Dokko

James you still think we could see this? (Your prediction of a DLC was right ) For a 3 at the back formation it looks canny and i really don't like 3ATB. We could see it but i doubt it will be our fixed formation. SA has already said that will be 4-5-1/4-3-3.

Barton as a defensive midfielder, Viduka as a right foward? He isn't a defensive midfielder, he'd be playing box to box, dropping deep when we lose possession and looking to break with the ball when he has the chance. I can see Viduka playing on the right of a 3 man attack similar to Kevin Davies. I'd be half tempted to play him just behind Owen & Martins, heading balls onto them and allowing them to run at defenders then playing it back for him to crash it home, or place it, he's very good at both.

Id we can add Faye & Diop for under £5m then its been a good spending spree. £10m in total. You can only laugh at Souness even more. Am I missing something here? £6m for Smith, £2m for Rozenhal, £6m for Barton? £14m for Parker & Dyer.

Hope you are right, injured or not, class player and i'm sure there's nothing in his injuries although he's had a lot since coming to Chelsea.

---------------Given----------- Geremi--Rozy--Taylor--Drago ---------------Butt---------------- -------Barton-----Zoggy-------- Owen------Viduka------Martins

So mid to end October to get him up and running. Certainly worth a loan to buy for £6m then. That's IF Chelsea want to sell and IF Bridge wants to move. But like i said, incentive is there, were taking a chance brining him in injured, it would show how much we want him. If that did happen, and we brought in Drago & Cacapa at the back, i'd be delighted. RB: Geremi/Solano/Carr CB: Taylor/Rozy/Cacapa/Drago/Ramage LB: Bridge/Drago/Babayaro Not to mention Hunty & Edgar who's versatility covers the back 4 between them, although we want them as far away from the 1st team as possible. It also puts Carr & Babayaro 3rd choice insttead of 1st teamers, that alone with score us 20 more points in the league.

Id we can add Faye & Diop for under £5m then its been a good spending spree. £10m in total. You can only laugh at Souness even more.

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he? Didn't realise Bridge was never going to play football again, sorry. We were hardly going to sign a player who won't be fit until Xmas though, were we? Edmilson nearly joined, why not Bridge? Aye, but he wouldn't have been joining until Jan iirc. Either way, he hasn't signed. The lad from Sevilla may well be a stop gap / cover in the longer term if Allardyce is after Bridge, which wouldn't surprise me. The true details never really emerged, i've no idea how it was going to pan out, too many sources saying different things. If Chelsea are up for selling Bridge then we should go for him. Even if its a loan until Jan with us paying his wages until then, then having the option of taking him full time for £6m. I know it means were paying wages for a player we cant play, but were having a hard time brining in players, and ones of Bridge's quality are going to need an incentive to shift, club and player. Just a thought, people don't kill me for it. I might be wrong but I though it was year long loans only now between Premiership clubs. You are probably right, i heard something about it changing but didn't really pay that much attention to it. Would it be so tragic to take him on a season long loan with an option to buy at any time? Gives us a real chance to asses his fitness. I just wonder if Chelsea have abused him slightly as Jose doesn't class him as a 1st teamer and Cole kept on getting injured?

At least its a plan. I think though its going to attract a lot of critics, its getting very Bolton, but i simply do not care as long as its winning football.

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he? Didn't realise Bridge was never going to play football again, sorry. But surely a move for Bridge would then raise the arguement among suporters - "why are we buying injured players??" - Much like when Edmilson was reported as being a target (and may still be a future signing). Seems that the manager is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't by many!! Edmilson is much more of a gamble than Bridge imo. Bridge is alongside the best LB's in the Country. Edmilson is unknown in this league and was going to cost a fortune, was a huge gamble am glad we didn't take up on. I'd rather go for this Cacapa, sounds a much better player (we need leaders (especially Taylor)) if he stays fit. 2/3 years ago I would have been over the moon with Cacapa...But he wasn't so good last year iirc But he is still decent although it will take a few months for him to bed into the pace and physicality of the PL. I think we should leave Edmilson well alone this is his second knee op IN TWO YEARS. Much better perhaps to have a look at THIAGO MOTTA who was transfer listed this week. Edmilson is a horrible transfer, i'm glad its died off now. I wonder how much Barca want for Guddy? Would much prefer him over Smith.

Its more 4-3-3 though, has to be with the strikers and wingers we've got. We still could do with a couple in mid, hopefully Diop is on his way.

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he? Didn't realise Bridge was never going to play football again, sorry. We were hardly going to sign a player who won't be fit until Xmas though, were we? Edmilson nearly joined, why not Bridge? Aye, but he wouldn't have been joining until Jan iirc. Either way, he hasn't signed. The lad from Sevilla may well be a stop gap / cover in the longer term if Allardyce is after Bridge, which wouldn't surprise me. The true details never really emerged, i've no idea how it was going to pan out, too many sources saying different things. If Chelsea are up for selling Bridge then we should go for him. Even if its a loan until Jan with us paying his wages until then, then having the option of taking him full time for £6m. I know it means were paying wages for a player we cant play, but were having a hard time brining in players, and ones of Bridge's quality are going to need an incentive to shift, club and player. Just a thought, people don't kill me for it.

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he? Didn't realise Bridge was never going to play football again, sorry. But surely a move for Bridge would then raise the arguement among suporters - "why are we buying injured players??" - Much like when Edmilson was reported as being a target (and may still be a future signing). Seems that the manager is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't by many!! Edmilson is much more of a gamble than Bridge imo. Bridge is alongside the best LB's in the Country. Edmilson is unknown in this league and was going to cost a fortune, was a huge gamble am glad we didn't take up on. I'd rather go for this Cacapa, sounds a much better player (we need leaders (especially Taylor)) if he stays fit.

Even though i'm against the Smith move, if all this pulls off SA has done an excellent job of spending £4m!

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he? Didn't realise Bridge was never going to play football again, sorry. We were hardly going to sign a player who won't be fit until Xmas though, were we? Edmilson nearly joined, why not Bridge?

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m. Bridge is going to play on crutches is he? Didn't realise Bridge was never going to play football again, sorry.

Out of our options i'd go: Geremi...Taylor...Rozenhal...Drago If Cacapa is move of a lightweight defender then there is no point putting him alongside Rozenhal who's of similar style.

Baines, Shorey, Bridge? Any of them would have more impact than Smith for £6m.

Smith is a straight swap for Dyer so no big loss there. Don't really see why people are complaing tbh. The defenders situation looks like it is being sorted which is the most important thing. It is, just i'd like a free midfielder to replace Dyer and spend £6m on a defender instead, especially when that £6m is going to be spent on Smith.

The "two ageing defenders" are just what we need IMO, would have been better if they had Prem experience but that can't be helped. We need experience to go alongside the likes of Taylor. Like i just said, there is good reason to sign them, especially Drago, strength and experience, and the ability at LB. Cacapa is a bit of a gamble in terms of his physique, especially since he's spent a lot of time injured (or thats what a few people are pulling up) but again another body and a free one. Smith, is just a waste of time. 4-3-3 it is then, not that am against a new formation, i just we could find better for the money.

jesus wept Drago sound like he could be good, and the fact he can play LB will ease anxiety for the start of the season, the guy from Lyon isn't so bad on a free but sound a bit physically weak so is a bit of a gamble, but Smith is a stupid move. £6m spunked on that, terrible decision.

Smith and two aging defenders, one with injury problems, nothing to shout about imo. Better than nothing though.

So is this actually gone through? Must say i know next to fuk all about him, but his experience sounds exactly what we need. Lets hope those injuries are not too bad.

All i can say is its a damn good job Dr Spec is sound.

It would probably be better for us if he had a spell in prison while he's out injured. At least we wouldn't be paying his wages, well we shouldn't do. If we stop paying his wages his contract becomes void. But isn't that you cannot earn money while in prison, so if he did go we wouldn't have to pay him by law. Who said you can't earn money? I thought it was law.