Rafa's god-like grafters v Antonio's turgid turds

[strawb 3659]

He cost about £2 million pound. He probably the best £2 million we have ever spent tbf

[David Kelly 1117]

1 minute ago, Dr Gloom said:

i must admit i would rather perez was competing for the number 10 role rather than our first pick in that position. he's still a frustrating talent - on his day he's a tidy finisher with good control, but he still gives it away too much for me and lacks the pace and ability to take it past players at speed to really frighten the top defences. 

He gives up possession far too much for me and I think in that position you need to have a player who can keep the ball and take pressure away from the defence.  He also very rarely manages to beat a man (he's not the only one by any means like).

[Andrew 4211]

I'd prefer him to have some proper competition of course but I'm hopeful that he's back on track to being the player it looked like we signed rather than falling down the hole he was doing under previous managers.

 

His output towards the end of this season has been absolutely vital to us finishing in the top half, its not all that surprising that he's looked a lot better with confident, performing team mates around him like Kenedy, Shelvey and Diame have been, a proper forward in front of him as well and I think he'll be well on his way.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

21 minutes ago, The Fish said:

"resorting to abuse", the majority of our exchanges are me saying something reasonable and you replying with abuse. Maybe don't be a tedious cunt and I won't call you one?

I've admitted I'm wrong plenty of times, on here, on twitter, on the podcast. I don't often lord it over people when my reasonable position is subsequently proven right.

 

My wife is having a grand old time mate, how's yours? Ooops, sorry, how about your lass? No? What about your mam? Does she still enjoy holidaying with her ornery ray of impotent sunshine?

 

Ornery is that your word of the week? You're the ultimate tedious cunt which is why I call you out on it without putting it so bluntly. Your opinions on just about everything are either completely shite or a wordy way of stating the obvious. But don't take my word on it, you bore the shit out of just about every forum you grace then meet it with a shrug and "don't read my posts then". Kudos on your wife, she is a trooper. 

[David Kelly 1117]

5 minutes ago, strawb said:

He cost about £2 million pound. He probably the best £2 million we have ever spent tbf

I doubt he's even close to that when you think about some of the players we have signed for around that amount in the past (Andy Cole leaps to mind) but I do take your point that we spent next to nothing on him in this age and we've more than had our money's worth from him.

[strawb 3659]

Yeah but 1.75 for Cole was a lot then, it’s basically nowt now.

 

He gets a kicking because he is a bit “fancy” and isn’t a world beater. But for £2 million, he grafts his tits off, has a little bit of quality and finished top scorer.

 

I would rather have a £30 million pound number 10 of course, but he has been vital to us.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

He's more than pulled his weight this season. If our strikers had done the same we'd have finished higher

[Howmanheyman 26768]

1 hour ago, TheGingerQuiff said:

 

Ornery is that your word of the week? You're the ultimate tedious cunt which is why I call you out on it without putting it so bluntly. Your opinions on just about everything are either completely shite or a wordy way of stating the obvious. But don't take my word on it, you bore the shit out of just about every forum you grace then meet it with a shrug and "don't read my posts then". Kudos on your wife, she is a trooper. 

Fish is shagging trooper? Never seen that coming tbh.

[The Fish 8989]

6 minutes ago, Howmanheyman said:

Fish is shagging trooper? Never seen that coming tbh.

It would explain why trooper is so miserable to be fair.

[The Fish 8989]

I like Perez, but I'd like an upgrade on him obviously. Trouble is, if it's a straight choice between spending whatever a quality #10 would cost on his replacement, or putting that money towards a quality striker and his wages, I'd stick with Perez and get shot of Gayle/Joselu/Mitrovic/all 3.

[David Kelly 1117]

We desperately need a new 9 and 10.  I assume Mbemba will be away so we need another centreback for cover at least (Lacelles and Lejeune are more than acceptable as first choice), an upgrade on Yedlin and Hayden would also be more than welcome.  That's in addition to signing/replacing Kenedy and Dubravka.

[Dr Gloom 19807]

we need a new number 9 and a number 10, ideally. unfortunately two of the most expensive positions to upgrade. 

[David Kelly 1117]

1 hour ago, strawb said:

Yeah but 1.75 for Cole was a lot then, it’s basically nowt now.

 

He gets a kicking because he is a bit “fancy” and isn’t a world beater. But for £2 million, he grafts his tits off, has a little bit of quality and finished top scorer.

 

I would rather have a £30 million pound number 10 of course, but he has been vital to us.

Yeah I that's what I was meaning about Cole.

 

My problem with Perez is nothing to do with him being fancy.  It's that he gives away possession too frequently.  We don't have that much of it so we need to look after the ball better when we do.  Of course he's been vital to us, we've not got anyone else who can play in his position. 

[The Fish 8989]

4 minutes ago, David Kelly said:

We desperately need a new 9 and 10.  I assume Mbemba will be away so we need another centreback for cover at least (Lacelles and Lejeune are more than acceptable as first choice), an upgrade on Yedlin and Hayden would also be more than welcome.  That's in addition to signing/replacing Kenedy and Dubravka.

Think we need to replace Diame because, while he's been mint since Christmas, I just can't see him doing it again.

[Rayvin 4964]

4 minutes ago, The Fish said:

Think we need to replace Diame because, while he's been mint since Christmas, I just can't see him doing it again.

 

Was under the impression that Diame became 'mint' when his position was changed. You're talking as if he's just been in a purple patch though...? What if he's just a better player further back?

[David Kelly 1117]

1 minute ago, The Fish said:

Think we need to replace Diame because, while he's been mint since Christmas, I just can't see him doing it again.

That is a possible concern but I wouldn't be putting it at the top of the list.  For me you keep him, Shelvey and Merino and replace Hayden (who I think is great person to have at the club, but unfortunately I don't think he's progressing).  I don't think there's any real reason why we should expect him to fall away so quickly that it becomes a problem.  He might not keep hitting the heights he has been since Christmas but I don't see his performances dropping off a cliff as long as he plays where he has been.

[David Kelly 1117]

1 minute ago, Rayvin said:

 

Was under the impression that Diame became 'mint' when his position was changed. You're talking as if he's just been in a purple patch though...? What if he's just a better player further back?

I think that's right.  But he's 31 in June so there's a concern that he will start fading with age.

[Rayvin 4964]

Just now, David Kelly said:

I think that's right.  But he's 31 in June so there's a concern that he will start fading with age.

 

Well aye, but on the evidence we just saw this season, he's probably good at least for another one.

 

As you said, there are other positions which seem more worthy of attention.

[David Kelly 1117]

Just now, Rayvin said:

 

Well aye, but on the evidence we just saw this season, he's probably good at least for another one.

 

As you said, there are other positions which seem more worthy of attention.

Totally agree.

[Dr Gloom 19807]

i think we look alright in centre mid with shelvey and understudy merino providing creativity and diame and understudy hayden providing a bit of steel - one of the areas i think we're well covered. diame has been one of the players of the season for me, after lascelles and shelvey. i had more or less written him off after his piss poor showings as a number ten but he's provided genuine quality since being moved deeper, proving adept and breaking up play and relieving pressure by ball carrying from deep

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

As most know I'm not a big Perez fan largely down to how weak he is but fair play to the lad he scored some important goals in the second half of the season. 143 games, 32 goals and he's still only 24. Can't argue that £2mil was an absolute steal with those figures.

[Dr Gloom 19807]

the fact he kept merino, who looked very promising early in the season, out of the side illustrates how well diame has done. 

[Ayatollah Hermione 12763]

Reckon if/when Gayle and Mitrovic go, it'll probably be one striker bought for big money and then a freebie/loan so I can see the Abel Hernandez links persisting.

[essembeeofsunderland 811]

2 hours ago, Dr Gloom said:

we need a new number 9 and a number 10, ideally. unfortunately two of the most expensive positions to upgrade. 

Messi and Watmore up front.One can only dream.

[Alex 30372]

You wouldn’t be able to tell them apart