toptoon

100% agree

How's that work? Why would Richards be over-hyped just cos he played for Man City? Which sounds like what you're implying... Because we knock our own players down at every opportunity when they make a mistake? We always build our players up then knock them down at the first opportunity. I can't believe the amount of s*** Milner gets. He's 21 playing in an awful team with nothing to aim at in the box yet he had a good season last season taking all things into consideration, and we've still got people saying he's s****. Milner is s*** average though. That fella who put that excellent cross for the second looked amazingly like Milner! Any idea who he is? Trialist I assume? s*** average game from a s*** average player. The sad thing is you probably think it makes him good by getting a goal and an assist in a pre season game. That must make Luque top class! Aye silly of me, especially as he has been so s*** the last 2 seasons? How did you rate him today? Lucky this whole pre-season things has the magical ability to make players cross. Good cross for the goal although it was made to look better by the Celtic defence not being able to play the offside trap, worked hard as per usual but his link up play wasn't very good, all of that seem to come down the right through Solano, Geremi and Martins. Solano easily the best winger on display tonight. I like Nobby, but against the top teams he doesn't get the time and space he needs to make any impact/hurt teams. Nobby is quality given time and space. Milner however caused the likes of Ashley cole and Gary Neville problems with very little time and space last season. Ok Milner had a good season last season (most will agree) can he/ will he get even better next season ? Yes imo...time will tell.

I'd agree with you and say Milner is not YET in their league. I was very very big fans of both Ginola and Robert. Exceptionally gifted players. However in a few years if he keeps improving the way he improved last he soon could be. He gets back better than both already, has a great attitude and work ethic! He reminds me of a quicker harder working waddle, going forward. He could be in their league in a couple of seasons imo.

In the first half linking up with Nobby he looked good. Second half not so good, skinned a couple of times. We need a top quality RB. Swap Dyer + £10m for Micah Richards (ideally) or + £5-6m for Lennon or straight swap for Lucas Neil.

So did Carr and Luque, doesn't mean they are good enough for where we want to be (top 6) Milners top class. Another good shift tonight. Two fantastic feet can cross well with either, great touches, confuses defenders. Even makes Luque look good. Viduka in particular will score alot from Milner crosses next season as would Shearer. Milner looks even sharper/better than last season. On a separate note i bet Dyer doesn't go to Spurs on around half his current wages, family problems or not!! West ham bound imo Ideally i'd like to swap him for: 1. Micah richards + £7-8m if on the off chance he did go to Citeh (got to try imo) i'd preffer he goes here too. 2. Lennon + £5-6m on the off chance Spurs break their wage structure or Dyer taes a big drop in wages. 3. TEVEZ!!! .....But seriousy now, Lucas Neil would do!

Given - 8 Didn't put a foot wrong, good distribuation too! Car - 6.5 Skinned a couple of times but not too bad, got forward well, good passing, still not good enough long term imo Rozenhal - 8 Quality imo, very assured player, not surprised they scored, when he went off. Ramage - Ok imo 6.5 not to much wrong Hunty - 6.5 see Ramage Milner - 8 Great crosses (viduka will love him), made one, scored one, good shift as per usual. Geremi - 8.5 MOM in my opinion everywhere, great tackling, vision, movement and passing Immense! Has to play attacking CM now. Nobby - 7 Give him time on the ball and space and he will hurt you, did exactly that to celtic 1st half. Martins - 8 Great opening goal, constant thorn in celtics side Luque - 6.5 Good and Bad. Very weak on the ball at times lost it too easily. but great run and finish for his second. Is there a good player in there trying to get out ? Not for us imo, just don't think he's suited to the prem, good player or not. Zoggy - 6.5 Decentish shift Pattison - 4 sell him!! Carroll - 6 Should have/could have done better at times. Taylor 6.5 Pretty good

Harper on as an outfield player!! (striker??)

Who's been bad ? - No one imo (even car's been pretty decent). Who's been particularly good so far ? - Geremi has impressed me alot playing in the middle he's been everywhere. - Martins is a constant threat, - Milners looking sharp his crossing is 1st class, - Nobby will always hurt teams if given time and space his crossing s always very good, - Butt very tidy clever passing too. - Rozenhal very assured.

Me too! Owen will get crocked at some point, same with Viduka (sorry but highly likely), Martins could be but i'm going for Shola this year, he'll have his critics back peddling, dennying the obvious and Northern Monkey choking on his cornflakes. Shola to score at least 15 goals for us!

I'd give them to Nobby if he's playing. But i'm sure BS will have the lads in a few competitions and possibly a new contender will emerge.

Assuming that Owen, Barton, Emre, Baba, Taylor, Duff are all still injured. I'd probably start with: Given Geremi Hunty Roze Edgar Milner Dyer Butt Zoggy Ameobi Martins Sorry edited to take out Viduka.

Given Geremi Ramage Roze Hunty/whoever Dyer Barton Butt Zoggy Ameobi Martins Bring rest on from half time onwards.

100% agree!! I'd swap Dyer for Tevez Lucas Neil and Ashton!! Seriously 5m+ i'd think about it, but 2m is neither here nor there now we have big Mike, especially without a decent replacement. IF (big if i know) Dyer is on top form he's a worldclass player and therefore can force his way into the team. If not we have Milner who outshone everyone last year. Dyer's never had any real competition, so he needs to be playing at the top of his game or he should be dropped for Milner/whoever and that will seriously dent his ego! Once we sort out th defence we have some good healthy competition for places this year.

Some on here will disagree and may hope Parker flops for you guys. But i feel you have bought a very good player and got him for a decent price too. In the 05/06 season he was our player of the season and rightly made captain for last season. last season was a bad one for him, he was very good in a handfull of games but just didn't really find any consistancy, was injured and fell out with a section of fans. I blame roeder for this as Roeder tried to make him into 'our Gerrard' pushing him further forward (and inexplicably encouraged Emre to defend more), when any idiot should be able to see Parkers best position is defensive CM. If you can get him back on song and i can't see why you woulden't, you have one hell of a player on your hands who gives 100% week in week out, a player that the fans love for shear effort, crunching tackles, giving all for your cause. His passing could be a hell of alot better as he tends to pass back/sideways alot not forwards his vision could be alot better. I have him in my dream team as i think he'll come good again. Bellamy was a fantastic player on the pitch come matchday, never fault his effort/workrate and did extremely well for us. But he's a gobby troublemaker, it won't be long before he's causing s**** again. So i'm glad he didn't come back.

Emre's injured? i missed this. When, how, where? Given Geremi Hunty Rozenhal Baba Barton Butt Zoggy Dyer Owen Martins Harper Car Ramage Edgar Cave Nobby Pattison Lua Lua Ameobi Carroll Luque

Seriously i'm gutted that we missed out on Tuncay. I can't believe we didn't go for him and confidently predict that we will regret it when some on here who have not seen him play much, suddenly see just how good he is. Why oh Why oh Why Sam didn't you sign him? Similar to when Roeder turned his nose up at Sol Campbell.

I'd be happy with Taylor as captain as he's a born captain. I thought that it may be too early for him though and maybe it would make Shay Given more vocal not to mention reward him for his loyalty and service.

On a free, 1 years trial, we can't really lose (much anyway) i would definately take him almost a no brainer imo. Butt won't play every game imo and needs competition/cover and its not like we are splashing out 5+ million on top of his wages. Good deal for us and the player.

I woulden't wap Shola for Raul. I've always thought raul was overated and his scoring record of late in a very creative team is shocking. Be interesting to see how Shola does this year. People are way too hard on him, its up to him to force his way into the team and i'm guessing he is 4th choice at the moment. He looked half decent under Roeder/Shearer in the latter end of 05/06 goodscoring record too. He has to prove himself now. We seriously have enough strikers now with Owen, Martins, Viduka, Shola and Carroll. Dyer arguably too (lets not go there). Deco is a very good, very classy player. He's more suited to La Liga i would think than the Premiership though + i think its probably a load of NOTW crap. If we want to spend big on someone then how about a LB a CB or a DM or AM not strikers or Wingers.

I think your very wrong. Milner was very good last year, our player of the season, he was consistantly good and occaisionally excellent. He was far far better last year than his first stint here. Notably his crossing improved dramtically (the one against Palermo sticks out, but was one of many), unfortunately there was no shearer/viduka to attack many the crosses he provided. He also scored some screamers (man u etc) and his confidence started to visably rise. He got back well too and was always helping nobby out or making himself available for a pass for Shay, Nobby etc. In my opinion he'll get better and better he's a real grafter who has geniune talent and will work hard to get even better. Great attitude!! Take note Mr Dyer, Mr Luque etc

Yep me included. People either hate him and would like to sell him or would rather have Milner/someone else like me. A fully fit, highly motivated Kieron Dyer would be a big assett to our team imo. When he first came back from injury last season he kicked our season back into life for a while, but that form slowly died off and in his last few games he was crap. So on balance i'd rather start with Milner who was consistantly good, occaisionally excellent always gave 100%. Our player of the season by a mile imo, great attitude, he has improved a hell of alot since his first stint here his crossing in particular is much much better (shame that there was no one attacking his crosses most of the time, Shearer would have loved them) he scored a few screamers too and his confidence visably rose too. He can improve again this season and he has the right attitude to keep on improving which is great for us.

Agreed there's nothing 'concrete' here, but it sounds positive. Although Ashley surely hasn't bought us to piss about imo. It would be very unlikely he'd not give BS a fairly big Wedge to spend if he really wanted it. I bet BS doesn't know whats hit him, suddenly he's got some money to spend after years of practically nothing !! to "stun the world of football" though you'd be talking Kaka, Gerrard, Terry etc etc and i can't quite see them wanting to move just yet

errr poor for West Ham...... ok, but played brilliantly for U21's. Did you actually watch the U21's ?

Pretty much bang on imo out of players we currently have. We may well get at least another DM and LB before the window closes. I'd have Given as captain though over Butt. I'd also probably have Owen over Dyer in your first team.

Duff should be back fit before then too may come in useful if Oba does go. Hopefully Zoggy's form may pick up (alot) before then too. Heaven forbid maybe even Luque (although i won't be holding my breath). Dyer, Nobby or a more defensive player to cover for Geremi.