timnufc22

"It’s simple, really. Sometimes transfers are done at corporate level." Why say that? What does that mean?

If this wasnt Pardew's wish then I'm uncomfortable with that. I know Pardew has always said he still rates Carroll, and his quotes last week did hint he knew they were in for him, just hope its something he definetely wants to happen and would be confident of getting the best out of him, Ba & Cisse.

Agreed. He was superb playing for his true team, but all the concern seems to be coming from whether A) He'd fit in with our style and B) If it would be wise to take that risk for most of our transfer budget. Personally, I'll just be happy as any new signing if this comes off, and I won't be too disappointed if it doesn't. Aye, he was more than just a Peter Crouch type player for us imo.

Really think some people have forgot how good he was for us.

Is he really that technicaly inferior to Ba? I agree he'd be lucky to get a 2nd chance after following the money.

How many goals did Carroll score from Barton crosses? West Ham away and then im struggling. Another myth is how Barton played in that season. He was better than the rest of his nothing years at NUFC but he was hardly regularly creative. He just wasn't as disappointing as prior seasons. I don't know the stats on crosses for goals but there were definitely a number of crosses over from barton with knockdowns from Carroll which led to goals/goalscoring opportunities. I'm not saying Barton was great that season, I don't rate him as a footballer that much but he certainly put in a lot of decent crosses. Ba was dead on his feet for most of the second part of the season so it's difficult to rate how effective he is in a 4-3-3 and out wide. I don't doubt for a minute that if we start this season with him out wide or deeper in a 4-3-3 we'll see a much better Ba than we did from Feb onwards But he dosent want to, from what you can gather. A fit and focused Carroll could play that role, and cause havoc just like he did for us, imo.

I went with a 'No'. I just can't see him fitting in a system I'd want to watch every week. And that's taking into account all of the 4-4-2/4-3-3 arguments let alone the value argument where I think he's a massive investment and for the wrong reasons. We'd be taking him as an opportunist buy/loan and not because he's what we need. At least with the De Jong bid you knew we'd scouted the hell out of him and had a plan for his inclusion within the side. Carroll seems to be me to be fitting a square peg in a round hole just because he's in the bargain bin (relatively speaking, of course). I know where your coming from but I think he could fit in. Like people have said, his touch was very good for us, he is a strong runner, and he was everywhere for us at his best - popping up out wide and dropping deep sometimes. As long as his fitness was 100% (which I think we'd make sure of) and he was focused, I would have him in the first 11, on the left side, inter-changing with Cisse. Another reason why is that it looks like Ba does not want to be part of a front 3, which is a tad annoying. Whether Pardew would do it Im not sure, and I know we will be playing different formations with a lot of games etc, but thats what I would do with everyone fit starting the season.

What? Left of a front 3. He is a strong runner and left footed. Not at all what I'd do but I wouldn't be surprised if it was being thought about. Can't see him playing anything but centrally, wherever he goes. However, one attribute he has - which appears to have been completely forgotten about - is his crossing ability. Looked half-decent in the Championship. He is a bit Shearer-esq with his flank running and crossing imo. Obv not quick, but a strong runner, gets momentum. I would be very tempted to do that, inter changing with Cisse during the game. He has got good feet and like you say is a strong runner - he was everywhere for us at his best, dropping deep sometimes, popping out wide sometimes. As long as his fitness was top notch and he was focused I think it could easily work, and shouldnt be dismissed because he's a 'target man'.

Will not be buying another training gear with sd on it, total joke.

http://hostpicturefree.com/thumbs/pumleak4.jpg Hopefully the sponser writing is black (mockup^).

I know Dalglish hasnt done any better in his first full season, but the point is the players clearly got a huge lift after Hodgson left as he was too busy getting flustered & distracted with the attention that comes with managing a big club/team to actually get the best out of his players. I know Hodgson did really well at Fulham fair play.

Spot on. The Spurs Liverpool players responded to Redknapp Dalglish because none of them could understand RamosHodgsons tactics

the thing with the liverpool squad of woys and now is that it is nowhere near as good as it and the media wants to believe it is. No its not, but it was better than what they were showing thats for sure.

People criticizing the media, skysports etc are fair enough, but skysports especially are ones who brush Hodgsons failure at Liverpool under the carpet. "His hands were tied" etc, much like they do about Allardyce's time here. Hodgson was totally uninspiring, couldnt get the team playing with any fluidly, constantly playing players out of position, getting involved with public spats with the fans & media very early on, and having a meltdown on the touchline that would only depress the players further! He wasnt the likable, innocent gent he's potrayed as. Yes Redknapp is a twat, no hes not likeable either, but would have Hodgson done at Spurs what Redknapp has? "But Spurs should be up there they have class players"... so why wasnt everyone tipping them for top 4 the season they broke in? He did inherit a good squad, and the wheeling dealing twat got the best out of them, got them gelling and organised as a team. Roy Hodgson definetely did not do that with his Liverpool squad. Hodgson has the advantage of knowing the International set up better, but I think Redknapp would have been the better bet to get more out of these players.

I've got to agree with that though, as much ad I hate the press.

Poeple go over the top about Hodgson's record imo. It looks like he's good at getting the best out of small teams with low expectations, and thats his level. Anyone describing him as a 'calm' manager didnt see him at Liverpool or even WBA at times this season. At Liverpool he was having an emtional meltdown on the sidedown every game, if not rubbing his face like a mad man, bitching his head off to the coaches about his players. Aswell as getting involved in pointless disagreements with the media. On the pitch you cant deny performances were dire. The squad wasnt the best ever, but it was better than what they were showing, which was zero inspiration. I dislike the media love-in with Redknapp and his public tapping up of players as much as anyone, but I think he was still the better option purley to get the best out of the current players, and to get them playing with more expression/less fear. "He's not a tactical genuis"... is Roy Hodgson? I wouldnt really say he stands out in that department put it that way.

Agree. If he keeps working he'll start scoring again, need to keep those 3 upfront imo. Obviously a new striker/forward in the squad player to challenge them would be good.

I think Wigan playing so well & fluidly in a formation we havent came up against was the killer, sometimes you've just got to give credit to the opposition.

Wigan were on fire, everything clicked for them, and their formation unlocked us. In hindsight you could say we might have matched their formation from the start, but can you image the reaction if we did and they nicked a goal... thats football, we didnt cave in 2nd half and your never going to play well every game. Main disapointment is the soft first goal, but whatever the results I trust Pardew & the players to keep their heads up and keep going in the last 3 games.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/m2x88.jpg Latest Puma top for Kawasaki Frontale http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/xlw89.jpg These are the socks from the kit, the same ones as Stuttgart. I'm pretty certain we will have the spike things on the stripes, and those will be our socks too.

Exacrly, Lee Dixon - bottling, soulless prick. Had such a good career and now hes spending the next next 10, 20 years of his life talking absolute bollocks (or lies basically, he knows exactly what Youngs doing there deep down) and helping encourage a culture of cheating in the game. Well done you absolute wanker. Awww dont want to upset poor Ashley Young, because you know someone who knows him? Young made the contact himself - as pointed out by Olsen sitting next to Dixon. Yet Dixon still went on to say hes entitled to go down if theres contact. Its a contact sport anyway! Theres contact and theres a foul. Stan Collymore is the only one Ive seen saying it how it is. The rest are on the gravy train, and dont want to upset any player or club.

Where did you get that from? Did you upload that yourself? Just knocked up it myself to replace the sponser after looking at the picture.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/ip2ct.jpg Looks like the basic design.

The only person jumping on his back is Ba himself. The fans were singing his name today, the manager changed a succesful formation to give him more chances on goal (unbelievably imo) and he's still still sulking. Im suprised at him. 'Busting his ass for the team' - its not like hes been asked to play on the wing in a 442. Its a front 3 which rotates through-out the game. Cisse switches to the left loads of times during those game. Ba can play really well in a front three if he actually wants to, he should be relishing it. He's been asked to play in a position he can do really well in, as proven, there shouldnt be any gritted teeth. The manager went out of his way for him today and he disrespects him. Just grow up and play your game, because your a top quality player

I'm not sure why people expecting it to be easy would have anything to do with the possible outcome, it should be relatively easy. Because I can see people getting restless with an atmosphere of frustration, and if Bolton raise their game and we're a little of, it wont be easy.