Calico

I agree with Bill; I reckon Rodwell could help us impose our game further up the pitch which is what we're sorely needing so that there is less pressure on the defence.

I wasn't accusing him of calling up a newspaper but rather presumed as you are - that he was asked the question. I just wish such a non-important question would be treated with contempt; though, I suppose the journo's would then spin it into him not being loyal . . . god I hate the press and the fools who buy the rags in this country, I really do.

Before Real Madrid were he was terrible he found it difficult to string together a consistent season at Hamburg and there is no doubt that he is fragile when it comes to injuries and such. Personally, I think he would have the most talent but then again his mate Andy had talent in bucket-loads too. I do love him as a player but someone to rely on for a team which plays more defensively and has a weak squad? I dunno.

I've seen neither his goal scoring nor his defensive skill this season, just like the rest of the team. I'm not a fan of how he forces a 4-5-1 but I don't see him as a special case from anyone else in the team; well, at least he isn't injured right now. If he can get into most teams then why doesn't Moyes play him in the centre of a 4-4-2? I can't remember the last time he played in that for us so I'll have to ask if he was any good? Also, defensively solid? So giving fouls away on a consistent basis is defensively solid? Or shall we think that perhaps those fouls were results of Cahill making up for other players lack of tackling?

So which of our players have good enough positioning to play the role do you reckon?

I think he is a bit under-rated when you consider the fact that he forged an inside-left position for himself in one of the most successful teams of recent years and now that he is playing more centrally he is scoring goals. However, even Ferguson admits that he needs to be more consistent since his scoring is still very hot and cold much like Michael Owen. With this in mind I'm not sure if he deserves the label of world class yet.

Interesting thinking there Bill. Think it might work, especially since the likes of Rodwell could impose himself further up the pitch and then possibly pull the full-backs up with him. Edit: Of course, this would be a short term measure, as you intimated with the desperate times line eh?

I'd happily put him in over Cahill but cannot see it happening at all.

Makelele! Totally forgot about him I'd put him in over Keane but stay with Bergkamp over Gerrard.

Why say anything? Whether he wants to join another club or not cannot be proven unless he gets hooked up to a lie detector.

This is ground work for some form of the 6+5 rule IMO

Baines? I dunno. If the players in the CM positions decide to get involved with him and pass it along the floor then I think he'll back to his form of last year As to why Rodwell, Baines and Pienaar don't form more passages of play down our left-hand side is beyond me. Though, I suppose either way Howard and Distin need to be more aggressive with giving him the ball in the first place! I hope Rodwell, Baines and Pienaar just take charge and tell the other players to give them the ball. Also, I saw a comment about having a crap squad. When I mentioned a defensive line not being well stocked plenty of people disagreed but I'm sorry I think I was right.

Cahill has captain makes me think of the possibility of Big Dunc has the captain. I'm not sure that TC's mentality suits a captain's role. I think Yobo is bang on to be it, for obvious reasons. I voted other, since I'm desperate to see JH take it ASAP.

If Bily can play -- I have faith that we all know that, just being cautious -- then I agree. It becomes a toss-up between Osman and Felli in the midfield with Rodwell. But. What about two forwards together, like Jo and Saha or maybe the Yak involved if he is ready? Hopefully Saha will be over his hamstring problem for this game either way. Edit: Actually, with Bily on the right then maybe we have more of a 4-3-3 with Bily and Pienaar in the winger positions. This could even help the midfield be a bit stronger??

Wow, this soon? Seems like it wasn't that long ago the news was that it could be ages until we hear.

If Moyes sees JH as our main holding midfield player then the defensive line really is stretched I wonder if Rodwell could be the defensive player next to someone like Bily until we get the likes of Arteta back and Felli on form? Maybe even Rodwell and Osman together??

The clubs have to pay more, I agree with that. However, when Chelsea aren't willing to pay Kun £200k a week so that he can get half that in net terms then I think it's quite obvious which way the wind is blowing as far as Prem teams and money is concerned. Also, now that Nev is injured which means that only Distin can cover LB can anybody maybe see where I was coming from with the lack of depth proposition?

Same as other people really: Rodwell, the returning players, the better depth in certain places in the squad and that we're still in Europe. . . . Oh, also! We're still in the domestic cups!

I'm not a fan of attaching football players to the money-driven tag. If we go there then the game becomes irrelevant to follow IMO. But then, have you already said that in another thread, CaptainFerguson10, that we should boycott the games to give the board a kick in the back-side?

LOL - I'm sure Capello will have us well prepared my friend

I could see it happening. Just seems the kind of thing our board would do.

No.

Dammmit it felt good to type that he hadn't as well. How forgettable is that Blackburn team....

Same thing happened last year didn't it? Shitty start to the season. I love how football brings about such raw reactions from people. Hopefully we'll do what we did last year

hahahahahaha seriously, Messi at City? Laughable. Sorry, it is just laughable. By that point City will probably be the only team with the resources left to even afford to bid for him. Football works in cycles and England has had its time for the past few years now; another league will take the mantle up next and it might not be a while until we see such a high standard of player in the Prem IMO C. Ronaldo left not just because he won everything with Utd - surely he could see that the best football was beginning to get played in Spain once more. When comparing the games between the lower placed teams in Spain to the relative games here all I can say is that it's like watching football compared to Rugby - the latter is the lower placed Prem games and they are UGLY. As for teams who can finish top 5 in the Prem. Judging by how they've been performing for the past few seasons when English football has been on a high the fact is that none of them play anything other than scrappy football with the odd -- sorry, very odd - spot of good play. Even last year Man Utd were playing poor football and they won the bloody thing just to show how bad it was!