El-Reacho

I would suspect any move is being held up because Sunderland or Villa will just sit and wait for him to request a move, so they can then go and negotiate with Wolves knowing that everyone wants the deal to be done, and probably save a few million in the process.

Which reminds me that Clark was a very capable left back when Houllier told Warnock to clear off a coule of seasons ago. Also made his ROI debut there. If we can't get a LB in I'd rather see Clark there than Warnock. Leaves the centre a bit thin though.

That's the word around the campfire. Mirror and Mail are reporting £8m deal. I think I might prefer Sinclair to Johnson.

Fixed Pretty sure John Gregory enquired about him as Paul Merson's replacement IIRC. It was when he had the Jag with the V1LL4 number plate.

At 23 he's hardly a youngster anymore is he? But he's more than ok for a squad player Ahh Tis is true... however IMO hes a great all rounded CM. Would like to see what KEA and him in the centre with Ireland behind bent up top would be like. And can we just buy adam johnson already... I'm fed up with looking on here near-enough every day and seeing his name mentioned near enough every day :s City are trying to get Scott Sinclair apparently. This might be what will trigger a move for Johnson.

Is the Wet Spam game the end of the window then? Nope, but the points dropped or won before the window closes still counts at the end of the season we have a better squad already than last year, with the additions of KEA and Vlaar. we have a manager who will play to the strenghts of ireland and zog and bent, and not accentuate their weaknesses. the youngsters are a year older and will give us more strength in depth too. even being pessimistic i'd expect us to better last season by at least 9 points, which will see us safely mid table i'd reckon. being realistic, even without additions to the squad i reckon we'll be top half. Sure hope your right, not in my nature to be optimistic thou... I see us struggling if we not seriously strengthen the starting 11 I think our current starting 11 is much much stronger than Norwich's was this time last year. In every department.

I think that the next 2-3 signings will be of a slightly higher calibre, and that is what the delay is. Lowton, KEA, and Vlaar don't seem to have been part of any chain. Feyenoord needed cash so had to sell. I reckon things have ground to a halt because we're trying to get slightly higher profile players perhaps from rival PL teams who won't sell until they can bring in replacements. City haven't signed anyone yet so perhaps won't release the likes of Johnson or Guidetti, even on loan. Carroll seems to be a likely transfer to somewhere this summer. Maybe Rodgers can't sign anyone until he offloads Carroll and there will subsequently be a knock on effect. I have nothing to back this theory up with other than blind optimism.

Stupid question I'm sure, but what is his best position? He scores a lot of goals right? Is he similar to any player in particular?

Anybody think that our remaining targets could be higher profile players that would be part of a transfer 'chain'? As in we're waiting on other things to happen before things fall into place. Transfer activity has been really slow this summer.

Kyle Walker's bursts forward were usually kamikazi runs across the centre of the pitch from what I can remember. I don't think you're even guaranteed width with him.

DO'L: I was always more pissed off at Ellis's regime than anything O'leary himself did. He was a smug git but I can't remember being furious about how the team was set up or the players he used or anything like that. Our squad in that last season was pretty pathetic. Houllier: I was always optimistic that he would gradually implement his way of doing things and we would come good. Was also excited about our signings under him. McLeish: Miserable. Start to finish.

If we go three at the back, we would surely need some width in midfield. Lichaj and Lowton wouldn't be able to offer much going forward if they're part of a back 3.

Pretty harsh, considering he was one of the few players who could be in any way arsed last season. When he was in the team alongside Petrov I thought he was one of our best players. Also put in a standout performance at RB that made Hutton's inclusion for most of the season all the more bizarre. Mate to be honest it wasn't hard last season and we have to improve, his passing is dreadful to get him in the middle. RB I agree, but I think he's nothing more than back-up for coming season. Agree we have to improve, but as things stand he's right up the pecking order. I know central midfielders all offer different things but as things stand I'd have him above Delph, Bannan, Gardner, and Makoun. If those players come good and fulfill their potential, or PL goes and gets another top midfielder then well and good I can see him fall out of contention, but right now I think he deserves to be in or around the first 11. Having said all that PL seems to be putting a fair bit of emphasis on Delph this summer. He's been captain a couple of times and has featured in every game I think.

Pretty harsh, considering he was one of the few players who could be in any way arsed last season. When he was in the team alongside Petrov I thought he was one of our best players. Also put in a standout performance at RB that made Hutton's inclusion for most of the season all the more bizarre.

His performances for Ireland are generally better than what he can do for Villa particularly in the last two years. Even at his peak for Villa under O'Neill he never put in a performance like Moscow last year. He's also scored a good few important goals for Ire IIRC. As big a bunch of clowns as the FAI are, I would guarantee both Dunne and Given would have kept their mouths firmly shut about the extent of their injuries during the Euros. I'm sure the FAI were happy enough for them to do that, but it would put the blame at the players' door IMHO.

Surely a narrow midfield 4 with two strikers would be 'the end' of Albrighton. Holman seems comfortable playing centrally, but Marc is a wide midfielder. Lambert is renowned for being able to change his formation to suit the opposition so I'd imagine he will need a wide player who can cross at some stage. A good option from the bench.

Would be worth every penny IMHO. Had a poor season last year but if he was given games he could absolutely thrive here. Is it just twitter nonsense though?

Can't imagine he'd be cheap. Is his contract nearly up?

Or Gary Cahill, or Craig Gardner, or Curtis Davies... I'm sure there are others. I don't buy this O'Neill the great man manager to be honest, your face either fitted or it didn't. If it did you played (every game) and if it didn't you sat on the bench. A great man manager gets the best out of all his players and handles them well, personally I don't think O'Neill does that. Motivator? Yes no question but man manager, not for me. Anyway back on topic, Ireland's performances are encouraging lets hope they continue into the season. I think the two things went hand in hand with O'Neill though. He had his eleven players and was able to get them to do anything for him, hence the big results against Utd/Arse/Chelsea. I don't think he would have been capable of motivating the players to the extent that he did by rotating the squad and dropping players. It was all about inflating their egos and making them think they were so much better than they actually were, so it wouldn't have worked if he then went and dropped them for being crap. It worked well until his chosen 11 inevitably ran out of steam every season around about 1st March.

There were murmurs of him being taken to the Euros at the start of the summer.

We definitely need a sharpshooter in the box. Original post duly corrected thanks :-)

Haven't all of our pre-season games been 442 with a narrow midfield diamond and two strikers? -----------Given------------ Lowton Clark Vlaar Lichaj ------------KEA------------- -----Ireland---Delph------- ---------Holman------------ -----Zog-------Bent--------

Gary Hooper could be an interesting option. Outscored Carroll at Championship level for a much inferior team, and has a similar record to Jelavic in Scotland. Celtic would want alot for him I'd imagine.

I think PL realises that an arm round the shoulders works better with Stephen Ireland than a kick up the arse. Not that he need a kick up the arse because he played well, but he realises that to get the best out of Stephen Ireland you need to tell him how good he is and what he is capable of to keep his confidence high. Good to see. That is, they say, Lambert's forte. It's the one part of O'Neills management I think to a man we all miss, man management. Unless you're a big Nigel Reo-Coker fan that is. Absolutely. I think this is why we were so good against the Sky 4 when O'Neill was here. Hopefully PL can similarly get us some results against the big guys.

Berson looked a good signing in the one or two games he played for us IIRC. Was a good short range passer and wouldn't hoof it. Was maybe better suited to La Liga.