Philosopher

I'm not sure we will be after a Lb.

Could be right, baker did well there and we have stevens as well.

 

i wonder if we are looking abroad for a left back?

 

I think Cresswell is nailed on myself.

 

I expect him and Murphy to be signed up before the season starts. We shall see, but Cresswell was always his number 1 choice and Murphy has been on his radar for some time.

 

 

 

I disagree, Bacuna is a box to box so is murphy so why sign murphy when we have probably just siigned a better prospect for the same position. Plus we already have Delph, Westwood, Sylla and KEA in the middle.  Creswell was second choice behind bennett and he had an average season in an ipswich team that struggled last season can't see either happenning!

Murphy won't happen I believe we just signed a box to box midfielder so to sign another makes no sense. CAM, LB, RB GK is what we need. But the Gk will only come in once given is off the books, and the cam probably needs bent and maybe ireland to leave.

This signing DEFINITELY imporves us simply because last season we could only call upon 3 CB's as Dunne spent the entire season on the treatment table! When we had our worst period in term of goals conceeded we had a back five with around than 70 prem games between them and most of Herds were as a midfielder or RB. It is very easy to improve on that! I know we will conceed a fair few goals, but I also know that if we keep benteke we will score a fair few and that our defence will be better this season.

Okore has something none of defenders have, the athleticism to recover from his mistakes! His pace will also allow us to play slightly higher up the pitch, plus he's a real unit and for all Baker's bravery and determination he and Clark were bullied a lot last season.

On a side note; Clark started to get dirty in the second half of the season (good sign) and I believe last season will really benefit him. He needs to show this season that he has learnt when to try a play it out and when to hoof, if he does that, bulks up a little and gets smarter with the dirty plays he will be an excellent defender as he does have a very good positional sense.

 

 

 

 

Apparently this Bacuna chap has been converted into a box to box midfielder recently rather than being a winger.

We once had a player like that...

And I still want him back.

Everything was going so well, all these exciting fancy named players on their way in. Now you just gone made me sad again.

Jimmy, we're sorry, won't you come on home?

 

 

Mate, add my name to the list, would have him back in a heartbeat. Was more gutted about him leaving than Young, Barry and Downing combined!

 

Same.  At least Barry and Young had done their time, Downing wasn't that good and 20m (still don't know how we managed that), But jimmy, his performance gave the team a whole new dimension as soon as he was moved to CM.

My guess is that Villa is the only concrete offer and the montpellier chairman mentioned us and the other clubs to start a bidding war and/or engineer a move to a champions league club for Belhanda.

This bacuna link looks like bullshit to me! I think this is because we have been so active already we are now easy target for this stuff! If true though I Hope he's not being bought as winger as he looks shite!

Think they are both crap!those sill stripe on the collar ruin the home shirt and the colour of the away shirt is wrong!  I've alway prefer things that are kept simple (apart from women, more complicated the better)!

Once these two danes are signed up I very much hope belhanda will be added to the squad and a left back as competition for Bennett and we as good to go, actually probably need a rb too. But delighted with the progress made so far.

 

I an recent JG interview he claims Van Nistelrooy was his first choice target but Doug baulked at the asking price. Claimed there were numerous other top players he enquired about but were to1o expensive and that doug essentially sabotaged the progress villa made under JG by not pushing the boat out a little when he got villa finishing in the top six with average players

 

Average?

 

Bosnich/James, Southgate, Dublin, Merson, Taylor, Barry, Boateng, Ehiogu, Carbone, Hendrie etc etc... Was not average squad. 

 

Well thats what JG said! Really Ehiogu, Carbone, Taylor, Hendrie and even Boateng I would only class as slightly above average the rest were class though, your forgeting Yorke! Carbone was flamboyant and skillful but inconsistent, Ehiogu was prone to the odd gaffe and on the ball was pretty poor, Hendrie believed his own hype and never fulfilled his promise. 

 

 

No more loans, its completely against Lamberts philosophy. (Except emergency loans like Dawkins, which i still dont understand at all. Why not use Carruthers og Grealish?)

 

think it was a gamble that didnt pay off but didnt really cost us anything either

 

that said i think if carruthers doesnt sign his new deal you could argue it was a bit of a **** up

 

I think Lambert thought he had potential and wanted a closer look at him as well as the fact we desperately needed a decent creative mid at time.

I an recent JG interview he claims Van Nistelrooy was his first choice target but Doug baulked at the asking price. Claimed there were numerous other top players he enquired about but were to1o expensive and that doug essentially sabotaged the progress villa made under JG by not pushing the boat out a little when he got villa finishing in the top six with average players

 

 

 

Why would he bother with Benteke when he has Lukaku though?  They are extremely similar players, and they both fill the Drogba replacement role. 

 

 

The recent international against USA proved they both can play together extremely well. 1-1. Lukaku brought on, game ended 2-4 to Belgium. Benteke scored 2.

 

I personally think Benteke is better! Anyway Mourinho never deviates from his 4-5-1/4-3-3 so going for both to play in a front two ain't gonna happen.

I think he's got a very bright future. Very good news.

To me Benteke is the complete striker. Can lead the line, get in behind, hold it up win headers, shoots with both feet and can play deep linking things up. If we when 4-4-2 Gabby could play slighty higher up the pitch and use his pace and Benteke can hold it up and create the openings. The idea of Benteke and that Morrocan from Montpellier is ridiculous, they would be so good, throw Gabby alongside them and the attack has everything! Well Just saying!

 Great little article this  - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jun/06/christian-benteke-romelu-lukaku-belgium

 

The defeatists saying they would take 30m are mostly the same that said 16m and ireland for milner was a great deal

Either you have a fantastic, almost supernatural, memory, or you are making that up.

(Much like The Mirror! )

 

I don't really need to remember specfically who, as that was the majority view and most of the people on here are still the same!

Key players will leave unless your team is a champions league regular thats the state of play in football these days, but players leaving after one season is bullshit.  Benteke would have known when he arrived he would be expected to be here at least 2 seasons. The point is if at the end of every season your best player leave your team is buggared there will be no progression! If that one player every 2 season then you can say we can build.  We lost four players in three seasons and that left a top 6 team fighting relegation for 3 seasons after that.  Lets look at tottenham, they only lost Berbertov, Modric and Carrick in the last 6 or 7 years, Bale's been meant to be going for the last 2 seasons still there and I would bet against him still being there in september. You have to keep your top players for as long as possible!

We have the strike force at Villa capable of firing us into the champions league no doubt, but we need to galvanise the defence and add creativity to the midfield.  Two real quality players and our first team would be similar in ability to Tottenham, and better than Everton (imo).  If that is backed up by signing a couple of talented fullbacks and players such as Delph, Westwood and Sylla build on their good second half of the season we would get top 8 for sure, and stand a chance in the cups. Then if we lose Benteke for megabucks we have a nice base in place, right we don't have that base so losing Benteke is out of the question. Having a guy like him in the teams makes it easier for the rest as we know we have goals and pentetration.

Arteta and Pienaar yes, but rodwell wasn't really a key player, as he was being dipped iin and out a had injury problems. the time frame is diffferent though and they didn't lose two in one window.

The defeatists saying they would take 30m are mostly the same that said 16m and ireland for milner was a great deal, but it wasn't it was shit as for all ireland's talent he produced **** all and the rest was spunked on Bent who is now seen as a collosal waste of money.  Benteke has shown top and potential world class capabilities and IS performing EXCEPTIONALLY. Three 10m players is BS it doesn't guarantee shit. Jarvis went for 10 million last summer! Benteke is our tailsman!

We have the a genuine wrecking ball of a striker with over twenty goals last season plus 8 or 9 assists, all our attacking play came through him, losing him would be a massive loss! We cannot keep selling our best players and be stuck with the failures. Thats why we were in last seasons predicament! Everton have less money poorer facilities less trophys in the cabinet yet only lost Rooney and Lescott to big clubs in moyes 9 year stint. We lost Barry, Milner, Downing, Young in the space of 3 seasons and it was nearly catastrophic! Randy has learnt his leason our rebuilding job would be back at where we were last summer if Benteke leaves. 

All this is why I am convinced all the paper talk is agents and journalist only concerned with their own interests (making money and selling newspaper) and not the truth! He is not for sale!

STOP TAKING SO MUCH NOTICE OF THE PROPAGANDA PEDDLERS!!!!!!!

Already had good news today with a list of those released including Dunne and Makoun.

Just Ireland, Bannan, Hutton , given of the must leave please list to go

 

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

edit: actually I am not bothered about Bannan and would add Bent.

just watched him on youtube - I think I just might have dribbled in my pants!

Man Utd have Asia.

Chelsea have Russia.

Citeh have the UAE,

whilst Arsenal have Africa.

Aston Villa, team of choice in Bulgaria!

Thats not really fair Manure and Arse have entire continents!

 

 

Scandinavian centre backs usually do a good job in Premier League and jump isnt that big when Agger did it

 

Agger came to the prem from italy where he played for fiorentina btw.

 

Looks like a potentially excellent signing.

 

 

no he didnt. he came from Brondby

 

Yeah my bad sorry. To be fair though brondby were a champion league team and Agger looked the part in those matches.

Scandinavian centre backs usually do a good job in Premier League and jump isnt that big when Agger did it

Agger came to the prem from italy where he played for fiorentina btw.

Looks like a potentially excellent signing.