penguin

Get in! Gestede it's a header who'd have thought it.

Can see Gradel torturing Bacuna.

Haven't been able to watch this one. Is it as bad as it sounds?

We could just as easily get relegated as finish 10th or so IMO; there is just no telling how the players we've bought will adapt or gel. So I can understand that journalists will assume the worst just as, for the most part, us supporters like to think the players we've bought will form a successful team. It will certainly be an exciting season, and I'm all for the unknown ahead rather than the sleepwalking toward relegation we were doing under Lambert.

There are two things I can't get my head around If this Rondon story is true: 1) Why Zenit are letting a player go for less, or exactly the same as they paid, that scored 20 goals last season. And number 2) Why he'd want to go to such a tin-pot club as Albion.

Who can say how he'll fit in with another team. Don't see it as a given myself that he'll be a huge success, depends how much their play is tweaked to maximise him. For instance, I remember reading they played the least amount of crosses in the league last season, obviously if this continues then that's arguably his main weapon going under utilised. Isn't as simple as saying that because he's moved to a better team he'll score more goals, teams play with more of a defensive emphasis against teams like Liverpool and it all depends how he adapts IMO. Personally I hope he struggles; I hate Liverpool with a passion and I'll want to put myself through the window having to listen to the resulting media and Pool fan wankfest of how Liverpool made him and that he's the best player in the world if he has a storming season. That said I have put him in my fantasy team for a silver lining if he does bang them in left, right and centre as there is certainly a chance he will do.

Euros, though, so more like £11m-ish I'd guess? That's £11m for a sought after 19 year old from Barcelona. We paid £7/8m for a 21 year old from Genk. Which represents the bigger gamble? Traore by quite a distance imo. Benteke had played for and had a good goal scoring ratio for a few teams in the top level of the Belgian league, which obviously isn't the greatest but clearly a level above Spains 2nd division.

I've put C.Wilson in as I can see him bagging against us. I feel dirty.

£15M is a huge gamble for a player who has never really played at a high level though.

very true.

FM just uses fans to supply ratings don't they? Sure I've seen posts on FM forums looking for people.

Nzonzi to Sevilla and Begovic to Chelsea this season

Why does there seem to be such a intellectual superiroty complex with those who rate Westwood highly? It is possible that those who don't particualry rate him do understand his role and aren't that simple that they just don't understand what he does, which seems to be suggested time and time again, maybe it's just felt he doesn't offer enough? Personally I think he's a pretty solid player who seems to be both massively over and under rated by different sets of people, but the constant remarks that those who don't rate him do so because he isn't smashing in goals and assists every week seems massively patronising to me.

Or Pedro by all accounts, maybe we should put in a cheeky bid for him

Would rather have a £30M player for a season though than not at all.

Very, very unfair. Funny how somebody who offers so little and is so crap has played so many games for us over the past few years and still appears to be a first choice midfielder, despite all our midfield signings this summer. Unless I'm forgetting someone, we've lost two first choice midfielders and signed two midfielders, he's hardly had to bat away swarms of competition for his place.

Only £16m?! That's a shed-load for a player they were already taking a gamble on and he showed nothing in terms of ability or even effort to even try and repay that faith in their gamble. Benteke had a poor run of form after a bad injury, Balotelli has had a huge run of bad form because of the amount of effort he puts in. He's quite simply a waste of potential. He only had a half decent record at City because they created so many chances. I'd rather have Borini to be honest! (I don't want Borini, just demonstrating how shocking Mario has become). His career was on a massive slide and a club as big as Liverpool gave him a final chance to show he still had somethingbut he just simply doesn't care. He'd get the ball, lose it easily and show zero lack of desire to rectify this, he'd stand there with his hands on his hips instead of closing down. That's nothing to do with feeling loved or an arm around his shoulder, that's straight up laziness and other players having to carry him. I'm sorry but what a complete load of bollocks these two statements are. He is obviously a very talented player and he showed that at City, the goals weren't just placed at his feet as you seem to be suggesting. Also he scored 26 goals in 43 appearances for Milan, hardly a career on a massive slide. Yes he has a bad attitude that is clear to see but there is no reason why he won't be able to do it again at another club, like he has at every other club he's been at aside from Liverpool. Rogers needs to take a fair portion of the blame for not finding a way to utilise him IMO; it seems strikers either fit in with his strategy and are excellent like Suarez and Sturridge or they don't and they are completely ineffectual like Lambert and Balotelli.

Gradel has has always struck me as a massive head-down-run merchant, admittedly seen very little of him though and that's a very impressive goal tally.

How do you know that? A number of sources claim talks are still on-going. Edit: Completey missed the misspelling. Very good

I see this name mentioned a lot. Any substance to it? Or just because he plays in France? Seems a bit short (5 foot 11) for a centre back? Guessing it's just because he plays in France, haven't seen any links myself.

Tbh i'd say every single one of those is extremely unlikely to want to come here.

You can't read anything into pre season games. Even a 'strong' team can just cruise through a pre season game at 70%.Arsenal tore Man City a new one in the community shield last season. They didn't beat them in the league and finished below them. Pre season is a warm up for the real thing, some teams tend not to go all out. Mentioned more because it was humorous. I know, unfortunately, they wont be this poor in the league.

Already laying the ground work to say they made him the player he is, deluded pricks.

Benzema's proved he can cut it with the best in the world at the very top level. Benteke still has a way to go and until he's in that kind of category.

2-2 I reckon, can see us scoring but our defence looks shocking. Wouldn't surprise if Wilson bagged one or two for them.