Lotus

Still not convinced we've got the whole story. However, there is no hypocrisy if someone gambles but doesn't accept payday loan companies on moral grounds. It would be hypocrisy if he was loansharking himself....

Think there's a bit more to this myself.

I'd say Villa's position just got a little stronger...

Quite how i see things tbh.

Kevin Nolan got 10 goals last season doing just that. He reads the game well.

This league is very much focused on athletic ability. Haris seems fairly strong and but he's not quick. Doesn't appear to have fantastic dribbling skillz. Good eye though and a very good left foot. Given the pace of play here, he will need to be very sharp mentally to succeed. That old cliche of being a yard or 2 ahead of everyone else in the head would apply.

Signing Bent is very short-termism.

^^ Thinks it's a bit of both with Marveaux personally. He could bother his arse a bit more, like.

Will the players be wearing those distance monitors a la Fat Sam?

How do you mean? Disappears too often (when on the pitch). Drifts in and out of games. Great when on the ball at times but he doesn't go looking for it nearly enough for me.

Still not convinced he has the charachter to really be a player for us.

I think if we played as a 4-4-2 he could work as a striker that works the channels, offers and outball, etc. Just don't think we have the midfield for that though. 100% Someone like Bent would be far more of a consistent goal threat, though. Personally, i'd like to give Cisse another season before i made that judgement but you could be right...

I think if we played as a 4-4-2 he could work as a striker that works the channels, offers and outball, etc. Just don't think we have the midfield for that though.

Gouffran doesn't create anything or score many from out there, so he clearly isn't fine. It's too early to conclude that IMO. Not that I expect any of players to be given any time like. I've a lot of time for his effort but we don't really play a 4-3-3, we play more like a 4-5-1 and he doesn't really offer much as LW. Doesn't dribble, doesn't cross. They're not really his attributes.

Doesn't create. Did he get any assists last season?

30.06.2015 according to Transfermarkt. Wiki has him to 2014 unless i'm reading it wrong....

Is it true Etienne Capoue has 1 yeart left on his contract? Would think it well worth moving Tiote on and spending the money on him.

I suspect that around 55% of the fans - at least - share your views. Ashley is in for a shock when the 3 year ST period runs out unless he pulls off something spectacular before the season starts because I can see another wasted season if this squad is what the club intend to rely on until Christmas......MINUS Cabaye, of course.... We have a good set of players, the threat of relegation's off our back for now, a new season is starting. I'm surprised everyone isn't looking forward to the kick off. Aye, the Kinnear thing has been an embarrassment, but once the football starts we can forget about that. I don't see any reason to expect another season like last. Nothing has changed for the better so far though Ian. A couple of fringe players have left and a raving lunatic has been brought in. We still have the exact same personnel as last season who underperformed so spectacularly. There has been no one brought in so far in boost the squad, give them a bit of confidence for the coming season. So far there is just nothing there to say the coming season is going to be any better. Things have changed for the better though, mainly a break to refresh, the chance to regroup, and the spiral of decline broken. We have the same personnel as last season, but the new signings only played since Jan. Also, they are the same personnel who finished 5th as well. I'm not predicting an amazing season, but I don't believe we'll be as bad as last either. The level of negativity is staggering at times. Teams to tend to get judged on what they did the season before, not on what they did a couple or a few years ago. There does tend to be a good reason for that too.

Basically this. The Sissoko quotes are more worrying to me. "he needs more goals if he's to play number 10". He's not a number 10, anywhere near one, did he not even read his scouting report? It's just scarily incompetent Aye, that one is pretty bad. I just find it incredible he wouldn't have a defined idea of where he needs to play. He's pretty much saying, I don't really know, he'll have to figure it out. Thats not great to hear What he could be saying is that it's upto the player to force himself into this plans. By either playing better than either Tiote/Cabaye, scoring (the No. 10 reole) or making sure he gets assists (RW). Maybe he's challenging Sissoko to prove himself.

His biggest problem is going to be sorting out the left side. We need attacking threat but was also need someone who offer enough protection to Santon because he hasn't looked that clever as a defender tbh. That's the problem with having Marveaux there. He's better inside for a start so he'll probably drift in, and he won't be forever shadowing the FB when we haven't got the ball. One option might be to put MYM at LB as he's solid there and just leave Marveaux to drift in and out of the game as he does, popping up and doing his stuff now and again. Lacks a bit of structure though so i can see why that wouldn't be popular with the coaching staff!

Yes, that was odd! Everytime i saw him play in France, and i mean everytime, he was on the right. Must have only seen him 10-15 times though so i suppose it's possible he played on the left or in the middle all the other times. Doubt it though. I'm sure Mole can tell us

Wonder what the plans are for Anita and Marveaux. Bit part roles? P45?

Reading the Sissoko quote it does seem to suggest the formation won't be a 4-3-3. My guess would be a 4-2-3-1 again. Depends on who we sign or sell though i guess.

Jealous of them for a couple of reasons but signing Bony for £12m isn't one of them.

Was what i thought. He was told to resign or just face being sacked.