Shak

He basically lost an entire year of his development last year ( cheers Glenn ) so can't wait to see how he does this year. Much better prospect than Milner in my opinion.

Looks like we've dodged a bullet two years in a row, first Milner now N'Zogbia. Both almost sold for a pittance. N'Zogbia can be a true star in my opinion, really want to see him get a game on the left of the 4-3-3 up front.

Be a typical Allardyce signing tbh, talented player who has obviously lost his way and could do with a fresh start. I'd love us to go for him, in all honesty. Perfect for the 4-3-3 system we're looking to play, very physical player and on his best form he can be unplayable. Doubt we're looking at him though, which is a shame as I'm still not sure either Viduka or Ameobi are going to be the answer for us as the target man we need.

Why do people keep saying this? He was a first team regular for Allardyce's excellent Bolton last season, and a rock in their side. He'd be a bloody good 'squad member', if not a regular. They only finished 6th man! We surely need to be challenging for the league or Allardyce and the board have failed! This season is wasted. We could be in for a relegation battle.

Better off having Lee than Allardyce though, at least they're not playing boring football anymore.

While we're on the subject, I really hate your new username Yorkie. It's just kind of lame really, don't see what was wrong with Y-G?

Be very disappointed if we don't go at them in this one, sit back and play it tight and we could be in for a 0-0 again, or a 1-0 either way decided by a set piece. We have enough that if we go at them and play well we should be able to win without too much hassle. Problem with going 4-4-2 is that we only really have Milner as a fit winger at the moment (assuming N'Zogbia will be starting at LB) , so I'd imagine we'll go 4-3-3 again.

Pretty ugly tbh.

Desperate to go, so long as someone will match his wages obviously. As for all the people advocating that he might come good, I'm sorry but he just won't. He was unlucky when he first came here, got a terrible injury and was rushed back and never got a whole lot of opportunities. Fair enough. But that doesn't change what he is now, and that's a completely off the pace, lacking in confidence player who's neither suited to this league nor the high tempo style of play our new manager will want to play. We've got a number of players who are better than him, and a number of players who are younger and much more worth our while trying to develop. Luque is pushing 30 and the only way we'll ever get anything out of him is if we give him an extended run in the side to get his sharpness/confidence back. This is simply something we can't afford to do, and something that's not worth doing as he probably wouldn't come good anyway. Feel bad for him, but I hope he just goes sooner rather than later. He's a waste of wages at this point, and will never be anything more to us. If we can get a few quid for him, fair enough. If not, just give him away.

Still, nah for me. I see Smith as a solid, hardworking player who'll consistently give you a decent/good contribution and can be called upon to play in midfield or up front as part of a two, but with everyone fit I don't see him as being a very good player in any particular position, rather a good player in a lot of different positions. Not someone you can build an attack around.

All depends who they get to replace him though, if he goes. Still a good squad of players there, get in a top manager and they don't need to do anything drastic with the squad. Core of good young players and they'll spend money, just need a few additions.

That's absolute madness.

Viduka and Owen for me, those two fully fit would be very good in my opinion. Viduka would drop deep and play with his back to goal and generally be the focal point, while Owen would play the channels and look to push teams back, in turn giving Viduka and our midfielders more room to work in. Martins would be very handy as an impact sub as well, as Dave said.. With those two in I'd be looking to play Milner and N'Zogbia on the wings, two players who can dribble and get crosses in and give us real width. Milner has looked good on the left but with Owen and Viduka up top you'd want to be getting service in to them as both of have terrific movement in the area and will get on the end of things. So Milner down the right would be for the best if N'Zogbia can start playing well again. If Zoggy can't, we'll have Duff in a few months anyway to provide competition. But I'd love to see N'Zogbia stay in the team, get him and Milner playing the flanks well and we could have our set of wingers for the next decade. To think we almost lost both for a relative pittance. In the middle then to compliment them I'd like Barton and Geremi. Good physical midfield that can play a bit and should theoretically have a good balance, with Geremi being more of a sitter in the middle while as Barton's our box-to-box man. Should be decent defensively too, as both work hard and aren't afraid to tackle. With those six players we'd be best served playing a direct, high-tempo game as well, so with that being Allardyce's style there's a chance we'll see it. Milner -- Barton -- Geremi -- N'Zogbia ----------- Owen -- Viduka I'd like to see that six in action, everyone fit and playing well.

Just turned it on to see it was 4-0 with 5 minutes to go... How the fuck did that happen?

Then Allardyce should have bought players to fit his system in the summer. Best points return we've had in the opening two games of the Premiership season since 97/98 (ten f****** years ago) and people are still making comments like this I'd say it's probably too early to say, but it certainly hasn't been the disaster it's being made out to be so far... and did we not switch to 4-4-2 against Villa when Owen came on? Yeah, and we looked even less likely to score than when we were playing 4-3-3. As you say, we definitely need to give the team time before we start criticising. Is there anyone here who would have been upset with 4 points from our first two games if it was offered a couple of weeks ago? Agree that the midfielders were the main problem, a combination of Butt, Geremi and Smith just doesn't have the necessary quality going forward to take a game to our opponents, which is what we needed against Villa. The Bolton game worked well for us as we got a goal pretty much out of nowhere to go one up, meaning we didn't have to force the issue at all. The same trio looked very good in that circumstance as they're three solid players from a defensive point of view. We need Emre or Barton in there, in my opinion. I'd even move Milner to the middle until they return now that Owen and N'Zogbia are options in attack again. Still think 4-3-3 is the way we'll play more often than not, and I'll wait a while longer before writing it off as boring, negative football.

Anelka could also play up front on his own if necessary, which I think will become an issue at some point with Viduka and Shola our only target man type strikers.

Sign Anelka and move Milner to playing primarily midfield, everybody wins then. Anelka and Martins down the flanks would be nice.

Someone really needs to blast a free-kick into their own net when they're 2-0 up going into injury time or something, it'd be a priceless moment.

Rather have Luque than Diouf. bmccormick said it above, HE'S NEVER GONNA COME GOOD. Some people need to let go methinks, move on with your lives.

Posted about 36 hours ago on the forum.

Don't think we need him by any means, even though I do rate him. If we're after a DM I'd want it to be someone young that will improve and eventually succeed Butt in the squad and hopefully becoime a key player for us. Diop isn't likely to be any more than a decent squad player at any point. Having said that, I'd not be at all upset with signing him.

Heartbroken. If it went through I was hoping to start a 'The Iceman Bummeth?' thread, full of random and senseless speculation that they were only buying us to rape our resources.

Possibly, can't say I know what you mean. Sweeper who has license to come forward and act as a deep lying playmaker. That'd be fine, not sure we've got one on the books though. Could leave us exposed at the back a bit though?

Better than on the right, yeah. But as I said his lack of pace is really a problem, especially when playing 4-3-3. In that system the striker will be a target man type ala Viduka who'll play with his back to goal. Then you'll need two fast guys either side to stretch teams. In a 4-4-2 I'm happy to have Milner on the wing, but in a 4-3-3 I think we'll struggle with him there consistently.

Possibly, can't say I know what you mean.