It's probably still high though. And being on a free, he would demand bigger wage I bet. Still, there's nothing to lose. He comes free, would give us options, and is English. He's good as well. But..

Valencia, Nani, Giggs, Park
Obertan, Cleverly..

We have a lot of options there, and our wings are the least of our worries with Nani finally showing up consistently. I suppose Cleverly would go out on loan, Giggsy being a year older becoming less effective down there, Obertan still young and learning, with Valencia being one way, he could be handy and could easily see him compete for the 2nd wing spot if he gets into form that is.

Paul Pogba? That kid looks the part. Hopefully he'll be able to step up.

After his Madrid project, he will be 'free' until he's old when he wants to manage the Portuguese national side. It may not look like it, but I bet he would want to leave a legacy. His next stop is with us in his mind. He always talk about it in the past. He has this big ego where not many people like, but it may just be the right recipe to have to take over from SAF when the time comes.

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Added on May 30, 2010, 5:29 pmhttp://www.autoevolution.com/news/jenson-button-breaks-up-with-jessica-michibata-20895.html

YES!
http://partygirl.blogsome.com/wp-admin/images/011.jpg



This post has been edited by Wan: May 30 2010, 05:29 PM

Mexican Owen.. whee..

Seems pretty good at meeting crosses.
Movement and that strikers instinct to shoot seems good too.
Me like.

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Added on May 31, 2010, 10:22 amHe will be called, Nachos!

This post has been edited by Wan: May 31 2010, 10:22 AM

Shit rumours about Rooney to Real for 95m pounds. Bullshit. But interesting nonetheless. As bad as the Glazers are, I don't think they would accept that(if it's true) unless our financial situation is really2 shit and/or Rooney kick up a fuss behind the scenes not wanting to sign a new contract(2 years left?) which would be a shit situation to be in since we won't get anywhere near that amount as days goes by.

Like I didn't want us to sell off Ronaldo, I wouldn't want to see Rooney go. No matter how much we would get unless there's a players somewhere who is English or at the very least a British/Irish, and is as good or is about to be as good as Rooney in a few years where we are certain to get. Not to mention he is a special bracket player. It's lucky if we can stumble onto one. And now it's nearly impossible with the amount of money being thrown around and we couldn't compete directly.

Giggs-Nani
Scholes-Ando

One finally grew up last season. Waiting for another one to do the same. May or may not happen, but we won't know until we let the situation unfold itself. If it's up to most of us, Nani would have been long gone.

Good move on Liverpool's part. Should have done it a long time ago. He really managed to turn things around. They were flying high.. before that FACHT rant. Although a little disappointed he's leaving since he's done a great job in our eyes, but I can't stand the man. Always complaining about something. Not enough money blabla2. Good riddance.

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Added on June 4, 2010, 12:49 amRoy Hodgson.. he would be a good choice for them unfortunately.

This post has been edited by Wan: Jun 4 2010, 12:49 AM

They do love Rafa. But in our eyes he's terrible. Crap man management, crap transfer dealings, crap tactics..

Not really.
Evans, Vida
Wes, O'Shea, Smalling.. should be okay short term while Smalling grows..

O'Shea won't be needed down the left that much unless we want to rest Evra. If he's needed in the middle, put Fabio there.

Wes Brown is a CB. He can play on the right, but it's not his natural position. And we have Rafael for RB. He will be getting a lot of games there. Gary is still alive as well and his form was good as the season went on.

Rio, Evra out:
Wes-Evans-Vida-O'Shea
Gary, Fabio, Smalling, Rafael..

Rio, Evans/Vida, Evra out:
Gary/Rafael-Wes-Vida/Evans-O'shea

Rio, Evans, Vida, Evra out:
Gary/Rafael-Wes-O'Shea/Smalling-Fabio

Last season was a freak season. Thank god Evra stayed fit most of the time. We can't do much about Rio. It's going to get worse for him. Vida and Evans should be fine. And O'Shea hardly misses games before last season. Will be missing now and then, but he'll be fit for 70% of the games.

Absolute crap when he starts at CB? That's the reason why SAF said he's the most naturally gifted CB just a few years back? He had one amazing season at RB, the season we won the CL. But any other season, he's been a CB throughout. His only downside is that he's crap just after he recovers from injury(which happens at least one time each season). But a run of games, and he's back.

While Gary ain't getting any younger, that doesn't mean he will turn shit just because he's another year older. Look at all the players over 30 currently still playing at a high level, better than most players around. And we don't rely on him. Have not done so for the last 2-3 seasons where he struggled with injuries. But as cover, don't tell me we need a better option there.

I'm getting sick of all the crap about Rafael not being ready yet since last season in fact. Why the hell SAF played him so much then? If it wasn't for injuries in the 1st half of last season, he would have featured a lot more considering the problems we had back there with injuries. Only 20 too(will be this July). And not many players his age, never mind defenders getting a lot of games at a top team. He's our best RB IMO. In the bigger games sometimes we may need to go with the more experienced guys, but even if you play him, he would make a good impression.

08/09 = 21 starts, 6 subs
09/10 = 15 starts, 1 sub

Last season:
City home and away in the Carling Cup. Villa in the final.
Arsenal(away), Villa(away), Spurs at home in the EPL.
AC Milan home(sub on) and away, Bayern home in the CL
Those games were not important?

You may have a point about Fabio since he hardly features. But that isn't the main thing. He is in the squad. Right now he's third option behind Evra and O'Shea. And as backup to those two, you can't tell me we need a more experience, better player who are likely to be older and would cost a fair bit. Not to mention would that guy be happy to sign just to sit amongst the crowd in most games? It's for these sort of positions we can blood the youngsters in. And if we don't give them a chance, how the hell are they going to 'be' ready? Fabio is easily as good as his brother, in his own way. He was rated higher than his brother if you remember the hype about them.

Rio, Evans, Vida, Brown, O'Shea.
It was a freak season. How can you counter something like having all your 5 CBs injured? All of them would start games in most EPL sides. How can you have plans to avoid another thing like that? We can't just get another defender or two. What if they too get injured? Next season we plan on having another couple of new defenders?

RB: Rafael, Gary
CB: Rio, Evans, Vida, Smalling
LB: Evra, Fabio

RB/CB: Wes
All-in-one: O'Shea

10 defenders fighting it out for 4 positions on the pitch, 6 of which are naturall CB. That's more than good enough. The likes of De Laet and the reserves will always be around should the need arises. We have to remember as well that we have a squad limit of 25 + HG players that we have to work around.

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Added on June 5, 2010, 10:20 amThe last time we scored so many in the league is in 01/02

This post has been edited by Wan: Jun 5 2010, 10:20 AM

He wasn't good enough there? It's only because we had Vida and Rio he's not playing that much there. That and injuries. He's a very good CB.

Learning curve, like all young players. They still get games. Maybe not a regular at first, but as each season passes, they tend to play more each season if they're good enough. As things stand he's already a good player(not without faults mind you, work in progress) that has played in a lot of important games for us. He wouldn't have played those games if he wasn't 'ready'.

Rio, Vida, Evans, Wes, O'Shea. 5 very good, experienced CBs. We don't need Smalling to 'come of age' fast, although it would be a welcome boost. We don't need O'Shea and Wes on the left and right respectively at all times anyway. There are games where they need to play there for various reasons, but we have other options there as it is. Wes haven't been a regular on the right for the last two seasons already anyway.

Rio(32), Wes(31), O'Shea(29), Vida(29). Their age, this year. I thought they all were a bit younger. Time do fly fast huh? That's one reason for Smalling. That and we don't really have an up and coming youngster for that spot in the reserve. One for the future where hopefully he will grow and then when the time comes be good enough to play for us on a regular basis, whether as a regular 1st 11 or just 'squad/cover'. Don't think he's quite ready yet since he hardly plays for Fulham, and when he does, make a couple of mistakes here and there. But there must be a reason why we and Arsenal were interested in him. Work in progress and all that. Haven't seen him play, so quite excited about all the fuss about him. Reports on his games since his move haven't been that great mind you. But I remember reading about Rio and mistakes a lot in his younger days. So all is not lost.

Well ever since he broke through to the first team, apart from one season probably the season we won the CL, he's been a CB. Good one too I might add. Just that each season he will get a serious injury that would make him miss 2-3 months at least back then. And when he does get back, it's usually full of mistakes as he get back into form.

The next Euro is still possible for him, but the next WC is too long for his body to wait. He'll be 32 soon, and his back problem just won't go away. That's it for him I guess. Was looking forward to him captaining England. Some things are just not meant to be I guess. Just like with us. If it wasn't for his contract-Kenyon(Chelsea that time)-meet-up, he would have been next in line too after Keano most probably.

We've never really been that great in the big games I feel. Always been a tight affair. Even when our midfielders were on top(keano, Becks back then) of their game we struggled. Liverpool when they had Murphy, Arsenal back then seemed to beat us quite a bit. Chelsea too. It's just one of those things. Although certain years we're on top, some years they're on top. Like right now, we struggled against Liverpool when they couldn't beat us in Rafa's era just before 08/09(may be another season back). But like the Bayern game, Inter, Milan, City, Arsenal etc, when we needed it, we can turn it on. We could definitely do better though. Ando may hold that key if he grows into the player we need. At Stamford Bridge we look comfortable IMO. We just need to help Rooney a bit more. Ando is the guy. He's just going through that 'shitty' period right now. Whether he gets out of it or not, nobody knows. We better hope he would like Nani has. Would bring our game to a whole new level. His injury last season came at a bad time for him and us.


VDS
Defence(sorted for another 2-3 seasons at least)
Fletcher-Carrick/Scholes
Valencia-Ando-Nani
Rooney

Those position we probably need to look at. We're fine with Scholes, but this is probably his last season although he could easily go on for a few more years looking at the way he plays currently. Carrick need to get back into form. Remember Alonso was struggling too for a while after a good start at Liverpool before showing the kind of form in his final season there that got him a move to Real. Form is temporary, class is permanent and all that.

3rd-CM/AM position. We only use it just 2/5 of our games, where the remaining games we mostly play with 2 strikers. So we shouldn't break the bank for a guy just to play that specific role where we would only use 2/5 of our games unless he too can play comfortably without messing us up defensively in a 442 formation, whether out wide, upfront, or in the middle. We got Ando, Gibson, Park, Giggs there currently. Gibson got goals in him, his all round play, not so much currently. Ando got everything apart from shooting boots and a right foot and perform just above average-good level mostly but we need those 'verygood-great level' more out of him which currently comes out once a while. Park and Giggs would always perform at a good level, but need need a bit more to get to another level. Either we be patient with Gibson/Ando to do a Fletcher/Nani, or we could buy a sure thing now. But that still would not guarantee anything. See Real, us with Veron/Berba, Barca with Zlatan..

GK position we should take a serious look at. We have another season out of VDS although if his form is good, and his body, heart and mind allows him, we could possibly extend for another season as well. But we should have targets in mind. Since the Foster project didn't work out as expected, we should get a sure thing(or close to being one ATM) this time. Whoever that is. Might want to take a good look at Lloris and the German GK at the WC. Too bad the other German GK couldn't make it because of injury.

He'd be pretty good huh? 28, great age to get a GK in. Not possible unfortunately.

Very good player. 3rd CM role, think he could play that role well. He has a bit of class about him. He's not top drawer kind of player, but would be a good addition. Only 24 as well.

Looks like Vida is thinking of leaving, if his 'agent' is to be believed. Last season the same 'agent' said he wants to go to Barca. A week or a few after that his 'other agent' come out and flatly denied all the stories about him wanting away and the reasons for it. And we along with City made a bid for Simon Kjaer if the quotes from Palermo's president is real.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premie...-war-as-palermo

+1

Get Oezil! Neuer Look pretty good too.

He fits the profile. Only 22(will be). And he will represent value. He moved to Werder in 2008. His contract runs until June 2011. As far as I know, there's no progress on that new contract..

Obertan on the wings(backup for now). Oezil in the middle behind Rooney. Nani and Valencia/Park support those two out wide. Muahahahahahahaha