Yorkie

Really would love Sidwell. Being honest though, i don't know an awful lot about him. Is he a penetrating midfielder like Emre, or a bit more defensive like Butt?

No.

There were two pre-match threads before this one.

I'd pay £5-7m for him tbh. Although rumoured prices were a lot lower than that in January...

I said he's only ever played shit there, which he has. I'm not necassarily writing him off - but he's a left winger for us and that's where he should be played.

Only ever been shit when he's played in the centre.

Yup. There seems to be a general concensus around that line-up. From the sane people, anyway.

He is strong He is good with his back to goal He is a decent finisher He has very good footwork once he's navigated himself around his first touch He is a general presence in the box He can hold the ball up well Shola's downfall, largely, is how we play. He could have forged a really good partnership with Oba this season, but whenever Shola or Sibierski play - Glenn feels inclined to play the idiotic long ball, simply because we have a big man upfront. Ameobi would benefit if we played the ball on the floor - because his footwork is good and he can bring players into play.

Ok Jesus Christ... what the hell do you want as your third/fourth choice striker? Ameobi is a more than capable player. He's not brilliant, certainly not worthy of starting as many games as he has done over the past couple of years, but he's got good enough ability to be a back-up striker when needed. Better than a lot of 3rd/4th choice strikers in the Premiership. PS... I'm assuming that your reply was like a sarcastic one, otherwise i've gone off on one for no reason. And, to your laughing emoticon regarding the number of strikers. Obafemi Martins Michael Owen Kieron Dyer Shola Ameobi Antoine Sibierski And Andrew Carroll, who you would feel Roeder sees something in, because he wouldn't have made the squad this many times - despite injuries. Plus, Duff, Emre, Milner can all play an advanced role. Luque will probably still be here aswell. We're bound to get injuries, but if they're on the scale as what we've witnessed this season, it'll be a big coincidence.

Makes you wonder why some think 15 million defenders is the priority. Won't be the case next season anyway, we'll have plenty of strikers. I want us to get a striker, i just don't want us to spend multitudes of cash on one because we don't need to. The multitudes of cash, if we really have it, should be spent on the defense.

Could be so good for us, Shola.

1-0.

Still stand by my team, then, which is exactly the same as The Janitor's. Given Solano --- Bramble --- Onyewu --- Taylor Milner --- Parker --- Butt --- Duff Martins --- Dyer Subs: Harper, Huntington, N'Zogbia, Carroll, Sibierski Though i wouldn't be surprised if Sibierski and Huntington were starters.

I didn't say i expected him to be. I said he should be. And anyway, i'd still say that N'Zogbia has been marginally more effective than Duff when he has played. Zog's never played consistently, though. How many 90 minute games has he played this season? Has he ever started 3/4 games in a row? Judging this season's performances, he wouldn't be starting next year on merit, he'd be starting cos Duff's a waster.

Dyer can't play centre-midfield. He's totally ineffective there. If we're going to play Dyer, he needs to be put in an advanced position, that's all he is good for. That's the only way he properly effects a game. Dyer would have to be dropped, or we'd have to establish a new 4-3-3 type system, which is unneeded and unwanted. Newcastle play with wingers. Roeder will certainly have to grow some balls next season. Zoggy should be a regular starter by then n'all.

He'll never be as good as he was, but he'll still be good.

I'm miles off topic, btw. Dyer.

Dyer can't play in midfield, so it should be Dyer - even though he's done well. He'd be a good impact player anyway. Given Solano --- Taylor --- Someone1 --- Someone2 Milner --- Emre --- Butt --- N'Zogbia Martins --- Owen So, that would mean bringing in a centre-back, a left-back and a cover striker minimum. Anything less than those three simply isn't good enough. In terms of midfielders, i'd like to see us bring in another right-winger for cover in all honesty. Personal choice would be Giles Barnes - who can also play upfront. Moritz Volz who probably wouldn't cost a bomb, but Gera's available on a free.

Touch and go this season. Should be a interesting finale tbh. Don't anticipate finishing higher than Everton or Spurs, though.

Roeder's not going to get rid of him. If he didn't think he 'had something' (quite what he sees i'm not sure), he wouldn't have played in him in so many games. He's not going to get rid of one of our youngest members, someone who he brought up, one of his favourites, and Shepherd would probably be against it aswell. Just won't happen unfortunately.

But Ramage is? What makes you so certain that he'll stay in the Summer? He's absolutely toss. Read the first two sentences of my first paragraph, and the first sentence of my second paragraph. Ramage won't go, but Bramble might.

Would rather have Wesley Sneijder for £8m, which is equally as unrealistic. EDIT: Thought Milito was a centre-mid.

Aye Frank Wiafe Danquah, Dutch i think. Think the last time he was mentioned, Mosley said he was a bit shit?

That's just not going to happen, though. Might aswell be slightly realistic. I know Ben Haim's somewhat pie in the sky, but we can offer him the cash the likes of Chelsea would do. Difference if he came here being, he'd play regularly. Plus - are Chelsea actually still interested in him? Selling Ramage won't happen, whereas Bramble's already being warned. If Roeder had any backbone, he'd let him go. Mind you, three or four good performances before the season's out (despite an inevitably pathetic good games to bad ratio), will probably keep Titus at United. Said it time and again, bored of people living in hope over Bramble. Been here five years, never improved, never changed. He's good for 10 games a season. He's average-to-shit the other 30 and it's not worth it anymore in my opinion. I'm not going to be fooled by another few decent performances against part-timers... something i bet one or two people have been. Including Roeder. Going on HTL's theory... The truth about Bramble is, he's never been good enough for us and never will be, so we should get rid.

Yup, which ain't what we're after that. We got that when we got Gooch, who we'll no doubt sign on a permanent, presuming his performances continue at an average-to-decent level. We want a partner for Taylor. Bramble out, someone in. Ben Haim on a free is my preferred player anyway, although doubtful. Why go spending £5m on Anton Ferdinand or £7m on Curtis Davies, when we can have someone a lot more experienced and a lot more proven for nowt? Same goes for Distin aswell. Taylor --- Ben Haim Onyewu --- Ramage Would do me for next season tbh. Huntington and Edgar there aswell don't forget. Each of whom are far more worth keeping than Bramble, imo.