Don't realise what you had til it's not there

[Slim]

Toure-replaced by a Belgium kid who is outshining pretty much every centrehalf in the league.
Tevez-replaced by a scouse crock and most filth fans think they came out the better on the deal.
Barry-replaced by Downing, who was injured till November when they bought him.

Hardly leaving massive gaping holes in their lineups are they? Given leaves, Newcastle get relegated...'world class' lets its absence speak for itself.

Whilst I agree that Barry isn't world class and you've got the other two right in that list, to say Downing is a replacement for Barry is stretching it a bit. I think the villa midfield has been weakened because of the loss of Barry but they've probably played better as a team as I don't think his head was in the right place last season.

They sold Barry for £12M, they bought Downing for £12M, they won't play him wide left because Ashley Young has a god given right to that position apparently which only leaves in the middle of the park. They signed four defenders, a goalkeeper, Downing and that young kid Delph.

So Barry was replaced by Downing, a league one kid or no-one. I am guessing none of those really speak volumes to the vacuum he created upon departure.

[Dameerto]

I think Delph will develop over time into a quality Prem midfielder - he's not the same type of player as Barry but he's an exciting prospect if he lives up to his potential (and it wont happen over night) plus he is with the ideal manager to help him progress.

[simon12]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

Adebayor, Shay and Robinho is the right answer, you are fucking deluded if you think we have 6 world class stars in this team.

that looks about right to me as well. Tevez, Barry are a notch below that for sure. As is Toure.

Compare that to Chelsea who have Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Cech (perhaps, tho on form im not exactly sure i'd still class him there). Maybe at a stretch Terry and Anelka as well.

Compare that with Scouse who have Gerrard, Torres and Reina. Pretty even story.

Arsenal -- Fabregas, Van Persie, Clichy, Gallas. Rosicky if her weren't a sick note i'd say.

Scum -- Rooney, Vidic, Van der Sar (im being ultrakind here), ???? surely i have my blue-tinted glasses on here, but who the fucl else? Hargreaves but not in forever it seems. Fletcher, not quite yet. Carrick good on his day for sure, but not world class. Berba? not for 2 years imho. Mickey Owen. Laff. Wio is past it. who? running on fumes...

Fuck me Doom..Clichy?

[Sister of fu]

Name the world class players in our side, if you get to four you have gone too far and Robbie is still the star among them.

Shay, Toure, Robinho, Ade... maybe Barry as well?

you're right though.

Oops.. forgot all about Tevez - so thats 6 world class stars

Adebayor, Shay and Robinho is the right answer, you are fucking deluded if you think we have 6 world class stars in this team.

that looks about right to me as well. Tevez, Barry are a notch below that for sure. As is Toure.

Compare that to Chelsea who have Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Cech (perhaps, tho on form im not exactly sure i'd still class him there). Maybe at a stretch Terry and Anelka as well.

Compare that with Scouse who have Gerrard, Torres and Reina. Pretty even story.

Arsenal -- Fabregas, Van Persie, Clichy, Gallas. Rosicky if her weren't a sick note i'd say.

Scum -- Rooney, Vidic, Van der Sar (im being ultrakind here), ???? surely i have my blue-tinted glasses on here, but who the fucl else? Hargreaves but not in forever it seems. Fletcher, not quite yet. Carrick good on his day for sure, but not world class. Berba? not for 2 years imho. Mickey Owen. Laff. Wio is past it. who? running on fumes...

I was going to say "fuck me Doom(dont be a funny fucker) Gallas"

[simon12]

My eyes were watering before Gallas

[Sister of fu]

My eyes were watering before Gallas

PMSL

Im giving Doomy pelters for that when he is over next......!!

[Original Dub]

Toure-replaced by a Belgium kid who is outshining pretty much every centrehalf in the league.
Tevez-replaced by a scouse crock and most filth fans think they came out the better on the deal.
Barry-replaced by Downing, who was injured till November when they bought him.

Hardly leaving massive gaping holes in their lineups are they? Given leaves, Newcastle get relegated...'world class' lets its absence speak for itself.

Whilst I agree that Barry isn't world class and you've got the other two right in that list, to say Downing is a replacement for Barry is stretching it a bit. I think the villa midfield has been weakened because of the loss of Barry but they've probably played better as a team as I don't think his head was in the right place last season.

They sold Barry for £12M, they bought Downing for £12M, they won't play him wide left because Ashley Young has a god given right to that position apparently which only leaves in the middle of the park. They signed four defenders, a goalkeeper, Downing and that young kid Delph.

So Barry was replaced by Downing, a league one kid or no-one. I am guessing none of those really speak volumes to the vacuum he created upon departure.

Major flaw with your argument mate - the players you mentioned may have been PURCHASED to replace these great departing players, but you can only say they have been adequately replaced over the course of the season. The jury is most certainly out on Michael Owen replacing Tevez. Tevez was MASSIVELY important to them as the season wore on and he changed very crucial games on his own at times. Owen might stick a few poaching goals away for them, but any half decent finisher would in that side. But what else will he give them that Tevez did? Fuck what United fans say anyway!

Downing for Barry? There's no basis for any debate yet because he hasn't even played as you said.

You may well have a point about Toure, because that V lad looks very good.... well certainly at scoring anyway, but it looks to me like all he needed was a change of scenary. I think he is a world class defender.

I'd go for Shay, Ade, Robinho, Toure and Tevez.

Look at the list of clubs interested in Tevez because of his performances. He is undoubtedly world class.

[Slim]

Yeah, I can.

Because it's not my judgment that says they will, it's Taggart's and Martin O'Neil's and with wild presumptions abounding, I would say they know more about the value of what they have lost and what they have needed to replace them. More than you and me at least...well you definitely.

Michael Owen is a lethal finisher and always has been, Tevez was not. The biggest criticism I have heard on him is that he is a lot of work and very little end product. Didn't we have a Chinese fella the same as that? Different class of workhorse perhaps, but same breed. Maybe instead of a terrier, they wanted a doberman..which they got.

There is a flaw to my logic, but you haven't spotted it, your clue is Antonio Valencia.

[Dazzacity]

Really cant wait for Robinho to come back for us!! I think he will be unreal with all that other talant around him. I sometimes cant believe my ears when some(very very few) City fans seem to want shot of him or wouldnt be bothered if he went!..I really hope he stays and wants to stay. If he wants to leave then we should let him. Im sure once he gets in the swing of things for us he would snub a move to Barca if it was to come along..Still so much more to come from City and I cant wait when it all clicks. Just need that defence tweakin.

Really pisses me off when I hear "oh he doesnt track back" etc..He's a flare player, he isnt there to 'track back' .I try to explan that he is more or less a striker that plays on the left. He does a hell of alot of running in attackin positions and we would be lucky to get 20mins out of him if he was also expected to track back all of the time. Petrov is even worse for it, yet he doesnt seem to get any stick.

Just hard work tryin to fit them all in!!