Is Paul Lambert trying to get the sack or something? His signings for Villa in the close season so far have been Joe Cole, Philippe Senderos and Kieran Richardson. As if that wasn't bad enough, they're also rumoured to be after Bendtner and he's blocked the sale of Alan Hutton to West Brom, despite not picking him for two years. Their remaining decent players must be eyeing the exits rather enthusiastically. That's Guzan, Vlaar, Delph and the injured Benteke, if anyone's keeping track.
I prefer Benteke to Lakaku but Benteke is more injury prone. Trouble is we have Soldado who either needs to settle quick (or be sold), although he is nearing 29? Adebayor could stick around and then there is Harry Kane. Season starts in around 4 weeks time and I hope Adebayor can find the drive to be the striker he was under Redknapp & Sherwood, as if he can, then he is superior to all the names being linked.
Don't f** us around again Adebayor!...I've given him the benefit of the doubt after he came back last season and he impressed me with his team work rate, as he is good for the young players and enjoys being a leader but its just when he allows himself to lose focus, he returns to his piss taking ways which is the Adebayor we all can't stand.
I rate Soldado as a player, and his form in spain shows he's decent. But I think he needs to be sold. I don't see him working as the "1" striker. He doesn't seem like the type who can hold the ball up and wait for support. Poch is likely to be using this 4231 formation, but for me a player like Adebayor is far more successful at occupying this role. Don't get me wrong, Adebayor has many negatives, but on his day he's far better suited, imo. we can't afford to have that sort of money invested in a player of Soldado's age. - Especially one who has a dire first season.
We will find out fairly quickly if Adebayor and Pochettino can work together as if you look at Adebayors career he has played best under managers like Wenger, Redknapp & Sherwood, all great man managers, while he has clashed with managers like Mancini, Hughes & AVB. Is anyone interested in Soldado? as I'm not so sure his reputation in Spain was that great even with his goal record, seems clubs (and their fans) aren't keen and we're basically stuck with him like what happened with David Bentley, in the sense if we don't sell Soldado now, chances are he will be sold in a couple of years for some ridiculous low fee or released!
Oh god no, I'm not suggesting Poch and Ade will work. i think that's got disaster written all over it this season. But Adebayor as a footballer is far more suited, IMO. Atletico apparently had a petition from their fans to not sign him. But I'm sure other clubs would be interested in him for that goal record. I'm really worried about our strike force next season. Other clubs are strengthening all over, and we were already lacking. We've got to do some very clever business this summer. Most of us talk about needing a LB, but our striker situation is just as critical.
Agree on both. Although everyone believed Pulis would sell Chamakh (at Palace) and they would be a disaster together (they worked great together), so there is always a glimmer of hope that Pochettino & Adebayor will surprise us. Pochettino did struggle with Osvaldo, which was a strange signing for saints and I'm not confident of his ability to handle bigger characters, especially in a high pressure job. Out of the names being branded around, Bony & Benteke would be good buys, not spectacular but we have to be realistic as we aren't pulling off a signing like Klinsmann or VDV for while. I like Benteke and if he is available then I would be happy with him rather then Soldado.
I'd have benteke, Bony or Lukaku if we could get any of them. There's just something about Soldado that makes me think it'll never work for him at spurs despite him being a proven goalscorer elsewhere. If Ade and Poch fall out, we could be in big trouble if we haven't secured another striker.
I thought the whole point of 4231 is that the three are in close support of the 'striker' so you can play fluid passing football and the striker shouldn't need to 'hold the ball up'. Isn't that why Defoe looked good under AVB?
"Over on the Gooners' board, they're saying that United won't earn any profit out of the deal. Why not ?? Has the Man Utd OPEX costs increased by 75m quid a season for 10 years ?? If they weren't such a comedy club already there would be grounds for a "Gooner watch" article. The BBC put it in context by saying that the total sum is about what the Glazers had to raise on the markets to buy Man Utd. Adidas are allegedly budgeting for 100% ROI over the term (1500m profit from shirt sales) .
February 2000 "Alan Shearer is set to wear the new Adidas boot - the Exocet - against Argentina next week"
Adolf Dassler, the founder and name of Adidas, was a member of the Nazi Party who made shoes for the German Army and grassed up his brother. Maybe not somebody who usually got things right, eh?
BMW built engines for the Luftwaffe so what's your point? Most German manufacturing and engineering companies would have helped the war effort, just like British companies did for Britain. You can't condemn them for the policies of a mad man. Ever owned a BMW, VW, Merc - ever bought anything made by Siemens, BASF or taken medicines made by Bayer, drank German lager, bought goods made by Schwarz, shopped in Lidl anyone?
Really not helping yourself out on the whole "Germans usually get things right" claim there, Luke! You missed out Hugo Boss using slave labour to make uniforms for the SS, by the way.
