bassplayerjj

He is Lyons Diarra you know what I mean!!! Essien's bum-chum =)

gutted, 5 mill for Diarra is a bargain IMO, when you think about what the Lyon Diarra went to madrid for.

You remember that game against Barcelona a few years ago when he was the best player on the pitch? Also remember that Drogba didn't start banging in goals in a far inferior league until he was Ameobi's age, he had a poor goalscoring record before he was 25/6. If he get's his chances this season then I expect him to take them and good luck to the lad. Seems like one of the decent ones.

I've said it before and I'll stick my neck on the line to say it again. Ameobi = Drogba in disguise...

what did I tell you. Ameobi = Drogba in disguise

Fantastic move in my opinion as I've said before. He will rise to the challenge and improve as a player with the captaincy.

I just have now haha, let him rot in south-america tbh. Who does he think he is? ****ing Pele?!

Seeing him for the first time in a while for Uruguay against Brazil in the Copa America semi-final. This is the perfect Big Sam player for me. He is so unbelievably talented and experienced yet he is mentally very weak and constantly has niggling injuries and has failed to become the player that he could have been. He's 31 now, still competing against Brazil as I write this, and has a wonderful left foot (think a more consistent Robert!) which could be used to great effect if he is helped to overcome his off the field difficulties. I can see him being a useful playmaker for us, having the sort of role Djorkaeff had at Bolton. Could also be used as one of the wide forwards in a 4-3-3 if his fitness levels are built up. Big Sam could get another 3 years out of him, and he is already familiar with Emre and Martins from their days at Inter together. He is now a free transfer and players of his ability don't appear very often, if they do (like Deco) they usually command enormous transfer fees and wages. We have a manager that can help Recoba find himself again. People will bang on about luxury players like him, Deco, Riquelme for example can not make it in the premiership but when they come about as free transfers it would be interesting to give them a try.

The last few seasons in champs league Carragher has given performances John Terry our captain would have liked to have given... Woodgate could'nt wipe his own arse because he'd tear his thigh muscle again

was in fucking stitches hearing Carragher go mental in his scouse accent. However, I do think it's disgusting that he was never played more at Centre-Back for England. Wasn't it against Brazil and Estonia recently that he was first played at right back against Brazil then left out for Ledley King against Andorra? I mean, the lad has won the champions League playing for Liverpool, at least he deserves to be third choice behind Terry and Rio. Fair play to him if he's had enough of being overlooked by that muppet of a manager we have.

A lot of Ajax fans really don't rate him that highly and a few were willing to bite our hands off when we were linked with him for about £5m. Also looks like Liverpool may be in for him. I'm only going by what I've seen of him on You-tube and at the euro u21s, especially the final. It's also interesting to see how a player does with a team of Arsenal's quality and a manager like Arsene. He could go either way, but I'd put money on him getting fairly near the top if he makes the right decisions and surrounds himself with the right people...

the Arsenal no.14 should be saved for Ryan Babel. That lad could be Henry's long lost brother. They not only look pretty similar but move very similarly with the ball and if Wenger got hold of him he could be a devastating forward.

Saw him play against Celtic and liked the look of him. By the sound of it he's a versatile midfield/forward injury free Kieron Dyer type but standing 6'2. Could be a useful addition if he doesn't command high wages.

Sam's said he doesn't want to put that burden on Barton....yet. I agree with him and think it would be too much for him given his reputation etc and being a new boy on the block so to speak. Viduka has more of a chance than Barton IMO... As you yourself mentioned earlier in this thread, Viduka won't be expected to start every game so I can't see him being made captain, can you? Barton will be expected to be starting 11 and you can just see Allerdyce throwing that one out there as an incentive for him to step up. That is indeed a fair point, out of all the players in contention for the first team, I also see him being the most likely starter in the first 11 bar Given. Sam will maybe make him his Nolan?

Sam's said he doesn't want to put that burden on Barton....yet. I agree with him and think it would be too much for him given his reputation etc and being a new boy on the block so to speak. Viduka has more of a chance than Barton IMO...

yes he should............... .........................

I've seen him do some good things when he was at Boro. Really impressed me in a few games, and at 6ft he would add some more height at the back. He will also not be overly expensive. Of course I'd like to see someone like Baines here, a young, hungry left back but if we can't get anyone like him in this summer I wouldn't mind Queudrue to displace and compete with Babayaro for this season or until we can get someone better in Jan possibly?

I think the fact that we don't have any european competition this season may be a blessing in disguise. In this transitional period we may have the edge on the likes of Spurs and Everton for those european spots.

Viduka maybe is someone who can rise to become captain as he has done for his country. I'm not sure even he is an automatic starter though. Maybe we need joint captains this season?

this is the thing tho, at present I don't see anyone in the squad as a guaranteed starter bar Shay Given, and I'm not a fan of goalkeeper captains, unless they are called Peter and Danish. Shay Given doesn't strike me as the most vocal goalkeeper (one of the reasons in my opinion there has been that uncertainty at the back, a minor reason however) and his kicking is a bit dodge, a fine shot stopper he is and this will never be in question. Maybe Big Sam does have someone up his sleeve, someone that he wants to bring is as captain.

I just had an image of him quaffing ale with a wench on his knee while an impertinent journalist asked him this question. Soon after Hangeland swam across the North Sea dragging a Longboat filled with buxom blondes, mead and hogs, by a rope he held between his teeth. Singing a jaunty shanty as he goes. Whatever you are on, can I get some?!?!?

How's he not humble? and was Big Al? I saw Taylor after his 'heroics' in the U21 say to an interviewer when singled out for praise, something along the lines of ''that's not the point, it was a team effort, give all the lads credit''...

We have seen how successful John Terry has been as captain of Chelsea, first given the armband at 22 I think. Fernando Torres captained Atletico Madrid from 19. Nigel Reo-Coker captained West Ham to an FA cup final and 7th in the league in his first season in the prem at 21-22. I saw the game for England U-21 against Slovakia before the euro U21 tournament. Even though it was just a friendly I saw the pride in him when he was handed the armband in the second half. I saw him then change as a player, grow as a man, become the leader of that England side, score a goal even! This player has the potential to become a Tony Adams, a John Terry. I think giving him the armband will improve him even now, even at 21. If we had a Shearer at the club, a Roy Keane or even a Desailly or Hierro in their day then I'd give the captaincy to them. We do not have any of those calibre of players at the club now, those leaders with an aura and presence about them. I think that with this new era, with Big Sam leading us forward we need to create a new leader, and who better than a local lad who knows how much this club means to the area and the fans, he's one of them. A young man so proud and determined when representing his country (Even if it's U21 level) to command such high praise from a man of Stuart Pearce's character, one of the most dignified, passionate and fearless men I have seen in an England shirt. The next stage in Taylor's development I think is to give him more responsibility, if he really is like Tony Adams, like John Terry, then the captaincy can only make him stronger. If it fails...... he's young, he'll bounce back It's a gamble, but I think it's one worth taking and I'd rather see him be captain now than any other player we have currently. Seen the lad a few times in interviews and press conferences and he seems to take them very well and speak with authority and fluidity, something I never saw with Scott Parker....

would be great in the right or left forward role of a 4-3-3 though I doubt he would come here. Hugo's probably put him off for life anyway...

should stick to making clothes tbh. What a c***