Okay guys, with our current squad and for arguements sak let's say no DM incomers, who takes the DM role, not the CM with a defensive aspect to it, but purely the DM role?
Not sure we need a pure DM player these days. The main reason we insist on playing with one is because our defence is always under pressure due to the fact we can not retain possession. I get what you're saying, and I'm definitely a Brown fan, but he won't be around forever. Probably the right time to let him go and build a new side, with players who will still be around in 5 years
I'm a fan of Brown & hope he gets a new 1 year deal. Even if he doesn't play, he's Mr Dependable if he has to step in. Oddly enough, there is someone else in our squad that can fulfil this role rather well, but gets overlooked because he is unfairly disliked & disregarded. Pugh. Can do the same job as Brown, with fewer cards. Perhaps not as much of a leader, but another Mr Dependable. Nope, I didn't say either were world class, I said dependable. And we don't have many players we can depend on atm.
Kiwi/Jock, fair points all round. We could be in for a lively summer. And for once in recent times, its likely to be a lively summer in a positive fashion.
you made me happy & sad all in the one sentence. Happy - Brown going to the Jags. Sad - Partick Thistle nil
Another £500k and they get Ross. They are just testing the water. If Cellino doesn't tell them not for sale at any price Ross is leaving. May be not to them, but leaving to somewhere. Leicester is my guess, they will pay most and might offer swaps....
McCormack will go to Cagliari in return for two or three of their players. If Smith goes to Stoke, he will learn from Crouch and become much better. He is learning nothing here
We don't have any (although Austin seems to do very well there for the first 5 games of each season) but that doesn't mean Brown is good enough, it just means our squad is ****
Thats a fair point regarding Pugh, does often get overlooked for that CM role, I don't even really ever think of him when thinking of a CM so can see why. Decent enough and dependable as you say. Would keep Pugh over brown always purely because of his ability to play a number of positions, he still isn't good enough imo. to be a first team player in a promotion winning team though, maybe bit part.
Pulis manages Palace not Stoke and even if he was still at Stoke,Crouch will be leaving Stoke this summer.Think Smith could be a Crouch type player though,has a fair touch for a big clumsy looking player like Crouch.
Not disagreeing at all, just think Brown is often something of a scapegoat when actually he's been one of the better players this season. Though as you say, it's not much to shout about
