Shak

I Feel Like Chicken Tonight.

And by Baptista I mean that Deridyok guy.

Taiwo and Baptista.

Not been watching, what sort of formation are we playing with, who's playing where?

I wonder if he's at the game himself?

why not...and heres a novel,blue sky,out of the box type idea.....have two box to box midfielders,who do it all ? Sounds great in theory but they need to develop a very good understanding for that to work. You can't have two guys bombing forward all the time getting into the box, get it wrong and you'll empty out the midfield and get bummed on the break all day long. I'm all for having good all-round midfielders who can interchange and not be just restricted to one role, but I do believe it's beneficial to have one guy who is instinctively more likely to sit and one whose more inclined to get forward. as opposed to having a defensive midfielder sitting back all game and not taking opportunities to get forward. the game is now more about movement than anythiong else and some people are trying make subbuteo players out of flesh and blood. Some are I guess, others would just like us to see us sign a player who can actually dictate the play a bit, as it's something we desperately need if we're going 4-4-2. "Attacking midfielder" is just a general term for a center midfielder who can offer a bit of quality going forward, as far as I'm concerned anyway, and that's a type of player we don't actually have IMO. Personally hope we sign a forward and stick with the 4-3-3 myself, anyway.

why not...and heres a novel,blue sky,out of the box type idea.....have two box to box midfielders,who do it all ? Sounds great in theory but they need to develop a very good understanding for that to work. You can't have two guys bombing forward all the time getting into the box, get it wrong and you'll empty out the midfield and get bummed on the break all day long. I'm all for having good all-round midfielders who can interchange and not be just restricted to one role, but I do believe it's beneficial to have one guy who is instinctively more likely to sit and one whose more inclined to get forward.

If we are going to play a flat 4-4-2 then we really do need a top signing to make it work. None of our current central midfielders to me seem capable of being the man to link midfield and attack, being our primary playmaker who most of the play goes through, to allow the wide men to stay wide and do their damage there. Furthermore, none of our strikers are really that suited to dropping off into the hole and pulling the strings either, so if we're going with a 4-4-2 then I don't think we have the personnel to make it work at all. Whether it's an "attacking midfielder" or a striker who drops off the front and pulls the strings and makes the team tick from there, we need someone, as we've nobody capable of it at the minute as far as I can see. The problem with this though is that you can then rely on that player to make you tick too much, which is why I'd prefer we stuck with the system we used at the end of last season. A sitter, two box-to-box engine room types either side, a player floating between the midfield and attack and then two strikers. Doesn't really overly rely on any particular player to make it work, and is a vastly better fit for the players we have at our disposal at the minute. If there's anything in the Taiwo rumours (though I do tend to doubt it) then we'll have a much better suited full-back to make it work as well, so we'll see. Anyway, I think that we'll make one more first-team signing, either a CM or a CF. That should prove a very good indication of what sort of setup we'll be going with next season.

I see what you're saying but long-term it can only be a good thing to have the defense sorted for the next few years, leaving us free to build upon our strong foundation in years to come. Assuming we got Taiwo and then he and Coloccini actually work out, of course.

Can't say I agree with this. I think that with a couple of good, first-team quality signings we'd have plenty of cause for optimism for the coming season. Obviously our preperation for the August schedule isn't very good, but realistically anything more than 3 points from those 3 games would be fantastic, so it's not as important as most years. I think we're set for keepers and in defence, assuming Collocini comes in and maybe a squad player who can play left-back. The key is what system we're playing IMO, if it's the 4-3-3 we finished last year with then one more signing would do me. In midfield we've Butt and Guthrie to fight it out for the holding role, with Barton, Milner, N'Zogbia, Geremi and Spiderman vying for the spots flanking them in the midfield three. Then up top we've Viduka, Owen, Martins and Duff (I hope to see him used as back-up to Martins, in a sort of wide striker role with a target man ala Viduka to play off). If we can sell Smith and get in someone to challenge Viduka for his spot as target man then it's not too bad by any means. Baptista, if available, would be perfect because he could play up front or fill in for Owen in the deep striker role should Owen be absent. If we're going for a 4-4-2 then we need a starting quality CM rather than a forward, and then also a 4th choice striker, but I hope that won't bethe case personally. Guthrie doesn't look physical enough to be a holding player, at least not yet. Butt, along with Geremi and Barton are either too old or too slow to be playing week in week out in the same team. Duff isn't a striker and Viduka won't play much, so there's plenty room for improvement to that squad. There's always room for improvement of course, but it's hardly a bad situation is it? Butt, Barton and Geremi did pretty well in the same team at the back end of last season as it happens, and now all three will have a fair fight on their hands to even get a place in the team. So I think it's fair to say we've improved there surely? As I said an alternative to Viduka is absolutely crucial, and if we don't get it we're in trouble. As for Duff, I'm not advocating playing him as an out and out striker by any means but as part of a front three I think he can be alright, drifting wide to help provide a bit of width. Played some of the best football of his career in that position for Ireland.

Oh dear, some of those "trophy signings" under the old board aren't looking so bad now are they? Still anything's better than Fat Freddy, right? :clap:

23,111 posts, they can't all have been empirically inspired?! Most of them are about Milner, actually.

Can't say I agree with this. I think that with a couple of good, first-team quality signings we'd have plenty of cause for optimism for the coming season. Obviously our preperation for the August schedule isn't very good, but realistically anything more than 3 points from those 3 games would be fantastic, so it's not as important as most years. I think we're set for keepers and in defence, assuming Collocini comes in and maybe a squad player who can play left-back. The key is what system we're playing IMO, if it's the 4-3-3 we finished last year with then one more signing would do me. In midfield we've Butt and Guthrie to fight it out for the holding role, with Barton, Milner, N'Zogbia, Geremi and Spiderman vying for the spots flanking them in the midfield three. Then up top we've Viduka, Owen, Martins and Duff (I hope to see him used as back-up to Martins, in a sort of wide striker role with a target man ala Viduka to play off). If we can sell Smith and get in someone to challenge Viduka for his spot as target man then it's not too bad by any means. Baptista, if available, would be perfect because he could play up front or fill in for Owen in the deep striker role should Owen be absent. If we're going for a 4-4-2 then we need a starting quality CM rather than a forward, and then also a 4th choice striker, but I hope that won't bethe case personally.

And you'll will never forget the name of *SHARP, AUDIBLE INTAKE OF BREATH*..... Ssssssmitttttthhhhh...

About 90% sports in the Olympics are professional these days. The Olympics is about being the best, and the best sportsmen are proffessional. Can't say I follow athletics at all, is that all professional at this point? I assume so. I've no problem with that being contested by Pros, because the Olympics is the pinnacle of their sports. Soccer, Basketball, Tennis it's just another event to them, much smaller than say a Grand Slam in tennis or a Championship in basketball or soccer. I think it somewhat devalues the Olympics. While some guys are breaking their arse for 4 years to win a medal, others just take a couple of weeks off from their multi-million pound day jobs to show up and fart about for a couple of weeks on a thrown together team and then they win a medal themselves.

Could see him being used as Martins' back-up if we play a 4-3-3 like the end of last season. Playing just off a striker, encouraged to push out wide. Think that's his best spot these days as he's not got the ability to just go by people all day like he did when he was a really top winger.

Don't agree with professional sports like Tennis, Basketball or Soccer being in the Olympics the way they are. Should be amateurs only, would be a life defining moment for guys winning the Olympics, as it should be. As it stands its just another piece of silverware for a lot of them before they head back to their teams or tours or whatnot.

Tough to read that, can only hope that his last months are good to him.

Could be something in this one, be a great signing if we can pull it off.

Yeah he's a handy enough player to have around at this point, as his versatility will be handy with our small squad. Still don't think he's got it in him to ever be a top player, but useful to have around as he'll give a decent effort in several positions. I'd still sell him for upwards of 7m or so, but doesn't seem Liverpool are interested anymore.

He Christophe's less skillful brother? Aye, second cousin to Stephen Spence as well interestingly enough.

I sent a lengthy text message rant to several of my mates a couple of days ago, absolutely ripping into Smith. Few of them have text today, they're all pulling for me.

Has a player ever been booed simply for being absolutely shite before, with no off the field factors coming into play?

what about owen & martins, theres a decent chance of that Smith will probably be playing though. Or we'll have a flat 4-4-2 with Owen and Oba up front and Guthrie and Butt in CM, which I can't see working at all. Just sign a big center-forward to play Viduka's role and we're set IMO, I'd even play Shola there to avoid going back to a 4-4-2.