Shak

Milner is a winger. ---------------- Given Beye -- Taylor -- Rozenhal -- Enrique Milner -- Barton -- Geremi -- N'Zogbia ----------- Viduka -- Martins Yes but he's not a very good winger and horribly disrupts the balance of the team when played wide in 4-3-3, which is the system our manager prefers.

And he'd be dead right, that quartet is too offensive and would get overrun in midfield. I'd love to see Emre and Barton together as part of a 3-man midfield though, alongside a DM.

More talented Central Midfielders and a striker to replace Amoebi would improve us greatly. He doesn't seem to want to give up this defensive platform of Butt/Geremi/ and often Smith roped in. More proof today that we are creating very little due to this. It's worrying alright, especially as N'Zogbia or Milner could have been used through the middle to be a bit more aggressive. I'm hoping when they're both back and fully fit he gives Emre and Barton a chance to play together in midfield, those two have much more potantial to create something from there, and their styles should mesh well.

If Emre didn't go so deep I may appreciate him a bit more. I don't have a problem with Dyer as a forward, I think just think is a poor midfielder. Again he goes to deep when he is played as a CM I like them a bit rough in the sack myself. To each his own though.

Really should have given Milner a game through the middle in the 4-3-3 by now, as with his pace limitations he can't play wide in that system with any positive effect. Through the middle he could be useful though and would give us some penetration from the middle and get some players with proper pace down the wings. ---------------- Given Beye -- Taylor -- Rozenhal -- Enrique ------ Milner -- Geremi -- Smith Martins ---------------------------- N'Zogbia ----------------- Viduka I'd like to see that against Everton next week.

He didn't have a sell before you buy type of budget, he didn't have a budget. He was allowed to buy any player that he felt he needed to strengthen the team/squad. Exactly, he chose to spend his budget on making us a workmanlike team rather than introducing any sort of creative spark. How do we know this exactly, that he had an unlimited budget? The chairman said he didn't have budget and would go for any player he wanted within reason. Sounds like good PR alright, I'm sure the reality was a little more complicated. The bit of I've bolded is quite relevant really. He's basically trying to rebuild the team entirely, you can't have everything straight away. You need to build the foundations solidly, then when you bring in your creative spark you're throwing them into a good, organised side rather than a team that's completely rebuilding. We're very poor to watch at the moment, I don't disagree with that at all, and we will need to introduce some real quality in CM. But I do believe the work we're doing at the moment will serve us well for years to come. The key for Allardyce will be having the balls to being in some flair once he has his foundations laid.

He didn't have a sell before you buy type of budget, he didn't have a budget. He was allowed to buy any player that he felt he needed to strengthen the team/squad. Exactly, he chose to spend his budget on making us a workmanlike team rather than introducing any sort of creative spark. How do we know this exactly, that he had an unlimited budget?

Considering we needed massive amounts of players in over the summer, it can be forgiven this summer. We've assembled a solid squad now, and next summer I would imagine we'll be looking to add two or three really quality players to it rather than going for another compleet overhaul. I'm sure we'll deal with that better and get all the necessary players in in time.

I agree, but another real test is will they allow him to buy them, a couple of these "trophy players" are needed I would say. The new owners are wonderful though, haven't you heard? I would hope people will be a lot more patient than they were under Souness and Roeder though, because tbh I see us being a fairly mediocre team at times this year. But at least I feel this guy has a plan for the long-term. It will be very interesting to se our team this time next year.

How grammatically shoddy. Exactly it though, hopefully things will improve once Barton gets back. But a playmaker to go alongside Barton and Butt/Geremi would have to be high on our list of priorities. Trying to ape the thread title you see........... Oh, I see. Not bad.

We need one top class playmaker, no doubt. The positive for me is that we're laying good foundations. This season the defence should develop into a unit and get an understanding of each other, attack minded players work more on instinct so they'll gel easier. By next summer I think we'll be one top class playmaker and one very good striker away from being able to be a very formidable team. The real test will be whether Allardyce gets the right players and is willing to sacrifice a bit of functionality for some real flair.

Enrique has to be starting at LB for the next game though, that's one big positive. Drop Butt/Smith/Geremi. Can easily play as 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 with that personnel as well.

How grammatically shoddy. Exactly it though, hopefully things will improve once Barton gets back. But a playmaker to go alongside Barton and Butt/Geremi would have to be high on our list of priorities.

We desperately need Barton or Emre back and playing well, the current options in CM are horrible in terms of playing it a bit and penetrating teams. It's not Butt's natural game, or Geremi's for that matter. So without someone better going forward they have to try and do it, and disaster ensues. Whoever gets the nod for the DM spot once Barton gets back will start to look a lot better with someone more naturally attack minded beside them.

Sarcastic question, obviously, but looking at that second half it really didn't seem like we made any attempt to actively chase the game whatsoever. We were good first half, held our own and the game was going well I thought. Once they scored however the onus was on us to take more chances and push on a bit, and we were playing well enough to do it in my opinion. But no, we just stayed the same and let the game more or less die. City had no need to chase it so they were happy to sit back and let that be the case. We finally made a switch after 75 minutes, a good half hour after City had gone in front. By that time the game had descended into scrappiness and it never really had an effect. We've seen the midfield trio of Smith-Geremi- Butt is incapable of opening teams up on a few occasions, so why stick with it? Take a chance. Worst thing is that Viduka and Martins played quite well, so with some service they could have gotten a goal or two. Overall the performance was alright, and we're certainly moving in the right direction, but we really need a to start being a bit more aggressive when we go behind. It was the same against Derby, no risks. C'mon Sam, grow some balls.

Sometimes wonder what Big Sam is thinking Cacapa is injured

Switch to 4-4-2 pretty sharpish hopefully, we've been utterly incapable of chasing a game so far this season though.

Made a right mess of that. What the fuck was Rozenhal doing at the end, he just ran away from Mpenza for some reason.

Be interesting to see how actively we pursue the win if it stays 1-1 for much longer.

I'd leave it as is for now, be looking to bring on Emre for either Butt or Geremi soon enough though. Enrique on for Smith or Viduka then as well at some point.

Hopefully their goal will be a bit more incentive to get Enrique in there at LB soon enough, Zoggy tries hard but defensively he's too suspect.

Been watching the first half without looking at the thread, quite surprised so many people are so negative. City have been quite good, they're playing some very good stuff. Our defenders have had some hairy moments alright but they've hardly been dreadful in general, sometimes you just have to give credit to the other team. Going forward we've looked a lot more effective than previously in the 4-3-3, we desperately need someone with a bit more attacking talents in the middle though. Think this game could be well suited to Emre, it's quite open, hope he gets 30 minutes.

So he'll be back for England then?

What exactly has Pattison done to deserve that? Much rather have a striker on the bench, bad as he is, than Pattison. With Emre on the bench, can't see Pattison getting a game at all.

I love how Pattison keeps getting his place on the bench.