Gallowgate Toon

Isn't that 12 players? Given Beye Faye Coloccini Enrique Gutierrez Barton N'Zogbia Owen Viduka Martins

Yeah he's been good today, with a more composed partner, a la coloccini might have a good season.

I hope Enrique comes on at half time and Zog moves further upfield, maybe for Butt and put Milner in the centre.

Nice to see Gutierrez trying to get it back there.

Would rather have seen Enrique start, Zoggy and Jonas on the wings with Milner and Martins up top.

Kieron Dyer at the shops with a bodyguard, drinking Ribena from a carton.

Who would you replace him with using the money we got? Genuine question. Roque Santa Cruz. Could be a one season wonder after his average record previosuly. Has no pace and is just like Owen, don't need 2 of him. He's not getting any younger either. Edit: Also, he had a bloody good midfield behind him and Bently to supply his ammo. He only ever really finished off easy chances a la Owen and can't change a game like Martins.

Who'll be a lazy cop-out that can't handle the league's pace? Yeah because Brazilians have mint track records over here.

Pretty sure you don't start for Argentina against Brazil, which incidently is an important match if you' re a bit part, irregular starter for a 'small' club like Mallorca. Get a fucking grip man.

Already been proven from last year.

He has the main attribute to deal with the PL that alot of foreigners don't, and that's pace. Based on that i don't think he'll be a flop like Luque etc.

They're not going to drop Iniesta after the season he just had.

Senna is class like, but Arshavin has never played against a holding midfielder in this tournament or one of any real class. All CL teams have a holding midfielder, and some are even better than Senna so i think put him in at Barca where he will be meeting these types of opponents week in week out then i think he'll be shown up big style. Yes but in the champions league playing for Barcelona teams are not just going to stop Arshavin there is Messi Iniesta Xavi and whoever else they bring in He was singled out yesterday because of how good he is put him in a team with other world class players and he will be brilliant Man marking? if he signs for Barcelona he'll most likely be their AM, he's going to meet well balanced teams who play a holding midfielder, how's he going to cope. Lots of players can be brilliant for Barca though, doesn't make them great, a great player can lift a shit team, can make a shit team good, Russia aren't shit and he didn't look good when he finally got some tough opposition.

Senna is class like, but Arshavin has never played against a holding midfielder in this tournament or one of any real class. All CL teams have a holding midfielder, and some are even better than Senna so i think put him in at Barca where he will be meeting these types of opponents week in week out then i think he'll be shown up big style.

Alot of people on here have never said he was great, i personally have never before mentioned that he's a 'great' player because i've never seen it in him. He's never played against the top opposition, so how can you judge him to be great? it was ridiculous to say how he was amazing after 2 matches.

So, would you be saying you wouldn't welcome him as a signing then? For us, he'd be class and i'd welcome him as he's miles better than anything here, but for the likes of Barca where he'll be playing in the Champions League i think its too much. I'm not saying he's not a good player because he is, but he'll never be great like he's been hyped up to be.

Tbh he's not as mint as people have put him up to be, yeah he was class against Sweden but they're s*** and Holland suited the Russians, the Spanish control play whereas the Dutch are all about getting to the goal as fast as possible, Arshavin had loads of holes to drop into against the Dutch because they were so open but again its the opposite with the Spanish. I don't think it was a Spanish tactical masterclass, just the fact he's not good enough against the best teams, simple. This was his first big test, and he failed but the worrying thing is he's 27 he should be dealing with it better, never be a great player imo.

Is that not unjust though, this tournament Arda has been played out wide left, Modric has been deployed in a central role. It's much easier for Modric to be the pinnacle of play over Arda as he is in the centre, where most play is created. Didn't catch the whole game btw just the penalties, so i'm not sure who was where last night.

We didn't win one single game without Oba, says it all really.

Maybe but that was pre Keegan, where he was under-confident and under isolation, he has never been the same since Keegan put him in that 4-3-3 with a good contribution to the team, much improved general play and goals. I think it would be unfair to judge how good Martins is until we've seen more of him. Please name a player like him? how can you replace that pace when there are not many if any quicker?

Today i think showed how good a player he really is, technically looked good, and was the only real threat for me.

Personally think that Dunne has looked shit without Richards. Never looked a player before this season either.

His build up play has really stood out under Keegan, maybe because he's been encouraged to play the ball around on the floor rather than be expected to control 70 yard balls being fired out from the back. Agree, his infamous first touch has actually looked pretty good, not that it was that bad anyway. Shown good skills and some intelligent passing.

According to telegraph 91% passing accuracy today, and their MOTM.

Disagree, his passing this season has been excellent just today he was a bit off. I can live with the odd miss-hit pass, what pleases me is the intent to play the ball, or the ideas behind the passes. Enrique was trying to set Martins away with a curved channel ball in between the full-back and centre-half, while playing on the touchline himself, one of the hardest passes to pull off. With such passes, you're going to send a few astray, but it only takes one killer ball.... I agree, some of his passes this season have been brilliant, and he seems to consistently pull them off. Him and Martins are an extremely dangerous combination down that left flank.