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Senderos on a free is too good an opportunity to pass up, so we should go for him. Hopefully Taylor will play more at right back next season also.

Primera Division

Juan Ángel Albín (Getafe)

Pablo Ibáñez (At. Madrid)

Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid)

Kalu Uche (Almería)

Cosmin Contra (Getafe)

 

Premiership

Martin Petrov (Manchester City)

Morten Gamst Pedersen (Blackburn Rovers)

Philippe Senderos (Arsenal)

Liam Ridgewell (Birmingham City)

Tamir Cohen (Bolton)

Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa)

 

Serie A:

Mario Alberto Santana (Fiorentina)

Nicolás Burdisso (Inter)

Per Kroldrup (Fiorentina)

Marc Bresciano (Palermo)

Andrea Consigli (Atalanta)

Martin Jorgensen (Fiorentina)

Cristian Brocchi (Lazio)

Diego López (Cagliari)

 

Bundesliga:

Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart)

Paolo Guerrero (Hamburgo)

Jaroslav Drobný (Hertha Berlín)

Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen)

Jan Simak (Stuttgart)

 

Ligue 1:

 

Kim Källström (Olympique Lyon)

Jimmy Briand (Rennes)

Mouhamadou Dabo (St. Etienne)

Loïc Perrin (St. Etienne)

Sofiane Feghouli (Grenoble)

Younousse Sankharé (PSG)

 

Have deleted all the ones i a) dont know at all, b) have no desire to see near us and c) simply no chance be it age/wages.

 

Obviously i have left a few unrealistic ones and some who may now be garbage since i last saw them but would hope we have a chance of at least some of them.

Nice one. Whats the deal with Jimmy Briand? Was a lot of hype around him not long ago. Seems to have gone a bit quiet with him now especially considering he's on a free this summer.

Great list. Lots of good players on there. We need to play our cards right this summer. We can't mess this up.

The Championship looks to be his level. I still hope we sell him, as bar a miracle of Biblical proportions, there's no way Ashley is going to sanction signing a first team central midfielder to go directly into the first team on first team wages whilst Nolan sits on the bench with even bigger first team wages.

 

At this point in time, because he's pretty much a cast iron certainty to be a starter next season, I'm anticipating us playing with 10 men every week against the decent Premiership sides, with gaping holes in midfield being exposed by their players running freely at our defence. Whilst Nolan jogs back casually of course from striking positions, prior to giving up the chase of his gazelle-like midfield opposite number (ala our relegation season when him and Butt often just stood near the centre circle watching opposition midfielders pass the lube around before doubling up and molesting our centrebacks). And all we get in return are a few Nolan goals agaisnt the s*** teams that we're favourites to beat anyway, courtesy of him spending most of the match in the penalty box. Plus the odd assist, accompanied by the trademark vociferous Nolan-fist-pumping-on-his-own-and-aimed-at-crowd-to-make-sure-we-all-know-he-got-the-assist™ (Stuart Pearce ought to sue him). Plus the constant sound bites in the press about how the team must do better, a great tactic for masking an individual's own ineptness.

 

I hope I'm really wrong on this and he does make the grade next year.

I love this post because it is so damn accurate. Of course in the media our centrebacks were then portrayed as being hapless as usual. While the real culprits like Nolan and Butt were hailed as our best players. Ridiculous.

donno if they want rid of, but if yossi benayoun is up for grabs maybe take a shot at him.

We're always so late with everything. I remember when Yossi was at Racing Santander and was being very strongly linked under Souness, and he apparently went to watch Yossi play for Israel against Ireland (?) I think it was, and Yossi was really good that night.

Should have gone for him way back then, but no one ever wants to take a risk. I mean the guy cost like £3.5 mill in the end I think. Most fans were as usual claiming he wasn't good unless he would have moved to a bigger club already. So irritating.

Now people want him when he is on his way down? Nah. Still decent , but no way. Just sick of this same old formula. How about the scouts earn their money and identify a similar player who still has something to prove.

Out of interest has anyone seen much of Swindon Town's Charlie Austin? What kind of player is he in general if so?

He was pretty good at Bolton for several years, he was even in the fringes of the England squad. Although Sam's 4-5-1 did a very good job of carrying him.

All comes down to this really.

Jonas and Routledge out wide as is. A strong mobile striker who can play upfront alone. Two other legit central midfielders who can get around the pitch, tackle and also pass the ball to a decent level.

If we had these elements with Nolan in a 4-5-1 setup it would work. However, of all the elements mentioned we only have Jonas and Routledge.

Can anyone mention one thing Denilson does well as a footballer?

Wouldn't have him at Newcastle on a free. Terrible footballer.

I can understand the reservations over Keane as he falls dangerously close to the "expensive and over the hill" category which dragged us down in the first place but he is a significant improvement over our current choices and I reckon would score enough goals to keep us safe. After a consolidation season we could really look to improve and start building a squad with a future.

 

I think we will have to settle for a few not so desirable signings this summer because we can't gamble on too many youngsters with potential.

 

Imo. 

I really don't want Keane, but I definitely see what your saying. It would be dangerous starting next season without a striker who we knew for certain could at least score a few in the premier league.

Keane is seemingly one of a few of this type that would be available this summer. The only other person I can think of who would be available and realistic is Djibril Cisse.

Keane is obviously a better player all around, but I honestly think I would rather Cisse. Just because I really think we could do with more dynamic play in general. Keane is about to hit 30 and was never that dynamic anyway.

A combo of Jonas, Cisse and Wayne would be interesting.

Keane, O'Hara, Belhadj and Boateng would be a result of a window imo. Pretty unlikely mind.

 

Everytime I see Belhadj, he's like a time bomb waiting to go off.  He looks alright going forward, but I don't think he's up to it defensively and lacks .......calmness (can't think of the word!)  He looks like he's gonna get sent off everytime - Mascherano-esque.

I know what you mean. It's quite scary playing him in defence as he does seem quite erratic at times.

He is unbelievably dynamic going forward though. Would be a nice option to have as cover for the left wing and fullback positions, as he plays both.

watching valladolid - seville replay on sky, diego costa is a very good player, would love to have him playing up front for us.

 

Inconsistent. He has those games where you see that he can be very good, and then be anonymous for the next three. To his credit, he's been playing in some truly turboshit sides.

 

Valladolid are very likely to get relegated, so you could probably snap him on the cheap.

Speaking of Valladolid ... how has Manucho looked for them? I think that's where he is now anyway. Didn't really get a look in at Man U and I only some him a couple of times when he was on loan at Hull. I remember him being tall, athletic and quick, but not much else. Would he be someone worth looking at?

The idea of Hulk would be awesome incredible marvel-lous is comical.  

Come on Pompey

Mbokani is an interesting shout. Looked good against Liverpool in Europe a little while back. I think Fellainin was still in the Liege team back then. Very quick and athletic. Could certainly see him doing well in the prem and shouldn't require crazy money to sign him. I woul imagine £7 - 8 million at the very most.

robbie keane from celtic?   COuld compliment andy carroll.  ie one tall and static ofther short and headless chicken.

 

Possibly would demand too high a wage.

I hate it when people suggest Robbie Keane. No, no , no ,no and no.

Guisseppe Rossi apparently looking to leave Villareal. I would love that move.

Looks a lot like what Owen used to think he was.

Really worried about our midfield.

Remember when Aimar's wife wouldn't let him join Newcastle 

Has he been good for Benfica since then? Or injured as usual.

His girlfriend/wife had the most disproportionate arse/body ratio I've ever seen.

So do we get a pic of this or what?

Anderson is crocked for the rest of the season.

Oh right ...

Aye, he should get a decent pair of Air Jordans instead. Sort it out, lad.

It's a good assist by Valencia, but I 've been surprised by how limited he seems to be in those positions. Always goes on the outside even when shown inside with a ton of space there.

 

It's worked well for him this season, so he'll keep doing it.

 

Nani seems to have grown up a lot this season.

 

Ferguson almost ruined Nani by just not giving him enough of a run. That's all it ever was I reckon. Same issue with Anderson, and he's been screwed up pretty good. Would have been interesting to see Anderson just behind Rooney in the one striker formation Man U have been playing this season. Anderson never got a chance in that position which is where he prefers to play.

 

Is he out injured atm or just too s*** to play tonight?

Think he's been frozen out of the team completely after a spat with Fergie.

I don't know about those boots he's got on you know. Seems to roll his foot too easily in them. Had a pair of basketbell trainers like that once. Seemed to roll my ankle far more than usual in them when playing.

It's a good assist by Valencia, but I 've been surprised by how limited he seems to be in those positions. Always goes on the outside even when shown inside with a ton of space there.

 

It's worked well for him this season, so he'll keep doing it.

 

Nani seems to have grown up a lot this season.

Ferguson almost ruined Nani by just not giving him enough of a run. That's all it ever was I reckon. Same issue with Anderson, and he's been screwed up pretty good. Would have been interesting to see Anderson just behind Rooney in the one striker formation Man U have been playing this season. Anderson never got a chance in that position which is where he prefers to play.