chicago_shearer

Viduka up to much?

Has the Geremi/Butt partnership looked any better?

1-2 Dempsey.

Beauty from Berbatov 0-2

BBC is terrible on match days. 

1-0 Spurs

Nice tribute to Puerta after the goal.

1-0 Sevila.

Hopefully they are waiting on a potential third and the Beye & Faye deals are dusted at this point.  But the fact that Mourinho does like to step in at the last minute and hijack our transfers is worrying me a bit. 

Dragutinovic starting at left-back for Sevilla. 

Wiki said 5mins back Ronaldinho had signed for the toon, but its changed now... must have failed his medical or summit.

 

We only offered him £40,000 per week wages, someone on an email on SSN said.

Sack the board.

SSN - Derby sign Miller for 3 mil.

Is there any truth at all to this Riquelme business?  Surely he isn't actually considering going to Everton.

Source?

Rumours: Shakes says Liverpool signing AC Milan's Marek Jankulovski is "100% true". Danny Murphy is in talks with Fulham, and someone who wants to remain nameless is sure that "things are about to happen" at Tottenham. Postmodernisty has been told by five different people in the last hour that Alessandro Del Piero is going to Newcastle.

606, but I'm bored. 

It's a shot in the dark but maybe the hold up of the Beye and Faye deals is because of this "mystery third signing". Possibly want to reveal all at once? Who knows.

 

More likely work permits.

If a signing has put pen to paper on a contract by midnight but hasn't gotten the work permit, does the deal go through?

Rotation, rotation, rotation.

Having international class defenders in the squad is the best thing that could have happened to Taylor.  It might actually help him realize his hype & potential. 

Juninho will be great cover for Riquelme IMO. 

http://www.jeffwinterentertainmentandmedia.co.uk/comeonboro/0708004.htm

Lovely Louise Taylor's headline from her match report for The Guardian:

"Arca gives Boro spark to silence bigoted Geordie fans"

Football's simultaneous ability to enthral and appal was encapsulated on an afternoon when Julio Arca's bewitching passing could not quite erase the depression imposed by the moronic behaviour of some Newcastle fans. Listening to them persistently subject Mido, Middlesbrough's new Egyptian striker, to vile and ignorant Islamophobic abuse detracted from a compelling game that was dominated by Gareth Southgate's gloriously creative side.

Few managers would even contemplate fielding two South American playmakers in central midfield against a team coached by Sam Allardyce but Southgate dared to be different yesterday. His bold decision to pair Arca and Fabio Rochemback, men known for the quality of their touch rather than enforcement credentials, saw Boro largely out-pass and out-class Newcastle in a game they really should have won.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2156856,00.html

Just watching the end of Roma v. Palermo.  Anyone think Simplicio would work in the Premiership?

If we were committed to the 4-3-3, I'd play Barton in front of the back four in a box-to-box role and sign a good pacey right-back because we will be dependent on the fullbacks for width and Carr won't hack it.

Geremi, Emre, Zoggy, Smith & Butt can compete for the remaining two roles in midfield.  I honestly don't know how to best fit Owen, Viduka & Martins in the same side.  Maybe drop Viduka and play Smith just behind a front two of Owen & Martins (since Viduka lacks the aerial ability for a target man anyway).  Or else pair Owen & Viduka in the middle and give Martins a free-role on either side to use his pace?  Works in FM! 

I don't think it's at all certain that we'll stick with the 4-3-3.  Sam changed the system at half-time, and it's reasonable to think he might experiment again.

When they are back in contention, Barton & Emre could give the midfield a little more presence than it has shown so far in the system, but a big concern will be what happens with Owen & Martins.  They aren't wide players and there is a good chance they will struggle out of position.

I'd like to see Owen & Martins up front in a 4-4-2 and I hope Emre is fit enough to play a part. 

Wow.  Cracking goal.