New signing - Neil Warnock!

[N'ZMAV]

Someone lock all the broom cupboards without opening them please.

[CJ]

I reckon there's a broom closet somewhere in Bodymoor Heath where Beye has been living for the last year or so, if you open it he'll fall out and declare himself raring to go.

A bit like 'Richmond' in the IT Crowd!

[Concrete John]

Hope he starts to perform? Very much so. Rely on him doing so? No

Although I understand where you're coming from, what would you do different?  I can't see Randy sanctioning another highly paid attacking midfielder meaning one of him or Ireland is sat on the bench.

Personally I'd say our option are using Delph or Bannan there, or switching to 4-4-2 with two DCMs.  Either's fine with me and means we won't be relying on him. 

[pauliewalnuts]

Hope he starts to perform? Very much so. Rely on him doing so? No

Although I understand where you're coming from, what would you do different?  I can't see Randy sanctioning another highly paid attacking midfielder meaning one of him or Ireland is sat on the bench.

Personally I'd say our option are using Delph or Bannan there, or switching to 4-4-2 with two DCMs.  Either's fine with me and means we won't be relying on him. 

I'm referring more to when people put forward what they see as our strongest team and say "that line up looks pretty good" as evidence that we're well placed to do well this season - as it relies on ireland coming good.

Inidentally, who would be the two DCMs you'd use?

[Concrete John]

Similar to the teams I've suggested before in a 4-5-1, I'd start with Makoun and Petrov, with expectations on Delph to gradually take Petrov's place.  I'd like a true ball winner in there, but with 2 wingers and 2 strikers they'd be able to sit deep and just supply balls to those 4, so that should allow them to offer enough protection to the back 4. 

[Chris Smith]

Hope he starts to perform? Very much so. Rely on him doing so? No

Although I understand where you're coming from, what would you do different?  I can't see Randy sanctioning another highly paid attacking midfielder meaning one of him or Ireland is sat on the bench.

Personally I'd say our option are using Delph or Bannan there, or switching to 4-4-2 with two DCMs.  Either's fine with me and means we won't be relying on him. 

I'm referring more to when people put forward what they see as our strongest team and say "that line up looks pretty good" as evidence that we're well placed to do well this season - as it relies on ireland coming good.

Yes, it will be a bonus if he performs but...

[pauliewalnuts]

Similar to the teams I've suggested before in a 4-5-1, I'd start with Makoun and Petrov, with expectations on Delph to gradually take Petrov's place.  I'd like a true ball winner in there, but with 2 wingers and 2 strikers they'd be able to sit deep and just supply balls to those 4, so that should allow them to offer enough protection to the back 4. 

Makoun is hardly a defensive midfielder though, is he?

[Concrete John]

Similar to the teams I've suggested before in a 4-5-1, I'd start with Makoun and Petrov, with expectations on Delph to gradually take Petrov's place.  I'd like a true ball winner in there, but with 2 wingers and 2 strikers they'd be able to sit deep and just supply balls to those 4, so that should allow them to offer enough protection to the back 4. 

Makoun is hardly a defensive midfielder though, is he?

He played that role in France, but I'm not yet personally concinved he can do it in the faster and more pysical PL.  However, they're both good footballers and can do the job by good positional sense and being disciplined.

[pauliewalnuts]

Similar to the teams I've suggested before in a 4-5-1, I'd start with Makoun and Petrov, with expectations on Delph to gradually take Petrov's place.  I'd like a true ball winner in there, but with 2 wingers and 2 strikers they'd be able to sit deep and just supply balls to those 4, so that should allow them to offer enough protection to the back 4. 

Makoun is hardly a defensive midfielder though, is he?

He played that role in France, but I'm not yet personally concinved he can do it in the faster and more pysical PL.  However, they're both good footballers and can do the job by good positional sense and being disciplined.

Isn't being able to tackle a key requirement for a DCM?

I like Makoun as a player a lot, passes excellently, keeps the ball moving, but he tackles as convincingly as my mother.

[Concrete John]

Isn't being able to tackle a key requirement for a DCM?

In the modern game, not so much.  It's more about covering runs, being in the right place, standing your man up and forcing him backwards. 

Tackling is becoming a lost art and with the rules being what they are, plus fairy footballers lookiong for free kicks everywhere, it can actually be a negative thing, unless you're really good at it.

[Merv]

If he can get Warnock and Ireland integrated back into the squad again and playing well - not to mention getting Dunne and Collins back to their best - the manager will deserve credit for that, as well.

He absolutely has to try to get those players performing, and will deserve huge credit if he does.

Relying on him to do so, though, scares me. I see, for instance, that we've had the YouTube videos of Ireland posted, with "look at the player we could have" comments.

Those comments are fair enough, but they're exactly the same ones we had when he signed, and probably the same things Newcastle fans said when he went there.

Hope he starts to perform? Very much so. Rely on him doing so? No

I agree. I think it's an indictment of how we've all had to revise our thinking over the last six weeks that we're now pinning so much on these players. Back in May, I was expecting almost a new back four coming in - certainly one new CB, an LB and an RB - and there much discussion about Dunne and Collins on here, with many posters wanting both sold.

That seems a long time ago now. Our position now is that players who were out of the picture six months ago are key; Warnock and Ireland are in the majority of people's starting X1. I do think both are good enough to be in our team, but whether it works out that way is another matter. I have a horrible feeling our squad is going to be badly exposed this season.

[hilts_coolerking]

McLeish quote

"We finished ninth last season. Can we better that? It would be extremely difficult given every team has been gearing up, Sunderland have signed 10 players and Stoke are linked with many players at extortionate transfer fees.''

Prepare for lower than 9th, although that won't be McLeish's fault..

Looks like McLeish is in the "pessimist" camp.

[pauliewalnuts]

Isn't being able to tackle a key requirement for a DCM?

In the modern game, not so much.  It's more about covering runs, being in the right place, standing your man up and forcing him backwards. 

The only one of those I've seen from Makoun is the positioning.

[Lee]

As he decided that he actually wants to earn his money now?  What a prick.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

As he decided that he actually wants to earn his money now?  What a prick.

Yes and sickeningly, people will laud him for it.