David Kelly

While watching the England match last night I was thinking about Milner being overrated. He really is very little more than extremely hard working. His delivery has never improved since he was here. How he plays so often for England without getting slated is beyond me.

Osman of Everton is really underrated for me. He's not as good as some of the players mentioned in this thread but he just never seems to get a mention at all while regularly putting in players who are far more highly rated than him to shame.

I couldn't understand why Anita went long so often. A player brought up at Ajax surely wouldn't instinctively play like this so that leads me to believe it's either a plan or its because we had poor movement in front of him.

And when you consider one of them is Williamson it just tips over the edge into lunacy!

I'm not totally sure what you're saying about Marv there but from what I've seen of him in the European games in particular he's provided no amunition for the strikers whatsoever. In the same way that Christmas Tree seems to rate Ferguson without any evidence to back it up, a lot of people seem to be doing it with Marveaux too. Not saying he's no good btw, just that we've not seen anything from him yet.

From what I've seen of Marveaux so far I'm not sure where the confidence that he can improve things comes from.

Thought Bigi was excellent when he came on. I've been really impressed with him so far but I didn't think he would be ready for the premiership yet but he took to it like a duck to water. Well played son.

I think it's quite obvious that we don't have the players to play 4-4-2 anymore. Ba & Cisse don't seem to click together in it and neither of our two wingers can actually get to the byline and cross a ball in. The change we made in second half today was a bit better but we really would be better off going with what got us to fifth. Unfortunately it seems that Pardew has promised Ba that he'll play in the centre and it's looking like something that could cost us.

Aye, they may have lost their best player but they've spent well on replacements. If AVB does ok, I can see them finishing top four again.

There was none!

Well then as it stands we've definitely missed a chance. We are better off than this time last year (Cisse here from the start, Ben Arfa fit & and Anita here) but I dont think it would have cost that much to improve us quite a bit more. Assuming Sengal beat Ivory Coast (not a given by any means like) we will be left with Shola and kids up front in January unless we act fast. That could completely knack up our season!

Aye that's him, from Benfica

They're signing a defender from Fiorentina and Javi Martinez (or possibly now M'Vila) is their defensive midfield target.

If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn't, so it doesn't. Tricky group (mind you after watching the two games so far anyone would be tricky) but should be entertaining. Good possibilities of an away trip too!

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is the case. If so, I think we would have been better off putting all of our eggs in the Debuchy basket. Anita may well prove to be a very good player but I think right back is the one area of the team where we most needed a new player and I think Debuchy, from what I've seen of him, could have made a massive difference to us.

For anyone who's worried about how we've played so far, I think Sunday will be a good gauge of where we are at. Cabaye and Cisse have probably been our two most disapointing players in the first three games (Cisse possibly because without Cabaye performing we've looked a little predictable going forward) so hopefully they're both still here and we can get them both going. Villa look a poor team and I think we should be looking to comfortably beat them but we all know if we don't turn up with the right attitude, we aren't good enough to just coast along. I'm confident we'll pick up the win though.

A quick check on the schedule tells me that for once my memory was right and it is on ITV4

It's on ITV 4 I think. I'm sure they were advertising it during the Hearts game last week. I think Cabaye and Cisse could both do with a run out as neither of them have started the season too well. Ideally start them and get an early goal or two and then bring them off early.

Nope both of those come (admittedly second hand) from an ex player and current staff member. Not claiming its nailed on or anything just passing on what I've been told. I'll be as interested as anyone to see if its reliable!

Apparently Carrols a done deal for £15m. I still rate him and it's a good extra option to have but I still think Debuchy would have a bigger impact on the team. I also heard last night Carrol was going to be a replacement for Ba who they expect to go. Would seem strange that someone would stump up more for Ba now than they had to a month ago when his clause was still on.

I've heard we've got that Wanyama from Celtic lined up for if Tiote goes. Mind you with Wenger saying they're not after Tiote and both Ferguson and Di Matteo both saying theyre done, Cabaye might be looking the more likely to go.

Arsenal linked with TIote and Cabaye today in the rags. Sounds a bit like guesswork to me and I still don't see them spending the sort of money we'd want for either of them.

They're not first choice though

We've replaced the most significant player we've lost, Guthrie a player who managed about ten good premiership games in four years, with a Dutch international and one of the top performers from Ajax, Anita. The other players who have left you wouldn't even want on the bench and we've brought some young lads who might well progress. We've got HBA & Cisse from the start this season and Taylor is back from injury (remember how good our defence was last season with him in it!). In those terms we look significantly stronger than last season to me. Yes I would still love to see Debuchy here as I think he could make a significant difference to us but any other additions would likely only be squad improvements rather massive additions to the starting eleven. We'd all love for Ashley to think right lets have a right go at this and spend big to have a right go at the top but we know this isn't going to happen. If you live with reality then you have to be pretty happy.

Still going through his rehab according to his own twitter I believe.