Ashley to "stun the football world" with big signings

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

So far there have been good signings, things are still looking good. Would be nice to see 3 signings coming in this week and next. Then we can focus on one or two more additions with late bids.

 

I can see us signing Deco, Beye (regardless of what he's said today) and possibly Bridge. The fourth signing is anyone's guess.

[Guest Scouseman]

It's all about building for the future as well, and however many of those players do or don't come through, we'll hardly have lost on them.

 

The important ones, Gerrard, Carra, Alonso, Sissoko and Reina have all been signed on to new long term contracts becasue of the new UEFA rulings.  They were the first priority.

 

7 Academy and local players have been given new contracts and promoted to the reserves, or gone out on loan. 

 

A new crop of youngsters have been brought in. 

 

Torres, Voronin, Leiva will be in the 1st team squad, as will Babel Yossi if they sign. 

 

I'm more than pleased with the way things have gone.  Up to now only a net spend of 9 million, until these latest two sign anyway.

 

The Toon are doing ok imo, Big Sam is strengthening and removing the dead wood which is what you've all wanted for the last two seasons. 

He has to build a decent squad before adding quality, things can only get better for you looking at the way he's handling it up to now.

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

It's all about building for the future as well, and however many of those players do or don't come through, we'll hardly have lost on them.

 

The important ones, Gerrard, Carra, Alonso, Sissoko and Reina have all been signed on to new long term contracts becasue of the new UEFA rulings.  They were the first priority.

 

7 Academy and local players have been given new contracts and promoted to the reserves, or gone out on loan. 

 

A new crop of youngsters have been brought in. 

 

Torres, Voronin, Leiva will be in the 1st team squad, as will Babel Yossi if they sign. 

 

I'm more than pleased with the way things have gone.  Up to now only a net spend of 9 million, until these latest two sign anyway.

 

The Toon are doing ok imo, Big Sam is strengthening and removing the dead wood which is what you've all wanted for the last two seasons. 

He has to build a decent squad before adding quality, things can only get better for you looking at the way he's handling it up to now.

 

Okay.

[Guest Johan]

So far there have been good signings, things are still looking good. Would be nice to see 3 signings coming in this week and next. Then we can focus on one or two more additions with late bids.

 

I can see us signing Deco, Beye (regardless of what he's said today) and possibly Bridge. The fourth signing is anyone's guess.

 

That would go a long way towards building this squad. But can anyone here see where Deco fits in a 4 - 4 - 2. Could he play together with Barton as a center midfielder. And if there are no positions for him in that formation, why have your two biggest stars, Deco and Owen, when they cant play together?

 

I`m not saying he cant play, I am asking you what you think.

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

So far there have been good signings, things are still looking good. Would be nice to see 3 signings coming in this week and next. Then we can focus on one or two more additions with late bids.

 

I can see us signing Deco, Beye (regardless of what he's said today) and possibly Bridge. The fourth signing is anyone's guess.

 

That would go a long way towards building this squad. But can anyone here see where Deco fits in a 4 - 4 - 2. Could he play together with Barton as a center midfielder. And if there are no positions for him in that formation, why have your two biggest stars, Deco and Owen, when they cant play together?

 

I`m not saying he cant play, I am asking you what you think.

 

Just off Owen and Martins would be dynamite. Just slightly in front of Barton - who, if he goes to jail, can easily be replaced by Butt and adopt a diamond formation with Butt holding it.

[Guest Johan]

                      Viduka

Martins/Zog                      Dyer/Milner

                  Deco  Barton

                        Butt

 

Bridge  New CB    Taylor  Beye

 

                        Given

 

Would be my dream formation for next season. 

 

Owen sold to Arsenal or whoever.

[buzza]

where did everyone get the stuff about deco being an attacking midfielder???

Played as the holding midfielder/water carrier/easy but effective ball player for the last couple of years. P.s. Very good at it also.

 

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

                      Viduka

Martins/Zog                      Dyer/Milner

                  Deco  Barton

                        Butt

 

Bridge  New CB    Taylor  Beye

 

                        Given

 

Would be my dream formation for next season. 

 

Owen sold to Arsenal or whoever.

 

If you're going to have Viduka upfront by himself then I'd have Solano on the flank - someone who will pick the right pass out nine times out of ten instead of Milner who's crossing is hot and cold.

[Guest Johan]

                       Viduka

Martins/Zog                      Dyer/Milner

                   Deco  Barton

                         Butt

 

Bridge   New CB    Taylor   Beye

 

                        Given

 

Would be my dream formation for next season. 

 

Owen sold to Arsenal or whoever.

 

If you're going to have Viduka upfront by himself then I'd have Solano on the flank - someone who will pick the right pass out nine times out of ten instead of Milner who's crossing is hot and cold.

 

Maybe you are right, but I would rather go for speed and let Bridge supply the good crosses:)

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

Just realised - no Rozenhal?

[Guest Johan]

I was hoping for one big cb signing to have him start at the bench, not thrown into the action straight away.

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

I was hoping for one big cb signing to have him start at the bench, not thrown into the action straight away.

 

He's here to start. Can't see him spending £3m on a player to play second fiddle to Peter Ramage.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

we're going to have an awful lot of players sitting around doing fuckall next season at this rate

[Cajun]

we're going to have an awful lot of players sitting around doing fuckall next season at this rate

 

I hope so.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

we're going to have an awful lot of players sitting around doing fuckall next season at this rate

 

I hope so.

 

 

aye it's great for morale and preventing press speculation

[ohmelads]

We've still got quite a few consistently injury prone players on our books. Viduka, Owen, Dyer, Duff, Emre, Carr, Babayaro. Butt until last season was never too reliable either.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

We've still got quite a few consistently injury prone players on our books. Viduka, Owen, Dyer, Duff, Emre, Carr, Babayaro. Butt until last season was never too reliable either.

 

that's all changing with the space-age backroom staff we nicked from Bolton

[Guest Johan]

Say we bring in Campbell, then I am sure Rozenhal would see some time on the bench. 3 million for a squad player? Hell yeah if you want to be top 4.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

he didn't even really want to come, he'll be a happy chappy

[Cajun]

we're going to have an awful lot of players sitting around doing fuckall next season at this rate

 

I hope so.

 

 

aye it's great for morale and preventing press speculation

 

Yeah suppose you are right, playing the likes of Ramage, Pattison and Huntington would probably lose us a few points/knock us out of a cup but at least morale and press speculation would be good.

[Guest Invicta_Toon]

we're going to have an awful lot of players sitting around doing fuckall next season at this rate

 

I hope so.

 

 

aye it's great for morale and preventing press speculation

 

Yeah suppose you are right, playing the likes of Ramage, Pattison and Huntington would probably lose us a few points/knock us out of a cup but at least morale and press speculation would be good.

 

well Ramage will be in the cup team, unless he really will be doing nothing next season, so you're probably bang on the money

 

[Guest Deep456]

I was hoping for one big cb signing to have him start at the bench, not thrown into the action straight away.

 

He's here to start. Can't see him spending £3m on a player to play second fiddle to Peter Ramage.

 

Ramage isn't the quality cb he was mentioning that we will buy.

 

1) He is at the club already.

2) He is shit.

[Guest Dr. Pongle]

I was hoping for one big cb signing to have him start at the bench, not thrown into the action straight away.

 

He's here to start. Can't see him spending £3m on a player to play second fiddle to Peter Ramage.

 

Ramage isn't the quality cb he was mentioning that we will buy.

 

1) He is at the club already.

2) He is shit.

 

My post was tongue-in-cheek.

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

I would be very suprised if we do not spend another 20-25 million before the transfer window shuts. There is no way Ashley will contemplate anything other than success on the pitch and to do that he needs top players. He knows that 20-25 million spent in the right way by Big Sam gives us a massive chance to gain a european spot next season.

 

A minimum of 3 defenders and one midfielder should be bought. (2 Centre halves and a left back, plus one defensive midfielder).

 

Ashley isnt stupid, he will see the statements other teams around him are making and will want to stay with these. Finishing 10th is no good to him this season, even though it is an improvement of 3 places, he will want european qualification.

 

My problem is i am impatient and hang on every rumour like a lot of us do. However impatient i am however, i am positive Big Sam and Big Mike will come through.

[Guest Verlaine]

So far there have been good signings, things are still looking good. Would be nice to see 3 signings coming in this week and next. Then we can focus on one or two more additions with late bids.

 

I can see us signing Deco, Beye (regardless of what he's said today) and possibly Bridge. The fourth signing is anyone's guess.

 

I can see us signing none of the above.