The College Dropout

My word Ronaldo you are on a roll. These people lack basic logic. "It's definitely our best option but it's not proven and we've never done it" ffs

No doubt Ledley was excellent. But for me it's Rio > Sol > Terry > Ledley > Carragher > Woodgate (that lad barely played) Talent wise it would be different - granted.

I think Ledley was class tbf, like Woodgate he would have been immense if he was ever fit for a decent run of games. England would have had an amazing selection of centre backs. Okay but those are what-if's. Sol Campbell was a better player.. in part because his knees worked. Ledley may have had more potential, more talent... but Sol Campbell was the better player. Ledley never hit the heights, sorry.

Aye and Lukaku could run through all 3 at ease. I don't get the Anita hype on this board. At least Marveaux has shown what he's good at. Gouffran's looked handy. Mapou looked solid at fullback. Anita? Don't think he's had a genuine good game for us.

But have you seen it for NUFC? In the Premiership? There's no doubt the Dutch league is less physical than the PL.

Okay - but can he put a foot in? Is he going to provide cover fro the defence and midfield? Will he take the burden off Cabaye? I haven't seen it. We look a soft touch in midfield when i've seen him.

How was his defending? Did he make a difference in the final 3rd? Honestly, i'd take Simpson's performance in Benfica over anything from Debuchy. I haven't been impressed with Debuchy so far. Fullback is very tough ni this division so he has time on his hands.

I mention tackle because I haven't seen Sissoko attempt one in a dozen or so games. Marv looks scared to engage in one. And if Cabaye is the steel man in midfield, he'll play poorly and get ran ragged. Even with James Perch, Cabaye had to do too much lateral movement.

At Ajax, I saw him start attacks - that he can do very well. But the other side - I haven't seen it from him.

No, there isn't. Cabaye isn't suited to playing that high up the field. He'd do well in a partnership in which the other player is able to get forward. This is true. I would say he needs someone who plays pretty deep as well, to do some of his running for him. A Khedira, Mascherano... Tiote. Then another who aims to get forward - whether that's Marv or Siss. If it's just Cabaye and Siss/Marv - Cabaye has too much running to do. Would it not work to have an Anita (all things being equal and he sort of adapts to show the tackling/reading of game that he showed at Ajax) with Sissoko and Cabaye? With no hint of irony - does he have the tackle/engine/presence to relieve the defensive pressure on Cabaye?

Debuchy looked no better than Simpson man. I have no doubt Debuchy is the far superior player but we only saw glimpses of it.

He just shoots though. I don't think he has Cabaye's passing capabilities.

No, there isn't. Cabaye isn't suited to playing that high up the field. He'd do well in a partnership in which the other player is able to get forward. This is true. I would say he needs someone who plays pretty deep as well, to do some of his running for him. A Khedira, Mascherano... Tiote. Then another who aims to get forward - whether that's Marv or Siss. If it's just Cabaye and Siss/Marv - Cabaye has too much running to do.

Dat work rate. Absolutely no doubting their collective talent (Berb is my idol) but that simply cannot work Berbatov and Ruiz linked up excellently together. If they can both stay fit, Fulham will have a good season. Fulham's problem arose when Ruiz was out, then it was all on Berba.

Berbatov is not lazy. That's a myth.

Never rated him when he was at Madrid but he's gone on to be a very good player.

Only a Spurs fan would say that.

Nah Ameobi was never quick. Never.

Robert was a match-winner. He won us matches. Sometimes it might just be a freekick to sink L'pool at home. Sometimes a quality corner for Speed to nod home. But when you had him, Solano, Dyer, Bellamy, Shearer and Speed. You always felt we had a goal in us. Always. As did the opposition. Scared of us. Miss that whole mid set.

Disagree a bit. Sol had a bit of that sprinter explosiveness. Over 10 or so metres, in his prime he was faster than Rio over that distance. Rio probably had a higher top speed and faster in a longer foot race or from a running start. And that muscle mass thing is a myth too tbh, especially for taller players. Even David Rudisha is a very strong lad. 100-400m sprinters tend to be noticeably muscular.

Rio is one of the best CB's of his generation - period. In the last 10/15 years, he would be competing for the top 10 imo. Fine defender. Even though his legs have gone he's still a fabulous CB.

Nah. 4-4-2 with wide men that actually want to attack and preferrably with some width Cabaye-Tiote sitting deep with the wide men pushed up a bit and a striker dropping deep a bit to link things. Lovely.

You've got to protect Colo a little bit by not playing too high a line and partnering him with a dominant header of the ball. One of the reasons Mapou probably won't start with everyone fit. Almost bang on

He actually played far better after his 'personal problems' were revealed in January. Yep. I was saying week after week that Colo was playing poorly. Nobody was having it. Blinkered on this site to the obvious. Colo has a lot of fundamental weaknesses but compensates for it with his many positive attributes. However, with such flaws there's always the chance they will get exposed. And there are many.

Is there a player in a top league with feet as slow as Cabaye's, that plays an advanced midfield position?