We need to strengthen regardless of the whole Torres situation. We need a new CB a defensive midfielder and another striker (or two) IÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââll be looking at these lads personally. Nilmar Plays for Villarreal at the moment same age as Fernando obviously not proven in the PL but neither was Torres at first. Sell Torres and bring him and give him the number nine shirt. I considered Giuseppe Rossi (his team mate) but I believe Manu have first dibs on him if he goes up for sale and I reckon theyÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââd bid just so we canÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãâât get him. Iker Muniain Plays for Athletic Bilbao at the moment, heÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs only 18 but he definitely looks like a talent and a name in the future. IÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââd buy him now and loan him back to Bilbao so he can continue his development, maybe even give them Suso on loan for a season to sweeten the deal. HeÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs a small player, good turn of pace and a good scoring record. HeÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs listed as a striker normally but every time I watch him heÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs plays wide on the left coming inside. HeÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs still quite small in size which could be a worry but heÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs still young so a lot could change. Felipe Melo Now unless Mascherano gets a divorce he isnÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãâât coming back, as much as IÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââd love that, it isnÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãâât happening. Looking around there isnÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãâât a lot of decent tough tackling defensive mids available. IÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââm only suggesting Melo because as we know Aquilani is on loan there and if no deal has been confirmed with Juve IÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââd offer them the option of a straight swap. HeÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs not young but not exactly old heÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs 27 at the moment but if NESV donÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãâât have to put up the cash (i.e. the swap) I canÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãâât see them complaining. Scott Dann Before the injury we could all see he was a talent. HeÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs English which is helpful for this whole home grown rule and being born in Liverpool and once being a season ticket holder heÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs almost guaranteed to want to come to us. He and Agger would be a good partnership and being only 23 he fits into NESVÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââs plans. So there you have it! Just my opinion but IÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââd be happy chappy if we revamped the squad like that or in a similar way! FIRST TEAM Reina Kelly - Dann - Agger - Aurelio Meireles - Melo - Gerrard Suarez - Nilmar - Pacheco SQUAD REMAINING Gulacsi Carragher Johnson Lucas Kuyt NÃÆÃâÃââÃÆââââ¬à ¡ÃâìÃÆââââ¬à ¾Ãââgog Shelvey Spearing Cole Jovanovic Maxi Kuyt Poulson Skrtel Suso Coady
I think wingers should be our first priority (Young), maybe stick Gerrard on the right. We could do with a young defensive midfielder as well as a new centre back. I don't think Pacheco is/will cut it at this level, same for Shelvey. Aurelio is a good sub, but we need a first team regular left back. Wilson may be our future in the centre, but he needs to be bled or we need sumone in a.s.a.p. Perhaps Johnson can pic up his game at RB and Kelly can adopt to the centre. I think we need a young defensive midfield (not sure who mind) to beaf up our midfield and give Merilles the licence to roam. I think Gerrard has been a liability for us recently, certianly at CM, so I would put him at RM where he has performed well before, but also consider getting a new RM. Suarez and either Anelka or Sturridge up front, get Young for LM. Reina Kelly - ? - Agger - ? Gerrard - Merielles - ? - Young Suarez - Anelka
I have a feeling it's going to be an exciting summer for us!! I agree with you on Young but I guarantee we'll get ripped of by Villa for him! Anelka would be good but we definitely need another striker. This is what I’d fill your line up with Reina Kelly - DANN - Agger - Cissokho? Gerrard - Meireles - MELO - Young Suarez - Nilmar Interchange Nilmar and Anelka or Suarez as necessary!
Am I the only one would actually prefer we DIDN'T bring in too many good players? I want us to shift out some old useless players, use the money to buy really good players. Like 20-30m rated. Then fill the rest of the gaps with the youth. We have some good youth and they're getting on a bit now, we should use them. My out list would be: Kuyt: 8m Maxi: 7m G.Johnson: 13.5m Torres: 50m Skrtel: 6m J.cole: 4m Konchesky: 2m Poulson: 2m Total: 92.5m Fill in the LB, LW, RW and striker roles. I don't think we need a DM if we have 2 really good CB, like Wilson, Wisdom, Ayala, Kelly, Agger etc... LW and RW are a must. Gerrard doesn't like playing on the RW and we don't have a good LW. LB is also a must, G.Johnson isn't a LB, he can't run it down the wings.
We've got the Barcelona coaches Better than Wenger's scouts. They've already brought in Pacheco, Suso and more.. if they can continue work like that then we'll be set.
I dont know much about Suso, do you rate him highly then? Havent been that impressed with Pacheco, but they'v got time on their side.
Sanchez and Downing would do. We need someone who can deliver a ball to Carroll, and for me Downing is the best crosser of the ball in the country and he's had a very good season. Kenny likes him. Sanchez is class, though. I don't see Hazard coming here, especially with no European football. Adam Johnson is bad pisshead. That's probably why he doesn't get games for City.
Interesting that none of you guys have put Carroll in your first team. I'm not trying to have a go, and don't want this thread to turn into (another!) pissing contest, but does that mean you don't rate him? I'd be very surprised if your most expensive signing (to date) wasn't in the first team next season.
Morning Swarbs. I would deffo have him in my sarting line-up. If we are trying to purchase good crossing wingers, then we need the strong arial presence that Carrol can offer. I agree with the lads above and the positions that need strenghtening, but I think we shpould blood some of the youth as our season looks to be a wash out. Putting money into a new stadium and saving money getting our youth up to speed is a priority for me.
Swarbs, all of these predictions were made before we signed Carroll, and none of us expected us to try and sign Carroll as I thought Newcastle would have tried to keep hold of him. I would still like another striker and perhaps to offload Kuyt. People will say "Oh you want to sell Kuyt despite him being truly loyal," I think for the good of the club we need another striker. He does a job, and he does it well - but he's 30 now, in a few years time he won't have the energy to continue the job he does and I think his quality is going slowly down hill. Of course he will link up with Suarez well, but I think we need a younger version of Kuyt with perhaps a better shot. We were looking to sell Kuyt for 20m last summer; he's 1 year old but he's had a very good season so I can see is trying to offload for 12-15m, he was a key member of the Dutch National team at the world cup too. Johnson I would keep as a fullback backup, he may not like being 2nd choice for LB and RB but unfortunately he will have to be. This is unless we get an 8m+ offer. I would keep Skrtel, Agger and Carragher and bring Ayala and Wilson into more and more starting lineups. Wilson didn't impress me in LB, but he's not a natural LB so it's unfair to judge. I would sell Soto though, despite him being old he has made a name for himself with us and now is the type for us to cash in on that. The midfield I can't be bothered to go into, but for striking I'd definetly buy a backup. Perhaps van Wolfswinkel should be the one we go for. He's got 20 goals in 30 games this season and each season has improved - within a couple of years we should be looking at a 20-25 goal a season striker which is just what we need.
I completely forgot to look at the dates of the posts! I just saw James had posted this morning and assumed that all the other posts had been relatively recent. Feeling very foolish now...
Capello was asked who'd surprised him most when he first took over England and he said Downing. I remember being impressed with him during Boro's Eufa Cup run. Rafa tried to buy him from Boro but had to settle for Riera instead.
I'd say he seems to be thriving being allowed to play striker more often. No argument he's getting older, like Carra and Gerrard, but there's a couple of seasons still in him, maybe fewer games per season. If Kenny goes for a 4-3-3 then strikers who can wing it, like Suarez and Kuyt, are ideal. I'm also not convinced about wingers. Yes, they're great but give me a good overlapping fullback and I'll go without. Insua crossed a ball better at 21 than Aaron Lennon did.
Most expensive, and Andy Carroll is "horses fro courses", not suitable for every game but he does add to the squad in what the others dont have. Suarez has been the most impresssive I would say
Jo will be available Teamed up with Lucas they could make the worst pair of footballers ever to come from Brazil What's the script with Aquilano,isn't he still one of your players? Perhaps now you've got shut of laughing boy woy he could be useful?
Kenny has already identified what he needs to bring the best out of Andy Carroll and he's intent on rectifying it in the summer..and thats wingers.Expect Kenny to make 3 signings in the summer...a left back and two wingers...anything else will be a bonus.There will be definitely at least 3 signings,thats nailed on.I reckon the bonus will ensure that we'll not only be challenging the top four....we'll be knocking on the door of the top two.
