f**king messageboard.

[Rich]

It's good news that we're signing Destro. I base this on the fact that Chelsea wanted him so now can't have him.

It does rather beg the question as to why we're signing more strikers rather than Arteta/Flamini replacements and/or defenders?

[Pat Vegas]

Plus we never buy Italian's really.

[Peter]

Which appears to remain a distinct possibility.

[Rich]

[Rich]

[Berni]

[Ben.]

which had all poured forward (again), absolutely roasting our makeshift right back and easily outjumping our makeshift centre back I was thinking that we're crying out for another striker.

[Pat Vegas]

[Berni]

[Pat Vegas]

expect many 6-5 games soon.

[Pokster]

but then question me when i asked why we didn't spend any more money on our defence in the summer, and make out we might not have had any money.

Get your story straight

[Ben.]

maybe we could wait for their centre back to get possession and then just blitz him with strikers and number 10s, let's face it there's nothing defensively that we'd actually miss.

[Pat Vegas]

Then from a bit of tabloid stuff he says we are getting this Italian chap.

[Rich]

The most pressing need is evidently for a defender or maybe even two.

Not sure who it'll be yet but we do need someone.

If Podoslki goes as well that will free up 100k a week so could see something happen in the attacking ranks, but probably unlikely.

Campbell might go as well imho. He's not good enough for regular football with us.

[Pat Vegas]

we'll have some players back from injury and he'll go with that.

We might get one maximum. Kallstrom back.

[redgunamo]

[Ben.]

than the defence, with the notable exception of Arteta whose legs let him down.
For instance Chelsea could cope with Chambers or Monreal having to fill in on the basis of their team having some sort of structure.

[Pokster]

we evidently do have cash, the R&A's show it, our transfer dealings show it, but you keep saying we don't

[Pat Vegas]

We should always have cash available at any time if we spend it or not is a different story.

[Brentwood]

[redgunamo]

some other clubs. Therefore, as people want to insist that we need to buy the sort of players that Chelsea and Manchester City would buy (i.e. good ones), rather than ones we can easily afford, then they clearly do not have the best interests of the club at heart and, in fact, actually want us to "do a Leeds".

I suppose Part 2 of this approach is to claim that said target isn't actually good enough for us, right before he goes and wins trophies with somebody else, in which case said target will be said to have been too greedy :-)

[Rich]

This is pretty simple stuff.

[Rich]

[redgunamo]

to afford (sorry http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/frown.gif ) the kind of forwards that could guarantee us Top Two finishes. We've had to make our lack of structure a virtue, rather than a weakness. You know, beautiful football and a' that jazz.

The alternative argument, I suppose, is that we actually need to play worse football in order to get better results http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/ohwell.gif

[Pat Vegas]

[Ben.]

but how many times do we have to concede goals by sloppily giving the ball away with our full backs and midfield all up the pitch and out the game?
Look at Barcelona and Spain, probably the best passing sides ever seen, Busquets was/is a key part of their success.
I don't think it needs a complete overhaul, just a decent central midfielder and some discipline and common sense from the rest of them.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Not a head to head comparison of individual players as that tends to degenerate into a playground style mine is better than yours argument, but their entire composite of keeper/back 4/matic + discipline and organisation. Ultimately it leads to concession of less silly goals (or less goals in somewhat silly circumstances).

If they were 1 up at Swansea for example I would expect Mourinho to remove an attacker and add to their midfield with a Ramires or Mikel, sole purpose being to protect the 1 goal lead and maybe even add to it if the chance arose as Swansea pushed.

We pressed for a second.

See also Anderlecht which was worse again.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

"I don't think it needs a complete overhaul, just a decent central midfielder and some discipline and common sense from the rest of them."

[redgunamo]

Practically any midfielder in the world would fancy his chances playing behind him.

[Brentwood]

[Ben.]

Start with one.

[Ben.]

Busquets is massively underrated imo, although it's partly his own fault for being such an odious individual.

[redgunamo]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

The manner in which we have conceded both games in the last week has been utterly ridiculous.

Discipline and common sense as you suggest, and dare I say perhaps instruction from the bench.

[Ben.]

[redgunamo]

then you've bought the wrong one.

[Ben.]

they see Arsene wrapped up in a blanket, like something from an old people's home.
When was the last time he kicked a water bottle?

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

See our very own Gilberto Silva as evidence.

Clearly your glory players are the newspaper headlines but I would suggest Matic is the best signing in the PL this year, in terms of what he has added to his side.

Superb footballer.

[redgunamo]

actually need them. At professional level anyway.

[Ben.]

[redgunamo]

Or what did we make of Ramsey ' s defensive contribution last season?

[Ben.]

but one is a direct consequence of the other, Ramsey was deeper last season (despite all the goals) he also seems to have bulked up quite alot and looks less mobile and the stupid, needless flicks and backheels have returned.
Part of the reason for his goals/chances was the timing of his runs from deep (a la fat Frank) where as now he appears to more goalhanging, for want of a better phrase,

[redgunamo]

[Peter]

This is rather worrying

[Rich]

your receipts.

Cash reserves are important for the financial well-being of the club. You absolutely cannot go spending it all, though. Particularly when you're as massively in debt as us.

[Pokster]

[Pokster]

[Pokster]