Summer Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[Chipsticks]

I'm not sure why Lambert didn't start Lichaj over Baker at Left Back on Saturday, now you mention it.

He probably wanted Bakers added height against an Allardyce side. Plus he's left footed. I'd probably expect, IF we don't sign anyone else, Lichaj to play more at LB than Baker this season. Baker did well at the back, but going forward he offered nothing.

Good answer.

[luke25]

i want to know why every game in pre season he played with 2 strikers and we scored in every game but more impirtantly made a good few chances yet first league game we go with 1 up top and have very few chances of note

I wonder if it was a message from Lambert to Randy that he needs to put up the cash for a striker?

I get the impression that Lambert is a straight talker and would just tell Lerner instead of sending out messages in matches.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm not sure why Lambert didn't start Lichaj over Baker at Left Back on Saturday, now you mention it.

He probably wanted Bakers added height against an Allardyce side. Plus he's left footed. I'd probably expect, IF we don't sign anyone else, Lichaj to play more at LB than Baker this season. Baker did well at the back, but going forward he offered nothing.

Good answer.

I read a stat in one of the match reports which highlighted how many high balls Baker had cleared, so it worked.

I like the look of Baker.

[Concrete John]

i want to know why every game in pre season he played with 2 strikers and we scored in every game but more impirtantly made a good few chances yet first league game we go with 1 up top and have very few chances of note

I wonder if it was a message from Lambert to Randy that he needs to put up the cash for a striker?

I get the impression that Lambert is a straight talker and would just tell Lerner instead of sending out messages in matches.

That's probably true.

[Concrete John]

I'm not sure why Lambert didn't start Lichaj over Baker at Left Back on Saturday, now you mention it.

He probably wanted Bakers added height against an Allardyce side. Plus he's left footed. I'd probably expect, IF we don't sign anyone else, Lichaj to play more at LB than Baker this season. Baker did well at the back, but going forward he offered nothing.

Good answer.

Could also be a partial reason for our 'bluntness' in attack, as the width will be coming from the FBs this year, so we were lopsided with only Lowton willing/able to contribute going forward.

[nigel]

I like Baker, very underrated player, but, he is, first and foremost, a centre back

[Phil from the upper holte]

I like Baker and if it wasn't for him it'd have been 2-0

[Chipsticks]

I'm not sure why Lambert didn't start Lichaj over Baker at Left Back on Saturday, now you mention it.

He probably wanted Bakers added height against an Allardyce side. Plus he's left footed. I'd probably expect, IF we don't sign anyone else, Lichaj to play more at LB than Baker this season. Baker did well at the back, but going forward he offered nothing.

Good answer.

Could also be a partial reason for our 'bluntness' in attack, as the width will be coming from the FBs this year, so we were lopsided with only Lowton willing/able to contribute going forward.

Definitely. I'm hoping we go with Lichaj at Left Back against Everton, as it will be more of a pace battle with Pienaar, Baines, Coleman etc.

[john e]

we are spoilt for choice with full backs

[Surrey Villain]

I'm not sure why Lambert didn't start Lichaj over Baker at Left Back on Saturday, now you mention it.

He probably wanted Bakers added height against an Allardyce side. Plus he's left footed. I'd probably expect, IF we don't sign anyone else, Lichaj to play more at LB than Baker this season. Baker did well at the back, but going forward he offered nothing.

Good answer.

Could also be a partial reason for our 'bluntness' in attack, as the width will be coming from the FBs this year, so we were lopsided with only Lowton willing/able to contribute going forward.

Definitely. I'm hoping we go with Lichaj at Left Back against Everton, as it will be more of a pace battle with Pienaar, Baines, Coleman etc.

We'll also need height if Fellaini is used as a striker again.  It worked last night!

[Chris Smith]

We'll see of course, but there's no excuse not to be comfortabley mid-table by the end of the season.

I'd agree with that.  He achieved that with Norwich and I think he has a better squad to work with here.

Me too; I think MON's first season would be a good comparison, coming in after a season of struggle and a lot of rebuilding to do.

[OCD]

I think Fellani will try to ensure that Clark is up against him and then he'll be facing a similar test to what he had away to Newcastle a couple of seasons ago when Carroll dominated him. Hopefully Clark will be a lot better prepared and our possession game can limit the amount of exposure he's up against.

[Chipsticks]

we are spoilt for choice with full backs

On the right side, sure.

[Dante Lavelli]

We'll also need height if Fellaini is used as a striker again.  It worked last night!

I wouldn’t be surprised if Felaini was picked as a midfielder until Moyes saw Man U’s line up and then told him to play up front and get on Carrick.

[JUAN PABLO]

A loan signing , gets injured and we carry on paying his wages on the treatment table. Lets hope we don't go down that same route again.

Agree, but you would hope that they learnt their lesson with Jenas last season and a different kind of loan arrangement could be agreed (ie in the event of a long term injury, the loan deal ends and the player returns to the parent club).

unbelievable ;(