tajjuk

Fair enough didn't see it and ITV commentators didn't seem to pick it up either, neither did the host broadcasters, though that no.11 should have had about 3 yellows anyway. ----------------------------------------------------- Don't really understand all the negativity, everyone seems very quick to jump on the loss with sort of 'I told you so' comments, which I don't get. Overall the game was balanced, people saying Croatia were the better team seemed to forget the first half where England completely dominated and should have been 2-3 up. Our 2nd half game management was poor, and the Croatia's stepped it up. But people also seem to be forgetting the experience factor. Modric has 111 caps alone, Mandzukic 88, Rakitic 98 etc. These players have champions league titles and the core of that Croatia team has been playing together for like 10 years, with many coming through the same youth teams together. England haven't, they key now is that we keep this team together, and don't heap too much pressure or change the plan that has clearly been working.

Mandzukic didn't do anything as far as I saw, they replayed the incident and the ref was pointing at the foul, not at Mandzukic, it also looked like the VAR people replayed it as well.

Dost has looked decidedly average against quality opposition when I have seen him. Can't see him being any better than what we have plus as others have noted in the other thread the whole Sporting players issue looks like it's going to be very messy, Sporting are basically suing Wolves over Patricio, claiming like another £30 million, asking for the player to be banned and Wolves to be banned from signing players. Don't think its worth the hassle. Patricio doesn't seem to be free either, says Wolves have paid about £15 million for him already. So I doubt Bas Dost would be either. All the other players who 'quit' seem to be going for big fees, like Carvalho is going to Inter for 25 million Euros.

No he's just being a bit more objective and speaking without bias than most people on here.

I am pretty certain Croatia should have been down to 10 men, Rebic elbowed Walker in the face and Mandzukic got the yellow card for it. Rebic then through the ball away, much like Walker did, did not get a yellow for it and then got a further yellow for a late challenge on Danny Rosee. He should have been sent off and I am pretty sure VAR was supposed to correct mistaken identity.

Overall it was an even game, England should have won it and been out of sight in the first half but consistently got behind Croatia all game, they just didn't always make the most of it or some last gasp tackles just saved Croatia. In the end Croatia's greater experience showed through, but they required a mistake on England's part to win the game, a nothing header, Stones switched off and that was it game over, especially after going to down to 10. England over the course of the game had the better chances, they just didn't take them. I thought Kane had his poorest game of the tournament, his passing was awful. Alli went missing for most of the game but was not helped out by Ashley Young, he got dragged wide consistently because Young sat inside next to his centre backs for no reason instead of getting out to their right back. End of the day though we were good, we played good football at a good tempo and were genuinely enjoyable to watch, more so than many of the other 'big teams'. This is IIRC the youngest team ever to reach a World Cup semi, and they did so whilst Argentina, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Portugal went out earlier and Holland and Italy didn't even make it. That is a great achievement whatever way you look at it. Most of this team are like 20-24, they have 2 more World Cups in them, they will get better and we have successful U17, U20 and U21 teams who's players will start coming through, the likes of Foden, Brester, Sessegnon etc. I can't see another 30 years of hurt, I'll reckon we'll win a Euros or World Cup in the next 10 years. Also I reckon the Ox, Wilshere and Lallana were missed, they would have added to that midfield and given us more options/better control.

If Pellegrino hadn't sat him unused on the bench for first 10 games last season he would have played around 30 league games last year and probably had 11-12 goals at least. I am confident that with a more positive and confident team Gabbi and Austin will score plenty of goals. As others have pointed out who outside the top 6 actually has a good striker? Last year aside Vardy, the next best goalscorers at non-top 6 clubs were - Mahrez - 12 Murray - 12 Arnautovic - 11 Rooney - 10 Wood - 10 Milivojevic - 10 A non-top 6 club finding a 15 plus goal a season striker is rare, we will be lucky to find one better than Austin or Gabbi IMO and would have to spend £40 million plus which is not going to happen. If we concentrate on making less mistakes at the back (IIRC we made more mistakes leading to goals than most last year), playing more positive football and winning more home games we'll be fine.

Austin is more than good enough for a top 10 team, if we play attacking football and have some pace around him he'll score goals.

Good news, hope he gets some game time soon. Just to note - Watson seems to get a lot stick on here for some reason, but clearly is still well respected by players.

Yeh a low well struck curling shot right into the bottom corner through bodies? Right... You can insult all you like, doesn't make you anymore right, just makes you look a muppet. ------------------------------ Anyway, anyone see the weird hugging by the owner in the Charlie Austin video?

There have been virtually no transfer rumours for either. Barring some dramatic change I fully expect them to both be here next season, I believe we are looking for a right back because Pied left and there is no back up.

I doubt Gunn would be signed if we didn't have expectations that Forster was on his way somewhere. You'd also expect Boufal to be on his way. Same with Clasie, just have to agree it with Feyenoord. Davis there seems to have been no real concrete reports on, but you can't see him getting near the team Then the likes of McQueen, Gallagher, Reed, Targett will be looked at to either be loaned or wanting to move for first team football. Stephens might also join that list. The squad has been bloated for a while, it's a left over of the Europa league campaign and the fact that several players on longer contracts have failed to peform so have to have been replaced. Forster and Clasie may be difficult to shift if we have expectations of recouping transfer fees for them instead of just cutting the losses and getting them off the wage bill.

IIRC one of the previous 'best blockers' and 'best aerial duels' players in the Bundesliga was Matip at Liverpool

Why would he move on any time soon? IMO he's not good enough for a top 6 club and is unlikely to get much better now at 28. Could be wrong but I doubt the Liverpool rumours where serious. He did very well for us this season but we should remember this is a guy who has played for 11 clubs, and has only amassed 189 games in 10 years and has only played two full seasons in his career, 1 in League One and 1 in the Championship. He's also failed to establish himself as no.1 at both Palace and QPR, behind hardly world class keepers.

He pretty much singlehandedly kept them up, based on their points per game if he had been available all season for them they would have finished 7th. --------------------------- West Ham and Everton seem to be linked to everyone, it's quite pleasing we seem to be securing our targets fairly early whilst they are floundering about for everyone.

Important to note as well that he had two long term knee injuries before those two as well. He's had cartilage problems in both knees and an ACL, making him a huge risk IMO. Maybe for something like £10 million with a few performance rated add ons, but nothing more than that.

McCarthy's only 28, he could easily play top level for another 7 years. Can't really see Gunn waiting around that long, I more suspect as I said that they are looking at McCarthy's history and see that it is a bit up and down and might be worried that his form will take a hit next year and with Forster not looking anywhere near his old self we won't have a decent keeper to challenge.

He's not going to come to us.

We are favourites with the bookies to sign Ings - https://www.football.london/crystal-palace-fc/transfer-news/southampton-newcastle-favourites-palace-drift-14842104

The issue with Ings is that he seems to have had two major injuries in BOTH knees, so 4 major knee injuries in his career. That is a worry for any player, and whether he can get back to what he was doing for Burnley is debatable. Liverpool was a bad move for him, he was what 22, had just had a very good debut PL season and then went to a club where he was always going to be on the bench. I'm sure his bank balance was decent but hardly helped his career even without the injuries. 2015 Ings I'd have had in a heartbeat, he was quick, had good movement, could dribble past people but you have to worry that his pace, acceleration and agility are going to be restricted by the injuries We might as well have kept Jay Rod, at least he has shown signs of getting back to near his best after his injury, I haven't seen much of Ings since his return to injury so not sure how he is playing but I presume he is fit as he scored in their friendly win against Chester. I'd like to think we'd keep Gallagher and give him a go, he's been on loan for two years to Championship clubs who have been relegation threatened and changed managers all the time so against all that has done relatively well (think he was top scorer for both Blackburn and Brum). I'd like to see how he'd do in a more settled team with better players, especially as someone who is 6' 4" and decently mobile which is something we don't really have, he can't do much worse than Long.

Both. Hoedt's passing range is pretty good and seems like this guy's is as well. From the scout reports he's also apparently adept at bringing it out of defence and not bad at dribbling. He started of as a centre-mid. Hopefully we have signed the Danish Harry Maguire. Pace wise I wouldn't worry, the guy is 2m tall, he was never going to be quick but then most centre-backs are not that quick, it's rare to get someone like VVD who is big, strong and fast. For that level of player you have to pay a lot. Also again in this report - http://outsideoftheboot.com/2015/08/13/scout-report-jannik-vestergaard/ It says - A lot of comparisons have been made with Mertersacker and I'd take that, that guy was not quick but still a top quality defender who was aware of his limitations. From what I have read this guy is an intelligent player, who is calm, reads the game well and is very good at making tackles and blocks, coupled with being dominant in the air. At 25 as well he is still young for a centre-back and started off as a centre-mid so is probably still developing his game, so I think he will be a success. Sure he might end up getting beaten for a pace a few times next season, or turned by someone like Aguero but we are not going to end up buying the perfect centre-back. Even VVD had weaknesses, his concentration was a lacking and he switches off at times.

I presume he has been told he will be battling McCarthy for a first team slot otherwise it's an odd move. Maybe they are worried that McCarthy's form last year was only temporary and he might slip back down to a lower level so want a potential replacement?

Wilshere isn't really an attacking mid but yeh. Huge chunk of transfer fees and wages in there though, £60 million out lay with around £250k a week in wages I'd reckon for those three, if not more. I still prefer our more calculated approach.

That option also means there is more use for Redmond and Sims, plus would mean we had the players available to switch into a 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 with two wide players supporting one striker as you basically swap a centre-back for a centre-mid. We have enough options for two strikers, but I presume would see someone playing just behind them which would have to be Moe or Redmond really which doesn't make much sense.

Seems pretty adapt here with either foot - I think he is pretty much either footed so shouldn't really be a worry playing with Hoedt and I can't Hoedt being replaced.