Deano

If we got 20mil for both Enrique and Jonas then i supposed id be ok with that so long as we definitely got Jermain Lens 8mil and Riise 3mil in replacement. That then would mean our side would look like... ---Harper--- Simpson---Taylor---Coloccini---Riise Barton---Nolan---Tiote---Lens* ---Huntelaar/Derdiyok----Ben Arfa*--- Thing is if Jonas and Enrique go then i'd imagine Coloccini would want to follow suit. If that was the case then i'd be straight in for Gary Cahill or Ryan Shawcross. Another issue is GK....i do rate Krul and Forster yet i'd imagine AP will keep faith in Harps but i personally think its time for one of the young lads to step up. Probably Forster.

12mil for Wickham is an inflated price in the media because he is young, english and promising. I think we could get him for less but end of the day......ambition? Same applies for the 4mil for Gunter and Mattock.....if you paid peanuts for squad players you end up with perch. Ben Arfa has played upfront quite a few times for OM and it seems AP see's him as a more central and direct player.

Suggest you have a read of Pardews comments today on the chronny website.....Sounds like the start of a climb down and lowering of expectations. Could be wrong. Aye i read that and it can been seen with cynical eyes and maybe thats the case but you like me are optimists. I'd rather see it as him talkin down our budget and in turn reducing the amount clubs will want from us. Clubs will think we have loads to spend and its just a case of driving prospective prices down.

Like i said...6th-8th. I dont expect europe but we have a great shout. JawD....why not? I mean 35mil from Carroll yeah? Plus the 5mil saved on his contract? Plus about 12mil for our finish and thats before tv money and sponsorship? You never know.....everyone at this club knows this is the biggest summer for alot of years and FMA mite finally want to take an ambitious gamble. It is all pie in the sky but we can only speculate and hope.

He does have a point. Birmingham is a shit hole. Villa is a shit club. Houllier is french so could well of acted in that way. If i was irish and had his ability i wouldnt want to play against the likes of Andorra neither. I had a bad experience of ireland and Dublin so i can relate to his feelings for it. That all said, they way in which he comes across is of a total bi-polar depressive wanker.

Finish 6th-8th. Enrique, Nolan, Barton sign new deals. Smith and Perch moved on and Ranger out on loan. Keep the likes of Guthrie, Lovenkrands and Routledge as backup/squad players. Bring in 5 players and spend about 40mil. Huntelaar 12mil (If we get into europe) If not then Derdiyok for 8mil Wickham 12mil Lens 8mil Mattock as cover for LB 4mil Gunter as cover for RB 4mil Team to start 1st game of the season... ---Harper--- Simpson---Taylor---Coloccini---Enrique Lens---Barton---Tiote---Jonas ---Huntelaar---Ben Arfa--- Subs: Krul, Gunter, Williamson, Mattock, Nolan, Shola and Wickham Back up: Forster, Kadar, Guthrie, Gosling, Vuckic, Lua-Lua, Routledge, Best and Lovenkrands Not a bad 27

Fair point. But like i and you have said, alot of it falls down to the wing backs being able to cover the ground. Able to assist attack bombing on ang getting in crosses as well as getting back to defend. But, that in mind, if played properly and consistently, players gettin used to the shape would lead to being strong all over the pitch. 3 CB's for 2 Strikers, Tiote dropping deep and closing space down and still with your normal 2 CM's battling it out in the middle as with a 4-4-2. Defensively its sound once the players adapt. Something that needs a lot of work on through a pre-season. This is just a tactical debate however....i dont for one minute think we would adapt such an approach but id like to see it tested.

Correct. Whilst coaching the kids i tried this out quite a bit...especially as a few of them just loved running so in turn got turned into fullbacks. Two of the lads i coached are now on youth contracts at sunderland. My point is if you have a squad who are willing to listen and adapt then its a very strong formation both in attack and defence. Wing backs HAVE to be hard working for it to work though and personally i think Enrique and Simpson would do well in that shape. I get where your coming from, but it wasn't Premiership football was it? No doubt it looks good on paper but playing it for 90 minutes against a good Premiership team and familiarising each player with a different position and tactics in just one week, IMO it would't work, plus i think having Enrique out on the left by himself would totally nullify his threat going forward and defensively, fair enough Gutierrez is poor but he does link up well with Enrique Nobody knows until you try it. Pardew tried something similar against Bolton and we looked decent. Edit: At times in second half. Enrique down the left on his own would probably suit him mate...Jonas doesnt offer alot these days and i think having the protection of 3 CB's and 3 in the engine room he would have more licence to do what he does best. I do know where your coming from, don't get me wrong, but i think it's a bit one dimensional, more than 70% of our play comes down the left hand side, and Enrique thrives playing behind Gutierrez as he overlaps Gutierrez's runs and when Gutierrez goes far wide it gives Enrique the chance to drive infield with the ball, a thing which he's doing more and more and i think having Enrique being out there by himself, he'd just get frustrated as he'd be unable to do the runs he does with a player infront of him, he's got a cracking engine and is IMO the best LB around atm but i think its asking a bit much of him Also i think we'll have a problem scoring goals with one upfront, and going back to the point i made before not only Enrique would have to adapt to a new position but most of the team will and the tactics would have to completely change too I mean no disrespect mate but your clueless. One dimensional? Anything but fella, solid through the middle meaning barton seeing more of the ball in the crucial area of the pitch. As too with Nolan or Ireland...and keeping the width. More width probably. One striker...Yeah we need a new striker or two anyways dont we? But with Ben Arfa in the whole we'd get goals. Your opinion on Enrique is bollocks too mate, he doesnt need Jonas at all and he wouldnt need to adapt to fullback...he already plays as one but with more restraints.

Yeah i think Simpson covers a good distance. Tiote sitting deep with Nolan/Ireland and Barton box to box. Barfa in the whole behing Shola. Would work imo.

Ok now im conviced you are a complete mongoloid.

Correct. Whilst coaching the kids i tried this out quite a bit...especially as a few of them just loved running so in turn got turned into fullbacks. Two of the lads i coached are now on youth contracts at sunderland. My point is if you have a squad who are willing to listen and adapt then its a very strong formation both in attack and defence. Wing backs HAVE to be hard working for it to work though and personally i think Enrique and Simpson would do well in that shape. I get where your coming from, but it wasn't Premiership football was it? No doubt it looks good on paper but playing it for 90 minutes against a good Premiership team and familiarising each player with a different position and tactics in just one week, IMO it would't work, plus i think having Enrique out on the left by himself would totally nullify his threat going forward and defensively, fair enough Gutierrez is poor but he does link up well with Enrique Maybes i'm missing the point, but by putting Enrique in a Wingback position you are increasing is ability and frequency to get forward, to leap frog Jonas and get into those attacking positions, Jose has a real engine on him, he's fast and strong, it could be the ideal position for him and to be honest, he seems at times to play as a wingback anyway Somebody who knows what he's talking about! I think Simpson would thrive in that role too.

Correct. Whilst coaching the kids i tried this out quite a bit...especially as a few of them just loved running so in turn got turned into fullbacks. Two of the lads i coached are now on youth contracts at sunderland. My point is if you have a squad who are willing to listen and adapt then its a very strong formation both in attack and defence. Wing backs HAVE to be hard working for it to work though and personally i think Enrique and Simpson would do well in that shape. I get where your coming from, but it wasn't Premiership football was it? No doubt it looks good on paper but playing it for 90 minutes against a good Premiership team and familiarising each player with a different position and tactics in just one week, IMO it would't work, plus i think having Enrique out on the left by himself would totally nullify his threat going forward and defensively, fair enough Gutierrez is poor but he does link up well with Enrique Nobody knows until you try it. Pardew tried something similar against Bolton and we looked decent. Edit: At times in second half. Enrique down the left on his own would probably suit him mate...Jonas doesnt offer alot these days and i think having the protection of 3 CB's and 3 in the engine room he would have more licence to do what he does best.

Correct. Whilst coaching the kids i tried this out quite a bit...especially as a few of them just loved running so in turn got turned into fullbacks. Two of the lads i coached are now on youth contracts at sunderland. My point is if you have a squad who are willing to listen and adapt then its a very strong formation both in attack and defence. Wing backs HAVE to be hard working for it to work though and personally i think Enrique and Simpson would do well in that shape.

Bit contradictory no? Fwiw i do agree that a season on both domestic and european fronts would be very hard on the squad as it is...for us to get through those hard times of injuries and fatigue and still have a good season, we need at least 5 new faces in and no major departures.

Get with it marra

Give it a fuckin rest man your nearly as bad a LM. We are not gonna go down ffs.

Maybe not...But it looks good in theory Its a quality formation with the right players. Solid through the core with 6 bodies rather than 4 in the middle, keeps the width too but needs hard working fullbacks.

No, no, no, no, no. When have we ever played well with three centrebacks? Keegan tried it, Sir Bobby tried it, it just doesn't work for us. It would with the right players though. I actually think this could work... ---Harper--- Williamson---Taylor---Coloccini Simpson-------------Tiote--------------Enrique Barton---Nolan---Ireland ---Best--- When Barfa and Shola is back... ---Harper--- Williamson---Taylor---Coloccini Simpson------------------------------Enrique Barton---Tiote---Ireland ---Ben Arfa--- ---Shola---

Fairly logical point. Whats to say a big team from europe wont come in for him? Who is LB for Barca and Real?

So it is now 6th we need to finish in order to get into europe. I would love to see us qualify in our 1st season back, one to stick it up our doubters and the mackems, two because a club of our stature should be in europe, three because it would mean it is more likely that key players will want to stay and sign new deals and finally, Four because it would force FMA to either sell up or dig deep and spend well in the summer. It will be tough but we are capable, dont think there will be another crazy season like this in a while so it may be our best chance for a few years.

He hasn't got long enough on his contract to command a fee of 15m imo. Be lucky to get 8-9m Yeah your probably right like.

Gym 3 times a week.

Do you all actually think he will leave in the summer? Personally i think he will stay, i hope so, but then again if we get 15mil for him then i suppose we could bring in Jeremain Lens and Riise with that money.

I wouldnt have him back for nowt...fuckin cant stand him. Lens however would be an excellent piece of business.

Are you mentally handicapped? Simpson RM? haha Alreet Shankly. After AP talkin about Ferguson its alot more likely if anythin that jonas on right and fergie on left. Fwiw i think Ireland will start.