Moe Joe

Haven't any idea how may of you see MLS, even if just highlight reels, but Seattle's forward, Freddy Montero, is playing wonderfully. With some guidance from Moyes, I think he might have the potential to get big. dunno how much it would take to secure his services tho.

Ehhhhhhh no thanks

Anyway speaking of non linked players, I think we should be raiding newcastle atm.

Enrique, Taylor and Jonas Gutierrez should come cheap.

Barton and Collocini would be risky, but I mention their names as Moyes has a knack for molding players.

Steve Round should have an idea about some of these guys also.

Turner OR Bassong - 6 Mil

Elm - 3.5 Mil

Ledley - 4 Mil

A decent enough wing back - 2.5 - 5 Mil

And then maybe a CM/DMC on loan in case of freak injuries.

He's worth 3 thousand pounds on football manager.

Its Josh Thompson

Hilarious

http://www.toffeetalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17753&view=findpost&p=177858

Am I a pessimist?

I hope people start to kiss and make up coz EVERY topic seems to have the same few, spitting their dummies out, its getting boring.

 

The issue i have after reading reports of last nights game, is the lack of attacking/quality options in our midfield.

 

Neville and Rodwell at Central Defensive Mids.

Fellaini at Attacking Mid.

Cahill as Right Winger?

Osman at Left Winger?

 

For me, we have 3 possibly 4 people playing in unatural positions (count fellaini if you will) and there's no menace about the side at all. Granted Pienaar was out, but if thats the situation come August, we will get rolled over!!

 

Cahill hasnt got bags of pace and is ill-affective unless in the middle. Nev and Rodders together proved we are filling spaces, with 2 DM's. Osman, i dont rate but is alot better in the middle again. So i'm trying to be patient, but we really need some top drawer signings (RW, LW or AM im not bothered, we as a team, need it)

Exactly.

We just need versatility in the squad. If we can get a few natural positioners (they don't even have to be starters) into the team everything will pan out.

And then after that, if worst case scenario happens and we get injuries, we could say (in a hypothetical situation) "its ok! We can play Rodwell as CB! Maybe Gosling as RB as well since Neville is injured and Cahill is now DMC!"

But we can't have that mentality above when the season hasn't even begun. In our case, with the Rodwell/Yobo/Lescott trio. If we got another CB, it would even out.

How long were we hunting Fellaini before we got him? I forget.

So I can go buy a Fellaini jersey now and it won't change?

Howard: 10/10

Hibbert: Good challenges but need speed 5/10

Lescott: Composed for a majority of the game but some of the clearances were horrendous 4/10

Yobo: Was strong for the most part but again, falls into daydreaming trance 4/10

Baines: Can't link up with Osman, can't blame him for the lack of attack. Did his defending job as best as he could. 7/10

Osman: Typical. 3/10

Rodwell: His worst game. Gave the ball away far too easily and looked like a boy this time around. 3/10

Fellaini: Looked like a log on bricks. But I will say, he knocked the ball down nicely with control. 4/10

Cahill: Had drive and desire but didn't have the goods. 6/10

Neville: Good defending but gave the ball away every second. 5/10

Saha: Took his goal well but was invisible for the most part. 6/10

Subs:

Baxter: Had good bursts of speed and was very energetic. Played some nice passes as well. 7/10

Wallace: Was innovative but nothing worked for him, he couldn't pick his pass. 5/10

Jo: Had good composure in and around the box, passed well to feet, I was pleased with him. He needs to take his chances better though. I.E the penalty and the diving header. 7/10

Vaughan: Ran like a headless chicken but his passing was woeful. And I think that if the ref didn't dawdle, James would have taken the penalty better. You could tell his 'drive' left after he had to stand there for two minutes. 7/10

Moral of the story:

Play like shit, Howard will still save our asses!

Shit half

Actually, our midfield is just as bad as our defence at the moment (in terms of size)

Here's the defenders

Starting:

Baines

Lescott

Yobo

Hibbert

Versatile:

Neville

Gosling

Rodwell

Now subtract those versatile players who can play MF and defence. We get these guys who can play in the centre of the park:

Osman

Cahill

Fellaini

Pienaar

If one of them goes, bang, we're playing Wallace or Baxter, since Gosling/Neville or w/e versatile player would be playing emergency RB and Rodwell probably at CB. I don't want to include Seamus Coleman because we haven't seen enough of him and shouldn't be relying on him that heavily.

Its hit or miss really. So what we need is cover all over the park. If sign a world class defender, we're fucking ourselves in midfield. If we sign a world class midfielder, we're fucking our defence. We need quality back up which can do a job and just the job until our big boys (Jags and Arteta) get back.

Oh please. This guy will go for the double digits in $$$ and I seriously hope we don't pull another overbloated Fellaini fee.

I'm really looking forward to the All Stars game.

He was very good going forward in the river plate friendly. But that was mainly because our guys were scared stiffless of getting injured and he stood out for his bravery.

Hope not.

Jo played some good balls from the left!

He's a good right back.

Problem is, we need CB cover.

Pretty much a first choice XI (apart from the keeper maybe)?

 

Krul, Beye, Enrique, Taylor, Coloccini, Barton, Duff, Nolan, Gutierrez, Smith, Martins.

 

Everton targets TAKE NOTE!!

How much would the bolded go for?

These guys are so aggresive.

Our big 'signing' this time around has been Jo.

We'll get another CB. Nothing too big, since Jags will eventually be back. A cheap center back for cover.

Moyes will be searching in the LB department, I expect him to pick up a squad player for that position. 3 - 5 million. It would be great if its a wing back who could play on the left in times of drought.

We don't need a DMC ftr, Neville, Cahill, Fellaini etc can all play there. If there are extra funds a winger would help us immensely. Here's hoping we'll be able to pick another winger up for around 6. But I'm not holding much hope.

We'll be getting squad players because if we spend all the dough on one big signing, we won't compete. Its that simple. We need squad players. Fillers who can adapt to the Moyes ethic. If we are in that much need of a dmc, I would actually (at the moment), consider Barton. He'd be dirt cheap and I would hope that Moyes wouldn't take his stick. He's a fiery little bugger and may be what we need to cover a back four which may not be fully recovered. Cana would have been the better option but if Joey is worth 2 - 4 million that may be the difference.

Also, Moyes has stated that Jo can play on the left side of midfield. So maybe he will be playing him on the left and pienaar on the right, with Yak/Vaughan up front.

We are versatile but so thin at the same time.

Squad players will repair this.

Moutinho will not.

Jo can play on the left but that's besides the point.

He doesn't appear in my FM database. Care to post a screen shot please, anyone?

What about having Pienaar in the advanced Vaughan/Jo position? For the 4-3-3

Besides the youth squad, I believe we are just on par with Arsenal going into next season. (I rate Pienaar higher than Nasri and Rosicky anyway.)

So considering they are our first opponents, we should be improving the squad now and better them for this short term. If anyone is going to leave the top 4 I think it will be them. So we have to hold off the weight of City, Spurs and Villa and Fulham if 4th is going to be an option.