Lotus

I don't Colo let alone Saylor to play 50 games this season so i think if we bought him he'd get plenty of games.

Nothing agreed yet though quite likely. Stoke want an option to buy, Spurs want to leave it out at this time. If Luongo does as well at Ipswich as everyone expects, Hudd could go next summer and Luongo take his place in the squad. Rated as highly as Caulker was this time last year. Well, i am surprised. Especially as i remember many a Spurs fan telling me a few years ago that 'The Hud' was as good, if not better then Fabregas. Seems unlikely that Spurs fans could have been so wrong, must be that Huddlestone just stopped performing to those high standards. Was it an attitude problem MJ(L) ?

I think blaming Simpson for the Bale header is a bit much. I mean, how often to Lennon's crosses ever get that much air under them? The bloke's a grass cutter specialist and Simpson was well placed if a ball was put in along the floor which is what i would have expected. He floated one in (rare) and it was a good ball tbh. It happens.

I think in one of the Anita vidoes you can see him wor Vurnon skip past Pieters as if he wasn't there. I haven't watched Pieters much but when i did, pacy wasn't a word that sprung to mind.

Or past Simpson Tbf, Simpson's alright in the air actually. It's anything to do with the ball being on the floor where it seems a bit tricky for him.

I think a midfield 3 of Tiote, Cabaye and Anita could press the f**k out of most teams tbh. A very energetic trio. Would be no fun trying to play through that. Would force teams to go a bit more direct i reckon. A big CB like Douglas would sort that out too.

About 5 foot 6'' i think.

Saw him a few months ago. He looked a little fragile tbh. Every right to i guess!

Probs see a 4-4-2 with Marveux on one wing and Jonas on the other.

Probably see a lot more of Ross Barkley now. He'll probs end up a better player than Rodwell too (injuries permitting). As long as Everton got a fiar bit of wedge for this then i reckon it'll be good business for them.

A quality ball-playing rb (in a narrow midfield line of three) like Debuchy would given us true midfield width, the ability to spread possession from left-to-right. In a narrow 433 the wingbacks provide that width, and without two book-end FBs (as ball-players, who can anchor themselves around the halfway line & competantly re-direct play) possession retention suffers when opposition presses aggressively through the middle. The strategy to blunt the attacking potency of our 433, is to aggressively press it through the middle it. Smash it, as Wigan did. With only Santon, as a wide outlet (when the inside three are pressured), we're a lop-sided team in terms of being able to retain possession across the pitch. Wigan best exploited this weakness, with midfield numbers & aggression, when the 433 was in peak form. The inclusion of Debuchy would've ammended the team's achilles heel. 8m (or Lille's asking price) maybe too much for some. I'm referring to those who may be looking at the deal through Ashley-tinted goggles, strictly from the resale value angle. In terms of benefitting the team, and his arrival would be a massive upgrade to one flank. In this case 8m, or the going-rate, is a no-brainer. Debuchy, Bigi & Amalfitano (as development projects), with no major departures, would amount to a good transfer window. I like reading your football analysis. Cheers for taking the time to post it.

Wow! Where have YOU been? You disappeared for an age!!! Glad you're back!

I'm guessing he would be entitled to some form of loyalty bonus (á la Barton at City) and by handing in a written transfer request he would forego that thereby providing Lille with yet further financial incentive. I also think it makes a very, very certain statement of intent. I know it doesn't always work but I'm surprised he hasn't.

Well, i would imagine he's going to have to if he really does want to leave. Quite surprised he hasn't already, actually.

Has he put in an official transfer request?

Indeed. Keeping possession very nicely but it's going nowhere. Surely a personnel issue though? put Hatem and Cabaye in this system instead of Vuckic and Obertan and i don't see it being a problem. It would improve the team, but a different formation would improve the team more imo. Agreed 4-3-3 is the way to go, but Pardew seems against it for some reason. It can't just be because of Ba can it?

Pardew's lack of enthusiam for a 4-3-3 is a bit strange, like. Back 4 .............Tiote.............. ....Jonas...........Vuckic... Ba.....................Obertan ............Cisse................ Front 3 swapping positions a bit would be a lot more fluid i think going forward. Might actually get Haris into the game too!

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60285000/jpg/_60285145_kennydalglishstill.jpg Well, apart from him!

For the kind of money that Liverpool are reportedly wanting, it can't be far off what you could get Llorente for. There can't be a manager out there who would choose Carroll over Llorente!

Prolly thinks he's on for a game of Lacrosse...

Lees ook ! Lees ook at yous new bid, man! Howay, lees ook!

Thought he looked a very good prospect. The game never looked like it was going too fast for him. Injuries and attitude permitting, i think he'll do well.

Wonder if we're monitoring Rondon.

Seems like a lot of talk and posturing from Twente, if nobody makes a bigger bid then we'll see if they stick to their words. thing is they don't need to sell so can take the risk of his playing well for another season, helping them do well, increasing his reputation and clubs offering even more next year. Or he's had his head turned, feel the club are pricing him out of a move and has an ok season without pulling up any trees and he's a year closer to the end of his contract and not attracting interest for anything near the price they want. Or you're right !

http://swimwearandlingerie.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/shocked_will.jpg?w=394&h=393