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

[pedro25]

If we're playing 1 up top mostly, Gabby wont get much game time, never mind Delfouneso, so I dont see where Heskey fits in at all, he really is surplus to requirements now.  I'm not yet convinced with Lichaj and dont rate Cuellar as a right back so I'm happy enough with Beye as back up to Luke for this season.  Have Cuellar and Heskey travelled to Asia, or have they stayed behind to complete moves?

[Big Dick Edwards]

Re: Beye and Heskey, it's Beye who really is more of a problem in my book. At least Heskey is, by all accounts, a good professional and he actually can do a job for us. With Beye, I don't think that is the case, so he really is a drain in resources. A shame, because I thought he might have been good signing (although not on the deal he got!). As it stands, it's going to take something miraculous to see any sort of meaningful return from him.

It's unfair bracketing the two. While his footballing ability is questionable, Heskey is a good professional who works hard and is well respected by his managers and team mates. He never complains when he's omitted and gets on with the job when he's played out of position. He's not a drain on resources in the way Beye has been, who appears to be the stereotypical football mercenary.

[SoccerHQ]

Like the second half of last season, I'd imagine Gabby will play out wide quite a bit particularly away from home.

[Merv]

I'm not yet convinced with Lichaj and dont rate Cuellar as a right back so I'm happy enough with Beye as back up to Luke for this season.

I'd take Cuellar playing as a back-up RB over Beye any day of the week. In fact, I've seen enough of Lichaj to prefer him over Beye.

Beye would suit one of the newly promoted sides needing a bit of experience, but wages would put him out of their reach. I don't know what we'll end up doing with him.

Heskey is a separate case. He's at least contributed during his time here and was quite effective last season. If he stays, it's not a disaster. He's the only striker of his type at the club and we could do worse than have him coming off the bench for the final 25 mins of games, from time to time.

Having reigned my expectations in massively since the end of the season, I'd now settle for a CM and a new CB (if Cuellar goes) on top of N'Zogbia and Given by the end of the transfer window.

[N'ZMAV]

Beye is a decent back-up. But, at £40,000 a week he needs to go. But, if we're stuck with him, then I expect him to play some games, Luke Young's fitness is always questionable.

[N'ZMAV]

Like the second half of last season, I'd imagine Gabby will play out wide quite a bit particularly away from home.

On the right hand side would be better. He was toss on the left. CNZ will probably be left side anyway, and Marc Albrighton needs to improve his match fitness, seems to go missing after an hour.

[pedro25]

Like the second half of last season, I'd imagine Gabby will play out wide quite a bit particularly away from home.

I'd be gutted with this, he's ok out wide, but not top half prem quality, we have all summer to source the right players for each position, I can't believe we're going to have another season of playing people out of position.

[N'ZMAV]

I really hope we can get another winger in, maybe a right winger. We don't want to burn Albrighton out.
Maybe we'll get someone in on loan.

I agree with this. Best to have 3 wingers. We can chop and change them a bit. It would work better

[Concrete John]

We'll have two recognised wingers is Albrighton and N'Zogbia, so we can play 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 well.  What happens if we use Gabby and Delfouneso there is it becomes a 4-3-3, so we'll have to tighten up the midfield and maybe use Delph instead or Ireland as the most forward of the 3 central players. 

[pedro25]

Gabby and Delfouneso were toss out wide in a 433 away at City in the cup last season, they're strikers not wingers, I wouldn't want to have seen Downing and Albrighton up front last season either, or Bent on the wing.  We need a 3rd wide option, no question, don't need to spend mega bucks, someone just to fill in when Albrighton is knackered or him or N'Zogbia get injured would be ok.

[UsualSuspect]

Like the second half of last season, I'd imagine Gabby will play out wide quite a bit particularly away from home.

I'd be gutted with this, he's ok out wide, but not top half prem quality, we have all summer to source the right players for each position, I can't believe we're going to have another season of playing people out of position.

Last season gabby looked like a little boy lost in a forest whilst on the wing and his positional sense when we were defending was quite frightening

[Merv]

Well, we won't be getting a third winger, I'm pretty sure on that. That's why I was in favour of us going for Larsson, as he can play wide right midfield or a tighter right midfield role. But still, that's gone now. I think we'll use Bannan on occasions as a left-sided midfielder, otherwise it'll be as John says - Gabby and Delfouneso as wider strikers (not touchline-hugging wingers).

[N'ZMAV]

Maybe Bannan could give us an option on the left. I'd be happier with another option coming in though, can't see it happening.

[pedro25]

Well, we won't be getting a third winger, I'm pretty sure on that. That's why I was in favour of us going for Larsson, as he can play wide right midfield or a tighter right midfield role. But still, that's gone now. I think we'll use Bannan on occasions as a left-sided midfielder, otherwise it'll be as John says - Gabby and Delfouneso as wider strikers (not touchline-hugging wingers).

I fear you're right but this would be a mistake.  It would be like entering the season with just Dunne and Clark at centre half, but saying, don't worry Beye and Luke can move inside if necessary or Petrov could drop back in.  In fact I'd say it was worse than this as centre halves tend to see the 90 minutes out, whereas wide players are where you look to make changes during games to freshen things up and try to turn a game that's going against you.

[N'ZMAV]

Petrov at Centre half? WTF?!