Weekends Games

[Minstrels]

Jesus christ, Modric the same type of player as vdV? vdV is something we have been crying out for for years, we've never been able to play an effective 4-5-1. We played all of last season in a 4-4-2 and it was miraculous that we achieved the league results we did with that system. vdV gives us a 'Gerrard' type player who can play in the hole behind the striker, an attacking midfielder we have been craving for years. The purchase isn't questionable at all.

There were plan B's and C's. Huntelaar was on the market but we turned down the opportunity to sign him. Mistake? Maybe, but I'm sure the scouts and Harry know more about him and his game than somebody like you, or me. We were interested in the likes of Dzeko, Suarez and Fabiano initially. But when a £15m bid is accepted for a 30 year old Fabiano and he wants a 5 year contract worth £90k a week... from the top of my head that would cost around £35-40m during his time at the club. If there were no better options available on the market then I don't see why anybody should be bought if they don't upgrade what we already have. Harry said in the summer, he will get player who are available at the right price.

Selling players isn't as easy as you might think, the summer transfer window had such little movement when you exclude Milan, Barca and City. It makes business sense to get rid of the deadwood; Keane, Jenas, GDS and a few others were available but if there is no buyer then there isn't a lot that can be done. £8m on Sandro? We need a player like him, he's a huge prospect too. Have you seen Palacios play in the past year? Since his brother was found dead he has been a huge liability. Even Jenas has been playing instead of him as of late.



Sandro is a defensive midfielder, see above re: vdV.

Harry said he would get the right player if he was available at the right price. We weren't willing to pay the £25m wanted by Athletico Madrid for Forlan, quite rightly too. vdV didn't prevent the purchase of anyone else. I really can't tell if you are trying to say that having competition for places is a good or bad thing. The injury situation is unfortunate, and unlucky. The team can only do as well as they can without the players that are missing.

Honestly, I can't believe what this has escalated from.

So may I ask what role Modric and Kranjcar play? A Gerrard type player, you mean box to box? Gerrard doesn't have the technique of VDV. Surely Modric and Kranjcar are both capable of playing behind the striker, sending through balls in? After all, that's the aim of a attacking midfielder, to produce the goods for the strikers to bag and create gaps. May I ask why you played 4-4-2? You had the players to play an effective 4-5-1 with Huddlestone, Palacios, Modric, Kranjcar, Lennon and Bale? Or are they not deemed good enough? I'm struggling to get my head round that.

Surely you would have gone in for Gignac and Gyan? Both capable players and Gignac wouldn't have commanded the same wages as Fabainho who is looking for his last big pay day, in my opinion. You've said that Pav and Crouch are incompetent in parts of the season, why not look into Gignac? Good player who would deliver the goods when given the option.

Even loaning out the likes of Keane with a option to buy, for example the Ben Arfa deal, would make more business sense. You're not paying his wages for a year and could receive a agree transfer fee if he has a good year, if not atleast you didn't pay his wages. So if Sandro is a defensive midfielder why not play him instead of Palacios and give him time to get his head together, recuperate and then come back a brand new player. It'd be a bit like the impact of Essien coming from back from injury, a brand new player by the way you make it sound.

'Arry is right not to pay £25,000,000 for Forlan but if he was willing to spend £15,000,000 on Fabiano then pull out on the wages why not bid for Gyan or Gignac? Cheaper wages and around about the same fee, if not cheaper. The purchase of VDV is a good one, but in my opinion, the money could have been spent elsewhere. You've stated you need a defender, don't purchase VDV and allow Modric, Knranjcar and Dos Santos to play the AM role and purchase a defender with that money. That way when injury strikes you'll have three attacking midfielders and so many defenders. It's purely down to personal preference, some people prefer to have strength in numbers all over the board such as Mancini and others tend to see a good buy and quickly swoop, not thinking about the other options first.

Can't believe what's escalated? It's a discussion about football in a sports forum? If you're implying it's an argument then you're getting the wrong end of the stick, I'm pushing my opinion on the section and you're replying with yours, it's a discussion where no opinion can be wrong or right.

[JackBuddy]

So may I ask what role Modric and Kranjcar play? A Gerrard type player, you mean box to box? Gerrard doesn't have the technique of VDV. Surely Modric and Kranjcar are both capable of playing behind the striker, sending through balls in? After all, that's the aim of a attacking midfielder, to produce the goods for the strikers to bag and create gaps. May I ask why you played 4-4-2? You had the players to play an effective 4-5-1 with Huddlestone, Palacios, Modric, Kranjcar, Lennon and Bale? Or are they not deemed good enough? I'm struggling to get my head round that.

Surely you would have gone in for Gignac and Gyan? Both capable players and Gignac wouldn't have commanded the same wages as Fabainho who is looking for his last big pay day, in my opinion. You've said that Pav and Crouch are incompetent in parts of the season, why not look into Gignac? Good player who would deliver the goods when given the option.

Even loaning out the likes of Keane with a option to buy, for example the Ben Arfa deal, would make more business sense. You're not paying his wages for a year and could receive a agree transfer fee if he has a good year, if not atleast you didn't pay his wages. So if Sandro is a defensive midfielder why not play him instead of Palacios and give him time to get his head together, recuperate and then come back a brand new player. It'd be a bit like the impact of Essien coming from back from injury, a brand new player by the way you make it sound.

'Arry is right not to pay £25,000,000 for Forlan but if he was willing to spend £15,000,000 on Fabiano then pull out on the wages why not bid for Gyan or Gignac? Cheaper wages and around about the same fee, if not cheaper. The purchase of VDV is a good one, but in my opinion, the money could have been spent elsewhere. You've stated you need a defender, don't purchase VDV and allow Modric, Knranjcar and Dos Santos to play the AM role and purchase a defender with that money. That way when injury strikes you'll have three attacking midfielders and so many defenders. It's purely down to personal preference, some people prefer to have strength in numbers all over the board such as Mancini and others tend to see a good buy and quickly swoop, not thinking about the other options first.

Can't believe what's escalated? It's a discussion about football in a sports forum? If you're implying it's an argument then you're getting the wrong end of the stick, I'm pushing my opinion on the section and you're replying with yours, it's a discussion where no opinion can be wrong or right.

Modric is more of a link up player, he is different to vdV. The reason we didn't play 4-5-1 last season was probably becuase Harry didn't think we had the right player to play in the advanced role behind the striker. Most of those "you should have bought 'x'" questions I cannot answer. Harry would have known who is available and being the manager, he decided who he wanted to buy and who he thought would be good enough to improve the squad.
Buying vdV didn't prevent buying any other players.

Modric and Kranjcar are both used on the left (and Modric in the middle in a 4-4-2).

I've lost faith in GDS, he's played on either wing and has done OK and when he has played as an AM he has just looked lost. He has been out on loan practically every season since he joined us because of his poor attitude and Harry gave him another chance to prove himself this season but he is yet to convince me.

Sandro is 21 and has just finished a very long season because of the Copa Libertadores, he wasn't included in the Champions League squad because Harry wanted him to adapt to English football first and I don't think anyone has expected him to jump into the first team straight away. It will take time for him to adapt.

There were clubs who wanted Keane on loan but next year he will be another year older, he was on loan last year too. I'm sure Levy would just rather sell him. I'm guessing that he would only have been sold if we bought another striker.

Walker
Hutton
Corluka
King
Woodgate (if you want to include him)
Kaboul
Bassong
Gallas
Dawson
BAE
Bale

At the beginning of the season I would have settled with that list of defenders, I still think that the injuries to the CB's is just unlucky. We managed last season without Gallas (and Kaboul before Jan).

Again, some of those questions and accusations I cannot answer because I'm not involved with the runnings of the club.

[Nalfar]

Odemwingie > vdv

[StefanWolves]

Odemwingie > vdv

Rofl, the Odemwingie effect won't last long. Dw.