Bringing in players from other leagues is never a certainty. A lot of players just don't adapt to the Prem, who do very well elsewhere (I will spare you my list of flops). Some take a season to adapt, and we don't have the luxury of that kind of learning curve.
So bringing in an out-of-favour Prem LB is a smart strategy. However, since every team wants squad depth, most don't want to sell them. Especially in January when replacing them is extra tough.

I don't care if Davies can't score much, or there is a long fantasy-list of players who might be better.
For me, there are only two questions regarding our targets: can we sign them (including do they want to play for a 17th place team), and are they better than what we have?

Davies is a better LB than Kelly and Fryers. So I say buy him if he'll sign! As to your other concern long term. Same question, can we buy a better LB? If yes, then Davies sits on the bench. If we can buy 2, then we sell Davies in the summer--what's the issue?

The problem with the January transfer window is that everybody wants to buy, but no one wants to sell (except garbage). I mean with so many players out we can't even afford to sell Mutch until we have a replacement.

Beggars can't be choosers, and we are relegation-fight beggars.

Please think about what you're saying. This isn't a signing for 17 games. It's an investment for 3-5 years. You're gonna be stuck with this player for that long. The team is scoring goals now. Actually, it's not the team. It's Zaha who has made 12 goals (4 goals and 8 assists). Without his contribution, Palace would have 18 goals, the second to the last attack in the Premier League.

What's going to happen after Zaha leaves/is sold? You have to build to make this team a better team. Yes, I understand. You want to escape relegation. But it makes you scared and illogical. You're not getting a player for these 17 games. Ben Davies MIGHT or MIGHT NOT be good defensively in those 17 games and help save Palace from relegation. But what after? He'll CERTAINLY be of no contribution in attack in the next seasons. When Zaha leaves, if another player doesn't fill in well, you'll still be playing with Ward and Ben Davies as fullbacks and eventually, in another year or 2, EVENTUALLY, the team will still go down.

It's not just about keeping the team up this year. You have to think of the future. This team has to progress, to bring players that can make it progress. To make the team a traditional contender to the top 7 in the next 5 years.

Palace needs to get an all-round good player, not just one good defensively.

Edited by mattteo (09 Jan 2017 12.55pm)

Isn't Coentrao a Real Madrid player who has had injury problems?

Is he actually available and would he really leave Real Madrid and his best buddy Ronaldo to come to Palace and help us in a relegation battle?

Bringing in players from other leagues is never a certainty.

Lol maybe being best friends with Ronaldo wouldn't make a big difference...perhaps playing for Real Madrid or playing for Palace is what really matters! If he's over his injury problems then tell me why he would choose to sign for Palace when there would be a host of top European clubs just waiting to take him.

Listen I just think its a bit of a wild suggestion to be looking at Real Madrid players who could find Champions League football in their choice of country if they wanted to move on.

Money. That's why most players choose to play for PL rather than play for Sporting or Benfica.

PL clubs have money, that's why they CAN look at these players

Edited by mattteo (10 Jan 2017 10.33am)