August 4, 201410 yr Only play in cup games. It was confirmed he could play in premiership / champions league matches. Newcastle sign striker Facundo Ferreyra on loan from Shakhtar! Brilliant signing, hopefully he could do well in the premier league. I think Newcastle have built their squad fairly well this summer tbh. I'm still surprised they never attempted to sign Demba Ba back although they're trying to keep Remy. I'm expecting West Ham to have a good season this year tbh.
August 4, 201410 yr Author It was confirmed he could play in premiership / champions league matches. Newcastle sign striker Facundo Ferreyra on loan from Shakhtar! Brilliant signing, hopefully he could do well in the premier league. I think Newcastle have built their squad fairly well this summer tbh. I'm still surprised they never attempted to sign Demba Ba back although they're trying to keep Remy. I'm expecting West Ham to have a good season this year tbh. Oh he'll be able to play, but I don't see him. He's past it, maybe good for impact sub appearances and cup games but really can't see playing that many games. Newcastle have made some decent signings. Their problem has always been consistency, and the bigger problem is their owner. If they solve the Cabaye issue then they will have a decent season. West Ham I'm still not sure about. Some good signings, certainly expect them to do better than last season and not be in a relegation battle at any point, but with Carroll injured again it's going to be a massive loss.
August 4, 201410 yr I'm in two minds about us. Kouyate looks like a fantastic buy, firepower shouldn't be an issue with Valencia and Zarate coming in and we've brought in two young, proven full backs in what was arguably our weakest area. On the other hand, I don't trust Allardyce not to get the midfield balance completely wrong and stick with Nolan rather than trying to nurture Morrison or try Diamé as the Number 10.
August 4, 201410 yr Author I'm in two minds about us. Kouyate looks like a fantastic buy, firepower shouldn't be an issue with Valencia and Zarate coming in and we've brought in two young, proven full backs in what was arguably our weakest area. On the other hand, I don't trust Allardyce not to get the midfield balance completely wrong and stick with Nolan rather than trying to nurture Morrison or try Diamé as the Number 10. How will you line-up this season? I don't know what formation West Ham usually play, apart from I imagine it's some sort of 4-4-2, only not strict defensive banks of 4 like Hodgson likes to have when defending. What's the craic with Morrison too? All the talent is there, but just don't think he will ever be able to control his off the field issues.
August 4, 201410 yr How will you line-up this season? I don't know what formation West Ham usually play, apart from I imagine it's some sort of 4-4-2, only not strict defensive banks of 4 like Hodgson likes to have when defending. What's the craic with Morrison too? All the talent is there, but just don't think he will ever be able to control his off the field issues. It was usually a pretty deep 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 last season. We pretty much never played with two up front, although that's an option now with Zarate and Valencia. There's been talk of us using a diamond midfield, presumably with Kouyate deep and Noble and Diame behind either Nolan or Morrison. That would mean no Jarvis or Downing but with some decent full backs that wouldn't necessarily be a problem. Morrison's an odd one. There were rumours of him having an anti-Semitic rant at one of the owners when he got loaned out to QPR but that seems pretty unfounded given they seem more keen on keeping him than Allardyce does. They're not a great fit as I can't see Big Sam putting the arm around his shoulder that he needs. I'd imagine he'll be off in January if he's not starting most games.
August 4, 201410 yr Author It was usually a pretty deep 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 last season. We pretty much never played with two up front, although that's an option now with Zarate and Valencia. There's been talk of us using a diamond midfield, presumably with Kouyate deep and Noble and Diame behind either Nolan or Morrison. That would mean no Jarvis or Downing but with some decent full backs that wouldn't necessarily be a problem. Morrison's an odd one. There were rumours of him having an anti-Semitic rant at one of the owners when he got loaned out to QPR but that seems pretty unfounded given they seem more keen on keeping him than Allardyce does. They're not a great fit as I can't see Big Sam putting the arm around his shoulder that he needs. I'd imagine he'll be off in January if he's not starting most games. I think a 4-4-2 formation would suit you, but the ones that Liverpool and Man City played at times last season were so tactically set with patterns of play, I just don't think Allardyce has that in his head to get the most. I think two up top would really help Carroll become a really decent goalscorer. Yeah I've heard some rumours about him too. Never really sure how true they are though. Shame as all the talent's there, but I just don't think he'll ever cut it at a top club. Similar to Taarat. Got the ability, but just think they have the attitude/work ethic to put in that extra 10% that makes you a top professional. If he applied himself properly like Pogba did, he could be excellent.
August 4, 201410 yr I think a 4-4-2 formation would suit you, but the ones that Liverpool and Man City played at times last season were so tactically set with patterns of play, I just don't think Allardyce has that in his head to get the most. I think two up top would really help Carroll become a really decent goalscorer. Yeah I've heard some rumours about him too. Never really sure how true they are though. Shame as all the talent's there, but I just don't think he'll ever cut it at a top club. Similar to Taarat. Got the ability, but just think they have the attitude/work ethic to put in that extra 10% that makes you a top professional. If he applied himself properly like Pogba did, he could be excellent. We don't seem to have used two up front in any friendlies so far. Shame as it would be a really useful Plan B at the very least and, if I remember correctly, Valencia had a strike partner for Ecuador at the World Cup.
August 4, 201410 yr Author We don't seem to have used two up front in any friendlies so far. Shame as it would be a really useful Plan B at the very least and, if I remember correctly, Valencia had a strike partner for Ecuador at the World Cup. Certainly. I think more and more teams are edging towards two strikers up front now, or at least having it as plan to use. It can leave gaping holes in your team unless you structure them properly, but it's a great alternative. Proper can't wait for the new season to start. It's going to be competitive across the board, this extra TV money has certainly meant teams are more willing to splash the cash (Villa aside).
August 4, 201410 yr Certainly. I think more and more teams are edging towards two strikers up front now, or at least having it as plan to use. It can leave gaping holes in your team unless you structure them properly, but it's a great alternative. Proper can't wait for the new season to start. It's going to be competitive across the board, this extra TV money has certainly meant teams are more willing to splash the cash (Villa aside). Same happened last season as well. Really started to notice bottom half teams splashing £10 or more on one player (Carroll, Osvaldo, Bony, Van Wolfswinkel even) and it's continued as the money keeps rolling in. I worry for Villa unless their youngsters really come through.
August 5, 201410 yr Author Same happened last season as well. Really started to notice bottom half teams splashing £10 or more on one player (Carroll, Osvaldo, Bony, Van Wolfswinkel even) and it's continued as the money keeps rolling in. I worry for Villa unless their youngsters really come through. It's weird isn't it. What was considered a £10-15m player a few years ago, is now £20m+. At least in Premier League terms. Think Villa will really struggle this year. Don't think you can compete without spending, and with an owner unwilling to invest massively they will really struggle imo. Really speaks volumes when they signed Joe Cole to be a starter! Definitely going to start a Seasons Predictions thread at some point this week.
August 5, 201410 yr I do think this is the season that Aston Villa will be relegated from the premiership, it all went downhill since Martin O Neil resigned. Jack Rodwell is joining Sunderland from Man City for 10 million, surprised City got 10 million for a player who's not really played in the last 2 years.
August 5, 201410 yr Good buy for Sunderland if his head's right. Probably an upgrade on Colback anyway.
August 5, 201410 yr Author Is it a good buy thought really? I think he needs to be a consistent performer, but £10m for a player whose played barely double figures in the past 2 years seems a bit too steep. The lad's got potential, but just not sure whether he will ever unlock it. Guess we will see now.
August 5, 201410 yr How Man City have managed to lose only £2m on Rodwell after the last two years is remarkable but then no one overpays like Sunderland do. If they do manage to sign Borini they'll have a £60m strikeforce, which is insane when you realise that's Fabio Borni, Josy Altidore, Steven Fletcher, Danny Graham and Connor Wickham!
August 5, 201410 yr Pepe Reina has gone to Bayern Munich in the hope of playing first team football, silly decision really with Neuer in top form at the moment. Edited August 5, 201410 yr by Pablo Escobar
August 5, 201410 yr Author Pepe Reina has gone to Bayern Munich in the hope of playing first team football, silly decision really with Neuer in top form at the moment. That's what he says. The reality is he will sit on the bench. Would have liked to have keep him at Liverpool but his wages were apparently £110,000 a week, and he burned his bridges last summer.
August 5, 201410 yr Derby finally signed George Thorne a couple of weeks again but then got injured in his first friendly for the team and is out for around 9 months. :( However, it looks like we are about to sign Omar Mascarell from Real Madrid on a season-long loan who even played for the Real Madrid first team at the end of last season - this sounds like a potentially amazing signing! :o
August 6, 201410 yr Liverpool have signed Atletico Madrid's full-back Javier Manquillo on a two-season loan.
August 6, 201410 yr Author If we get Moreno in as well, than another striker and I'm very happy with the squad. Full-backs is wholeheartedly the area where we're weakest, and Man Utd exposed the problem the other night. Genuinely excited, because full backs are so key to the way teams play these days, and since Rodgers time bar a short spell for Johnson in form, we've never actually had good attacking fullbacks!
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