Chez

Laurie Mac signed him

First Chris Nicholl signing please chaps.

Case?

Shilton Mills Dave Watson Wright Bridge Channon Steve Williams MLT Armstrong BT Wallace Flowers Alf Ramsey Keagan Paine Crouch

I have it in my mind that teams wearing back win less games than they should. Stick to white, it makes you look bigger or bright yellow as its easier to spot a team mate.

why exactly did Ince sign a new contract?

I agree with you. Yoshida is much classier on the ball and that's needed in the top flight, it's just the basic defensive elements he needs to improve. I can see Jos' faults. But I said all last season that he would do a job if called upon and I was bloody right. He did a job, a ****in good one at that. There were not nearly enough people on here eating humble pie IMO. Some of the **** written about him on here was embarassing. He helped us get promoted for Christs sake and then 5 minutes later `fans' wanted his head on a stick. He was fundamental to our promotion in my eyes having a brilliant season in the Championship. All of that promotion winning side should be seen as legends and not had some treated with such hostility as they have been. I'd be more than happy to see Lovren partner Fonte.

yep, got injured (the 38 games must have taken it out if him) then failed to regain his place. Whether that was because MP thought Jos was better or simply because he was playing well and didn't want to drop him, who knows. But if Maya was as good as some like to make out he'd have been straight back in the side. Personally I'm glad MP didn't bring him back. Jos is better in the air and dare I say it gave the ball away less than Maya. Is Lovren going to replace Fonte or Jos/Yoshida?

hmmm, as you may have noticed I've been slightly underwelmed so far. I've never seen an international centre back pass the ball to the opposition as much as him, well non-english ones anyway. It's no good looking comfortable on the ball if you are just going to give it away...and he does, time after time after time. He's been decidedly average in the air as well. Not nearly nasty enough at times either. When he does get tight he becomes effective, but he's far too passive. I'm perhaps too harsh on him, but his weaknesses deserve to highlighted as much as Jos' are. I'm excited by the Lovren signing. Hopefully he's a step up in quality from the others.

I hope he finds some next season

the same Yoshida that was behind the much maligned Jos in the pecking order for the final part of the season?

I hope he is better than Corluka. He's a very average player IMO.

kinell, I was looking forward to the usual moaning about our season being ****ed because we hadn't signed players in June. **** load of money for a player Llyon fans seemed less than impressed by, if their coordinated online efforts to big him up to Barca are anything to go by. Just the sort of signing I like though. Exciting. Hope he's a nasty, pacey, beast of a man but with a touch of an angel.

how on earth did that side survive in the top flight with those midfield options?

It would appear there is an awful lot of those loyal skates that aren't perhaps quite as loyal as Scumball remembered from his days at **** park.

all defenders (players) make mistakes in games, it's just that some get punished and some don't. I'm not sure its wise to read much into individual errors. Is a miskicked clearance leading to a goal any worse than a lazy player not getting back to even attempt make that clearance? Which of the two circumstances will be recorded as an individual error?

I'll tell you what, that Hummels is a ****ing player. I don't think I've seen a centre back better than him last season. Obviously he's a non starter, but I hope one day I get to see a player like him at centre back for us, before they have been snapped up perhaps, even if its just for a season.

fella in the centre looking like a zombified Ed from Sean of the Dead makes me chuckle. Someone remind me the back story to this image. I just can't get my head round how this came to be.

yeah we paid an undisclosed fee, plus a sell on fee of over over a £100,000.

Out of interest did you enjoy the 2008/9 season more than last season?

I wonder if we got any money for Safri

it certainly would be unless you count the tidy sum we made on McGoldrick, signed from Notts county at 16 who spent a year or two in the academy.

Nope. Can't stand them. They all look so regimented and over branded. The three stripes on shorts, shirts and socks is far too much. The newer, I'd say ugly logo, slapped in the middle of the shirt sucks. It's all subjective though. I think the current white shirt is right up there as our best ever kit behind the last striped shirt with the gold trim and I hated the sash and think the Xerox kit is actually crap and that people's nostagia gets the better of them. As I said, its all subjective.

not sure people are criticising Forren (whilst Jos is at the club we have a ready made whipping boy) for not playing, it's more a case of wondering about the transfer. Jos and Fonte played well and the manager didn't want to change a `settled back four' might be the simple answer to why he didn't figure, but we made two centre back subs whilst he was on the bench and he was overlooked on both occasions.

manager plus location is going to be tough to overcome. We'd have to seriously outbid in terms of wages, which is a long term worry. But he looks exactly the type of player we need. Strong, direct and capable of leading the line. Wigan were a completly different side when he played. The ACON cost Wigan survival IMO. £6.5m looks a fair price.