Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[Mazrim]

Yes, I've seen that clip a few times now and it's hilarious.
More dancing than football. And a silly dance at that.

Still, a flash forward player is exactly what Barcelona need.

[Concrete John]

EffDee, that's what I meant when I said "My gut feeling is he'll play two strikers but only press one flank at a time."
As in be aggressive on one wing or the other but not both.

I never like that as it makes us predictable.  We had it for a while when Ash was our only genuine winger and he got marked out of games, sometimes by 2 or 3 players.  If you want three in the centre to keep us solid then fine, but do it as the 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation and sacrifice the 2nd striker.

[Mazrim]

I dont particularly like it either John but it wouldn't suprise me if he tries it.
There's only so many ways you can play two out and out strikers like Bent and Gabby without compromising yourself in midfield.

In fairness, it's more involved than just pushing one wing as you would also have one of the other three midfielders probing foward from a central position.

For instance:


               Gabby                 Bent

                                                              Albrighton
                                  Ireland
                   
               Delph                             Makoun

Which is basically asking Delph to cover lots of ground (something he could do) and Gabby to draw wide, which he does naturally anyway. Then you have full backs hopefully supporting midfield too.

[Concrete John]

Yes, the players would have some freedom to move around within that system, but it still leaves the side a bit unbalanced to my mind.

Plus, if the one of the 3 narrow midfielders pushes forward and the other striker pulls wide to the opposite side of your single winger, then aren't you ening up with the 4-5-1/4-3-3 anyway?  Better to just set up that way in the first place and play players who are best in their right positions - as in a genuine left winger and not Gabby, who is relatively poor out wide.   

[pedro25]

I dont particularly like it either John but it wouldn't suprise me if he tries it.
There's only so many ways you can play two out and out strikers like Bent and Gabby without compromising yourself in midfield.

In fairness, it's more involved than just pushing one wing as you would also have one of the other three midfielders probing foward from a central position.

For instance:


               Gabby                 Bent

                                                              Albrighton
                                  Ireland
                   
               Delph                             Makoun

Which is basically asking Delph to cover lots of ground (something he could do) and Gabby to draw wide, which he does naturally anyway. Then you have full backs hopefully supporting midfield too.

I don't mind this line up at all to be honest and there is reasonable back up in the form of Heskey, Petrov and Bannan.  It would of course mean pocketing near £40m from Young and Downing sales and not reinvesting it in replacements, so if we struggle the owner and the manager will get it in the neck.

[abc123cox]

Sky sports are now saying.......get this!!!!


Given is in talks with Villa!

What a shock shock! They must of just made that up!!

Any truth to this ”rumour”

Getting BORED now!

[Simba]

I guess the previous post - John M -with quote sum it up for me. We need the flexibility to change the pattern. I think MA can 'replace' AY ( in fact he crosses a ball better than Ashley) but dammit we do need a creative mid field player and I think we lack that. It is why I am so hopeful that Bannan can make it. Ireland? I also hope we keep Chopper Downing for all his faults to feed Bent from wide and we can find a real place for Gabby. We also need, apart from the obvious keeper and defensive solidity, a Captain of this team.

I suppose it depends on what style the Ginger One will play. Gabby was perfect for MoN's counter attacking ploy.

[eastie]

Abc- do you watch anything other than skysports?

Jesting aside, anymore on this inter winger we are being linked with in Italy?

McDonald mariga Kenyan international aged 24 apparently.

[LeeB]

Abc- do you watch anything other than skysports?

Jesting aside, anymore on this inter winger we are being linked with in Italy?

McDonald mariga Kenyan international aged 24 apparently.

The club are looking to drive-thru the deal quickly, I understand.

[eastie]

Excellent - bout time we had a mcflurry of activity.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Abc- do you watch anything other than skysports?

Jesting aside, anymore on this inter winger we are being linked with in Italy?

McDonald mariga Kenyan international aged 24 apparently.

The club are looking to drive-thru the deal quickly, I understand.

No worries, they'll get it sorted in two shakes.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Who is Alex Sanchez ? I never seen him play. I don't even know what he look like or what position he play.

A Chilean winger playing for Udinese. The only clip of him playing that I've seen involved him stepping over the ball twelve times before belting his cross into the crowd.

He sored the other night against Uruguay.

[spangley1812]

Who is Alex Sanchez ? I never seen him play. I don't even know what he look like or what position he play.

A Chilean winger playing for Udinese. The only clip of him playing that I've seen involved him stepping over the ball twelve times before belting his cross into the crowd.

He sored the other night against Uruguay.

He is worth about £35m so just out of our price range...............

[Ryu]

Cheers for that nugget of info. I need a signing or two to make me smile rather than Grimace.

[MoetVillan]

"he sored the other night" ?  That sounds painful or contagious.  Hope it wasnt supersized