Gallowgate Toon

Well, this is pretty tragic. Why is Marveaux training with the reserves?

Nobody has said he's definitely now 'good', have they? All that's been mentioned is that he might have improved. I'd wager he's the second best option for a box-to-box midfielder at the club, his actual ability is pretty much a moot point while the competition is poor. While, yes, it's not really a great league overall, there are still some solid teams there and, if I remember correctly, he played well in the big games.

Yeah. Whoever said he's between Muller and Nolan probably has it spot on I think he'll be a bit like Anita - in terms of possession style - but in the final third. Lots of pass and move, quick interchanges and layoffs. I hope it gets the tempo up from our often ponderous game, especially against defensive sides. Now, for those wingers and strikers...

Don't get too excited. I've seen him play about 30-odd times and, while he's a tidy player, he's no world beater. He's worth what we paid for him (c.£3.75m), I reckon. Very, very hard to say what he'll do in the EPL. When I was living in the Netherlands in 2012 for a year, I saw his brother a number of times also, and he looked the far superior player! I know he's not going to be a world beater, I just have a penchant for players who look to pick up spaces off the ball and play 1-2s etc. I just think he'll be good for the team's tempo in the final third, someone who'll pick up the pace as we have too many non-movers that lack the nous to open up teams with a burst.

Don't think I'd stay sane watching Moussa spend another season out on the right. Here's actually pretty decent out there but it's still a total waste.

I hope he gets games central, this season. If Abeid's improved then I think he and Moussa could dovetail each other quite nicely.

I am trying to but I can just stop seeing him sitting behing Tiote as our 'quarterback' punting balls up to Cisse who is offside or just hasn't made the run I think he's going to be the bloke mainly pulling the strings in the final third. I know he's not really creative but he's seemingly intelligent, a good mover off the ball and is a good presser, apparently.

Must admit, I am quite looking forward to seeing this bloke play.

From some super quick video scouting, he seems to be an intelligent player. That's something we really could do with as our decision-making in the final third is often atrocious, even if he's not the most creative (which would be ideal).

He's a proper no. 10, isn't he?

Zaha?

MON is such a pedantic dickhead. So far up his own arse.

That's where Wilshere would've been useful. While he may not be as attractive a player as someone like Barkley, he's quite good at knowing when to hold on to the ball and when to try and make something happen. Our downfall has really been our soft centre, Gerrard and Henderson have been poor at protecting the defence and dictating the tempo, which isn't really a surprise to anyone. We really need to produce a top, top class central midfielder in the Vidal mould.

Good shout.

Asda pizzas are great man. They are. Create your own, £3.70. Nee bother. Rights. They're a thing of beauty.

Gerrard, man, utter rubbish. I think Wilshire needed to play a lot more in this. Welbeck should be nowhere near either.

I have no doubt in my mind that a team in a competitive European league would have him, wages would probably be the only stumbling block. While he's been treated in an absolutely terrible fashion over the last year, moving to Qatar would speak real volumes of him and how he approaches his career, IMO. Just stinks of a money-driven move, if it comes off

Yeah, I think it's a role Jones could cover in certain games. We really did need someone with more defensive knowledge to plug some gaps.

Anyway, it's really refreshing actually wanting to support an exciting team, rather than it feeling like an utter chore. England were so shit to watch, for so long.

Ooo, I'd have it off with her.

I wouldn't drop him either, he was horrible today like but our problem was our inability to break Italy down. Lallana and Barkley were just as ineffective. Sterling had his moments as did Welbeck and Sturridge. I'd just stick him in AM, for the next match, with the remit of being more of a second striker rather than a creator. We've got good ability in midfield so will still create.

He is terrible at moment. we need Barkley, Sterling etc No, we need to empower one of the best goalscorers in the squad.

Really wouldn't drop Rooney, like. We need more goalscoring instinct through the middle and Sturridge & Rooney offer that better than anyone else in the squad, by a country mile. There's plenty of creativity, elsewhere, we just need to get the balance right.

Too soft in the middle, needed a more savvy defending midfielder there to cover space left open. Promising but we need some work. Let's just play people in their right positions and aim for balance.

Interesting performance. Good side but we need tweaking, like, we'll need to find a more solid central midfield pairing against stronger opposition as we really missed disciplined cover. Perhaps Jones could fill that role. Rooney out wide is pointless, it's middle or nothing. Roy's going to have to try and boost his confidence, he's too fragile.