Delima

Seems like West Ham have signed a player rated quite highly in France? Does anyone know more about this lad Julien Faubert? Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton Luis Boa Morte, Scott Parker, Julien Faubert, Goerge McCartney, Matthew Upson, Daniel Gabiddon, Lucas Neill Robert Green A midtable team. Will they splash some cash to sign a right winger, now that they have lost Yossi Benayoun to Liverpool?

At the end of the days Brazil defeat Argentina because they have much better defenders on the day. You can't deny that Brazilian goals in the final are quality goals, just like Argentinian goals during the tournament. But Gabriel Milito, Gabriel Heinze, Roberto Ayala and keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, big names as they are, looked like novice that night/day, whereas Alex and Juan were rocks throughout allowing little space for Tevez and Messi. Javier Zanetti had a good game as ever, but individual brilliance doesn't always save the team. Who say that Brazil don't produce quality defenders? Lucio, Juan, Alex, Naldo, Dani Alves, Maicon, Maxwell. Doni the keeper is shaky just like that night against Man Utd, but he just did enough to keep a clean sheet. And I agree with Trevor Brooking. Someone in England should bring Riquelme here. The way he plays and shields the ball it is very hard to retrieve the ball without fouling him. Not sure how protected he will be in England, but the number of set pieces he earns will please Big Sam no end.

Cannavaro will cost a fortune, even though if he is free, which is highly unlikely. Minimum 50k per week, something like 70k per week is more likely. Just 4 weeks he will cost 200k. A year and he will cost 2.5M, and that's excluding a hefty signing on fee. Would rather us save up the money and invest on long term target. Reallistically we won't be challenging top 4. We don't really need a top quality short term solution.

Baines is evidently more talented, younger as well hence more room of improvement

Why is Arsenal signing Bakari Sagna? Ok he may be an excellent player, I don't know. But Arsenal already have Eboue, an excellent right back and Justin Hoyte, a decent right back. Is this combination not good enough for Arsenal? Right back is hardly the area most in need of strengthening for Arsenal. Personally don't rate Hoyte much, don't think he has the class to become top player but he is still a decent solid reliable right back nonetheless, better than Carr for a start, but would prefer Solano over him. Rather Allardyce save up the money for some quality now that we suddenly have many bodies floating about.

I don't think they have the weakest squad compared to Birmingham and Derby. The quality of their players were there to see last season in the Championship. Granted it is only a championship, but good championship players have often made decent premiership players. Once they have a new left back and goal keeper their defense is sorted. Their midfield is well stocked with decent players, so what they need is a quality striker who could score goals in Premiership. They wanted Nugent and didn't get him. But at least this shows that Keane is not doing nothing and he is actively addressing the weakness of his squad. Birmingham has bought many players, but they have done this in the past and didn't do very well. They might as well stay up at the expense of Bolton or Fulham. Derby, they definitely have the ambition to stay in Premiership - 3M for Robert Earnshaw, 3M for Claude Davies. But their squad have grits rather than true quality. They wouldn't concede too many goals with Davies, Leacock and Moore marshalling the defense, but could they score enough goals? I don't think Curbishley has the ability to do big things. The only tactics he seems to have with West Ham is to spend big and get players. By virtue of average law, the quality of the acquisitions will make the team hard to beat. But without Tevez their savour, where would they find goals?

1. Man United Defense long sorted, and now the attacks are sorted too. It is unlikely that all Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and Tevez all flop. If any of them flops, they still have the current players to rely on. 2. Liverpool They have a good team, good defense they just didn't have a prolific striker. I am in the Torres camp and don't think he is overrated or overpriced. If he flops Liverpool will suffer dearly, but if he doesn't, a partnership of Kuyt and Torres should be very interesting. 3. Arsenal The only direction tehy could go is upward direction. They didn't have Van Persie, Henry and Gallas for much of the season yet games after games they dominated the oppositions and created many chances. Van Persie will be back, Gallas will be back, Adebayor will keep improving. Eduardo might take time to adapt, so I tip Arsenal to be third rather than second. 4. Chelsea There will always be a flop among the top clubs. And Chelsea could well be the one this coming season. They have a lot of quality players, but too many perhaps. Can Mourinho keep them happy and motivated? Dorgba and Lampard, their two star players, have been playing non stop past few seasons can they still produce the same goods this time? 5. Newcastle Sam Allardyce, enough said!! 6. Tottenham Don't think the signing of Darren Bent will improve the club much. They scored enough goals last season, it was the defense that left them down. Bent is better than Keane but how much better? Not much to make a significance. Key player who could make a difference would be Younes Kaboul. How good is him? He will need time to adapt to the Premiership physical nature, so Spurs have to make do with Dawson still yet. 6th for them. 7. Aston Villa Martin O'Neill, Reo Coker, Carew, Young, Agbonlahor etc. 8. Everton Heart wants them to be higher and head thinks that they shuold be lower withuot siginificant transfer activity to improve the squad. So a compromise of 8th seems sensible. Jagielka is an excellent signing for them, but they need a couple more quality players. 9. Blackburn Can't progress significantly without significant money spent in transfer market. 10. Man City Crap team. But with Sven they will do better. 11. Sunderland Boyish enthusiams and shrewd signings (Anderson and Halford so far) will make them a surprise team 12. Portsmouth Still not a big fan of Harry Redknapp, whatever he has done so far. They have a more than decent team however- Muntari, Kanu, Campbell, Distin, Lauren etc. 13. Reading No money no talk. But consistency, good tactics and good application of effort and hardwork should easily ensure another year in Premiership. 14. West Ham Not a big fan of Curbishley. Poor transfer buys, and without Tevez they would have gone down easily. 15. Boro Viduka is a big loss, but their solid defense will save them from relegation. 16. Fulham The Northern Irish contigent will help Sanchez tremendously. 17. Bolton Little Sam is no big Sam. Would struggle badly but saved by veteran professionals like Speed and Campo. 18. Birmingham 19. Wigan 20. Derby

Just curios on the bold bit, "He's already been able to strengthen the squad in a way that wasn't available to me, so I'm not sure quite what else he needs to get them into the top six.". What does Glenn mean actually? That Big Sam has more transfer money available to him, or that Fat Fred refused to countenance the possibiityof signing many players at once?

Adebayor, Van Persie Rosicky, Fabregas, Gilberto, Hleb Ljunberg, Diaby, Denilson, Song, Walcott Clichy, Gallas, Toure, Eboue Djourou, Hoyte Lehman Fabianski I honestly don't think Arsenal are really far behind Man Utd or Chelsea. Last season Arsenal had some bad injuries, Henry, Gallas, Van Persie. They were level with Liverpool in the league, and were really unlucky going out of Champions League losing to PSV. Obviously they will need a striker to replace Henry, as they can't only rely on 2 players (good players) up front throughout the season. But with some lucks, more consistency and more ruthlessness, I don't see why they can't break the domination of Man Utd and Chelsea.

Gejon got there first i see

Munkey, under Sam we have been linked with David Rozenghal, Tal Ben Haim, Leighton Baines, Wes Brown - all defenders. Just like we have been linked with Alan Smith, Nonda etc. We have already signed Viduka - a pressing need and Barton - a replacement for Parker. Sam has so far addressed the absolute need of the team, he hasn't signed any luxury players while ignoring other more vital areas.

Would rather not spend anything on him or Smith at all. Would rather use that money to tempt Martins and Owen to stay. Martin, Owen, Viduka, Ameobi, Carroll. I don't think we need anymore strikers unless any of them leaves. Dyer and Luque can play as forward too.

17 starts, 9 subs, 9 goals. Not really nothing

Since we are on striker How many strikers do Birmingham want? Cameron Jerome, DJ Campbell, Mikael Forssell, Rowan Vine, Gary McSheffrey Host of good championship strikers, but I doubt any of them is good enough for Premiership. Skysports

Soccernet

Dont really agree, as far as England national team is concerned. Brown doesn't get too many games in Man U yet he was ahead of quite a few other regular centre backs. Phil Neville doesn't play left back for Everton yet he was the prefered left back when Cole + Bridged weren't available. Kieran Richardson doesn't get too many games in Man U yet he was ahead of Young etc as left winger. IMO McLaren prefers big club fringe players over small club mainstays. I think Huddlestone will get called up before Taylor will simply due to the fact that England are a nation blessed with quality centre halves, whereas Tom Huddlestone is the one and only ball playing English central midfielder. Tom Huddlestone is more unique than Taylor and hence be more useful.

Manuel Ferdnandes! The way forward him. Clearly talented, proven in Premiership, proven in U21, clearly has big game temperament, cool, good vision, good footwork, brave. Everton should break their bank to buy him and ensure tha he stays and plays for them for 5 years.

Charlton are winner in this Bent transfer, obviously, not Premiership last season.

It is Juventus.com that get excited, not Sunderland. I can remember that the forum got excited when we are linked with Real Madrid (Owen) and Juventus (Boumsong).

Same goes for James Milner, except that Milner isn't a Geordie

So Huddlestone is a water carrier then? I don't think there is much space for water carrier in a modern team, unless the team is too star studded and need someone inferior to co ordinate other stars. It is nice to see a composed and skillful English player for a change, but I don't think that the technical side of Huddlestone is really outstanding that he could be afforded a place in the top team. Deschamp does the dirty work. Riquelme's vision, passing range and ball retaining skills are outstanding enough to more than compensate his lack of pace and other physical attributes. Fabregas is a class above Huddlestone. Huddlestone does not offer anything outstanding. Unless he improves dramatically over the next few years he will always be a useless but nice looking cuddly player to me.

This. Brown is never consistent and tough enough to make it to the top. Upson just not good enough. Dawson simply an older version of Taylor. I don't know if Taylor will overtake Lescott soon. If Lescott is still being played as left back in the coming seasons then Taylor could overtake him easily. If not it is hard to call. Taylor, however will simply be better than Brown, Upson and Dawson whom I think have reached their full potential.

I disagree with this. To be in the national squad, to be in the top echelon of any society anything, one has to be incredibly fiercely competitive. Sure the England Under 21 put up a great fight, but so did Holland U21, Serbia U21 and Italy U21. You can't accuse them of not giving their very honest best. Instead of saying that England have the spirit and only lack the technical side to be invincible, it should be said that unless England improve their technical ability they won't dominate the football world. Spirit is not something you could inculcate easily. Undeniably England have the better fighting culture in general as contrast to other countries. But this will only make difference at lower level football, where technical skills are level and what make the difference is the spirit. In the uppermost echelon of football, everyone is as competitive as the others and what make the difference is the technical skills. Years of good technical training make differences. Kaka, Fabregas, Zidane etc are better than Gerard technically but fighting spirit wise you wouldn't say they are inferior. Having said that, I do not at all think that top English players are technically inferior to players from other countries. The same principal applies. The cream will always float atop. When we have players like Lampard, Gerrard, Beckham, Rooney, Ferdinand, Scholes, Owen, Terry, Woodgate, Campbell, King, Carragher, Foster, Carson you can't accuse England of lacking top quality technical footballers in the national team. The future of English football is bright. I don't really know the situations for other countries, but as a matter of fact there are quite a few top U21 English players who are absent in the tournament. Micah Richards, Aaron Lennon, Wayne Roney, Stewart Downing, David Bentley, Gabriel Agbonlahor. Without these players England U21 are equal with the full Italians U21 with Rossi, Montolivo and Pazzini. Portugal have Nani, Moutinho, Amelda etc all top Portugese future prospect playing yet they haven't set the world alight. I am very optimistic of the future of English football. Despite the overall general lower technical quality of English football, what they lack here is compensated by their spirit. What England really lack is a manager that works wonder. Italy had Lippi in last world cup. Germany under the inspirational Klinsmann did very well despite not having a squad of outstanding talent (Ballack apart). Greek in 2004. France had a poor manager but they were helped by an trully outstanding generation of footballers consisting of Zidane, Thuram, Viera, Makelele, Henry and Trezeguet. Many many more examples. What we really lack is a wonder coach, not spirit, not technical skills. England gambled on Sven, a good idea. Unfortunately the gamble didn't pay off. Had it paid off, England would have shared the limelight with the French the last decade.

Arsenal - Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Denilson, Armand Traore, Gael Clichy, Justin Hoyte, Nicklas Bendtner, Alexandre Song Villa - Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ahsley Young, Craig Gardner, Gary Cahill, Luke Young, Liam Ridgewell Birmingham - Sebastian Larrson, Cameron Jerome, Fabrice Muamba Blackburn - Matt Derbyshire, David Bentley, Sergio Peter, Christopher Samba Bolton - Chelsea - John Obi Mikel, Arjen Robben, Scott Sinclair, Lassana Diarra, Saloman Kalou Derby - Giles Barnes, Lewin Nyatanga, David Jones, Dean Leacock Everton - James Vaughan, Victor Anichebe, Manuel Fernandes Fulham - Liam Rosenoir, Wayne Routledge Liverpool - Daniel Agger, Javier Mascherano, Mohamed Sissoko, Adam Hammil, Emiliano Insua Man City - Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha, Georgios Samaras, Stephen Ireland Man Utd - Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ben Foster, Nani, Anderson, Giuseppe Rossi, Johny Evans, Danny SImpson, Gerard Pique Boro - Stewart Downing, James Morrison, Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson, Andrew Taylor, Seb Hines Newcastle - James Milner, Steven Taylor, Obafemi Martins, David Edgar, Tim Krul, Charles N'Zogbia Pompey - Can't Really think wheather they have many. Reading - Andre Bikey, Leroy Lita Sunderland - Anthony Stokes, Grant Leadbitter, Greg Halford, Ross Wallace Spurs - Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale, Tom Huddlestone, West Ham - Mark Noble Wigan - Leighton Baines Watford - Hamour Bouzza, Tamas Priskin, Will Hoskins, Al Bangura