Phil, If Brendan gets these five players I'm off down the bookies get my money on The Swans, "Champions League here we come!!!!!"
We do need the balance. I agree we shouldn't worry too much about size = quality... but Pratley was used to bolster the physicality of the midfield and we need that same option for Rodgers to make those tactical choices. Senna, from what I've seen on video clips etc, plays like Makele (the comparison is fair - he got player of the year three years in Spain) and can certainly keep up in a physical battle - I'd imagine that he would come in for Britton in the first eleven. Rumours have come up about Gudjohnsen and I think he's the perfect player to cover for Dobbie. He's had a miserable time at Stoke and our style would really suit him - plus he could also cover Graham, such is his flexibility. A bigger, tougher midfielder would be useful in the Pratley sub role - have no idea who that would be though... A good cover for Graham might be Kevin Phillips - available on a free but if we get Gudjohnsen and Senna then Phillips might be one too many of the old guard - although experience is certainly something that we are lacking... Defence - all of the main five can do a job - really Williams and Rangel and the Prem players - and we do need another centre half with a bit of pace and a left back (even if Taylor doesn't go). Don't know if it could ever happen but Gabbidon's contract is up and he offers pace (unfortunately injuries too) and flexibility (he has covered centre back and left back this season for WH). Gabbidon and Williams sounds pretty good as a centre back pairing that would suit our style of play. Still more old fellas though. Matt Mills would be brilliant but Wolves are after him too and the price is heading up to 4million and somewhat beyond us I think. Sinclair ---- Graham ---- Dyer Dobbie Allen/Bodde Senna Taylor Wiliams Monk Rangel De Vreis
The comparison (regarding style) with Barca is relevant but our midfield cannot compare in terms of skill and movement with theirs. I would also add that their stamina levels are a notch up on what our lads can produce. How often does Barca come under late pressure the way that we do? Think back. There were quite a few games when, after a good start, we wilted, kept losing possession, couldn't get the ball back, the other team grabbed the initiative and we hung on by the skin of our teeth. Be honest, more than we would like. When we hit top gear, no NPC team could live with us and we put in some fantastic performances - no need to list them, we all know the games and we all have our favourite performances, home and away. BUT, also, there were many games where we struggled from mid second half on after dominating all the earlier play. Now, I equate stamina, along with strength and athleticism under the generic heading of physicality. It's no good having a player with the strength of a bull, the ability to go box to box in a flash, if he can only do it effectively for 60 minutes. There has to be a reason why we surrendered the initiative in so many games after our early domination. Compare us to Norwich. Whilst we often seemed to weaken or fall off the pace as the game went on, they actually increased the intensity of their play and won no end of points late on that propelled them, ultimately, into an auto spot. With us, even when we had established a two goal cushion, I was all too often sweating cobs until we managed to close the game out. Premiership teams will not allow us that. If THEY get us by the jugular........... I know a lot of us believe that our possession style will serve us well in the Premiership except.... Premiership teams will not allow us that luxury. They will want possession themselves and it's my concern that many teams are better equipped than us in midfield to win the ball for the right to play. I'm not being a doom and gloom merchant by the way. I'm trying to put myself in Buck's shoes and analyse what we have to do to survive that so important first season. Sitting back and purring about our attributes won't do it. Identifying potential problem areas obviously will give us a shout. New signings will, of course, be a great help but, looking at existing players, I would like to see Joe and Brits muscle up and Dobbie told that a little more focused closing down from him is required. To go with that I think that general fitness levels should be addressed, because we see time and again, teams in the Premiership not only have high skill levels but they also work their socks off. We have to match that. For 90 minutes! All in all I'm quietly confident that we will survive, that we might surprise quite a few teams. If Buck can bring in a few more quality players who can dovetail with our style of play (I hope to God that that never changes) we might even gain a respectable mid table position. Ever aware of our set piece fallibility I am going to end with my usual plea to Buck to sign that brick outhouse; that lamppost; that towering individual; that beast of a centre back to shore up the weakness that every single Premiership manager will have identified and be salivating over. Oh, and this centre back has got to be able to play as well!!! Don't want much, do I?
David Edgar it is then! Previous experience, towering frame and can play out from the back. He's good cover to centreback or leftback. Him plus van Aanholt would do me at the back.
Ivor, How do you feel about these players: Frank Lampard, Patrik Berger, Dietmar Hamann, Barry Venison. Yankee, was talking about 'beefing-up' the midfield. These would add more 'meat' in the middle of the park. Or we could add Scott Parker, but only if you use a Geordie accent (= Scott Porker). Don't worry, everything will be fine...maybe.
Senna is clearly no longer considered good enough by Villarreal or they would have extended his contract...what makes you think he will be able to come and be any better that what you already have?
Well the president of Villarreal are warning us off of Senna , sounds like they want to keep him to me . Maybe he wanted to let his contract wind down because he wanted a change for his last few seasons . Regardless , I think we have a better chance of signing him more than anyone right now , including Villarreal (cheers )
Bodde is going to be like a new signing for us, may be a tentative start to ensure his knee holds up, but I have this feeling he will really come into his own this coming season !!
Ooosh, Villareal offered senna a new contract. it was for a year and he wanted longer. would be the perfect experience for us and add a little steel. Will never ever happen though.
Ivor is correct about the center back position - this is where we are most susceptible and have been for some time on anything crossed into the box. This is not going to change unless we radically coach the stink out of the players involved or we upgrade - and Dorus is not immune from this. This for me is our priority not our midfield. Midfield can be by-passed. When the oppositions discovers the way to "by-pass" our two centerbacks as teams often have we're all going to be praying at corners, wide free-kicks or anything crossed into our box at or above head height. I'm amazed that Reading didn't hammer this fragility more in the second half than they did.
I'm not looking forward to the games against Stoke. We'll need to bring in three 6'6" centre-backs just to cope with Delap's throws!!
That's my point, Aswan. EVERYBODY knows that we are crap in the air, particularly at the back. I was abroad for the weeks before Wembley so didn't get a ticket. Family and mates congregated at a friend's place (50" telly) to watch the game. You know, my step-daughter, who comes to the odd game at the Liberty, ended up first covering her eyes when Reading had a corner then eventually having to leave the room every time they got one, which was often. "I can't stand this," she wailed, "I just know they're going to score!" And they did. Twice. Now, if Reading can do this to us, what the f**k do you imagine Premiership sides are going to do? They are faster, more accurate, more skilful and stronger than anything in the NPC. Remember how Tatey stood off his winger against Toon at the Liberty and gave him room to cross? "Thank you very much," said Andy Carroll. One all and two points lost. And yes, I think it's a fair bet that if my step-daughter knows we are weak in the air, so do Messrs Ferguson, Dalgleish, Wenger, Redknapp, Moyes, Pulis. Jol, Hodgson, McCarthy, etc, etc, etc. I think we are all agreed that we should be looking for a tall bruiser at the back and then hope that Bodde will be back to stiffen that midfield so we can get some ball to play with. I can't wait for Buck to haul his ass back to sea level and announce some more signings so I can get some sleep at night!
We still need a very tall CB & a very tall striker to help us in both boxes . A quality left back , and add Senna in the midfield . I'd be a happy camper with 4 players only
