BlueLion.

I firmly believe it will be Romeu and Pastore. I know I said Parker on the other page, but Romeu and Pastore, at this point, seem very likely signings.

Will be well worth watching Blackburn and the Villa to assess where they are with pre-season as well, it might make me feel better about Torres' lack of form and confidence.

That's why.

I'd honestly already forgotten about him.

Yeah but you hurt my feelings...

For once I agree with Terminator X. *world comes to an end.*

United don't have the money, they're already £0.87 billion in debt.

Great player. Annoyed to be missing out on him.

I get shouted at when I close them though

We should offer Wigan a loan deal for Kakuta... it wouldn't cost them a thing to replace N'Zogbia then.

What, I'm still here...

Done

Are you talking about Bosingwa or Ramires? Yes Rambo can cross but he was wasted out wide under Carlo's 4-4-2. He is a talented player but not as a wide player. I was referring to Bosingwa when I said he couldn't cross, as that was who I assumed you were talking about.

They won't sell to any club that wants to buy him? So that implies they'll sell him to a club that doesn't want to buy him...

City won't sell him to us.

Glad to hear it

Suppose so, welcome back mate

Or 'Terry's latest conquest comes with a surprise...'

Done, your log-in credentials remain the same.

But he can't cross...

Mikel has to be first-choice. I can't offer a massive post arguing this view as I don't have the time at this minute as I'm distracted by the cricket. So, I shall be succinct: With Essien out injured, Mikel is our only real defensive midfielder. McEachran is not suited to the role, as I believe he lacks the necessary defensive discipline and the physical strength to successfully carry out the role. I appreciate players don't have to be big and bulky to be successful in that role, such as Makelele and Ramires, but Josh is very slight, and furthermore, he is better used elsewhere. I believe the same applies to Ramires, who offers too much going forward to be wasted in the role.McEachran is ready for first-team football, but that doesn't mean he has nothing still to learn. As I have already said, he lacks the same defensive discipline Essien or Ramires possess, and that means there is more of an onus on a CDM if we are to play two attack-minded midfielders in the middle. If we play Lampard and McEachran, for instance, a defensively-disciplined player is needed, and Mikel is the perfect player. Positionally he has improved massively, and the most important part of his game is what has developed the most - his standing tackles and defensive jockeying. Previously he would go to ground, but he has nearly almost entirely eradicated this from his game.He has the experience and the quality to make that position his own. Furthermore, if we increase our attacking prospects by signing Modric or Pastore, or by playing Benayoun or McEachran, we would be increasing the pressure on the CDM role. Mikel knows the role inside-out, is the most positionally-disciplined and the strongest physically out of our CDM options. Yes, Josh could play there as a deep-lying playmaker, or we could play Ramires, but both players would have their attacking instincts negated at the same time as reducing the licence our full-backs have going forward. SO we would have to completely alter the system and buy genuine wingers to supply the width instead of having the need for the full-backs pushing on.What I am saying is he is not only the best option for our CDM position, but his disciplined nature brings the best out of other players. He gives licence for the full-backs, CAMs and B2Bs to bomb forward - and I could argue he is our only option there. Luiz is untested there, Benayoun and Josh are far too attacking and Ramires' B2B contribution would become much more limited. Furthermore, if we sign Romeu, what is to say he'll walk into the matchday squad, let alone be charged with marking Iniesta, Sneijder, Schweinsteiger or Ozil in the Champions League?. That amount of importance has only increased now Essien is out.

I welcome the constructive criticism... with a sense of irony in this case

Whilst we're on the topic of set-pieces, Lampard should never be allowed to touch a direct free-kick again.

He'll go to one of the Milan clubs in the summer then most likely. They can't compete with City/Chelsea/Real for transfer fees, but they can for wages.

I have a feeling we'll announce we've signed him.... but he won't join until next summer, which will be a smart move. He isn't needed right now but next summer, surely one of Anelka and Drogba will have gone.