alias75

fair point i guess this is the Rafa way with goals coming from all over the team.

They must really rate him considering he was swapped for a current England U21 international. The current youth team could get to the final this year but they do lack a goalscorer.

On the bright side He usuallyplays well for France so theres every chance he'll have a decent World Cup and some mug team, managed by a knee jerk manager will sign him from us. As for alternatives they are out there, and im sure Rafa has been looking we know hes not been happy with Cisse for a while and he wouldnt be here if we could have signed the replacement he wants. Hopefully its Kujt as i think he fits the bill perfectly (hard working eye for goal) but there are other possibilities as imentioned earlier David Villa of Valencia is a player Rafa's looked at before and hes been excellent every time ive watched him.

David Villa is a striker (and a left footed one at that) dont think we could sign him but thats the type of player we need. Im sure Rafa already has some targets lined up we know hes been keen to move Cisse out for a while.

Cisse has all the physical attributes to be a top player but where it counts in terms of mental strength and hard work he doesnt have it. He has pace yes but there are plenty of forwards out there with pace that are more consistent in front of goal and who will put their shift in too. Cisse just isnt a Rafa player it blatently obvious, when the problems arent technical or physical they are almost impossible to correct, how do you change his attitude? Villa of Valencia is exactly the type of player we should be replacing Cisse with, very quick, good finisher and works hard for the team.

Thought the same when Utd played Chelsea but it never happened then either. I think the difference is against the top sides Utd are set up to stop the opposition playing rather than being productive themselves and anyone thats played any football will know its so much easier to play when your job is simply to stop the opposition from playing. As we've seen from Utd against teams they expect to beat when you ask guys like Smith or Fletcher or O'Shea to be creative and force the play they're clueless, today they just had to stop our guys from playing and they did a decent job. That said a quality finisher and we would have sneaked that game.

Sure i read somewhere that Antwi is as good as anyone at the club when they do their fitness tests etc.. not bad for a 17 year old. With a lot of players with that physique you find they've made the grade more because of their physical talents than their footballing ability but Antwi defends well and looks good on the ball.

Thats how i see it fyds, and since all of the young players being brought in are at Melwood they are immediately learning Rafas way of playing. It reminds me a little of how Ajax do things with all their younger age groups playing the same formation, what Rafa is developing is in effect a younger version of the first team. Im sure the young defenders are being taught exactly the same ideas as the senior team and so the transition to the first team is an easier one, because you know exactly what your job is. Competition at the younger age groups is important too and will help the development, the cream will rise to the top and make the step up into the first team. The cost is irrelevant really since 1 or 2 players making the first team will save the club millions and im sure those not making the grade will have received a top footballing education and will be wanted maybe lower down the divisions. No club can compete finacially with Chelsea but this is a good way of bringing in some very talented young players and turning them into Rafa players without risking millions.

He has 18 months left on his contract and wont sign a new one, if he wants to come here Brondby arent reallyin a position to play hard ball. We could sign someone else in January and get him for peanuts next season with his contact almost up.

Funny that because if you watch Finnan when he does get forward he very often cuts onto his left foot to put crosses in. So you could even argue that by playing him at left back he would be cutting inside onto his stronger foot.

Were you one of the people saying we'd lose too much of Stevie if he played on the right side of midfield? I cant believe how anyone can think its a stupid idea, you may not agree with it but its not as if im suggesting playing Crouch as a centre half is it. All im saying is if we cant sign a left back but can sign 2 quality right backs then maybe in certain games Finnan is a better alternative to Riise or Warnock or Traore. Warnock was a liability against Everton and while Riise has improved in certain games i still think we need someone a little steadier, both Warnock and Riise have a habit of getting caught out of position. Now thats fine if we're playing at home and making most of the play, but when we play better teams that wll put us under more pressure we need defenders that dont get caught out of position as often. As ive said about 3 times already, of course the preferred solution is we bring in a quality left back, but if that proves difficult but there are 2 quality right backs we can sign then maybe Finnan can be moved to left back. (where hes played many times in his career) for certain games. Carra is by no means a left back yet he did a fine job there for over a season, its all about producing the strongest team we can. Noone is suggesting Stevies best position is right side of midfield yet that move has definately made the team stronger because it allows us to play with good balance. If we lack quality at left back but have the chance to sign 2 top quality right backs while Finnan's performance may drop a little at left back the overall team performance may improve.

Think the Gerrard example is a good one. Im sure there were plenty on here dead against playing him more right side, and while im certain thats not his strongest position playing him there has without doubt given the team better balance and as a result the overall team performance has improved which is surely what we're aiming for. If there are no viable left backs available to sign yet there are 1 or maybe 2 good quality right backs available then whats so absurd about considering Finnan at left back for certain games? As has already been mentioned Carra is by no means left sided yet he did a great job at left back even though that was clearly not his strongest position, Finnan is arguably better suited since hes played there many times at international level and he is more 2 footed than Carra. You may disagree with the suggestion but is it really that far fetched?

Sorry guys your right it was a stupid idea. What was i thinking? Suggesting "in certain games" we could play Finnan at left back (where hes played numerous times at international level) if we struggle to sign a left back. What a left field suggestion that is! I guess we'll contine with Warnock?

To be fair i did say "in certain games" Finnan has been one of our most consistent performers at right back for the last 2 years and of course if we can sign someone similar at left back then of course thats the preferred solution. BUT at the moment there dont seem to be many quality left backs available but we have been linked with a few right sided defenders. I still think left back is a problem position as was highlighted yesterday so i dont see anything wrong in certain games in playing Finnan at left back if the right player can be brought in to cover him. Hes done it plenty of times for Irleand and at Fulham its all about putting out the best team, Warnock was a liability yesterday.

Still think its a problem position, Warnock for all his effort i dont think is good enough. Yesterdays game was a clear example of this with most of Evertons threat coming down their right, he wasnt closing down quick enough and was out of position a few times, Carra gave him a few b******ings in the game for being out of position. Riise is a player i definately like and think hes an excellent player to have in the squad because of his versatility and his game is suited so well to the Premiership but again defensively i think we need someone a bit more solid for certain games. Of course if Rafa can bring in a left sided defender and keep Finnan at right back where hes been so good than thats the ideal situation, but there dont seem to be many quality left backs available. Evra has been linked but hes still more of an attacking left back than a steady eddy type player, if we can sign 2 right sided players then maybe Finnan could also be considered as backup for left back.

Glad that ones been sorted then...

We've been linked today with a couple of right sided defenders in Kromkamp and Alves (both of whom can also play right midfield) now obviously its not certain if both of these players will be brought in, but if they are they give Rafa plenty of options one of which could be moving Finnan over the left back which is still a bit of a problem position. He has played there plenty of times for Ireland and has shown playing right back that his left foot is pretty good, (he often cuts inside and puts in some decent crosses) Of course it could just be that one of these players signs allowing us to have a better back up for Finnan than Josemi as well as cover for right midfield but it could also allow Finnan to play left back in certain games.

Anyone heard anything about a possible move for this player? Spoke to a Blackburn fan that was very confident this was happening with Traore going the other way.

Stevie obviously isnt fully fit, (looked knackered against Spurs) we shouldnt have allowed him to play for England after hed just missed games. Probabaly means FSP will play wide right with Garcia supporting Crouch. Lets hope Josemi is better against Spanish opposition (wasnt he in the team of the year the season before we bought him?)

Looks like Finnan at RM and Josemi at full back, Garcia supporting Morientas

What about Thompson or Barton. 2 local lads that wouldnt cost much both would be decent squad players once we have a fully fit squad. Thompson couldof course also play wide right. Both players will always give 110% effort.