MC11

Just hoping that Pienaar, Alcaraz, Barkely and Jags haven't been rushed back just because it's the derby. I doubt it but I've got nerves building... Great line up potentially though!

Can't help but think exactly the same thing.

If Stones plays tonight, I sincerely hope he has a blinder.

Unfortunately I think Suarez may rip the lad a knew one.

It all depends on what squad we have available. Liverpool are certainly zip against a weakened Everton side.

The nerves have kicked in already.

All pointing towards Swansea. Wonder if we will hijack this too? Having said that our wage bill must be at its limit?

Confirmed:

Blackpool have given Tom Ince permission to discuss a loan move to Premier League. Everton, Swansea and Cardiff believed to be interested parties.

Need a more central player in terms of ability to drop in defensively to. I'd have him but as said Barkley has the AM nailed down and I wouldn't want it another way, local young Evertonian.

I think Benteke is a better all round player and more suited to be a 'lone' striker. Benteke is 2 or 3 years older so maybe Rom will become the better player long term - who knows? Don't get me wrong, I would love Rom here permenantely but I'd say Benteke is more worthy of a £23m price tag currently.

Completely agree with this. Benteke is a better all round player. Would be available for the same type of money.

Swansea are a good side, but being at home we have the upper hand.

Two of the big boys definitely out as well

Bloody hell, close.

 

Swansea at home.

Haha. Just kept seeing Swansea

Massive feeling we'll get Swansea AWAY

I'm sure lots of us aren't as enthusiastic about 3 points as we would have been with a full squad.

Barkley

Pienaar

Deulofeu

Coleman

Will most likely be out as there hasn't been much said in terms of returning for the game.

Maybe Slight Injuries to Distin, Jagielka aswell.

We seem to be back to the bare bones of the squad and Liverpool are facing a much weakened Everton team. However, we can still put out a side capable of beating them. That couldn't be said in previous seasons.

I just hope there is a couple of surprise additions to the squad come Tuesday. A return from Deulofeu would lift us.

Colback would be an awful signing for a club of our stature and the way we are looking to move forward.

At best he's a mid table player. At very very best.

I went for Mirallas. The last 3 games he's been our best player.

Was very impressed with Naismith upfront though. Link up was so much better than Lukaku's

Suarez looked off the pace today. Hope that continues on tuesday

Spot on he's a big name in world football for all the wrong reason "le sulk". Big name because he had huge potential but never got anywhere near filling it.

 

Played consistently? He had two years at Arsenal (where he looked fantastic), Real played about 20 games, Chelsea played there for four years at the end of his playing career scoring 38 in 125 games not world class and never has been. Played about 40 times for PSG and they were never the club they are now when he played for them.

 

Had the potential to be a world class talent and is famous for being le sulk and a bit of a failure I suppose.

 

Anyway....

 

Back on topic, not to bothered about AJ could take him or leave him but if was available for a cut price fee I would like to think we would be interested especially now with the injury to Bryan.

We all see it differently.

Personally I would have loved Anelka here when he was in his prime. I personally think the majority of clubs around Europe would have had Anelka.

Hate that argument "played for these teams so he must be world class"

 

That argument is non relevant and also boring could list a thousand and one rubbish players that have played at top clubs.

 

Total non starter.

If he'd played for one top club I would agree with you. But he's played consistently at 3 big clubs Chelsea, Arsenal &Madrid. Also played for Juventus (albeit twice), Fenerbache & PSG.

He's been a big name in world football for a long time.

Isn't Distin Carrying a knock?

I think we'll see this if Distin is fit:

Howard

Stones Jags Distin Baines

Barry McCarthy

Naismith Osman Mirallas

Lukaku

I just think McGeady will offer a bit more going forward should we go behind.

We've got a long injury list and hopefully some players may be back. Pienaar, Deulofeu would great. However we still have a fairly decent side to put out. Bench is short though.

Never been a top striker in world football. Huge prospect at Arsenal had all the ability and could well of been one of the best in the world however due to his attitude never really achieved anything in his career.

Never really achieved anything in his career? That comment is so far off base.

You don't play for Arsenal, Real Madrid and Chelsea all combined if you aren't a top striker. He's been a bit of a journeyman but that's not based on ability it's attitude. He was a top class player

How much of that was done within the last year or so? Anelka was a hell of a player in his prime. He's not in his prime.

You are using Anelka who is 35 and at the end of his career in comparison with Chamakh and Adu. Anelka has been a top striker in world football and does not belong in the same sentence as those other two players.

Kevin Mirallas man of the match again so far for me. Last 3 games it's been the same he's really stepped up

They were just talking about the injury and DaveJames said it looks like shades of Luc Nilis Vs Villa..... shiiiit man

If it's a lower leg break (which it looks) it's a career threatening injury. If broken in two places he could be looking at a metal brace and maybe even a metal rod.

Same could be said about Freddy Adu, Anelka, Chamakh, etc. You're not wrong, but let's see him prove it with a bottom-table team first. I'd like to think our aspirations are higher than a project like that unless he's coming here on a free.

 

Anelka has played for massive clubs, has won a lot of trophys including the Premier League (twice), FA Cup (3times) Champions League, Turkish League and the Euros with France.

The guy doesn't belong in a list with Adu and Chamakh who aren't even in his league.

Do you know what he'll bring? Space for our attack minded players.

 

His most effective work will be without the ball (a comparison I made to James McCarthy before he arrived). Crouch does the same but Stoke don't have the players to utilise their opportunities or space. Traore single handedly, will occupy both CB's of the opposition and that gives us an opportunity to stretch the full backs and hit on the overlap (Baines, Coleman).

 

It's a different tactic but one that can work.

 

A smaller CB won't go to attack the ball in the air if Traore's the target but attack the ball once it's on the floor. They're usually the quicker of the two CB's, which will allow for the likes of Barkley/Mirallas/Piennar/McGeady to exploit the bigger CB's lack of pace, thus creating a goalscoring opportunity or a new 'route' in the full back position.

 

On the flipside.

 

If Traore is man marked against the bigger of the two CB's, he leaves the smaller CB (back to goal) standing stationary, should he get a forward 'flickon'.

 

He'll be in the conscious mind of both CB's, creating a potential defensive blip for our attacking players to exploit.

 

I'll be interested to see how he gets on because i've wanted him in the prem for ages. Loved to see if he could hack it. Now I'll get the chance to.

 

Hi mate,

What makes you so convinced as to how he'll play? Have you watched him a lot?

I'm not overly inspired but time will tell. We seem to be leaving all our eggs in the summer basket. I'd have liked to have seen a permanent striker come in with the loss of Jelavic.

Can't see Sunderlamd selling anyway, he'll be key in their survival.

Another player who has really impressed me for Sunderland is Ki.

He seems to just control games effortlessly. When we went down to 10 at Goodison. He got on the ball and slowed everything down. Not sure why Swansea loaned him out. He's a very good player.