Barnseysleftpeg

From the way he played in the u17 (or was it u18) tournament I'd say he's wasted at leftback. However the reserves don't have a recognised one since Insua got promoted to the first team so I guess Buchtmann will be starting there next year. But definitely got a lot to offer further up the pitch.

What list is that???? I'm new round here go easy...

You have a real point there!!

He said it on Talksport yesterday as well

But the the thing is there are a few defensive midfielders out there who are top quality maybe not Masch quality but good players nontheless. Essien Diarra Toure Palacios Gattuso Flamini De Jong I don't think I could pick as many players to step in and do what Xabi does. Some of you will say bullshit but it's what I believe. The only player I can think of who passes almost as well and has defensive awareness is Tymoscuk (sp) and he's what 31/32. I'd just think our whole style play would become bitty and awful to watch. Tbh I don't want to lose Masch, I love the way he chases down his opponents but I just think he's slightly more expendable.

Sorry mate just got to ask what do you consider a prancing tart?? Was Ronaldinho a prancing tart???? The best player on the pitch by a mile. Or was it Seedorf, Chivu or Cambiasso???? Why is it that just because we love a team that plays in the PL that we have to downgrade other leagues to make us feel better about ourselves. Imo in terms of quality the premier league is shit barring us, the mancs, the arse and Chelsea. I can't stand watching players who don't even have basic technical ability like a good first touch. I remember watching Villa against the bitters in the league when Villa won 3-2 and I couldn't help thinking how crap both of these teams were. Both playing hit and hope football. How can you prefer that to teams who are trying to play each other off the pitch, how can you prefer that to teams who say I'll back my skill and technique against yours???

That is why when people talk about the premiership is the best league in the world I feel a bit uncomfortable with it. If they're talking about excitement then maybe they've got a point but if you're talking about style of play, level of skill and technique then Spain and Italy are far superior. I only enjoy watching games between the top four teams (of course I watch all our games). I've watched Aston villa and Everton play a few times this season and if you compare the 5th and 6th team in La Liga (Villarreal and Atletico Madrid) in terms of style of play and skill level it's quite embarassing. After the big four teams I think the premier league is poor and I think this will be proved when none of our teams win the UEFA cup.

More than the Mancs and the bitters??

More than the mancs and the bitters??

The thing with Robbie Keane and the subs thing is that most of the time he deserved to get subbed as he wasn't doing the business and we needed to change things. We're a big club and have options, why should we persevere with a player in a game when we're lucky enough to have players on the bench who can possibly change things. I think old Albert has been subbed more times than anyone this season and I think most us would agree that he's considered a starter in Rafas best team so the fact that Robbie got subbed does not show me that Rafa didn't believe in him. If anything I think Rafa only started having doubts after the Preston game where we'd all agree Keane played really badly.

I wouldn't say he's better than Skrtel in a defensive sense but I feel we play better football when he is in the team

Just clutching but alot of the airports were closed yesterday could it not be we've asked for an extension???? Someone on talksport said we were doing something with a well known player in spain so... or I could be clutching

I agree with this but if we had gotten Vidic I don't think we would have ended up getting Skrtel. The Simao transfer is the one that annoys me the most because he's real quality. Not flashy in a Ronaldo sense but effective as fxxk. Can play left right or behind the front man and has workrate if that not a Rafa type player I don't know what is. There's a reason why Simao is picked ahead of Quaresma for the Portugal NT.

First linked with Renato Augusto and now Gourcuff who are both essentially the same type of player i.e attacking midfielder/playmakers who can operate from the right hand side. They'd play in the Yossi role however with the added bonus of both being taller than Yossi and as a result possibly more stronger on the ball. Wouldn't be surprised if either one of these guys came in at the expense of Yossi.

How did he look??

I like the guy would have him in a minute. Is he overrated - maybe. But does he have pace and skill - yes. Can he produce something out of nothing - yes. I feel a player of his style is what all of us fans are crying out for. The type of player we haven't had since Macca and then Barnes before him. Sadly I feel Rafa is not interested in this type. i feel he respects the talent but doesn't respect what comes with it i.e ego, poor team ethic, non existent workrate etc. However Barnes and macca didn't suffer from those things ironically. Also think he doesn't like the idea of having to build a team around one player which you have to do in some cases.

He was consistantly brilliant. Someone earlier said that he carried our team and that is so true as when he wasn't playing we were truly awful creatively wise. People do him a disservice when they label him as simply a winger he was more than that he was a bonafied playmaker. Should have played more for england but he suffered from the same the problem that alot of our great players have when they play for England i.e Barnes, Fowler, Gerrard is that when they play for their countries they are not the main men whereas for us they were/are all the main attacking focus of our team. Was gutted when he left and still love him was really happy that he managed to win a european cup because his talent deserved it and to do it playing with the likes of Figo, Raul, Redondo and later Zidane and Ronaldo speaks volumes for his talent. There's no coincidence that the Real Madrid fans remember him far more affectionately than Beckham and most consider him a better player for the club. Sadly his memory is tainted by the manner he left us but in his defence the club had been trying to cash in on him for ages. Basically Houillier didn't fancy Macca as he was too much of a free spirit for the the team he was trying to build which was going to be more functional than the flair team built by Evans. The other thing fans hate is that he never stopped being an Everton fan unlike the likes of Carra and Fowler. I don't like it but hey you can't have everything. The fact is he was the best player, along with Fowler, during one of our bleakest times. With better players around him we would have won more, this was proved when he went to a better team. Would walk into our side now. Think about it he could play left, right or off the front man how many of those players exist now and the ones that do are worth 30million odd. I don't care what anyone says he's a legend.

Does anyone know whats happened to Duran?? hasn't been involved in the last few squads and we are really lacking in creativity and he definitely provides it when he plays.

Hello all first post here I hope everyone is good. Just wanted to say that I was really impressed with Duran again last night even though it was just 20 odd minute or so cameo. Looks to have an eye for a pass and a bit of skill. Thought he was MOTM in the 2-2 against Everton. What do you guys think of his chances at progressing to the first team, personally I feel Spearings got another player to worry about overtaking him.