Rich

It's just a change back to the typical placeholder title. Nothing to see here.

He's having a medical and then probably conducting interviews with the official website/local journalists. It shouldn't be long now until it's official.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnguioKyh91qbbbdt.jpg

Levy doesn't want Redknapp to waste it, rather wait 12 months and let Ancelotti waste it instead. There's plenty of money without selling Modric. Ah, and the other one is back to living in the future. Good to see.

gooners? And how much for? You're just winding me up with this now, surely?

We aren't really getting Elliot and Bolek are we? Seems a bit OTT. Fear for the Czech fella that he'll be sacked off now that Charlton have caved.

That's fair enough mate. Keep fighting the good fight. I defended Lovenkrands once upon a time too. No more.

He is more "FM" than anyone on here, which is pretty good going. Always fun to read the flailing madness and then witness the end-of-window breakdown.

Oh, and: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6eqpkmL4V1qa3fwr.gif

Bad formulation.Barton was involved in the build up play..He was able to cross the ball to Jonas when the opponent was unbalanced on that side, but because we didn't have a CM with passing abilities Barton seldomly received the ball when he was unmarked = unbalanced midfield, most of the crossers into the box came from the left side. Let me make a few suggestions as to the real reason why much of our play has come from the left over the past two seasons: Was it not just because Enrique was generally the better option from goalkeeper distribution that attacks tended to be built down the left? Everyone knew he was comfortable with the ball at his feet, including his team-mates, and so he would be a preferred option from the outset. Or it might have been that he was quite regularly able to dispossess his opponent (usually through brute force) and build counter-attacks with Jonas ahead of him? Even when tight against the touchline/byline, Jose was adept at keeping the ball in play and moving out to Coloccini or Jonas. Simpson doesn't really have the same ability in this area and would rarely find himself winning the ball in open play and then propelling us forwards. Another reason may well be that Coloccini always plays left-sided of the two central defenders, and is easily more comfortable on the ball than the likes of Campbell, Taylor and Williamson. Hence he would often be used as the first-stage of our attack building, or like Enrique would snuff the ball out in open play and then build attacks from his side. I could go on, but the basic point I'm making is that you're wide of the mark if you believe having Cabaye in the team is the main reason why more is being asked of Simpson, in particular. The main reason is that Enrique is gone and we are currently heavily imbalanced down the left as a result.

When was the right-flank not involved in the build-up play? Did Barton manage to become "one of our best players" last season by never seeing the ball? Just settle down man.

Sell, sell, sell.

I didn't even see the Fergie bit until the quote, but it did make me chuckle. Jon strikes again. You're more prolific than Leon Best.

He must be pushing 6'2" as well, but he's not really any kind of threat, is he? If you get what I mean. Him and Tiote have been up in the box for our attacking corners, even Jonas has at times, I wouldn't consider any of them as legitimate options from those situations. As crude as it was, I did quite enjoy seeing us have Ameobi, Carroll, Williamson, Coloccini and Nolan in and amongst it last season.

Aye, massive ask really. Although Bassong more-or-less came from nowhere as far as most of us were concerned I'm fairly sure he had a decent number of first-team games under his belt with Metz. I've been harping on about centre-back since Campbell went, so apologies if it's boring people, but I was pleased to see a tidbit in one of the local rags this week that suggested Pardew had similar concerns now Williamson had been injured. Better late than never. However that's reminded me I also saw quotes from him earlier in the week stating Perch was an option to cover there when he got back to fitness...

Bit of a diversion on the thread there, but Baba made a decent observation. Santon is a big lad for a full-back, but his ability on the ball seems to bely that a bit, which is nice. I do wonder if we have always been partial to getting a "bigger" player for the left-back slot given that we have lost a lot aerially since last January. While that side of the game certainly wasn't a strong point for Jose specifically, we've lost quite a bit from other areas with Carroll and Nolan going. I know size isn't the be-all and end-all, but it was a huge strength of ours last season and we've lost a bit of that, which is visible when you look at our attacking set-ups on corners/free-kicks between now and then.

A left-back is the only thing I think we could really argue that we "need". In the literal sense of the word, I mean. However, given all of the talk/bids over the past months in the striker department (from everyone up to Pardew), I do agree that unless a quality striker is added to that then we have shit the bed massively. Again. Those two have to be a minimum for most, anything else has been made a bonus by our glorious leaders, when really we do look exceptionally short in central defence as well.

Williamson definitely. Plus the Ameobis, Ba, S. Taylor, Ranger, Vuckic...

Agree that it's large for a full-back in relative terms, but we do have quite a few outfield players above 6'2".

I just want two geet massive (well, six-foot plus) fullbacks who can contribute a bit going forwards while not being totally devoid of defensive ability. Surely not too much to ask after the constant conveyor belt of dirge I've had to watch play there for us over the years (in the main)?

Agree with this. However, my boundless naivety will now have me hoping that we'll have Pieters and Santon in the squad by Thursday, given that wor Erik is still gagging to come here and we could probably get BOTH for the amount Cissokho would have cost. 2-for-1 deal man, Ashley loves that s***!! I do realise the Dutch lad is now apparently "not for sale", but we might just up the offer by 100,000 Sports Direct mugs and seal the deal. At any decent club with ambitious owners, we'd have both on planes first thing tomorrow morning. There's more chance of us winning the cup than there is of us raising our offer for Pieters So one could warm the bench? We only play with one fullback like? They're both left backs. Santon is a right-back, man. He only played LB for Inter because they had Maicon. Regardless, he's played left back for almost the entirety of his senior career though, it has to be classed as his primary position. We've bought him to play there. Fair enough way of looking at it, I suppose, although I do think it's slightly narrow-minded to label him solely as a "left-back" though, with the main reason being that he's right-footed. Would be interesting to know where he preferred to play, as he may enjoy being able to cut inside.

Agree with this. However, my boundless naivety will now have me hoping that we'll have Pieters and Santon in the squad by Thursday, given that wor Erik is still gagging to come here and we could probably get BOTH for the amount Cissokho would have cost. 2-for-1 deal man, Ashley loves that shit!! I do realise the Dutch lad is now apparently "not for sale", but we might just up the offer by 100,000 Sports Direct mugs and seal the deal. I bought last year's top from Sports Direct's website but the daft fuckers sent me an extra large. I took it back and got my money back. I kept the free Sports Direct mug that they sent me though. I am up on the deal and it feels good. I laugh about it now but Ashley's probably noticed the missing mug and this summer could well be my fault. So I'm sorry lads. I too have a gigantic Sports Direct mug. I think 100,000 of them could really impress PSV.

Agree with this. However, my boundless naivety will now have me hoping that we'll have Pieters and Santon in the squad by Thursday, given that wor Erik is still gagging to come here and we could probably get BOTH for the amount Cissokho would have cost. 2-for-1 deal man, Ashley loves that s***!! I do realise the Dutch lad is now apparently "not for sale", but we might just up the offer by 100,000 Sports Direct mugs and seal the deal. At any decent club with ambitious owners, we'd have both on planes first thing tomorrow morning. There's more chance of us winning the cup than there is of us raising our offer for Pieters So one could warm the bench? We only play with one fullback like? They're both left backs. Santon is a right-back first and foremost, man. He only played LB for Inter because they had Maicon.

If we aren't spending on a striker (and I refuse to believe that to be the case just yet), what would be the harm in improving another area of the squad for less overall outlay? I know people will think I'm crackers given the way we've looked up top so far, but I could forgive Macheda on loan if we actually brought in Pieters and Santon, for example. However, as I've said elsewhere if it does turn out to be Macheda and Santon and no bugger else then it's an absolute disgrace.