Transfer in's and out's rumours etc.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Of little steps are long journeys made....

[WTF11]

Of little steps are long journeys made....

Agreed

[asturianblanco]

whats all this premier league bollox, if you can play, you can play, football is football end of. Kiko never played for Barca because he was never on their books you tool! Madrid ffs!
You dont want proven international players, but think we should be scraping around signing championship quality. Mmm....

[WTF11]

whats all this premier league bollox, if you can play, you can play, football is football end of. Kiko never played for Barca because he was never on their books you tool! Madrid ffs!
You dont want proven international players, but think we should be scraping around signing championship quality. Mmm....

"Football is football" so Sunday league from the pub is the same as the PL, and you call me a tool. Pathetic

Barca, Madrid, blah blah blah. Doesnt take away from the FACT that he was lauded as the best thing since sliced bread, and almost single-handedly cost us promotion last season, weight that one up as to how much it has cost s and how much spectators might have enjoyed our first season back in the PL because they would have been allowed to go the f00king ground!

If you're going to critique my posts, actually read and understand instead of nit-picking, otherwise just dont f00king repl

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Surely your last para applies to how you just responded to AB?

[WTF11]

Surely your last para applies to how you just responded to AB?

I have had a reasonable conversations, despite agreeing to disagree, over the last couple of days, with a number of those who post here. I have made my points reasonably, calmly and objectively, despite those disagreements. I made one mistake regarding Casilla, which takes nothing away from the substance of my argument, yet BB decided to go off on one. My reference to understanding was the thrust of post #64.

And perhaps, as you seem IMHO to wish to defend the indefensible, you would care to agree or not with the sentiment that "if you can play, you can play, football is football" irrespective of what level it is played at?

Strange though, that despite us being on the cusp of probably the most significant game in our history, this board was a quiet as a mouse (apart from the odd tennis coaching session) until I posted in response to Mrs O, and then out of the woodwork come those who wouldn't see merit in anything I posted even if it was penned by Bielsa himself, strange that.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

I have had a reasonable conversations, despite agreeing to disagree, over the last couple of days, with a number of those who post here. I have made my points reasonably, calmly and objectively, despite those disagreements. I made one mistake regarding Casilla, which takes nothing away from the substance of my argument, yet BB decided to go off on one. My reference to understanding was the thrust of post #64.

And perhaps, as you seem IMHO to wish to defend the indefensible, you would care to agree or not with the sentiment that "if you can play, you can play, football is football" irrespective of what level it is played at?

Strange though, that despite us being on the cusp of probably the most significant game in our history, this board was a quiet as a mouse (apart from the odd tennis coaching session) until I posted in response to Mrs O, and then out of the woodwork come those who wouldn't see merit in anything I posted even if it was penned by Bielsa himself, strange that.

Not defending the indefensible. Simple point if you read the whole of ABs post then I take it that he is saying top players in the top leagues can play anywhere as supported by him saying we need better than Championship quality - this your reference to Sunday league players seemed strange not least given that para.

I do t mind that you dish things out but then when you lecture people how to think/state their views then beyond the obvious one might expect you to abide by that yourself.

When asked what players you would sign you said beyond Watkins and Benrahma you hadn’t really considered it much which makes the criticism of others who have thought about it a little more even more contrarian.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

PS when you make good points happy to acknowledge you do but just a shame that where you disagree it feels like you need people to accept your view to previal

[whitestomper45]

We may have had to shop in the bargain tubs instead of the top end delicatessen in the past, and there's nothing wrong with that, provided you pick and choose carefully. JKA is an example of where we didn't, same for Casilla (couldn't get a game with Barcelona but was still held up as the next big thing just because he was on their books). as both have already cost us big money (and the JKA thing still isn't settled, by a long way) it tells me that there are still way too many flaws in Ortas scouting selection, and either he isn't being overruled by Bielsa or he (Bielsa) is also capable of making a mistake or two (yes, he is!).

I don't "hone in" on any particular area of the park, I look at the characteristics of each player and the position they are expected to take up and comment accordingly. In the case of Gelhardt, he is 18, not 28, and performed well in the Championship as a squad player, admittedly his strike rate needs to improve. Its worth noting, as the international aspect is oft referred to, that despite needing to improve at club level, he has scored in internationals against Brazil (U16), Norway & Belgium, USA, Russia, Denmark and Sweden (all in U17 competitions), and played for England U18 against Australia. (Btw, I think criticising Gelhardt for not having played as "full international" is a low blow, very, he's just 19 ffs!). All the above at youth international levels hints/shows that with the right service, he knows where the net is. (Only a half a dozen or so clubs scored fewer goals that Wigan last season, so perhaps a youngster who knows how to find the net in internationals wasn't best serve at club level). As I said in the last post, if he turns out to be a dud (which I hope he doesn't as with ALL those who come to the club), the we have spent £1m finding out. If any of the players signed from Valencia, Freiburg or Udinese end up that way, we've spent a good deal more.

And where did I say the Championship was better than La Liga? I said that the PL is superior to just about ALL the European divisions and the success of English teams from all parts of the PL table in European competitions would suggest that is the case.

We are not going to agree, so I see little point in continuing this particular "back and forth". You have your opinion, I have mine, you have your reasons, I have mine. We will see whose evaluation is closest to the truth in a relatively short period of time (as long as they all get game time and stay healthy!)

No we wont agree.
Don’t know how you read this "low blow" you mention that I criticised Gelhardt?
I merely pointed out his age and lack of experience obviously due to his age and with no PL experience.
In the past you have flip flopped between moaning about the club buying youth for the future rather than first team ready players… Now it seems a Championship player with a goal ratio of 1 in 20 is a good signing and you still don’t explain why this signing sits much better for you than the experienced international players the club have managed to land.

Funny on his imminent arrival you ridiculed Rodrigo’s stats when he was at Bolton, when he was actually playing premier league not championship and at ratio of 1 in 19 goals in a struggling side and guess what he was only 19 at the time also… flip flop flip flop

[WTF11]

Any contrary view that that which suggests other than that the club knows exactly what it is doing, all the players brought in will be stellar performers. all are excellent value for money, and we will storm up the PL and end up in the top 6 is to be rejected, fine.

Talk amongst yourselves. I have better things to do.

Oh and by the way, not "flouncing", as I'm sure I will be characterised as doing, just don't have the strength to be bothered interrupting the love-fest that this forum seems to wish to be.