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

[Chris Smith]

Well 4-4-2 doesn't work at home Chris. I still think that Young in a free role would work as it did in MON's second season, rather than him being stuck to the touchline.

Last season myself and a few others kept harping on about how good Ashley was int he free role in 07/08. Alas martin didn't read our posts....

We clearly have the players to mix and match our style of play. We have creative players but the system they are asked to play limits our options.

With Ash in the free role for a few games  towards the end of 07/08 we scored tonnes of goals.

If you did that who would you play on the left and right side of midfield?

[Irish villain]

Downing, Milner?

We managed in 07/08 and we didn't even have Downing and Milner. In any case I am merely putting forward a Plan B or C to be used to unlock teams we haven't been able to break down with Ash on the wing.

Just showing we have the players to try different things and that it worked in the past.

[Chris Smith]

Downing, Milner?

We managed in 07/08 and we didn't even have Downing and Milner. In any case I am merely putting forward a Plan B or C to be used to unlock teams we haven't been able to break down with Ash on the wing.

Just showing we have the players to try different things and that it worked in the past.

We only played that way fror a few games in 07/08.

Although I have nothing against the idea I don't think it gets the best out of the players we have. Young's major strength is his crossing, Milner is better in the middle than he was out wide. In my view playing the way suggested would reduce the effectiveness of both.

[TheSandman]

If Ash is more effective in a free role why can't we just play him in a free role in a 4-2-3-1?

My visualisation of the system would involve the three say for example Downing, Ireland or Milner and Young would rotate and switch positions. It gives us far more flexibility than our current wing switching as whilst we have two players who favour the left we can have one on the left whilst the other plays more centrally. Basically all three would play in a free role. It gives us options as well.

As for personnel I think the main strengthening should be in midfield. If Milner goes we'll need to replace him, hopefully with Ireland as part of the deal. We also need a defensive midfielder who is better than Reo-Coker.

If you look at the world cup Spain, The Netherlands and Germany played an iteration of this formation. England played 4-4-2.

[Concrete John]

I think there's a danger in using a side/formation used in a maximum of 7 World Cup games as the basis for a 40+ game domestic campaign.

For me, it's all about the personel, which means three key changes:-
1.  A striker who can drop off.  This would allow a 4-4-1-1 and/or a straight 4-4-2 with more flexibility.
2.  A genuine holding player.  This would allow us to be better balanced in a 4-4-2.
3.  A right winger.  Again gives balance in a 4-4-2 and would also be useful for the 4-2-3-1/4-5-1 option.

Get these, without losig any of our existing key players, and we can play a variety of systems and all of them effectively!

[TheSandman]

I'm just using the world cup as an example.

Plenty of sides used that kind of formation in the league last season.

Not that I utterly disagree with a 4-4-1-1 type formation the only problem being that even if you get the right blend in a midfield two (see Spurs with Huddlestone and Modric) you might struggle against a team who plays an advanced midfielder as you don't have two deep lying players to pick him up.

I also think we seem to often get over run with a two including Petrov.

[Concrete John]

I'm just using the world cup as an example.

Plenty of sides used that kind of formation in the league last season.

But did any of them use it excusively?  And of those that did how did they do in the league?

Man City used it more often than not (although you could argue it was nearer having two strikers on the pitch when Tevez and/or Bellamy were playing), yet I thought they underachieved for all they spent.  Man U used it a lot, which was more through necessity as Berbatov was pants, and finished 2nd to a Chelsea side that mainly had Drogba and Anelka.  Spurs were 4-4-2 and Arsenal usually had two strikers, even though they flitted about a lot.

[Concrete John]

I also think we seem to often get over run with a two including Petrov.

Wouldn't disagree with that at all.  Despite being a good player, his is a position we need to look at this summer.

[jbase]

4-4-2 suits the Prem reasonably well due to the pace the game is played at, and suits us well best away from home when we use pace to counter.

4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1 works well when in slower paced games (e.g. at international level) and games where people park the bus and you need to keep the ball and be a bit more patient in the middle of the park. In theory, could deffo see these working well for us at home, but agree that with our current crop, this doesn't necessarily allow us to field our best XI.

[TheSandman]

The main reason for that being Milner.

I somehow don't foresee struggling to fit Milner into an XI will be our problem come the new season.

[jbase]

I'd say the main reason was that we couldn't use both Gabby and Carew without playing 2 up top myself.

[JUAN PABLO]

Manchester City have bid £45M for Raoul Moat ... They have no idea who he is but have heard that everbody is after him..

[luke25]

Manchester City have bid £45M for Raoul Moat ... They have no idea who he is but have heard that everbody is after him..

thats not even Raoul-moatly funny

[Greg N'Ash]

more shit players linked in the mirror

Aston Villa are set to sign Liverpool utility player Fabio Aurelio on a free transfer and are firm favourites to land Spurs' Robbie Keane.

Brazilian ace Aurelio, 30, is a Bosman after rejecting a pay-as-you-play deal at Anfield following a torrid time with injuries.

And Villa boss Martin O'Neill wants the star to provide cover on the left in his squad.

Aurelio, who holds an Italian passport, is experienced in the Premier League at left-back and in midfield after joining the Reds from Valencia in 2006.





He will be a useful addition to Villa's squad as left-back Wilfred Bouma has quit on a free and Nicky Shorey is up for sale.

O'Neill is also poised to move for Spurs striker Keane, 30, once Villa have raised funds by selling James Milner to Man City.

Villa owner Randy Lerner has introduced a sell-to-buy policy following record losses of £43.7m last year.

Mirrorsport revealed on March 18 Villa were eying hitman Keane this summer.

Tottenham are now aware of Villa's interest and the player would be willing to move to Villa Park but a bid is yet to be tabled.

Villa could afford Keane's £60,000-a-week wages as it is in line with their salary structure.

Villa are also interested in Celtic star Aiden McGeady, 24, who fancies a move to the Premier League.

But both deals will only progress once Villa have brought in cash with Milner's proposed £25m move to Man City being the likely trigger.



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Aston-Villa-will-sign-Fabio-Aurelio-and-are-favourites-to-land-Robbie-Keane-once-James-Milner-is-sold-article521273.html#ixzz0tEnmK8Fz

[VillaZogmariner]

If it's on a pay as you play deal I don't think Aurelio would be too bad a signing as cover on a free.