LDN Blue

F*cking West Ham I hope Birmingham overcome their deficit tomorrow and annihilate West Ham in the play-off final! They've played wonderful football this season and deserve, especially Houghton, to have their Premier League status restored. I'd hate it for Hammers to come back up.. AGAIN.

Ramires will make him his personal b*tch anyway.

Yea, there's been a major decline. I'm actually of the belief the best right-back in the world is Sagna.

Do you just not like any good potential managers? Rogers is different because of the style of football he's getting Swansea to play, it's a delight to watch as well because of the passing philosophy they instil and don't shy away from. Of course he's not perfect but he's built a good squad at Swansea from keeper to strikers. He's going well, and deserves the hype he getting.

German hype in the PL now it seems. Arsenal with Mertesaker & Podolski, us with Marin & potentially Schurrle?! Makes sense, German's get things done.

As they said on ITV's pre-match analysis, "he's a lad who just loves playing football"

Oh phew, thought it was something important Can't wait to watch it when I get a chance tonight

So.. What did I miss today?

Typical.

Sort of unfair question. Blackman's sitting in our reserve squad while Courtois is playing for a good European side in a top league. Until we see Jamal in that kind of environment it's a pointless comparison.

It would only be deemed successful if this mean ticket prices fall and we can fill the bloody thing. No point in having a massive 15,000 seat tier if the majority of those seats are empty. Of course initially it won't matter since everyone will spend whatever to be there first time, but after it will become a problem. Look at the Emirates, their ticket prices are extortionate and have an awful atmosphere because of it.

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I think you're mistaking ambition for arrogance. The last thing the kid reflects is the latter.

Crouch's goal would've been more amazing, imo, if that lanky sh*t hadn't scored it.

where did you get that idea from?!

Definitely not the type of striker we need. Not till we have the right resources in midfield anyway.

It's the problem of having no home-grown talent come through. I fully agree with you, at the same time I can understand fans' expectations too. Especially after what's going on with McEachran, what we saw as our best prospect in a long while*. *Not that I'm implying he still can't be.

Yeah true! Now that Pep is leaving the lure of Barca might start diminishing. A long shot, but stranger things have occurred

Good answers! Only thing I'd pick up on from that is we must be careful with Chalobah. He's still only 17 and it's easier to take a punt on a full-back at that age (i.e. Robinson & Flanegan at Liverpool) but the central positions are almost never risked with kids, especially at the age of that. I do agree that it would be a hard task, so maybe counting Ivanovic and we could have enough cover. Buying a versatile defender, like Ivanovic, who can play anywhere across the back 4 must be a priority. Dare I say a priority over having a full-time right-back.

Yeah I was just about to say this. While I agree with OP it should be within reason. Especially with our next league game being at Anfield, I don't want us to throw that game for the sake of youngsters getting too much exposure. Whoever loses on Saturday will have a thing to prove! Lukaku, Bertrand & Romeu are players that should start v. Blackburn and the latter 2 could probably start v. Liverpool. Piazon & Hutchinson should get about 15minutes v. Blackburn and no more.

I like the idea but there are some flaws: We'd need another centre back, perhaps even 2. We've seen how much panic we're in with both Luiz & Cahill injured. Terry will be another year older, and while I don't think his decline will be so obvious, naturally he'll be rotated a lot more. For the same reason I think another left-back is needed, someone young to give competition to Bertrand. Cole will be used similar to Terry but if Bertrand picks up an injury or even Cole there's no back up. Buying a full-back that can play left & right is necessary. Also, too many wingers. There's not much point in perusing both Hulk & Willian. Especially with Marin & De Bryune coming in (I don't think the latter will be part of the squad in all honesty). We need either one or two more proper attacking midfield players. Not deep lying ones either. Someone needs to relieve the pressure of Mata and even allow rotation. Marin didn't shine at Werder because he was playing behind the striker. De Bryune can play there but I have high doubts as to whether he would or not.

I know, what I meant was being so predictable isn't always so bad. Also that a pretty bleak view of a young footballer. Of course he'll improve, he's only 22 for christ's sake, people talk of him as if he's a finished product. Like DYC said before, many kids like this go through such dips in form. Welbeck went on one for a while till he struck up this partnership he's got with Rooney. He's shouldn't be allowed to go anywhere in June, unless he's real adamant on leaving. Which I don't think he will be because no top club will assure him of a CF role.

You could say Ben Arfa is the same, but look how well he's doing..

Derby della Madonnina next for Milan though, Juve fans must feel odd backing Inter for once

That was more Real's fault though, they're feeling spiteful because Barcelona are there at their expense.