They all want our Croations

Not happy to see Niko go when the likes of Bentley and Jenas are still there and will probably get played more now.

 

I'll be very annoyed if we do sell him.
Ideal for the van der Vaart role, but rarely tried there.

 

Anyone know how much he is likely to be sold for?

 

Reports in the North-East suggest that it's not happening, as Bruce isn't looking to sign any more players.

 

Roll on Sep 1st.

 

Can't disagree with that, King. I wonder why Bentley & Jenas are still there, though?

 

I agree but I don't think Harry knows what the Van der Vaart role is.....and he and Modric get in each others way a bit in the formation we play. So when VdV is injured we revert to a traditional 442

 

Desperately dont want to see Niko leave, especially with average performers like Jenas and Wilson still here.

Kranjcar is a class footballer and would be totally wasted on Sunderland.

 

More than just one or two if played regularly. More like around the 10 mark. You can't argue with results. We win more with him in the team. The season before last he helped us to win those games against lower placed teams that last season we couldn't manage. But I guess you'd rather have a lesser talented workaholic that results in less goals. I thought the objective was to outscore the opponent

 

I don't mind Niko playing, but only if the other players are capable of doing the extra work he doesn't. Anyone at the Bilbao game would have seen the perfect example. Like in the first half with the likes of Niko, Pav and Hudd, we were over-ran....no stunning goal from Niko, not likely either pinned in our own half chasing shadows.

With this in mind, I'd like to see him further forward, as has been suggested where VdV plays...and there lies the problem.

 

I'm still sticking with my Vdv in the middle suggestion, Notso.
Maybe Redknapp will try it tomorrow?
Just after he takes his pig for a quick fly...

 

I'm still sticking with my Vdv in the middle suggestion, Notso.
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...and so you should, its more than valid. ...and as I maintain, providing attention is paid to when we don't have the ball.

 

If we have no midfielders and have to use Kaboul in the holding role, then I'd suggest that he'd probably be paying lots of attention to defending!
Having said that, he does like to get forward a lot, for a defender.

I can stills see Redknapp picking something of a scratch side and making it really tough, to be honest.

 

Yes, of course it is. We just disagree on Kranjcar being the man to help us do that.

 

I don't think that you'll find anyone arguing with that opinion, Ensil.

 

Dont believe that mate, typical Bruce.

He would be the making of us

please can we have him, talk up here its a season loan

 

I know this is a bit left field, but with the news that Hitzlsperger is training with us, could he be being looked at as a stop gap for the VDV role if Niko goes?

Also, what about this Ruiz fella that we've been linked with?

 

Hitzlsperger or Ruiz?

 

Ah, OK - did not know that.

What about Ruiz then? Anything in that do you reckon?

 

Hitzlsperger was only training with us because of the location of our training ground, I believe.
He lives/lived in central London though, so I'd have thought that there were more local amenities.