alias75

Spearing's done well but we need better, i think Gerrard might play a lot of games in a traditional CM position so i think we only need 1 player in that position. Coady is nowhere near ready and might even go out on loan next season.

I think if you want to play a high tempo pressing game size isn't that important you need players with good energy and good tackling skills, It was interesting that Commolli mentioned that Matuidi was statistically the best tackler in the French league in terms of winning the ball cleanly, you don't want players that give away fouls all the time or go off their feet a lot (Mascherano) Lucas is very good at stopping the play without going to ground.

Thats the only way you can do it and close the gap on the teams above us, its not good signing 6 or 7 players in the 5-10 million range, a couple might succeed but the chances are we'd be left with more Joe Coles, and Poulson's, not good enough for the first team and offer little when they are called upon and taking up huge wages. There's no guarantees with any player but the chances are better the more you spend especially if your scouting is good.

Think Lucas deserves to be considered a first team player, his performances have warranted that, he has improved year on year and if that continues hes going to become a top class player in his position, he already is very good. If your good enough to anchor the midfield for Brazil your good enough to do it here, his attitude is spot on and he should be a role model to all our young players on how to handle yourself on and off the pitch. Surround him with better players and he'll be better but there aren't many players in his position id rather have at the moment.

Rafa admitted this was one thing he might do differently if he had his time over, buying quantity over quality doesn't work, and the young players have shown if they are called upon they can surprise us with their level of performance although obviously you don't want to have to rely on them for too many games, but they can fill in and do a good job. If we signed 3 players of the quality of Suarez our first team would improve massively, look at the impact 1 top quality player has had to our play. It has to be quality over quantity in the summer.

2 players of the ability of Lucas in that holding position wouldn't be a bad thing.

what are we supposed to do?? we all complain that we don't spend enough money for players etc.. well we're competing against teams that all charge significantly more for season tickets than we do and whose match day revenues far exceed ours, they will also be increasing their prices too. How are we supposed to compete?? Of course it would be horrible for locals to be priced out of going to watch the team but as someone else said it works out at around £60 a month which isn't a huge amount when you consider what people spend on nights out, or on their satellite TV, if your working and you prioritise going to watch the football its affordable. It will be interesting to see what finance options are available as that should make it easier on people instead of having to pay it all in 1 go.

Think after the next window we'll be able to play both....

I think that £15 million figure was a minimum amount they set, obviously if we could have got Carroll for cheaper we still would have sold Torres for £50 million but Newcastle weren't selling for less than £35 million and that was deemed acceptable given the amount we sold Torres for. Im assuming if Newcastle had wanted £40 million we would have asked for £55 million for Torres?

There is video footage on youtube now (from koptalk) showing the Irish kid at Melwood i think, wearing his training gear etc.. so that looks like its done. Some really encouraging signs over the last few days, think its gonna be a huge summer in terms of the first team and also in terms of bringing in some more really talented young players. Hes a Man Utd fan apparently and pretty much every top team in England and also Real Madrid were interested in him so it says a lot for our current youth setup that it looks like he's chosen to come here. One of the things that has worked against us in the last few years is we haven't really been giving young players a chance in the 1st team but when young players see Robinson and Flannagan and Shelvey all getting a chance it does give them hope that it can happen to them too if they work hard enough.

Pretty sure he played there in the 3-1 win over Utd and he did show signs in that game that he could be a bit more restrained.

Think that will be Gerrard's primary position next season.

Improving players is his passion (he tells a hilarious story, moving the condiments again, about the challenges of teaching Ryan Babel) would like to hear that story...

The whole ethos under Kenny has been TEAM and no individual being bigger than the team, so i just don't see us signing one of the most selfish, non team players currently in Europe.

reckon Carroll for Raul, Kuyt on the right

For some Norwegian agent it was!!

Thats looks likely still but i do wonder if the emergence of Spearing has changed things?? I think Gerrard will play a lot in CM when hes back, with Lucas, then you have Spearing and Shelvey who Kenny clearly trusts, i guess if Meireles isn't being considered as a CM player anymore then we do need 1 more but at the moment we seem to be linked with a defensive type plus either Adam or McCarthy. Maybe it means someone like Shelvey will go out on loan next season, i know im in a minority on here but i do think in the long term playing a full season in central midfield will be better for his development than the odds 25min here and there (usually out of position) somewhere like Blackpool if they stayed up could be a good option although i do think it needs to be a PL club, there's no point him playing in the Championship now.

Id been hearing they were going to get Snejjder for around £30million Scholes and Giggs are going to be difficult to replace even this season i can remember at least 3 or 4 games where they struggled and he was forced almost to put them on and it changed the game. On paper you might sign players that are better but its hard to replace those players that have been part of the club for maybe 20+ years.

Maxi?? Kuyt?? I guess it depends on how Kenny wants to play, neither Downing or Young have the technical ability or intelligence in their movement of someone like Maxi, so if we want to play with a narrow midfield with the fullbacks providing the width and a front 3-4 that are very fluid in their movement we're better off looking elsewhere. If we're looking to play with proper wingers who hold their width and look to whip balls into the box for someone like Carroll maybe Downing and Young are options. I think we'll maybe look to play both ways through the course of the season so will look for players that can do both.

Id have no problem with Cahill he looks a good defender and a good footballer, being a defender at one of the top clubs isn't the same as being a CB for Bolton, here he'd be doing much less defending but its all about making fewer mistakes and being good in possession because he will see a lot of the ball, from what ive seen of him he's comfortable in possession and a solid defender, im sure he'd improve being around better players. Despite not being huge for a CB hes strong in the air and very quick. Ive been watching Adam a lot too since we were linked to him and he's definitely gone off the boil a bit, im not sure if thats because his head was turned but the number of times he gets caught in possession or gives it away in key positions would be a worry. That said every time he plays he does create, his set piece delivery is first rate especially his corners and free kick delivery into the area, for home games when we dominate the ball i could see him being useful but is that a good enough reason to sign him over someone like McCarthy who could eventually replace someone like Gerrard??

Article here from Australia about our left back Brad Smith. Hes been playing for England U17's but Australia are keen for him to commit to them.... (scored a pretty good goal in their 3-0 win a few days ago) Article

If we signed him he'd play in much the same way Maxi and Meireles and Kuyt have played, starting wide but with freedom to move, those front 3-4 positions seem to be very fluid so i don;t think we'll see him as a "proper winger" who hugs the touchline and never leaves the sideline. He could do that if we wanted to play a 4-4-2 but i think the setup up for most games will be similar to what we're seeing at the moment. His better games for England have certainly come when hes been more central and not restricted to one side of the pitch so that encourages me that he could work in our current setup.

He hasn't played there for Villa all season, his better games for England have all come when hes been more central. I don't think we're going to play with traditional wingers although i think we'll sign someone like Young (and Marveaux) who are capable of playing that way if we want to change things. But i think it'll be much as we've been doing recently with width coming from the fullbacks and 3-4 forward players being pretty flexible in where they play. If Carroll plays that 4 becomes 3 with Carroll as the focal point and the other 3 playing off him in a very flexible way, Young can do that, plus he could play as a proper winger if we wanted to go 4-4-2 for example.

think its win win with Aquiani if we find a buyer at a price we're happy with good. If not im sure he'll do well under Kenny, especially playing the type of 1 and 2 touch football we currently are, suits his style of play.

Why?? maybe cos its true...