Summer 2010 Transfer Thread: B*llsh*t, Rumours & Wishes

[achilles]

He's twice the player Sidwell is.

That's not hard, admittedly.

Probably a better allround player than NRC too.

He's foreign!

[pauliewalnuts]

He's twice the player Sidwell is.

That's not hard, admittedly.

Probably a better allround player than NRC too.

He's foreign!

UK based, though, which is the clincher

[Dave]

He's twice the player Sidwell is.

That's not hard, admittedly.

Probably a better allround player than NRC too.

No probably about it in my opinion.

With the right coaching he could be a brilliant player.

[Monty]

The way I'm seeing the team panning out, it looks like we could well be playing a really attacking 4-1-4-1 next year, which is quite interesting, it has to be said. After the keeper and the back four, Petrov will hold behind a sort of whirlwind of Ash, Stew, Ireland and Keane (some say second striker, others say attacking midfielder, it's all the same area of the pitch really), and Gabby as a sort of target man.

I have to say I like the idea, as Ash and Downing both like cutting in with Ireland and Keane often drifting wide, so the fluidity is pretty much assured. One thing that always impressed me about Ireland in his mega-year was his work ethic and constant tracking back , rather like Downing and Ash especially also do, so that side of the game seems safe. It's obviously also got a hell of a lot of creativity, and Ireland and Keane's movement off the ball has always been good.

The idea reminds me a bit of one of my favourite all time teams, the Flamengo of the early 80s that walloped Liverpool in the Intercontinental Cup: Andrade holding behind Tita, Adilio, Zico and Lico - all world class playmakers - with Nunes as a target man. The full-backs also got forward, as I'd hope ours would as well, so it would make for some very exciting football.

[Dave]

I don't think we can afford to leave the midfield as open as we would be doing with that formation.

I think that Petrov is a great player and a worthy captain but he's not Superman.

[Monty]

It'd be more fluid than my overview, Dave, or at least I'd hope it would be. I imagine most of the time it would look a lot like a 4-3-3, because we'd have two players wide and three in the centre.

[Chris Smith]

Tita, Adilio, Zico and Lico

Isn't that the Banana Splits?

[BedsVillain]

Will be interesting to see how we line up in the pre-season games in Portugal when all 1st teamers will be available. My hunch is we will play a rather straightward 4-4-1-1. If we were playing our 1st game of the season with the personel we have now we'd go:

------------------Friedel---------------------

Cuellar------Collins----Dunne------Warnock


Albrighton-----NRC----Petrov------Downing

--------------Ashley-----------------------------

----------------------------Gabby---------------

Subs: Guzan, Lichaj, Beye, Bannan, Osbourne, Carew, Delfouneso

I think not having Delph fit until 2011 is a big blow for MON as we don't have another senior player to cover him and he'll be loathed to go into the transfer market for one. I think we will see Keane and Ireland coming in, either of which would probably replace Albrighton in that line up and play the second striker role with Ashley going out wide.

Like most I would much prefer us to play a 4-2-3-1 but can see it an adventurous step too far for MON to contemplate. 4-3-3 is probably the most daring he will go, after all it has worked for him before.

[JUAN PABLO]

Will be interesting to see how we line up in the pre-season games in Portugal when all 1st teamers will be available. My hunch is we will play a rather straightward 4-4-1-1. If we were playing our 1st game of the season with the personel we have now we'd go:

------------------Friedel---------------------

Cuellar------Collins----Dunne------Warnock


Albrighton-----NRC----Petrov------Downing

--------------Ashley-----------------------------

----------------------------Gabby---------------

Subs: Guzan, Lichaj, Beye, Bannan, Osbourne, Carew, Delfouneso

.
.

One problem , you know bloody Heskey will be in the team...

[TheSandman]

Will be interesting to see how we line up in the pre-season games in Portugal when all 1st teamers will be available. My hunch is we will play a rather straightward 4-4-1-1. If we were playing our 1st game of the season with the personel we have now we'd go:

------------------Friedel---------------------

Cuellar------Collins----Dunne------Warnock


Albrighton-----NRC----Petrov------Downing

--------------Ashley-----------------------------

----------------------------Gabby---------------

Subs: Guzan, Lichaj, Beye, Bannan, Osbourne, Carew, Delfouneso

I think not having Delph fit until 2011 is a big blow for MON as we don't have another senior player to cover him and he'll be loathed to go into the transfer market for one. I think we will see Keane and Ireland coming in, either of which would probably replace Albrighton in that line up and play the second striker role with Ashley going out wide.

Like most I would much prefer us to play a 4-2-3-1 but can see it an adventurous step too far for MON to contemplate. 4-3-3 is probably the most daring he will go, after all it has worked for him before.

I'm a committed 4-2-3-1 man but the 4-4-1-1 is my second choice. I do like the idea of having Young playing off a lone target man. Now if we're going into a new season looking to play 4-4-1-1 I do reckon we will see Ireland or Keane if we sign them as the second striker/attacking mid.

Does anyone think we might see Lichaj at right back a bit in the first team?

[JUAN PABLO]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1297508/Aston-Villa-Celtic-alert-Harry-Redknapp-hints-Robbie-Keane-need-leave-Tottenham-Hotspur.html

[sfx412]

I don't think we can afford to leave the midfield as open as we would be doing with that formation.

I think that Petrov is a great player and a worthy captain but he's not Superman.

That looks a close description though

He's also slow, over rated, getting on, lacking in impact and carried by the young feet around him, most of whom seem to be leaving.

[BedsVillain]

Will be interesting to see how we line up in the pre-season games in Portugal when all 1st teamers will be available. My hunch is we will play a rather straightward 4-4-1-1. If we were playing our 1st game of the season with the personel we have now we'd go:

------------------Friedel---------------------

Cuellar------Collins----Dunne------Warnock


Albrighton-----NRC----Petrov------Downing

--------------Ashley-----------------------------

----------------------------Gabby---------------

Subs: Guzan, Lichaj, Beye, Bannan, Osbourne, Carew, Delfouneso

I think not having Delph fit until 2011 is a big blow for MON as we don't have another senior player to cover him and he'll be loathed to go into the transfer market for one. I think we will see Keane and Ireland coming in, either of which would probably replace Albrighton in that line up and play the second striker role with Ashley going out wide.

Like most I would much prefer us to play a 4-2-3-1 but can see it an adventurous step too far for MON to contemplate. 4-3-3 is probably the most daring he will go, after all it has worked for him before.

I'm a committed 4-2-3-1 man but the 4-4-1-1 is my second choice. I do like the idea of having Young playing off a lone target man. Now if we're going into a new season looking to play 4-4-1-1 I do reckon we will see Ireland or Keane if we sign them as the second striker/attacking mid.

Does anyone think we might see Lichaj at right back a bit in the first team?

Well Lichaj has played 3 games now at fullback so maybe he's being groomed for it. Interesting that Cuellar came on to play CB yesterday, it wouldn't make sense for Cuellar to play at CB in pre season only to be switched to RB against Wet Spam.

Watched the whole of the Bohemians game back on AVTV this morning and have to say having Ashley in the free role looked really good, we played some really nice football. He seemed to have a really good understanding with Gabby and I think if we'd had another week of pre season under our belts we would have scored a bucket full yesterday.

Would be a shame for Ashley to be put back onto the wings for the sake of Robbie Keane.

[old man villa fan]

Worth a punt?

Stoke are lining up a £4m-raid on Portsmouth for Ghanaian midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng.

What, so that he could become the next Sidwell sitting on the bench on a £40k a week salary and 2 years down the line be joining the 'famous 6' or was it 7.

I know there are very few players available but we must start looking for improvements on what we have in the 1st team if we still want to progress.

I'd say he's a cut above Soldwell, he's a non stop runner and is quite skilful.
The work rate angle would appeal to MON, I would imagine.

I used Sidwell as an example, I could have said Reo Coker.

So, if Milner goes do you see him being our 1st team attacking midfield player.  I, for one, would only see him as a squad player.  An improvement on Sidwell now but didn't Sidwell look good before we bought him.

The point I was trying to make is that this type of player is only a squad player for a top 6 club, not somebody you build your team around.

By all accounts, we are trying to trim the amount we spend on wages for squad players, so what would buying this player achieve.  We would be back to square one after the novalty of a new player had worn off.

[Dave]

By all accounts, we are trying to trim the amount we spend on wages for squad players, so what would buying this player achieve.  We would be back to square one after the novalty of a new player had worn off.

It would give us a much better player than anyone else we currently have in his position and by the sounds of things wouldn't cost very much money.