SKD

Needs to play in the '10' behind the main CF. That way he can pick the ball from deep then has the chance to go either way - When stuck out on the wing he becomes isolated and predictable. He's not been great for us, but I think there is a player in there somewhere.

He is by no means prolific, but I'm not sure anyone expect him to be but if you can't see what he has added / improved to our play then you are deluded. He needs someone to play off him, if that's Gabbi, Redmond or Boufal in the '10' I don't care. He'd also benefit from some pace from either flank cutting inside (think Mane off Pelle), hopefully Sims can provide this. He's probably about our level, Austin is still are best CF, by a long way.

Simply a must win. Surely he has to change things up? We've played 433/4231 (thank you Mr Reed) all season and to put it simply, it hasn't worked. I'd go 442/4411: McCarthy Cedric Stephens Hoedt Bertrand Sims Lemina Hojbjerg Tadic Gabbi Carrillo Carrillo looks like he's crying out for someone to play off him, Gabbi looks like he's crying out to play off someone. Tadic and Sims as out and out wingers to get crosses into Carrillo with Hojbjerg offering 'better legs', than Romeu so will offer more going forward. None of this will happen, he'll continue to play 4231 (although I suspect Sims might get a start with Tadic in 10 and JWP on the right) and we'll draw 1-1

This is not true... see my earlier posts.

Christ, looks like NC has enjoyed himself in unemployment.....

You’re wrong. Nothing agreed yet, we’ll find out next week.

I will be amazed if the police allow a football match (considering the trouble last time as well), which will likely have close to full capacity, to take place a couple of hours after a big running event, especially one that circles the stadium. It might happen, I'm very doubtful it will though. Hopefully I'm wrong as Monday will all but rule out me being able to attend.

There will be a Monday game, the above shows that it is only 48 hours notice for a friendly (competitive is 4 days + 1 extra if different continent). The FA have said that it will be played over 4 days 16th - 19th, all 4 games will be on TV £££.

Just found this on the Fifa website: https://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/ps_792_en-annex_ii_74.pdf If that is accurate, up to date and I'm reading correctly, I do not see any reason why we couldn't play on the Monday. From what I can see (happy for someone to correct me) the earliest game that will affect us is possibly Denmark vs Panama (PEH) and that is on Thursday 22nd, so would allow him to play and then travel to Denmark the next day, if selected. Long story short, I don't see it being any other day than Monday - I hope I'm wrong.

You're right, he's not :lol: But you're admitting that he would get into Liverpools side and that he would get into Arsenal's side, therefore, he would / could play for a top 6 team. Not as 'Laughable' as you first made out then. Wally

I'm with you on this one... almost certain it'll be Monday. Friday will result in Wigan rearranging 2 fixtures (can't see that happening), Saturday looks like a complete no go for security reasons and Sunday will be a nightmare due to road closures etc. So only really leaves Monday, which will cause the least disruption. Also, I'm sure the FA considered all relevant FIFA rules (I'm yet to see these rules people are alluding to? might have missed them) when setting the dates.

That would potentially mean Pompey, Brighton and Saints all in and around Manchester on the Saturday, no chance. Still reckon it'll be Monday.

Best CB in the league for me - Worth way more than £50k, don't blame him one bit for wanting to leave. If City or Arsenal don't snap him up they will have lost their minds.

Nothing sort of criminal and obvious at the time we needed one.

it's sad how it ended with Fonte - he generally is a decent bloke (a bit arrogant, but did/does love the club), who just took some poor advice from his agent and ended up falling out with certain members of our board.... A real shame, if he'd got his head down and didn't fall for the opportunity to play for Utd nonsense, then I suspect he'd be part of our coaching staff now. As it happened he acted like a complete tit, eventually ended up at West Ham (he chose them ahead of Everton and Palace FWIW) and didn't have a top class CB (Lovren, Toby or VvD) to play along side him, which showed his vulnerabilities. I'm almost certain he'll go into management one day, hopefully he's good at it and come back here when said board members are gone.

Spot on with this bit of the post.

He's potentially exactly what we need at the moment. Quick, direct and has no fear (at the moment - that'll be coached out of him in no time).

Good to get this in one thread. My opinion is that we have a good squad, which should be comfortable top 10 and with a bit of investment, in key areas (CB, quick / creative winger and possibly CF - similar to Austin but more reliable), could compete with Everton to be pushing top 7. We have a few very good players (good enough for top 6), a number of good players (good enough for mid-table / top 10) and a number of players who are good/very good, who just aren't currently performing at the level we need / they have the ability to. I'd argue that only 3 of our regular starting squad is not good enough for the PL (Long, Stephens and Davis). The way I look at it is that outside of the big 6, only Everton and Leicester have a better all round squad than us. I would say we are about level with West Ham and just ahead of Stoke. Of course it isn't just the managers fault - a number of players aren't performing like we know they can (because we've seen it - I.e Gabbi, Forster, Boufal, Redmond - at times) and he hasn't been helped by an incompetent board, who continually fail to address area's in which it's clear we are very weak. Massive surgery is a bit OTT, imo. 3/4 players (and to keep / get the best out of what we have) and a new half competent manager, should do it. Priority's - A solid senior CB to play next to Hoedt (at 23 years old, new to the PL, he should not be our senior CB). - A right winger who has pace (Promes or Sisto for me) we never truly replaced Mane. - A CF (Austin is good enough, he is just not fit enough, enough of the time). I've not seen enough of Carrillo to make a judgement so don't want to write him off, but he could fit the bill. Possibly - A new GK (Forster is about our level, when playing to even 70% of his top ability). A must - New manager, one that can get more out of our under performing players.

I like Cedric, I think he is very sound defensively, offers us good pace and width down the right flank, which allows JWP or whoever else, to find pockets in between the LB and CB. His crossing / final product is poor though and for that reason he is not one of the best in the world. Improve on that and he would be close. Again, all my opinion. As for Lemina, Okay, Chelsea is debatable (IMO he’d improve them as he is better than Drinkwater and bakayoko. Also, personally I don’t think that Fabregas is suited to a 2 (great player on the ball and going forward, not soo great defensively. My opinion) but If you don’t think that he would improve Arsenal or Liverpool then, I’m sorry, but you are absolutely deluded. As for Promes, you earlier mentioned he has ‘stats way above our level’ wtf does that mean btw , you seem to forget that he’s playing in a far weaker league. If he’s going to be a half decent player in the PL I would expect him to score goals for fun where he is. Also, I know 100% that promes agreed, in principle, to come here - you can read all the forums / press you like, I know that is 100% factually true. It’s dangerous to look at stats and assess a player based on them. Time will tell. I’m almost certain that when they both eventually leave, it’ll be to CL clubs. Anyway, moving onto topic.... we should beat Burnley, our squad is far better, but I think we’ll draw 1-1.

You’re either a student, American or a virgin who plays too many computer games. As for Fabregas, I’m not doubting he is a better player. IMO he is not as strong as Lemina is defensively, though. All that aside, take Chelsea out of the equation, he will improve the majority of teams in this league. Some that’s have ‘stats above our level’. It’s all opinions at the end of the day, you are clearly as strong in yours as I am in mine.

Therefore not good enough for Spurs, who at that point where not at the level, nowhere near in fact, they currently are?

Let’s agree to disagree then, Pep. It’s a game of opinions and all that. Keep playing your computer games and monitoring those stats, you might make it some day

https://www.footballtransferleague.co.uk/players/cedric_soares All the links Cedric has had to elite clubs. I’m still looking for Yedlin and Naughtons

Stephens has litterally scored more than VvD this season.

It was agreed, Moscow pulled plug in last minute as couldn’t get replacement - fact. If he’ll come in the summer or not, who knows, but he was 100% coming to us in January. He’d play next to Kante. Drink water and bakayoko are pony and fabregas too weak defensively to play in a 2. Keep reading your ‘stats’ and believe they’ll make you the next Pep though, pal