That Mexican kid might prove useful in front of goal. But we still don't know much about his abilities to lead the line. Rooney replacement when he's not available. For the non big games, we can get by by playing two strikers. But in those big games, we need someone that would be able to do the work.

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Added on May 17, 2010, 10:48 pm

This post has been edited by Wan: May 17 2010, 10:48 PM

SAF said Ben Amos will take that #3 GK role.
Defence full, GK full, Wingers full(more than full actually), strikers full, midfield.. Scholes, Fletcher, Carrick, Ando, Hargreaves, Gibson, hohoho we won't sign anyone unless someone or a couple of those leaves(or whatever positions we intend to bring in another player).

Kuszczak is a dependable GK. Might not be as good as VDS and he has his faults, but he's not bad. As for third GK, Amos is fine for that. Unlucky for him since Foster situation showed that it's important for them to play week in week out and have a lot of experienced for that role. But since he's still young, he can 'sit' quietly for a season or two before heading out.

We only need to worry about Scholes and VDS. For the others we have the replacement already. And Ando might still make it. His first run of games in the side in his first season..
Rio=Evans, Neville=Rafael, Giggs=Nani.

Are you going to play Di Maria Sharapova in goal since we have Nani, Valencia, Park and Giggs to play on the wings?
And those Portuguese people rate Ando way higher than Di Maria. Just wait for the guy to show up consistently. Remember Nani? Or even Fletcher..

Only the fans are expecting him to score lots of goals and thought he was bought because of that reason. But you see if you watch carefully where and how he was deployed last season especially where he was deployed between the midfield and striker, you know he was brought in for a different reason. His composure and play making skills.. to replace Giggsy's role or something to that effect in SAF's words. Not to mention SAF put a lowly 15 goals mark for him saying it would be a good return.

And regarding the playing Rooney upfront alone more often, it's bullshit.


22 games alone compared to 34 games with two strikers.

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Added on May 19, 2010, 9:59 pm19 games where Rooney-Berba started up front together vs 17 games Rooney started alone.

This post has been edited by Wan: May 19 2010, 09:59 PM

It's like unlocking the cheat mode. Fantasy team.

Xavi-Busquet-Fabregas
Messi-Villa-Iniesta.

Gila successful their youth policy. 5 of those came through their academy! Can add Pique as well. Thumbs up to them.

I'm not sure whats your problem. If let's say we put Nani as the main striker, he cannot score, cannot take role, cannot perform lo.. are you going to critize him as well? The only time when Berba would play as the main striker is when Rooney is out and we go the lone route and choose him for that role. Any other time he would play the supporting role behind whoever plays ahead of him.

And please think your stuff clearly.

Rooney = Main striker.
Big games = One striker = Rooney.
Meaning we would have two expensive strikers on the bench, along with Owen, Macheda, Chicarito, Diouf and Welbeck playing UNO in the stands.

And in SAF eyes, these two are similar in their style of play:
Owen = Rooney

We would still need Berba, or someone of his type. It's obvious Rooney is that #9 for us in SAF's plans although maybe when he truly master that role, he would be able to switch roles at will.. god please let that come true. Our only problem is that when he's not available in the big games, we MATI! Berba hasn't done that badly IMO, but it's obvious there would be big gaps when that happens.

Never once mention ours ain't good. But Barca having Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Pique, Busquet etc really is something.

Proper striker. Short, but good with his head. Hmm. Owen II, minus the explosive pace of the young Owen.

As for Manucho II = Diouf.

As a lone striker, yes. I agree with that.

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Added on May 19, 2010, 11:57 pmReal Madrid are freaks. They buy whoever they don't really need and discard those they they could do with.
And Barca is really a team to wow over with. Nothing wrong with that. And obviously nothing is perfect and would always go to plan.

I'm just not sure we can expect much of him in that lone role. He just doesn't suit it for the type of game we play. Rooney's pacy, direct and physical approach is the opposite of Berba's. Don't think he was ever meant to for that role. And I don't think the other strikers we have are suited for that as well right now which is becoming a bit of a problem unless we plan to go with two strikers in those big games which we seldom do.

Macheda and Welbeck not ready although they have the build for that sort of stuff.
Diouf with his running might be useful there, but not proven.
Chicarito god knows. Owen II? Then he won't be able to play that role well.

We have to buy someone that able to play that role. But we have too many options. Not sure where we can find one that would be happy for that specific role. If Real had gotten Villa last season, I'm sure we would have tried a bit harder to get Benzema. He would have solved all our problem there(not that it guaranteed it would have worked, but at least we got the proper player for that role). But now that we have Owen as well and we intend to keep him, along with signing two other strikers since then(Diouf, Chicarito), not sure we intend to look for another of the same calibre striker. But you never know with things. We coul

This post has been edited by Wan: May 19 2010, 11:57 PM

Of course not. But he wasn't bought to just 'score goals' as you implied.

Agree that his finishing should be better. Yes he's our 2nd main striker, but doesn't mean that he would and should take over Rooney's role effectively. He's fine whenever he partners someone, but when he's alone.. don't expect much.

Anelka, Eto'o, doesn't get that much goals as well huh even though they play lots of time with another striker(main goal scorer) also in the team.

It's valid since we don't always play with a lone front man except those hard games. If Rooney is out injured, a Berba-Owen combination is fine. But going Rooney-less in the big games still a bit of a problem right now although a Berba with confidence might do OK in the role, but he still won't provide what Rooney does.

Up until that long lay off in late February, he was fit. He featured in 31 games either starting or coming from the bench. Just like O'Shea, Rio, Vida, Ando at various times this season, they got injured, long ones. It's just unlucky. Don't read the stuff they write and actually do a bit of research. As been discussed at various times when the news broke he was signing for us, his last two seasons with Newcastle have actually been pretty good fitness wise.

Why not just complain about O'Shea, Ando, Rio, Vida, Rafael, Neville, Giggsy, Evans who all at various times missed a lot of games. And if those guys at the back had been fit, we would have easily won the league.

Rio featured only 21 times. Vida 33 times. Giggs 32 times. Ando we know fecked up his knee in late February as well. Why are you not complaining about them? Evans who featured 35 times last season only featured 28 this time. Considering the amount of bodies that was unavailable at the back, we could really have used him more at those times. Injuries do happen, at it was unfortunate for us it happens just when the others at the same position are out injured as well. You can't plan for that.

As for the Red Knights, if they can clear up the debt, that's more than good enough. The other stuff will fall into place by themselves over time.

His progress slowed a bit because of a long injury. Just our luck with injuries.. even got to the academy sides.


Possebon after that horror tackle he got against Boro is a shadow of his former self. That loan move didn't work for him as well. Gibson was almost in a similar situation minus the injury. But look at where he is now. SAF rates him. If he would be able to polish up his all round game and actually show it on the pitch, we'll have a very useful player on our hands. Possebon can really learn from that and continue to work hard. Who knows what might happen later on. The was he pass and move is really good. Could do with a player like him.

They needed the money quick to pay off the banks or something to meet a date line. That's why it happens so fast. Now that they have the money, they can wait to do the other deals. Good money for a 29 year old. And maybe they have a gentleman's agreement with Villa since he was so loyal to them all these while even when they were way behind Barca & Real.

Ribery, Benzema, Higuain staying.
Silva off to Real, soon. Milner in City's sight, Rodwell sign a new contract.. so who else are we linked with that would actually be available? Not gonna be a happy summer for most people. Let the dooms day begin..

Still some light at the end of the tunnel to them. SAF said the same thing about Veron. Boom boom!

We played a total of 56 games last season(going by soccernet's stats)
14 games without Rooney in the starting lineup.
Only twice we failed to score. Besiktas at home with a weakened side and against Blackburn away.
10 wins, Draw and Lost 2 times each.

Rooney, Berba, Owen, Nachos with Chicharito.
Diouf, Welbeck, Macheda.
No money.

Score a bit more often, people won't be on his back so much.

Looking at Milner's stats, they're pretty good huh? Wouldn't mind seeing him here, but we need a bit more class/guile in there. But if English/British is the route we're going, then we won't see those kind of guys here any time soon. Rodwell is another one. That one is my wet fantasy for some reason.

Let them negotiate, and we enter the race once their bid got accepted. Let them do all the work. City vs Us. No contest.

I thought Dzeko was 28 or something. He's only 24.. and we do need a big striker like him. Our only problem is that we have no space in that area. We are overcrowded in fact. Plus we just bought Chicharito. CM is the only place we're going to strengthen if are are planning to.