The College Dropout

Not sure about creating wage space for decent signings but we won't replace any of those players and rightly so IMO. None of them play in positions where we need strengthening. As said before i want a striker, winger, attacking midfielder and centre back but we'll be lucky if we get half that. Agreed with everything except the last point. Think we need a striker and another forward who can play wide. I'd be happy with just Remy and a more target man like striker.

We signed a first teamer from Ajax. Always in Europe, mostly in the Champions League. We've also signed a Ligue 1 championship winning captain. ££££ Being a bigger club just means we should be spending more money than Norwich et al. That's all.

He got a medal for doing nowt.

Amen. It's not like he went to Everton.

He covers because he's excellent at it, ask Taylor to drop back, watch the game and intercept/mop up potential threats and see what happens. Does that site have the stats for the number of headers won vs lost for each player over the season listed somewhere?, that's really what I'd like to see. I'll have a look later like but I'm busy and I thought you might know where it is. We agree that Yanga-Mbiwa isn't necessarily weak anyway, which was my main point initially. We'll see more after he's bedded in if him and Coloccini can play together. WhoScored use stats to judge players strengths and weaknesses. A player that gets 95% passing and only passes sideways would be described as passing being a strength however. But if a player has passing at 50%, in any terms that his bad. Coloccini has aerial duels as a weakness because he loses a lot of them. Willo wins a lot in the air. But his headers have poor power and direction.

He has to cover because he's not very good at attacking it. QPR Aerial duels: Colo - 1/3 Willo - 6/9 Fulham Aerial duels: Mapou - 2/5 Saylor 4/6 But these are just individual games. You look at whoscored.com it wil tell ya players strengths/weaknesses due to stats: http://www.whoscored.com/Players/2859/Show/Fabricio-Coloccini I don't think Mapou is particularly weak/weak in the air but he's not particularly strong there yet. He's still young, so long as he gets games, even at full back - he will develop and adapt to the league. Colo caught up and so willl Mapou. But I think he and Colo are too similar. Mapou relying on his pace, Colo his brain - neither their bodies to jump or use strength.

Loan. Loan. Loan.

I wouldn't be against Mapou starting at fullback.

He's certainly not in the top bracket, but he's good enough and in some games has dominated there. Anyway the point is he improved a lot from his first season when he could easily have been described as weak as p*ss in the air. I think Yanga-Mbiwa should be given a season before he's declared weak as p*ss, that's all. Point is - it's one of the weaker areas of his game. Aerial ability needs to be one of the strongest points about his partner. Same thing with strength and pace. I think Taylor compliments Colo better. I'm sure Taylor will break down and we'll see that partnership anyway. Then we'll see. One of the weaker area's but still good enough. Its not like Taylor covers for him constantly in that area, its more that Coloccini isn't good enough in the air to cover for others (like the rather limp Williamson). Williamson wins a higher % of aerial duels than Colo. So does Taylor. It's only "good enough" if his partner is very good. Colo is average to poor in the air. Same thing with pace - Colo's slow. same thing with strength - he's weak. But his brain, composure, feet and reading of the game are great. His partner needs to be physically strong and good in the air.

Nope, MBiwa is a better player, but it's been quite obvious that MBiwa isn't physical enough to play alongside Colo at the moment, might be adaptation time needed but I don't think it looks like he'll compliment Colo. Also you rather have a versatile defender to play a position that we already have 3 defenders who can play it? MBiwa is our versatile defender until Colo leaves or retires. Debuchy, Santon, MBiwa and Tav are all players who can play the right back position. It's the least of our worries right now. I think a big, strong defender who can dominate in the air is the most important part missing for our back 4. Saylor is good, but not good enough if we really want to compete. As for striking options Cisse/Kone as our number 9 is good enough to compete, we still need a winger though. Agree with the first para. Not the second. I think Kone is a level down from a Remy.

He's certainly not in the top bracket, but he's good enough and in some games has dominated there. Anyway the point is he improved a lot from his first season when he could easily have been described as weak as p*ss in the air. I think Yanga-Mbiwa should be given a season before he's declared weak as p*ss, that's all. Point is - it's one of the weaker areas of his game. Aerial ability needs to be one of the strongest points about his partner. Same thing with strength and pace. I think Taylor compliments Colo better. I'm sure Taylor will break down and we'll see that partnership anyway. Then we'll see.

Excellent, that's just what we're after. That's my issue really.

What do you mean by go toe to toe with Cisse? I'd say Kone is the kind of player who could possibly work up front with Cisse. As well as in a front 3 with Cisse and Ben Arfa. I think Cisse has the potential to be an A grade PL striker. Or at least very good. Kone for me is just average to good. Mind you I haven't paid close attention to him at either Levante or Wigan but i've never seen him play wide.

I'd prefer a player who can really go toe-to-toe with Cisse. This is more a secondary partner and back-up. But that's what Gouff brings.

Spurs did it a lot with Vertoghnen and it helped him settle into the league and side for when he moved to CB. Kaboul too spent a lot of time in midfield in the PL before going back to CB.

Just seems like a more expensive Gouff type signing.

Erm.... Colo has gotten better in the air but he's still fairly poor compared to a lot of CB's and some strikers.

And his back.

Agreed. Thought he was the perfect type of player for us. Kone - from what i've seen is another one that wants to run towards goal rather than link up with midfielders and come deep.

Think we can find a 24-year old with the capabilities of Kone.

We have to keep Willo now surely. Reckon we will bring in at least noe experienced PL player.

especiallt with all this talk of Cabaye/Siss/Marv midfield. Cisse up top. Colo-Map at the back = weakest spine in the division.

But aye strength is another big thing. Mapou is quick but that's the only complimentary attribute he has to Colo from what i've seen.

Apparently Colo is 6'0 and Sir Les is 5'10. Like Colo, i'd consider Mapou pretty weak in the air.

Christ, how porous would that be... Agree with this. I think it's two from those three, depending on form.