Shak

Chelsea might be going back to 4-4-2 this season. ITK?

Definitely. It was the problem with signing Shevchenko as, despite being class, he just didn't fit into the system/style they played, and they're still suffering from it.

Aye, only got Bolton Wanderers into Europe. Only won Chelsea the Premier League, twice. Man United used it predominantly last season as well.

I think this 4-4-2 / 4-3-3 issue is a crucial one. 4-3-3 is what Sam believes in, and we do have the attacking players to play it. Trouble is Owen and Martins aren't in that category. They aren't target men, they're not wide players and they're not good at dropping into the midfield. They are specialist finishers who need to play around another striker in a 4-4-2. In a 4-3-3, Viduka or Shola could operate in the centre, and Milner, Dyer, Zoggy, Duff or Emre could go wide. My fear is that we'll end up wasting a lot of time trying to play 4-3-3 in order to fit in the big name players. I'd expect Martins would be very well suited to being a wide-man in a 4-3-3 tbh, as he's anything but a penalty box predator/finisher type. The big issue is Owen. He's our best player and seems to be suited exclusively to a 4-4-2, while the rest of our team look to be very well suited to a 4-3-3. Tough call.

I'd take him playing there as cover for Bridge untill he is fit, if Baggio is right that is. Agreed, especially as Bridge shouldn't be out for too long. But it is absolutely imperative that N'Zogbia is only a back-up, putting our faith in him to somehow become the answer to our LB problems permanently would be shocking. Thankfully I don't see that happening. I want to believe you, but you've hurt me too many times.

Maybe Geremi is expected to provide the competition for Butt in that role? Agree with you though, would love to see us get a young DM to ultimately become the anchor of our midfield.

I'd take him playing there as cover for Bridge untill he is fit, if Baggio is right that is. Agreed, especially as Bridge shouldn't be out for too long. But it is absolutely imperative that N'Zogbia is only a back-up, putting our faith in him to somehow become the answer to our LB problems permanently would be shocking. Thankfully I don't see that happening.

He's not an improvment on what we've got though, in my opinion at least. Here he'd be expected to do a lot more than he is at Man U and I think he'd be found out as the average player that he is. Would you be happy with the signing? Not at £6m but i seem to have an impression in my mind of him playing well in the latter stages of the CL. Versatile player too. Aye, capable of average performances in a number of positions. Rather we kept Dyer than got Fletcher personally. Fletcher would expect to play regularly if he came here I'd imagine, and I wouldn't be at all comfortable with that. As a squad player he'd be fine, but for £6m I'd much rather we kept our money and spent it on some defenders. I have the feeling that its getting to the stage where we will try to bring in anyone who improves the squad. He can play in the defence and across the midfield. If he is good enough for Fergie, he is good enough for me btw. Don't know, wouldn't be too keen on the likes of John O'Shea here tbh. I'll trust Allardyce's judgement on this if it's true (which I doubt) but I'll be quite disappointed I must admit. Twas the Roma game where he shone but, as I said earlier, the whole team was on fire that day so I wouldn't use that game as much of an indicator.

It's Smith we're talking about. You say tomato...

No surprise that Nobby will play more centrally this season, he's not direct enough at all to play out wide in Allardyce's system in my opinion. Think he'll probably compete with Emre for this deep lying playmaker role, should be a decent battle. Much depends on what system we end up playing though.

He's not an improvment on what we've got though, in my opinion at least. Here he'd be expected to do a lot more than he is at Man U and I think he'd be found out as the average player that he is. Would you be happy with the signing? Not at £6m but i seem to have an impression in my mind of him playing well in the latter stages of the CL. Versatile player too. Aye, capable of average performances in a number of positions. Rather we kept Dyer than got Fletcher personally. Fletcher would expect to play regularly if he came here I'd imagine, and I wouldn't be at all comfortable with that. As a squad player he'd be fine, but for £6m I'd much rather we kept our money and spent it on some defenders.

He's not an improvment on what we've got though, in my opinion at least. Here he'd be expected to do a lot more than he is at Man U and I think he'd be found out as the average player that he is. Would you be happy with the signing?

I think you both overrate him.

The whole team was fantastic though, anyone could have looked good playing for Man U that day. (Except Richardson, of course, who was terrible ) Anyway, can't see him being anything more than average if he leaves Man U, much prefer to have Emre on the field ahead of him.

hang on, didn't someone or some people talk about Whelan not wanting to sell to either Ashley or Allardyce (I forget who). Did I mis-interpret that, as it was a joke, or is this true? It's true, something to do with Ashley whistle-blowing on something illegal Whelan was doing. They'd be rivals in sports retail anyway, though I don't know if that's what the incident was about. There certainly is friction between the two though.

Wouldn't be keen on playing N'Zogbia at LB anyway, but too lightweight for the position? Reckon he'd be a lot more powerful than the majority of LB's in the Premiership. For some reason I just see Shorey being a one-season wonder, hoping we steer clear.

It's hard to do this here tbh, as if you're actually in SA's position you can find out how much certain players will cost you, whereas here it's pure speculation. Also, nobody here has the scouting system that the actual manager has at his disposal... Sorry, I'll give it a go later though.

.com are reporting it to be fair, hope to fuck they're wrong though. One of the last players that I#d have wanted us to lose for the start of the season, fucking sickening this if it's true.

Me and Chez were making jokes this morning on another board about Dyer out Deco in. Another board? :-[ How could you?

If this turns out to be true then he's even more of a wretched little prick than I thought, astonishing that he'd think he's got any right to do this with the career he's had here.

I'm living proof rasta. :parky: Aren't we all?

Parky understands how these things work, obviously.

Tempted to try and get odds on Luque scoring the winner in a cup final for us this year, it'd be insane.