ohmelads

Talented player, disgusting attitude. Boro have beaten us to two signings so we take one of their cast-offs. Roeder gets his reward for his "wait and see what becomes available" transfer strategy. As pathetic as it sounds, this signing would be much better than nothing. It's not worth losing Milner for though.

Nocluque? That's got to be the worst I've ever heard

Everyone is slating Luque for his performance last night and rightly so, but I would agree with those doubting his commitment and disagree with those doubting his ability. The ability is there, it's Glenn's job to either sell him or get it out of him. He's proven to be a difficult player, nobody can deny that. Glenn has used the phrase "low maintenance player" to describe some of our playing staff, well by the same token he would have to accept that Luque is a "high maintenance player". He would also have to accept that, for the meantime at least, he is stuck with Luque and must make the most of the situation. He must do what Souness couldn't, put the club first and earn his corn. I won't blame him if he gets nothing out of Luque, so long as I believe he's done his best to handle the situation to the club's benefit. It is too late in the transfer window to sell him and his stock has fallen so quickly due to never playing that we would get very little for him anyway. The crucial thing here is that everybody puts the good of the club first. I think we're approaching a situation which will be very similar to that of Robert and Souness, where the player and manager both went on an ego-trip and the club suffered. Luque doesn't have the support of many fans that Robert had, nor does Roeder have the unpopularity that Souness had, but I think we will see definite friction between Albert and Glenn this season. Luque seems to be a fragile player, evidently Souness never did do the research on his character, and it's looking like he'll never make it in a black and white shirt, but that doesn't mean he can't do a job for us, espescially given we only have two other players with experience playing up front. Luque and played up front for Deportivo and Spain and performed well, he has that on his CV and while we're desperate for strikers, he can't be overlooked. I hope Glenn can sort this one out because it's looking like we'll be letting Luque go for next to nothing next year, chalking off yet another massive loss of money by the club.

"Scorchio" doesn't sound like a real magazine tongue.gif http://stuarthughes.blogspot.com/scorchio.jpg Scorchio! centre-fold pullouts of Butros-Butros Galli and Chris Waddle next sunday, woo! They've linked us with a player called Julio Geordio, anyone know anything about him?

Martins would form a better strike partnership with Luque than with Shola. We'll have to wait and see. Luque has more skill and creativity than Shola, but a combination of Luque and Martins would get bullied if we persist on pumping high balls for them to scrap for. If the team was playing good football, Luque and Martins would work better, if we're scrapping then Shola will win more of those balls.

There's an article about it in this week's 'Scorchio' magazine. Says he shouldn't have been dropped against Ventspils and Wigan, and that if Martins arrived he would have to find a new club. He also revealed that Real Madrid would be 'a dream move'.

Cañizares in goal, defenders like Ayala, Marchena and Aurelio with Albelda and Baraja in midfield and Aimer and Vicente providing a lot of their creativity. It was an uber-defensive team which won La Liga by conceding the fewest goals ever in a season. They actually scored far fewer goals than any of the sides behind them and won the league with only 75 points. As he has done with Liverpool, they didn't have any one player scoring lots of goals.

He scored a legal goal and almost set up another with a brilliant cross, in just 20 minutes. People say he's getting his chances and not taking them, but he's only started six competitive games for us. This season he's started two pre-season games and scored two goals, he's played 20 mins in the Prem and had a goal wrongly called offside. I think people need to cut him a little slack, on this season's evidence he deserves his chance in the team.

I never considered Luque to be a great crosser of the ball but I suppose it's not a feature of Spanish football as much as it is here. His crosses remind me of Robert's better efforts, he whips them in fast and behind the centre backs, it's very difficult to defend those kind of balls.

I'm guessing you didn't see either game. We were very lucky to beat that Latvian pub team and we actually played 4-4-2 for the majority of today's game.

I've had this feeling for quite some time. He was behind the awful Michael Chopra last season and despite a canny pre-season (two goals in two starts), he's dropped against Ventspils and Wigan to accommodate a ridiculous formation change. I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Who would Pennant replace in our team? Solano, Duff and Dyer could do a better job on the right IMO, and then there's Milner who had a better season than Pennant. If Pennant was in our squad he'd have been on the bench today.

I think you're exaggerating a little, I don't think they'll have any problems finishing top 4. However, I don't think they have a hope of matching Chelsea over a season and I completely agree that the press are overrating them on the back of a Community Shield game. Everyone now has them down as better than Arsenal and Man Utd, I'd be very careful making that assumption. I'll be surprised if they finish 2nd. I think they are very reliant on Gerrard and Alonso (yes, I know they were benched against Chelsea). If both of those got injured I could see them dropping quite a few points, and if you want to finish above Chelsea that is simply not an option. A couple of injuries in defence could leave them in trouble as well. Benitez has signed a lot of players who may or not make the grade, players like Gonzalez, Paletta, Pennant. Aurelio and Bellamy are class acts but both are injury prone. As for Kuyt, we'll have to wait and see how he makes the step up to the Premier League. Chelsea won't drop many points this season. To finish above them you have to win nearly every game.

He told you this did he?

<b>Where will we finish?</b> 6th <b>Will Roeder still be our manager in January?</b> Yes. <b>Which of our younger/fringe players (if any) will make a name for himself this season and why?</b> Pattison and O'Brien, though I doubt either will get many opportunities as they play in positions where we're well stocked. <b>Will Dyer play more than 5 games for us this season?</b> Yes. <b>Will Shola score more goals than he did last season?</b> Yes, because he'll be playing every week (barring injury). <b>Will we get to see the real Albert Luque or will he continue to disappoint?</b> He won't get a run in the side under Roeder. <b>Who will be the star of our defence ('keeper included)?</b> Taylor. <b>And midfield?</b> Emre. <b>And up front?</b> Whoever comes in before the end of August (I hope). <b> How many new players will we sign before the close of this transfer window?</b> 3. <b>And how many will leave?</b> 1 (Boumsong). <b>How many times will "Shearer-Shearer" be chanted this season?</b> Lots. <b>Who will flop for us this season?</b> Moore. <b>Who will outshine all others?</b> Duff. <b>Will Owen make an appearance before the season is over?</b> No. <b>Will an attendance drop below the 50,000 mark for a league game for the first time since SJP was rebuilt?</b> No. <b>Will we go the season without any off-field dramas/headlines of the name through mud variety?</b> No chance, too many media vultures hovering around the club. <b>Will we win something this year?</b> Yes. The UEFA Cup. <b>How far in all the cups, then?</b> Quarters of domestic cups. All the way in UEFA if we can avoid any big CL teams. <b>Nicky Butt - will he win you over?</b> Doubt it. One 20 minute performance in a friendly does not erase a shocking season. But I'll give him his chance. <b>Will we miss Shearer this season?</b> Yes. We don't have anyone who can hold the ball up like him and we'll have to find a new style of play. <b>Are you excited about the new season?</b> I'm always excited about the new season.

Shola was only ever meant to be back-up, and as backup he's not bad. But he's not backup any more, he's one of the first names on the teamsheet. He will get a lot of games this season and much will depend on how he performs. He's overdue a good season, maybe he can be our one-season-wonder until Owen returns? *trying desperately to end this on a positive note*

This is true. Under Glenn Roeder, Luque got less chances than Chopra last season and Owen isn't even worth talking about. Whichever striker we buy (if we buy one), it is to partner Ameobi. He will be in the team whenever fit, he's an automatic choice. In fact, I'd go so far as to say he's one of the first names on the teamsheet now, because Roeder doesn't view Luque as anywhere near him. This is the sad reality of the situation.

Same here.

Sounds like fun. Maybe I'll go there when I retire

Difference is we can be in the Toon in a few minutes and watch the football, and have dirt cheap flights all over Europe on our doorstep. You're stuck out in the football wilderness

Personally I think he's made it clear Luque is not, and will never be, in his plans. If we're forced into playing Luque this season, I expect to see a disinterested player. Luque has been given his chance in pre-season, two games and he's responded with two goals and worked hard, but he's been dropped. I think it's the end for him. Everyone knows my view on Luque, but I actually hope he is sold. If he stays we'll be left in a situation which isn't beneficial for the player, the manager or the club. We had that with Robert and it was a massive distraction. The question is, will Shepherd sanction yet another massive loss? My gut feeling is Luque will stay and Boumsong will go.

Getting rid of him is easier said than done, we've got to find a mug to take him off us first. All depends on our asking price. For 2M we'd have a lot of Spanish clubs interested. Wages may be a problem but I think we'd easily find a buyer. Maybe we could get 3 or 4M. Just depends how desperately Roeder wants rid.

I agree. If Roeder has absolutely no faith in him he must get rid now. The guy's on massive wages and his value is declining rapidly, he must make a decision.

To answer your earlier question, I am still wondering why Chopra got more opportunities than Luque, yet Luque was retained and Chopra was not. Due to starting only 6 games last season, Luque's value has more than halved. Another season like that and he'll be going for next to nothing. Would you rather sell him now and bring in a cheap Championship striker? I'm curious just how badly you want rid of Luque.

What period of time is this? Let me get this straight, he started the season with a clean slate yet he's already lost his place and you're saying Villarreal had nothing to do with it? Are you honestly suggesting he lost his place after the Lillestrom game, where he scored our only goal?! They're the only two games he's started. Under Roeder, Chopra got more opportunities than Luque. Fact. How about since we signed him? Ask yourself why Chopra got more opportunities than Luque. Weren't we told all the players got a clean slate at the start of the season? According to you Villarreal had nothing to do with it, and the only other game he started was Lillestrom, where he scored our only goal. Or was it the PSV performance, one that impressed most people and included a penalty. So tell me what he has done to lose his place?