kayarcee

NRC on the wing, **** hell, big Macs team selections are more bizarre than MONs.

Not really; NRC started out on the wing under MON (actually, so did Petrov)

Where is Luke Young?

Think he's being rested for a "minor niggle" along with Dunney.

Line Up

Guzan

Cuellar - Collins - Davies - Beye

Petrov - Ireland - Reo Coker

A Young

Agbonlahor - Heskey

Subs: Friedel, Delfouneso, Clark, Lichaj, Bannan, Albrighton, Hogg.

Reminds me of the lineup MON used to play when he only had Ash as a senior winger- I like it if Mac plays it like that, like it a little less if he's playing Nige as a right winger.

I find it odd that Gérard Houllier hasn't been mentioned. Regardless of what most people think of the guy he does have considerable credentials, Premiership experience and no job.

I'll only take him if he doesn't go on to swap Carew to Galatasaray for Baros

honestly, I think we could use the kids and be OK. Would like to see

----------Golden Guz-----------

Lichaj---Cuellar--Collins---Beye

Downing--NRC----Salifou--Bannan

------------Ireland------------------

-----------Gabby-------------------

EDIT: And, in fact, we SHOULD use this team, because the Everton match is much more important . Ireland and Gabby to play around 60 mins before making way for the Fonz and Sidwell, if available.

Here's a name from leftfield as it were but anybody take Simon Grayson?

His name came up earlier in the thread. He'd be a pretty good shout, I'd think.

Rapid apology

No player or member of staff of a visiting team is allowed to have drinks thrown over them, to be spat at, to be discriminated against or even to be injured in any way.

Blaming it on the players now? Seems a bit extreme. :shock:

Osbourne - 10 - got on the pitch.

:nod:

Delfonso with Weimann in front.please not Heskey KM :-)

Actually, I think if Heskey is asked to play as a striker, and not "a link man" (read: tracking all the way back to his own area to get the ball), we might see more of the form that he produced at Wigan (where he was pretty dangerous, TBF)

As long as we sign a Brazilian player, I don't care what happens next.

Sven likes a Brazilian.

Apparently.

And Arshavin? Pretty smooth. . .

might this new contract mean his wages just rose? :winkold: :shock:

At the Browns he appointed Mike Holmgrem a man who had won the superbowl with Green Bay and then took Seattle to their only superbowl-If you follow that through I think it will be someone who has managerial experience at the high level

Not quite. He appointed Holmgren as general manager, which in American Football is closer to DoF. The "manager" is Eric Mangini, a rah-rah type who gets quickly found out.

From the way Faulkner's suddenly become prominent, I'd say Lerner is looking less for a manager and more for a coach

not sure if its been mentioned but does anyone know anything about the sort of coaches/managers that Randy has employed for the browns. Has he taken experienced coaches? controversial characters? up and coming coaches? Might give us a rough idea about the sort of person we should expect.

Didn't think of that; his hiring record with the Browns has been atrocious. Mostly it's up and coming, inexperienced coordinators (read: coaches) getting their first shot, and flaming out (i.e. Romeo Crennell) or young coaches who had a glimmer of success, but were quickly found out elsewhere (i.e. Eric Mangini). MON's been his best "hire" of either team, and he didn't really handle the hiring of O'Neill.

In fact, his handling of Mangini (hiring him first, and then hiring Mike Holmgren as GM/DoF half a year into Mangini's tenure) gives us an idea of what he was playing at bringing in Faulkner- I think he's looking for a coach and not a proper manger.

We'd be in terrible shape if MON went.

And if he doesn't sign anyone this summer?

You have comprehended that yes, or is it just not going to happen?

If he doesn't sign anyone, the team will be fine. We've got, IMO, the deepest defensive squad in the Prem, probably the second deepest central midfield grouping in the Prem, A top-tier keeper, two strikers who scored over 15 goals in all competitions, and one, maybe two top tier wingers. With four youngsters who will be pushing for places through the season.

Sounds like a good team to me.

Fiat should bring out a range of cars named after Villa players:

"The Fiat Agbonlahor" 0-60 in 2 seconds before stalling for the second half of the drive.

"The Fiat Heskey" Big powerful utility truck that breaks down every time it hits a bump in the road.

"The Fiat Sidwell" Greatest getaway vehicle ever, the cops will lose track of it mere seconds after the pursuit begins.

"The Fiat Freidel" Old American muscle car.

"The Fiat Guzan" New American muscle car sadly left in the garage on race day.

"The Fiat Reo-Coker" Drives it's owner up the wall.

"The Fiat Carew" Stretched party car with added disco ball and pole.

"The Fiat Ashley" Takes corners well and comes with Wi-Fi and cameras as standard.

etcetera....

The Fiat Collins: Boxy and unremarkable from the outside, but once you've driven it, you discover solid handling and stopping.

The Fiat Downing: frustrating to drive the first 6 months after you replace a flat, but class at points.

The Fiat Sidwell: Available in only orange, it flies up and down the roads, but has a tendency to overdrive its destinations and fly right into opposing traffic.

And before people say "oh Marc will get in if he's good enough". That's stupid because we've seen countless times that being bought by O'Neill gets you in almost by default and even then if you're dropped you'll be replaced by someone he also bought.

Except in Gabby's case, where the player has been good enough to start over a quite a few of the manager's signings whenever he's fit. I would imagine that Albrighton's future mirrors more that of Gabby rather than Gary Cahill, for example.

Can we just lock this post until Monday? It's been apparent since England crashed out of the cup that the transfer issue won't be addressed in any fashion other than rampant speculation until Milner's back from his hols on the 26th.

Fulham have launched their kit for this year; looks like we'll have the tagline, then

I don't think that little glimpse of what looks like our top has a proper collar. To me it looks more like the same collar featured on both USA and Holland home and away world cup shirts. Only the glimpse of what looks to be our above has a collar the same colour as the body of the shirt.

I would actually like a proper collar though. I was jealous when I seen the Arsenal away and third shirts for last season, both the same only different colour and both had collars. I think they are lovely shirts.

Yeah, the blurry photo makes me think I saw shadow, and that the collar is overlapping the body of the shirt, and not vice versa. I would love a proper collar shirt too, but if not I can keep wearing my 80/81 retro

hey stewie, those are both awesome, if you get the time, could you redo my designs from page 30? would love to see what they look like with a more professional look. (on the yellow one, the trim is navy blue).

if you cant dont worry about it.

Something like this? Oh did a collared home and away too...

not a big fan of the old collar but they do look great!

You should do our kit designs mate!

Those are fantastic, but I think going by the glimpse we catch in the Man United leaks, it will be a solid claret collar (it does look like a proper collar, and not a crew/v neck):

Sky Sports

Nelson Valdez: Borussia Dortmund Striker, 26, can also play in midfield.

His agent is thought to be eyeing up a move for him before the World Cup with England a possible destination.

Barry McIntosh (his agent) says: "I have moved a number of South American players in recent years to England, but he would be amongst the best"..

Does anyone know anything about this guy/ seen him play/ or who his agent has represented previously?

(If he hasn't moved by the WC then I think I'll keep an eye on Paraguay's games.. just in case!)

interesting- he sounds like the Shaun Maloney/Patrik Berger type player MON's been trying to make Sidwell into the past two years.

I really like Valdez, one of my favourite players but I'm not sure if he's what we need. A very good team player who runs everywhere like Milner, but his finishing has always been very suspect. We need the opposite. I could see MON being very interested though.

I saw his ability to be a striker/midfield hybrid filling a need as an impact sub to offer plan b when we're chasing a goal. I admit to not being familiar enough with the player; how are his crossing and distribution? Is he the type of player that could break a game open in ways beyond shooting (and apparently, running)?

Sky Sports

Nelson Valdez: Borussia Dortmund Striker, 26, can also play in midfield.

His agent is thought to be eyeing up a move for him before the World Cup with England a possible destination.

Barry McIntosh (his agent) says: "I have moved a number of South American players in recent years to England, but he would be amongst the best"..

Does anyone know anything about this guy/ seen him play/ or who his agent has represented previously?

(If he hasn't moved by the WC then I think I'll keep an eye on Paraguay's games.. just in case!)

interesting- he sounds like the Shaun Maloney/Patrik Berger type player MON's been trying to make Sidwell into the past two years.

I posted this on the Hugo Rogellega thread... it has more relevence here.

So how much to pry these strikers away from their current clubs? Will that sort out if we could possibly go for them or not?

- Doyle

- Rodellega

- Kalinic

- Bent?

- Bellamy?

- Anyone else remotely realistic I missed?

Boyd FREE

Fletcher £2m/£3m

Piquionne £3m/£4m

Doyle £8m/£9m

Kalinic £8m/£9m

Keane £8m/£9m

Cole £8m/£9m

Jones £9m/£10m

Bellamy £9m/£10m

Rodellaga £10m/£12m

Santa Cruz £15m

Pavlyuchenko £15m

Bent £20m +

They're my guesses. They're all realistic signings apart from Bent.

I'd personally prefer Santa Cruz, Rodellaga or Bellamy as a new striker and then one of Piquionne/ Fletcher as a backup.

If we buy from Spurs or Man City then I can see the values increasing slightly because they wont want to improve their rivals for cheap.

Boyd FREE --- Useless in this league, so slow

Fletcher £2m/£3m ---- Maybe as 4th/5th choice I guess

Piquionne £3m/£4m ---- Do you know he's 31? Just no.

Doyle £8m/£9m ----- Would be good but would cost more than that so I wouldn't pay it

Kalinic £8m/£9m ---- They paid £6 million or so, they'll keep him and make more next year if he is successful.

Keane £8m/£9m ----- Too much for him, is he finished? Worth a risk for £5 mill

Cole £8m/£9m ---- Would probably cost more than that, do we need a different type of striker?

Jones £9m/£10m ----- How is Jones worth more than Cole? Anyway. I don't rate him

Bellamy £9m/£10m ---- Also close to 31, that is too expensive, too much chance of injury, wages too high, will stay at City

Rodellaga £10m/£12m ---- Would be a gamble, could be good

Santa Cruz £15m ----- Too expensive for his age, no form for 2 seasons, too injury prone

Pavlyuchenko £15m --- Too expensive for him, will go to Russia or a big European club

Bent £20m + -- No Chance

This summer really needs to be the summer we look to Europe.

I really do like the idea of Fletcher in our set up. If he was able to poach pretty well off of service from Jack Cork, imagine the damage he could do collecting crosses from Ashley. . .

Etuhu is decent but prone to do a no show.

Which is what people said about Dunney when he first came in.

Yossi Benayoun please...very very underated.

Always thought he would be a very good signing, but not so sure about him now. How old is he? Would he be a very good squad player or starter?

Just turned 30, starter...better than Downing IMO.

Yep, I'd definitely go in for Benayoun, he runs at players and actually goes past them, opening space up for other. Exactly what we need at times.

But Benayouns not a wide man is he? Doesnt he play just just in behind the striker?

I know one thing for sure though, if we played Gabby and a smaller guy upfront together wed have to cut out a lot of the long balls.

That's Yossi's preferred position, but Benitez has played him on teh right wing on many occasions.

I don't agree with your assessment of playing Gabby and a shorter player, especially after this year. Gabby's gotten a lot better at playing with his back into the centerback, and has over the course of this season turned into a faster, goalscoring version of Lionel Heskey. As a matter of fact, one of the best goals Gabby ever scored was off of a long ball (at the Emirates last season, when he fought off Gallas, circus-sealed the ball onto his right, and hit it on the half-volley). Actually, one of the things that miffed me most about Sunday's match was that the Fonz didn't come on first, so we could see what the Gabby-Fonz partnership would look like.