse. And Andy, we've just spent 11 million and massive wages on Crouch, not forgetting all the work that's going into the new stadium and training ground. As much as it saddens me, football is now a business, and to get in top quality players you have to let less able ones go to balance the books. Considering they could be playing regularly elsewhere it's only fair, it helps both parties.

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