Lets play ball : transfer malarky

[SuitsBlue]

super tim to roma? are you having a laugh

mikel to atletico, hah ha haahaa

back to reality, would any of you have gravesen back for a solitary £1 million?

celtic it seems want him off the books, and sunderland were allegedly sniffing around, if they gave us 3mill and mad-dog for beatts, i would snatch their wrists off. oh yes!

michael ball is on a free in the summer i believe, he has done alright at city.

 

[Dylan]

Firstly, Gravesen wouldn't fit into our team anymore, it had to be him as the focus of the team, but now we are stronger all around and there isn't a place per se, unless he was a back-up. Michael Ball, I am not too sure about. He was great when with us, but he hasn't set the world alight ever since he left us, so I am not sure we would want him. Maybe if Naysmith and Pistone were off the books, but not before.

 

[Cal]

Id like Gravo back but he would bench at best for me.

 

[SuitsBlue]

im not so sure, grav knew how to put a foot in, something we lack a little nowadays, he could also pick a nice pass.

arteta gravesen fernandes mgp
...................cahill

looks divine.

 

[Cal]

Barton

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Must remember about Grav, it is now 2 years later, we have moved on. Do not need him.

 

[Rob]

This game is easy.

Manuel Fernandes.

 

[SuitsBlue]

we are going to need squad depth if we are going to push for top six again as well as make an effort in europe.

grav knows the club and the players and he himself if still a capable player.

38 prem games
carling cup...chelsea - blackburn
..................chelsea - villa
..................chelsea - toon
..................chelsea - wycombe
.FINAL.........chelsea - arsenal
FA cup.........chelsea - macclesfield
..................chelsea - N forest
..................chelsea - norwich
..................chelsea - tottenham
..................chelsea - blackburn
.FINAL..........chelsea - man ure

domestic cup games means 11 extra games. (NOT INCLUDING REPLAYS)

Uefa cup.......spurs - slavia prague first leg
...................spurs - slavia prague secong lag
...................spurs - besiktas
...................spurs - club brugge
...................spurs - bayer leverkusen
...................spurs - dinamo bucuresti
...................spurs - braga 1st leg
...................spurs - braga 2nd leg
..quarters......spurs - sevilla 1st leg
..quarters......spurs - sevilla 2nd leg

thats 10 games extra in the uefa, up to the quarters. (NOT INCLUDING REPLAYS)

Its a lot of games, would it push our modest sized squad to breaking point?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

This is the dilemma. There was a stats thread recently that showed the highest appearences for various squads and one thing that stood out for me was that most PL clubs have tops of around 35-40. Arsenal on the other hand had Toure at over 50.

I think based on past experience, both during the Moyes era and the Smith era, any idea of a cup run is into the realms of fantasy football. For some reason we simply aren't very good at cup football so banking on a large number of games in domestic cups probably isn't sensible. Hopefully we'll have learnt from last time and will make a better fist of Europe but again, I wouldn't expect us to go from first round losers to winners at this point. Quarter finals would do for me.

So I don't expect there to be dozens of extra games next season, although with guys like Carsley and Stubbs another year older they may start to play a more peripheral role. Hopefully Moyes will improve the first team with guys like Fernandes and also add a few promising youngsters who can support the first team (such as Jones from Crewe and this Swiss midfield guy)

 

[TX Bill]

A year ago I would have said I would have wanted Gravesen back.

Now I think he's not only past it, I don't think we need him either. I'd rather we spend the money in an area that we really need help in.

Save the money we'd give him in wages or give it to someone that we could use.

 

[chicoazul]

Id rather give the young lads a chance before we buy cast offs. We need to pick up at least three quality players and maybe two little snide ones. Expect a loan deal or two.

I like Ball though, puts his foot in and is a blue. Not bad back up to have, how old's he now?

 

[SuitsBlue]

28 i think.

naughty how he stamped on ronaldo as well, i can understand it, but i dont condone it.