Gourcuff

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Don't care if he's gay or straight & don't even want to know but got my doubts about him as a PL footballer.

I'm not 100% sure he will be superstar either but we do need creative attacking midfielder who has got real talent and potential. As far as I can see, there are no surefire options realistically available to us so some degree of chance has to be taken no matter what. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have Fabregas as well but that simply isn't going to happen. Ozil is good option as well as mentioned here on the back of his great season and performance in First game of the World Club, however I would rate him as big risk as Gourcuff.

Good thing is that we haven't been linked to hasbeen's like Ronaldinho this summer so far.

[DoomMerchant]

Don't care if he's gay or straight & don't even want to know but got my doubts about him as a PL footballer.

I'm not 100% sure he will be superstar either but we do need creative attacking midfielder who has got real talent and potential. As far as I can see, there are no surefire options realistically available to us so some degree of chance has to be taken no matter what. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have Fabregas as well but that simply isn't going to happen. Ozil is good option as well as mentioned here on the back of his great season and performance in First game of the World Club, however I would rate him as big risk as Gourcuff.

Good thing is that we haven't been linked to hasbeen's like Ronaldinho this summer so far.

what about that little Dutch kid Elia? dunno much about him but he's looked tasty to me. is he a winger tho maybe? Or does he play in the hole? both maybe.

cheers

[kinkylola]

pretty sure he's an out and out wide man, left sided as well. If mancini got him it would mean playing johnson on the right all the time and I just don't think that's the right thing to do. (eljia that is)

[Slim]

pretty sure he's an out and out wide man, left sided as well. If mancini got him it would mean playing johnson on the right all the time and I just don't think that's the right thing to do. (eljia that is)

Why? Elia is right footed and plays on both sides, I think he has been more effective when playing on the right as he doesn't know what his left foot is for, and when playing on the left it consists of running inside the channel and cutbacks.

[kinkylola]

ah well, my mistake then.

[Wonderwall]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

[The Man In Blue]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

he sounds like trouble.

i want more dedicated hardworking pros in the mould of NDJ p-lease, not shrinking violets/egotistical troublemakers.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

he sounds like trouble.

i want more dedicated hardworking pros in the mould of NDJ p-lease, not shrinking violets/egotistical troublemakers.

Problem is, there's only so far you can go with seriously limited players like De Jong. No matter how hard they work. In fact, think we have already reached upper echelon of his limits.

[The Man In Blue]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

he sounds like trouble.

i want more dedicated hardworking pros in the mould of NDJ p-lease, not shrinking violets/egotistical troublemakers.

Problem is, there's only so far you can go with seriously limited players like De Jong. No matter how hard they work. In fact, think we have already reached upper echelon of his limits.

whilst i don't agree with your assessment, that is for another thread mate. what i was referring to was his attitude. a real team player to the core, committed to the blue cause. i can't be arsed with more robinho-esque pussies who whinge to the press, cause problems in the dressing room and just generally behave like spoilt twats. obviously i'm not certain Gourcuff is like that, but i'd rather not take the chance.

[Ted Hughes]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

he sounds like trouble.

i want more dedicated hardworking pros in the mould of NDJ p-lease, not shrinking violets/egotistical troublemakers.

Problem is, there's only so far you can go with seriously limited players like De Jong. No matter how hard they work. In fact, think we have already reached upper echelon of his limits.

With the selections Mancini made last season & the players we're linked to now, I'm wondering if he's got in mind a similar kind of system to Brazil with 2 out & out holding midfielders & attacking fullbacks. In which case that would mainly be De Jong/Barry & Yaya Toure with any combination of about 10 choices in front of them perhaps also using Barry in front in big away games. I thought it was the system Hughes was aiming for but then he suddenly went 4-4-2 possibly because our fullbacks are average. Will need 2 new ones if it's to work but it would give the Silva's/Gourcuff's even Robinho's of the world extra protection & let them do their own thing.

Also, could Barry be used as a left back in some games? Mancini moved him there quite a few times.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

he sounds like trouble.

i want more dedicated hardworking pros in the mould of NDJ p-lease, not shrinking violets/egotistical troublemakers.

Problem is, there's only so far you can go with seriously limited players like De Jong. No matter how hard they work. In fact, think we have already reached upper echelon of his limits.

With the selections Mancini made last season & the players we're linked to now, I'm wondering if he's got in mind a similar kind of system to Brazil with 2 out & out holding midfielders & attacking fullbacks. In which case that would mainly be De Jong/Barry & Yaya Toure with any combination of about 10 choices in front of them perhaps also using Barry in front in big away games. I thought it was the system Hughes was aiming for but then he suddenly went 4-4-2 possibly because our fullbacks are average. Will need 2 new ones if it's to work but it would give the Silva's/Gourcuff's even Robinho's of the world extra protection & let them do their own thing.

Also, could Barry be used as a left back in some games? Mancini moved him there quite a few times.

I'd really like Barry as leftback. In fact, and some people will call me crazy, but it's his best position (although as defensive midfielder he is quality as well but I feel he could have been world class left back). However Barry categorically said even when he was in Villa that he sees himself as midfielder. He'll help them team out if needs be but will only play regularily in midfield. SO I think that's out of the question.

[Ted Hughes]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

he sounds like trouble.

i want more dedicated hardworking pros in the mould of NDJ p-lease, not shrinking violets/egotistical troublemakers.

Problem is, there's only so far you can go with seriously limited players like De Jong. No matter how hard they work. In fact, think we have already reached upper echelon of his limits.

With the selections Mancini made last season & the players we're linked to now, I'm wondering if he's got in mind a similar kind of system to Brazil with 2 out & out holding midfielders & attacking fullbacks. In which case that would mainly be De Jong/Barry & Yaya Toure with any combination of about 10 choices in front of them perhaps also using Barry in front in big away games. I thought it was the system Hughes was aiming for but then he suddenly went 4-4-2 possibly because our fullbacks are average. Will need 2 new ones if it's to work but it would give the Silva's/Gourcuff's even Robinho's of the world extra protection & let them do their own thing.

Also, could Barry be used as a left back in some games? Mancini moved him there quite a few times.

I'd really like Barry as leftback. In fact, and some people will call me crazy, but it's his best position (although as defensive midfielder he is quality as well but I feel he could have been world class left back). However Barry categorically said even when he was in Villa that he sees himself as midfielder. He'll help them team out if needs be but will only play regularily in midfield. SO I think that's out of the question.

You're probably right but I recon Mancini's considered it. I don't think Bridge has been anywhere near good enough going forward & I recon we need someone with a much better attacking game in both fullback positions if I'm right about Mancini's intentions. I think Hughes was expecting Bridge & Zabba to be better than they are attack wise & it's the biggest part of his plan that fucked up. Mancini will have to do something else if we can't replace them with the required quality .

[The Man In Blue]

didn't Scolari try the same thing (attacking full-backs, defensive centre mids) with Chel-see-uh?

[Ted Hughes]

didn't Scolari try the same thing (attacking full-backs, defensive centre mids) with Chel-see-uh?

Not sure what the fuck Scolari was trying to do! I recon he just told them to 'spread out'. An Italian organising it rather than a vastly overrated & fortunate Brazilian would look somewhat different imo.

I don't think tbh that Toure or Barry would be expected to sit there for 90 mins next to DeJong, just that it would be their responsibility to make sure they were in position to cover when others inc fullbacks went forward. It's what Hughes tried to do but Bridge kept suddenly hairing forward at the wrong times & leaving a gap which the oppo took advantage of.

[Wonderwall]

I'd really like Barry as leftback. In fact, and some people will call me crazy, but it's his best position (although as defensive midfielder he is quality as well but I feel he could have been world class left back). However Barry categorically said even when he was in Villa that he sees himself as midfielder. He'll help them team out if needs be but will only play regularily in midfield. SO I think that's out of the question.

Your crazy, no, really crazy. Gareth Barry against Aaron lennon on the 1st game of the season... almost as big a mismatch as sylvinho against lennon last season. Barry is way too slow to play left back, it would kill us.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I'd really like Barry as leftback. In fact, and some people will call me crazy, but it's his best position (although as defensive midfielder he is quality as well but I feel he could have been world class left back). However Barry categorically said even when he was in Villa that he sees himself as midfielder. He'll help them team out if needs be but will only play regularily in midfield. SO I think that's out of the question.

Your crazy, no, really crazy. Gareth Barry against Aaron lennon on the 1st game of the season... almost as big a mismatch as sylvinho against lennon last season. Barry is way too slow to play left back, it would kill us.

Like I said, some people will call me crazy.

On a sidenote, Lennon is easy to defend against. Just make sure that he can't cut in or get a shot at goal and he'll usually run out of the touchline with the ball. You don't need to keep up with him, just cover the goal basically.

[Slim]

why wont people listen to me.

It's the french accent.

[Wonderwall]

I'd really like Barry as leftback. In fact, and some people will call me crazy, but it's his best position (although as defensive midfielder he is quality as well but I feel he could have been world class left back). However Barry categorically said even when he was in Villa that he sees himself as midfielder. He'll help them team out if needs be but will only play regularily in midfield. SO I think that's out of the question.

Your crazy, no, really crazy. Gareth Barry against Aaron lennon on the 1st game of the season... almost as big a mismatch as sylvinho against lennon last season. Barry is way too slow to play left back, it would kill us.

Like I said, some people will call me crazy.

On a sidenote, Lennon is easy to defend against. Just make sure that he can't cut in or get a shot at goal and he'll usually run out of the touchline with the ball. You don't need to keep up with him, just cover the goal basically.

thats when he is running with the ball, but when you have modric in midfield passing it over the top or sliding a pass behind the defence, I know who my money would be on in a race to get to the ball first.

If lennon is easy to defend against, why is he ripping defences apart week in week out.

[Dubaimancityfan]

gourcuff is poop, why wont people listen to me, I do not want him anywhere near my team.

Based on his performance in the first France match, I would agree. he was clueless ! But I have seen him do better in other France matches and I hear he's had a great domestic season although I don't follow French football so I wouldn't know. I would love to have Ozil though.

[Ted Hughes]

I'd really like Barry as leftback. In fact, and some people will call me crazy, but it's his best position (although as defensive midfielder he is quality as well but I feel he could have been world class left back). However Barry categorically said even when he was in Villa that he sees himself as midfielder. He'll help them team out if needs be but will only play regularily in midfield. SO I think that's out of the question.

Your crazy, no, really crazy. Gareth Barry against Aaron lennon on the 1st game of the season... almost as big a mismatch as sylvinho against lennon last season. Barry is way too slow to play left back, it would kill us.

Like I said, some people will call me crazy.

On a sidenote, Lennon is easy to defend against. Just make sure that he can't cut in or get a shot at goal and he'll usually run out of the touchline with the ball. You don't need to keep up with him, just cover the goal basically.

True but no fullback in the modern game will keep a fast winger at bay for 90 mins on his own though, none of them are good enough, you need Tony Book or Glyn Pardoe for that job! Now they rely on having help from other players, like Neville did v Craig Bellamy. Most of them are also thick as shit but Barry although lacking pace, at least has a decent football brain.