Smirking_Saint

I think he was there or there abouts, Evertons midfield has had to be adjusted slightly as Neville has retired and maybe Martinez has realised that Osman isnt very good. You may be right though, sometimes your face doesnt fit but Barkleys name has bubbled under the scenes for a while.

Whilst what you say is true, the very very best will always rise to the top in the form of your Wilsheres, Barkleys, Sterlings etc those that are not quite there are not going to get the game time to improve that they probably need. I think it is sort of obvious, as we debated earlier in the England thread that under what are the obvious England picks there just isnt enough depth of talent that many of the other nations have, this gets watered down to the youth levels of international game too. What Im saying is it certainly will not restrict the best, but it coukd restrict those that need a bit more development reaching their best. Many players develop over longer periods in the same way that some are a big thing at 17 and end up playing for Crewe at 23. Although Saints certainly show what can happen with patience and what is a very well developed academy (reed has had a lot to do with that btw) and so you are able to blood youngsters. Are they good enough consistantly ? Perhaps not when instant results mean everything but it will certainly help their career Oh, and if I was the FA Id tell any little git that decides he doesnt want to play for the U19's, U21's etc that he is basically denting his hopes for a senior cap. Rewarding that sort of thing with a senior call up basically destroying what we should be building into the England set up and that is passion to wear the shirt, a team should be grown in the youth internationals to gel, gain experience and grow together playing yhe same tactics as the senior side.

Have they sorted the game engine out ? Or am I still going to beat Bayern munich 8-0 on the Tuesday and then get bummed by Leyton Orient in the cup 4-1 on the Saturday ?

I seriously tried bazza as like you said he does talk a lot of sense and definately knows his stuff. When he is talking in single sentances etc its fine but when he gets excited and talks for longer it starts to get lost in some half incomprehensible squeak.

The coaching also was in bad need for a revamp but this is thankfully happening right now and money is being spent, new ideas embraced etc which is a very good thing. But I agree with this, the only problem is that it will need to be a Fifa directive IMHO to keep everything competetive and you are bound to have a fight with employment law and freedom of trade etc. but yes, I have been saying this for a long long time. I was also talking to some youth coaches over the weekend that are involved in certain PL teams that told me something very interesting. It was that they are seriously worried about the UK culture and how it is affecting young children. He was saying they are still seeing players with very good technical ability but many turn up overweight and lacking stamina these days and the difficulty is trying to tear them away from their computers etc. Past governments also dont help as they are removing green spaces etc but its an interesting insight into modern academies.

If they have a choice of a high rated silver or a low rated gold I suspect a lot of them will be silvers. Shaw will be silver IMO, Mayuka still, JWP maybe ? Lambert will be gold etc

Which is what I said, but its hard to see beyond the accent when you cant understand what he is saying

Carra seems to know what he is talking about agreed but when he talks for any period of time it is indeed difficult to listen to

Similar to Bent at Villa I believe

I honestly think we will finish above Everton this year.

I dont think we will ever agree on the Gerrard/lampard thing TBH. Personally Id have him in the side over Lampard but then I am happy for a player to take risks and attempt things, yes they are frustrating when they dont come off but the rewards we have seen when they work are incredible. He is more mobile and better all round then Lampard, perhaps he isnt as disciplined as such but most of that I think stems from the fact that Gerrard does work harder. Im not sure all his plaudits come from maximum effort, he keeps possession well enough when he wants to, agsinst certain opposition you need to take risks. As for Lampard he is more concerned breaking into the box then actually playing that disciplined. In that respect he wouldnt have marshalled like Gerrard on Wednesday. As per the DM thing I do agree, we have nobody really that wants to sit and break up, plenty that will sit and support. I think Cork is more Carrick though, he sits and intercepts for Saints and stifles but he is generally the ball player where as Morgan is the all action DM (not saying he cant pass). Which is why WanyamaI think is going to replace Cork more often as he is dynamic, strong and a destroyer. Cork could play for England, if Carrick is injured etc, but I think that he will need more support from the other CMs, Gerrard will be one IMO and Wilshere but he will have to work harder.

Id suggest we did buy him on his own merits but also because he will ultimately fit the system that MoPo employs better and essentially should get the best out of Gaston aswell

This or more likely Boruc Clyne Lovren Yoshi Shaw Morgan Wanyama Lallana Ramirez J Rod Osvaldo

Gerrard started of as more of a disciplined CM, I remember him having some very very good displays there when he was younger for both England and Liverpool but was then changed by different liverpool managers into the free role player that he is now. I can certainly understand where the frustration comes from watching him in a liverpool shirt but I think that they are happy to take that risk because of what he brings to the team. Also it wasnt so much a risk when they had Lucas and Xabi behind him !! Lampard was never really a CM and has probably grown into that role as he has got older but I agree is still not really a proper CM. I think at the moment Gerrard and Lampard are still able to play there in some degree, for me at least Gerrard looked good enough staying deeper and Lampard looked ok when he replaced Cleverley. Englands going to play 3 midfielders anyway so yeah I would suggest that Cork has a chance if he gets playing time of which I hope he will with rotation.

This is really not our remit anymore, it was us that offered him the best bed for a footballing development and it was Ox's dad that decided that Wenger was the best man to get that out of him. Now I have little doubt that he would not have been an England player as soon, nor would he have been involved in some European games but he would have got gametime and our coaching really is top notch. We are not the ones that can be charged with ruining young players, we are just looking after our own interests. The clause is a good one, and we were not to know that Wenger would have tried to be so 'prudent'

Its sort of been done to death how Adrian

Thats a fair enough opinion, not going to go off on one, I personally think he is technically gifted enough to be Englands first choice for a while. We will see how it pans out, the same with Ramirez

FWIW Gerrard was my MOTM, but Baines and Welbeck played well. Thats not the point exactly though, he is a good player

He certainly hasnt lived up to my expectations of him but that isnt to say he has not lived up to the transfer fee, it was only 4m more than J Rod and looking at the discrepency in the Osvaldo deal was possibly not even that much. The crap you spout about him not trying is just that, crap, he definately tries hard especially for a luxury player. You can tell his quality aswell, good on the ball and not scared to try anything. Whenever I watch him he looks like he could make something happen. I think he will work better with a man who can play off the last man, in fact I think our whole tactics would work better. So no, he has not been outstanding but certainly good enough, scoring 3 goals and 5 assists I think, so helped along the way, in fact without him we could even have been relegated.

Well he was MOTM so ill go with yes

He also did this well against Everton, in fact whenever I have seen him he works hard. Looks good on the ball, just is prone to frustratingly give it away every now and again. Im not even sure its that much more than anyone else either, its just popular to dislike him I supposed. Some would say obsessive. How long til your Osvaldo threads Dune ?

This is the danny Welbeck that scored twice and has been putting in good displays for england ?

Like I said in the ambition thread I honestly think you'll see Everton as a fading force now, I just cant warm to Martinez and dont think he is going to be the man to extend the wonderful work that Moyes has done. Moyes really did get everything right there, tactics, signing, motivation etc I was never impressed with Martinez at Wigan TBH, he only ever got them motivated at the end of a season and benefited from playing amoungst some equally dire teams. Kenright wont spend enough to patch up Robertos lack of defensive discipline and Everton are not good enough going forward to get away with it consistantly

Less Ego and more the fact the the manager picks the penalty taker and not the players

J Rod can play there as he is getting used to the inside forward role, Lambert I can see fitting into one of those forward three as it will detriment the harrying play we employ there. Osvaldo will play up top, thats what he is signed for and what we needed.