Dr Gloom

Spanish lad that I work with (who knows his football) reckons Luque operates best on the left but can work as a striker if asked to. 26363[/snapback] I don't want to dispute this. From what I have seen of him (though not very much) he didn't look like an out and out winger. And he is better when going forward then when he has a burden of defensive work to do. 26372[/snapback] aye. he looks a canny player, but is he really the 'hard working wide man' souness was after? strikes me more of an attacking winger/forward from what i've seen.

i agree in theory but i'm guessing dyer will be expecting to start when fit after just signing an £80k a week contract

you're probably right gemmil. i'm just feeling mindlessly optimistic after a thoroughly depressing summer has turned on its head in 24 hours.

Haway Dan, we've improved the first 11 a lot over the summer, but to say it's as good as anyone's in the Premiership isn't right. We've always been able to beat anyone on our day, but I can't agree that our first 11 is as good as Chelsea's. Not at all. 26327[/snapback] man for man, maybe not in the defence. and obviously we haven't got anywhere near their strength in depth. i still expect us to challenge for a top 4 place with that starting eleven. souness can ask for no more from his chairman. it's time for him to prove his doubters wrong with results. we should go to places like stamford bridge now confident that we can give them as good a game as anyone in the premierhsip.

My god, what rubbish, our full backs are appalling for starters. Not to mention the inept manager. Talk about going over the top. 26295[/snapback] i said challenging for the title. i don't expect us to win it - remember that we were up there a couple of years ago until the final few weeks of the season with a far poorer backline. i agree with you on the manager - he still has it all to prove - but i think our starting eleven is now as good as anyone's in the premiership. we should be able to beat anyone now on our day with a fully fit first choice eleven, including chelsea. i think the reason we won't win anything is because of the lack of depth in our sqaud, not the quality of the first team.

we have to go back to 4-4-2 if shearer is playing. surely we can't sign owen then shunt him to the right of a 4-3-3. 4-4-2 will also allow nobby to get a few crosses on shearer's heed

could almost bring a tear to your eye

souness asked for five 'top men' and two squad players and the fat controller has delivered. i'm speechless to be honest. there are no excuses for souness now. i can't imagine that he's ever been backed so well by his chairman at any other club. he has to get us back in to the top 5. obviously it will take a while for the new team to gel, but if you look at our first team on paper we should be challenging for the title.

you've got to take your hat off to fat fred. he's signed england's first choice striker and brought back one of our favourite adopted sons in the space of 24 hours. his dividend is safe for the near future.

one greedy bastard. there's only one greedy bastard

fat fred has changed his tune if milner does go. getting in solano is mint but i wouldn't want milner to go, especially not on a permanent deal.

I am 99% sure a decision will be made in the next few hours! 25307[/snapback] lol yeah not exactly sticking his neck out! so we're leaving things later for a left back and another striker then 25313[/snapback] howay man - chin up. we've done alright this transfer window in the end

i hope milner isn't invloved in the deal. our squad is still too thin - i can see milner getting quite a few games if he stays.

i'm getting excited about our season ahead all of a sudden this looks a pretty good team to me: ----------------given carr----boum-----taylor-----babayaro solano--parker---emre------luque ---------shearer---owen bench: harper bramble dyer bowyer n'zogbia shola faye etc

i'm one of the few that will be sad to see him go. i think we could have got more money for him too if we weren't so desperate to balance the books after the owen deal.

fucking hell. could this day get any better?

it's got to be owen. was anyone actually confident that fat fred would pull it off? i wasn't. he's the perfect replacement for bellamy.

How ? 17517[/snapback] because he is the man that sorts out incoming players.

it does take the piss that we have still only signed 2 genuine first team players in a summer that saw 9 leave and with only a few days of the transfer window left. for all of souness's faults (of which there are many), the fact that we are so short on numbers and quality is down to the fat twat that runs the club.

i can't see where an equaliser is coming from looking at that bench

the best we can hope for is to nick one from a set piece. we'll never get in behind them with shearer and shola up front.

oh dear.

have we had any efforts or much possesion?