barry'sboots

The best illustration of this for me is the difference between Spurs before and after Palacios joined. I don't believe Palacios is any better than NRC??

Yes. Lets sign Busquets and Xavi! Saying this is fine but where are the suggestions and is this a priority for us at the minute. I would personally love to see NRC given a run alongside Jimmy or more interestingly for me alongside Jimmy and Fabian in a 3 man CM.

Think you may be looking through claret and blue glasses there. Not heard that a deal for McGeady is done. Most players if are asked a question about a player are just giving an answer. This was my take on Stan. He was asked if McGeady would be a good signing and responded that he thought he would do a good job at Villa if he did come although he didn't know whether he was or not. He is not putting a shirt on him, was not imploring him to come and we are not posting on the official site that McGeady must be keen to come to Villa Park unless I have missed this.

This is the consistent response of those that prefer Stan and I just don't buy it. Bolton finished the league in 14th position ahead of Wolves, Wigan and West Ham, all of whom we failed to break down at home with MON's preferred DCM - Stan. This was, as I said, the only chance that Nigel got in a 4-4-2 with an attacking CM partner and he was very good and very disciplined (which was Jonno's question mark I believe). I accept that he is not an Alonso or Huddlestone but his short passing was consistently good, when given a chance, last year and I feel he creates a much better tempo with his drive and energy. The lesser teams will not take us on for football but they do have energy and can press us/overcrowd us, which I think negates Stan's footballing ability, forces him to look back for an outlet and allows them to get ten men behind the ball which we then struggle to break down. Nigel is much more direct and wants to drive or pass forward - doesn't always work (forward passes are obviously much more risky than sideways/backwards) but when it does it can open up these poorer sides. Against the better sides, if we are playing 4-4-2 which I wouldn't, Stan's calmness and ball retention is probably more suited, although I still think he tires after 60 and either needs to be supplemented (with a switch to 3 man CM) or subbed to give us some energy and push back.

I think you are wrong here. I have changed my mind somewhat over the last 12 months. I can now see a starting XI with Stan in it BUT only if MON recognises that he either needs to play a three man CM (at least for part of the game) or sub Stan when he tires after 60 minutes or so. But even here I think there are some games that would be better suited for NRC to start ahead of Stan. I think our back 4 should be fairly steady and not changed ad hoc but the front 6 should be much more fluid and interchangeable (starting XI and substitutions) if we are not going to burn out again and to keep the opposition guessing as we are too predictable at the minute. Did you go to the Bolton home game last year Jonno? NRC sat in front of the back 4 and Sidwell was much more advanced. The only chance that NRC had last year in competitive football in a 4-4-2 with a more attacking CM'er in front of him and he seemed to accept this role pretty well to me.

We disagree on many things but I completely agree on this. Delph is a footballer/playmaker and I don't believe he has the physique/tackling ability (at least at the minute) to be a holding CM'er. I think he is ideally suited to a three man midfield, as he demonstrated in the first 25 mins against Man U at VP.

I agree. I think that their approach is really disrespectful - even their official site is speculating on Milner's move. This is wrong. Not quite at the Barcelona level but not far off. Uefa really need to step in and stop this.

By short term I assume you mean for the first 60 minutes of a game??

NRC is a better short term option as far as I am concerned!! His energy is what we desperately need if MON is going to persist with a 4-4-2.

I think we need 5: - right back: although I would love a U-turn on Young but I can't see this. I really hope we don't go into the new season with Carlos and no cover at a minimum - right wing: I would love to see Bentley or N'Zogbia coming in to compete/rotate/offer a bench option with Ash and DJ - striker: Doyle for me. - left back cover: not sure who - CM cover: one of Dorrans/O'Hara/Prince Boateng to replace Sidwell and Gardner, particularly with Delph out until X-mas This assumes Sidwell, Heskey, Shorey, Beye, Young (?) and Davies move on with Gardner obviously having gone pre-season. Would give a net spend of circa £20m. Consistent with previous years and matching FXPro cash? If Milner goes then we would need a replacement for him and I would guess everyone's favourite would be Ireland, although I would also want Hart and Onahua (to fill the right back slot). That would give 7 new signings.

So glad we steered well clear of Hitzlesperger. One of the few Premier League players that Barry and Stan will be able to outsprint and offers little more than a decent shot, unless he has come on materially since his time at VP.

Uninspired. I was really hoping that having Nike as a kit partner would lead to something a bit more innovative - not in terms of design but in terms of the structure of the shirt etc. - similar to England's rugby jerseys but I have seen no evidence of this.

-------------------- Siegrist ------------------- [?] ---------- Clark ---------- Baker -------- [?] --------------[?] ------------- Bannan --------- Gabby ------------- Gardner ---------- Grealish ------------------- The Fonz ------------------- 6 or 7 of a future XI home grown - an interesting prospect??

I really hope Jack turns out to be the next Adam Johnson x 10 (as SCG believes) as it would be fantastic to have our own "Rooney" knocking balls in for Gabby, the Fonz and Gary Gardner to put away with Kieran Clark overseeing it all as captain. Although, as AVFC PoB says, I believe it is really difficult to call someone's future at that age. All the talent in the world still requires all the hard work, dedication and a bit of luck (injuries etc.) to ensure that a player comes through. But like the majority on this site, I am keeping everything crossed for him.

Names??

I may be thinking about the first signing when he came on loan for 12 months and wasn't happy at Newcastle.

Love Jimmy and think he had a great last season BUT struggling to see why you would pay £30m for Milner when Ozil is supposedly available for £25m unless it is just down to the english player requirement.

I thought he could play both but has played more on the right from what I remember?? Wasn't he also keeping Jimmy out of the Newcastle team when we signed Milner?

We seem to be regularly linked with right wingers at the minute. I can see a lot of sense in this. Four wingers - Downing, Ash, Albrighton + 1 - would give us some real options with Ash and Downing also capable of playing inside of the striker. Personally, I would rather sign NZogbia, as he is younger and very direct - a bit of a contrast to Ash/Downing on the other side and Albrighton as a change option. As a second choice, I would take Bentley. Be interested to see if MON could use four wide players effectively.

I agree with P3te that history is only one part of what makes a big club but Citeh will make history in the next few years and, if things do not change, will soon be rivalling Utd etc.. They need a Beckham or Ronaldo - a good looking good footballer - and they will sell shirts and open up a fan base around the world which will have them on a par - revenue wise - with the Big 4 in a few years. Finance is one element BUT finance on the scale of Citeh's owners is destructive to the current order.

6 or 7 £10m players?? what planet are you on? Planet hope I think, but Randy has always said that he is prepared to invest in new players if the club can run on an even keel. My numbers above show that we could spend 60-70m without him investing and, if we dispose of all the fringe players + Milner, we will need to bring in a number of players to keep the squad numbers.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few Thanks Richard.

As Spok would say - scarifice one for the greater good - or words to that effect. £28m + the money from clear out, say £15m + £20m from sponsorship = a decent war chest to bring in quality and balance. 6 or 7 £10m players could make us a strong side? I think Citeh, with all of their firepower, will be up there with Chelski now with Man U trailling in third spot and us competing with Arsenal, Plop, Spuds and Everton for that fourth spot.

What a load of rubbish!! Surely, they don't meet until mid to late August when MON starts to think about buying players!

From what I have seen of Curtis, when he has played alongside a settled partner (Laursen or Cuellar at the start of last season) these two - heading and row Z - were his main attributes and he was excellent. I think Davies and Clark would have been our CBs in 3 years time and pushing into the England set up. That is if Citeh hadn't come in and bought them by that time??