Randy_0'Neill

Agreed, Kozak is a better options as he can link up.

Got to be playing in every single game, he and Grealish link up so well. Traore will too when fit.

I know Veretout was bought as a more attacking CAM type player, but he did well in midfield against blues, albeit against a lower league team. He moves away from players confidently with the ball and has a forward pass in him, but also keeps it short and tight when necessary. Westwood is kind of like a scared rabbit when he gets it, just playing it sideways.

Gana and Veretout as CDM's for me.

They haven't taken it out as such, what they've done is made it so that you can reach retirement age as a player and then become a manager. In effect, they've just trimmed the fat.

I want to choose the team, make transfers and play the games.

Am I going to be happy or sad?

"Player-Manager is no longer a mode. You can either be a Manager or a Player, and choose to retire as a player to become a manager."

So i don't think you will be able to do transfers for the team while being a player.

Seething about this, I found an article which pretty much confirmed it. Why the **** would they do that?? Surely it must be most popular mode. Not sure if i'll get this now straight away. Arseholes.

Me and everyone I know that plays are all about pro clubs, that's it. Sure I'll play head to head if nobody else is online, but it's all about developing my pro to as high as possible and winning as a team, each controlling our single player. I was getting a bit bored of football games a couple of years back but pro clubs has me completely hooked.

I don't bother with career mode at all now. I just can't get myself up for playing the computer, when I can compete with real people online.

The changes seem small, but well thought out. Glad they sorted the finesse abuse. I like to beat a man with skill so I'm looking forward to seeing if that's even better in the full game, as there's not a massive difference in the demo.

He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me.

And yes, he slagged the city off.

Under Houllier he got shat on, was kicked to Newcastle, and got pissed off so said a few things. I don't give a shit if he slagged Brum anyway. Last year he was good, putting a shift in as much as anyone, and was more creative than everyone.

You just don't like HIM, it's nothing to do with his ability or performance.

Carroll is on 80k a week - Berbatov is on 90k a week. We dont pay those kind of wages and rightly so

If you would rather have Sidwell in our midfield then i think you are probably an ill man. Ever seen Westwood and what he can offer? doubt you have, I have seen him 5/6 times and he's a cracking player - he'll have three times the career Sidwell has had.

They havent been playing against semi professionals either - what garbage.

Why is it Swansea can go and pick up young talent and play them effectively and its ok, but as soon as we do it, people would rather have limited footballers like NRC, Sidwell and Cuellar - it's absolutely bizarre

If you would prefer to sit in the past watching neandertholic caveman football that's had it's day then thats fine, but this football club is going places - just a shame that most of our fanbase have zero patience and still living in 1981

Yeah buddy, like you know exactly what they are on in terms of wages. Besides, some players should earn more than other if they give you an extra edge. No doubt these two give their new respective teams attacking power and ability. Anyway, mercenaries they are certainly not.

I am not saying Sidwell is the option, I am saying I would rather have him than some extremely unproven player on top of lots of other unproven players in the same team. That receipe equals disaster in my book, as 1) none of them have shown high Premier League-ability and 2) Lack of experience is very dangerous when you are fighting relegation. Oh, and I have not seen Westwood - but that is not the point. If he was such a good player then why has he not been picked up already? All his education was done in League 2, as well as 5 games in League 1. The jump in level is enormous and chances are that all of these young players that we are bringing in are going to struggle when they are put out on the same time. I am not judging Westwood, clearly, I am just stating my concern on throwing all the experience out and getting youth in as replacements. You are branding him as a new star - and three times the career Sidwell has? Sure, Sidwell failed at Chelsea and Villa but he at least got there and we were pretty happy when he came. Chances are Westwood will either do OK for us or end up at loan at Brighton before nobody hears from him again. Not discarding him, just not jumping on the delusional "of course he is great since WE signed him"-wagon, as statistics will show that many, many young players come up from the lower leagues and cannot handle the level at all. BUT, let me assure you that really hope he can turn into a decent player at our club, nothing would be better and one of these young guys at least have to take the level fast.

Going places? Yes we are eventually, but in the short-term we are only going down if we are going anywhere. So hopefully, we aren't going to move much. As for cavemen and such drivel you just put out, all those players would hold a higher level than all of the young players we brought in. They can (and will) reach a higher ability in time, but right about now they are inexperienced and in need of development, something which is hard to give them when we only field young players. Not every young generation is going to turn into Beckham, Giggs, Scholes etc.

Oh dear...

"if they're that good why is nobody else in for them..."

We got in first! If someone else is in for them we miss out. The amount of times David Moyes has done this beggars belief. It about time we got in on the action. And if it doesn't work out, we've spend little and so we lose little. Even if only one makes it, it's still worth it, as that player may be worth £15m or so in the future.

Ireland was our only player last year who knew what he was doing with the ball before it arrived. For that reason, and his improved workrate, he deserved the player of the season. This year we also have Ahmadi who knows what he's doing, and now Benteke, from what I've seen. People talk about Ireland's £60k a week, but Gabby's on similar and I'm frankly happier that such an amount is going to Ireland than Gabby, who's becoming a liability.

What an absolute crock of shit this years home kit is. I'd rather we played in the claret and blue training kit. At least its a bit fitted and not imported from the pre-war glory days.

Ashley Young seemed to refuse to pass to Ireland for some reason, so it never worked. I used to think Gabby did the same until I realised he just couldn't spot the runs and when to play him in.

I like watching Ireland as he does things and spots things that as a player I can't, but makes them look so easy that anyone could do it. That's why I look forward to him playing.

Lerner got it wrong with McLeish, but I don't think he can be blamed for Houllier. Long term he would have got it right imo, even if he showed certain first teamers the door. Cabaye and co would all be playing in Claret & Blue by now.

I really thought we were screwed for a few minutes there.

West Brom get in!!!!

Ireland POTS :shock:

Laughable.

Hopefully this is just the clubs way of drumming up some positive interest in him in the hope of somebody being stupid enough to take him off our hands. Which they wont.

Worth a try though i suppose.

Can you not read? enough people have said how it's awarded. Someone at the club ain't just tossed a coin.

Full of tools this place.

I'm in the camp that says I simply cannot wait to see the back of Stephen Ireland and players of his ilke out of this club (thats you Charles)

Barring a handful of games he's been a sheer disgrace to the shirt and yes, I reckon he was dropped cos he was probably mouthing the manager off again

You mean get rid of the quality players and keep playing shite hoof ball. Do you groan like half the crowd when we pass it backwards too? Some Villa fans haven't got a clue, if we had the Barca team they'd be on their backs for not shooting every time they reached 20 yards out.

Stop the drama mate, if we're going to improve we need to KEEP players with a football brain, of which we have precious few.

Ireland doesn't have the benefit of being surrounded by top class players just now, as Scholes has throughout his career. Giggs, Cantona, Keane, Beckham, Van Nistelroy, Ronaldo, Rooney.

It's no surprise Ireland played immensely in his stint next to Robinho & Elano, looking the better player of the three.

Holman out!

At least give him a chance.

Remember we are only interested in bossman and free signings,so what sort of quality do you expect from that ?

We won't get too many players that are currently playing in europe for $0

I was joking....

I was with ya mate!

Oh dear, it seems some sensitive souls are getting a bit Butthurt over criticism of O'Neill. Bless.

Phil, you seem to be very confused. I haven't said anywhere that MON tried to sign Bent, that is after all one of the things I'm criticising him for, yes?

**** me, if I was trying to "win" a debate with you and some of the other genius types on this thread it wouldn't be much of a challenge. I'm only stating a case for why MON should not get away scott free in the blame game.

He knew how to buy a defence? LOL, he had enough **** practice buying defenders, it was awfully nice of him getting it right for a few months (at the expense of buying the striker we needed and sacrificing attacking play). Have you even asked yourself why he had to buy an entire defence twice in two years?

Yes, the last one he put together had half a good season but also included a centre half at right back who was terrible going forward and lets not forget half of the money he spent (wasted) was on defenders because he had to keep replacing the mistakes he made. Beye hardly ever played and he decided to forget to speak to Young and Shorey. There's £12m worth of full backs on £130,000 p/w that sat on their arse. Never mind letting our best young defender go and paying £10m for a defender who we let go for **** all and went straight into the Dogshit's reserves. Oh yes, very impressive.

Lets look at the transfer genius of St Martin the blameless, blessing and peace be upon him.

I'll let the court view this and decide how good or bad it was. Personally it's lack of imagination, long term vision and value for money makes me want to puke.

2006-07

In

Stiliyan Petrov (Celtic, £6.5m)

Didier Agathe (Celtic, Free)

Chris Sutton (Celtic, Free)

John Carew (Lyon, Swap)

Ashley Young (Watford, £9.65m)

Shaun Maloney (Celtic, £1.1m)

Out

Kevin Phillips (WBA, £700k)

Matthieu Berson (Levante, £1m)

Ulises De La Cruz (Reading, Free)

Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City, £250k)

Eric Djemba Djemba (Quatar, Free)

Milan Baros (Lyon, Swap)

Mark Delaney (Retired)

Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls, Free)

Spent: £17.25m

Brought in: £1.95m

Net spend: £15.3m

2007-08 In

Moustapha Salifou (FC Wil, Undisc)

Zat Knight (Fulham, £3.5m)

Harry Forrester (Watford, £250 000)

Eric Lichaj (Unattached, Free)

Marlon Harewood (West Ham, £3.5m)

Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham £8.5m)

Wayne Routledge (Tottenham, £1.5m)

Out

Liam Ridgewell (Birmingham, £2m)

Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton, Free)

Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United, Free)

Chris Sutton Retired

Didier Agathe released

Steven Davis (Fulham, £4m)

Aaron Hughes (Fulham, £1m)

Gavin McCann (Bolton, £1m)

Gary Cahill (Bolton, £4.5m)

Robert Olejnik (Falkirk, Free)

Spent: £17.25m

Brought in: £12.5m

Net spend: £4.75m

2008-09 In

Curtis Davies (WBA, £10m)

Steve Sidwell (Chelsea £5.5m)

Brad Friedel (Blackburn, £2.5m)

Brad Guzan (Chivas US, £1m)

Nicky Shorey (Reading, £4m)

Luke Young (Middlesbrough, £5m)

Carlos Cuellar (Rangers £7.8m)

James Milner (Newcastle, £12m)

Arsenio Halfhuid (Excelsior, nominal)

Emile Heskey (Wigan £3.5m)

Out

Luke Moore (West Brom - £3.5m)

Olof Mellberg (Juventus - free)

Patrick Berger (Sparta Prague - free)

Thomas Sorensen (released)

Shaun Maloney (Celtic, £1m)

Wayne Routledge (undisclosed)

Spent: £51.3m

Brought in: £4.5m

Net spend: £46.8m

2009-10 In

Stewart "Broken Leg" Downing (Middlesbrough £10m)

Fabian Delph (Leeds United £6m)

Habib Beye (£2m)

Andy Marshall (free agent)

Stephen Warnock (£6m)

James Collins (West Ham United, £5m)

Richard Dunne (Manchester City, £6m)

Out:

Gareth Barry (Manchester City, £12m)

Stuart Taylor (Manchester City, free)

Zat Knight (Bolton £4.5m)

Martin Laursen (retired)

Craig Gardner (Birmingham, £3.5m)

Spent: £35million

Brought in: £20million

Net spend: £15million

£82m net spend plus all the wages those players were on. What would a better manager have done with that? Maybe one who actually had scouts.

What legacy would they have left if one day they **** off just before the start of a season with all their staff?

By the way, even though I couldn't stand O'Leary he still managed to equal MONs best league finish with a fraction of the resources. You can dress it up however you like, that's a 24k fact.

And his own players hated him at the end, true. I recall a few knives coming out for MON too, who ignored and never spoke to players he had recently bought at great expense because he's a childish petulant man. Then there was the resentment of anybody outside the usual starting XI because they were never used and awful training routines etc. It's all out there, if you want to look. Let's not pretend he was beloved of all the players because he wasn't.

Of course, I may as well piss into the wind than expect any of this to sink in because its all Randy's fault and I am an agent of the General and other fantastic reasoning.

He probably had MON sign all those average players on huge contracts at gunpoint and had MONs scouts drowned in the channel I suppose.

Anyway, I have nothing more to add and wouldn't waste my time anyway. I've presented the facts as I understand them and that's that.

Thanks to those people who liked and or agreed with what I had to say especially as it seemed to annoy Big Job.

Agree with a lot of your points tbh. Not all, but most!

You don't deserve the criticism you've had. MON is a great manager of men who has a fantastic ability to inspire his players. If somebody else was buying the players, sorting tactics and making the substitutions he'd be winning everything going.

He'd be Alex Ferguson.

You state this as fact, please provide your evidence.

As stated by others it's extremely unlikely he's being paid a wage by City, for the reasons already mentioned.

Eck is an idiot. He has got this boy playing, for which he deserves a degree of credit I suppose, but keeps interrupting it because he is not defensive enough or he upsets him.

SI is the main creative force we have at the minute. What a shame we couldn't have seen him performing at this level with Ash and DJ either side and Dazza up top - that would have been some front 4!

Unfortunately Ash never used to pass to Ireland. He used to take up some great positions but was ignored. Gabby was the same, weird!!

As the guy above said, sell him as he comes good?????? It would cost over £25 million to get a guy of his quality and we paid £8m. Who cares if he gets £60k a week.

There are some funny thinking people on here.

Thought he was excellent from what i saw. MOM for me. I agree with the previous comment him and N'zogbia could be as good as him and Robinho

thought Young could have been that player last season

Young wouldn't pass to him last season, I saw so many instances of it and just couldn't understand it?!!

Doubters... sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Always had this in him, it was as the positive posters have been saying. Its so much easier to slag off, than to have faith.

The Norwich goal summed his career up at Villa.

Lack of desire.

He had just come on, he isn't a defender but the effort put in was exactly as it has been whenever he plays, minimal. Half heartedly closes him down, basically just allows the attacker to cross it without actually having to do anything other than have a touch out of his feet. Dangled a leg out and hoped it was enough.

Just move him on.

And you would have gotten the same half hearted tackle from David Silva or Samir Nasri in that position. They are small technical players and it's just not in their locker.

Can't see that he did anything wrong once he got into the side.

His ability is more than questionable, I think he's had his chance for the moment and AM's focus should move to slowly bringing Gary Gardner into the first team fray. Jenas to start ASAP, with GG first sub when a game is comfortably led (if ever again).