SOCCER SPORT !

[GaryF]

I really don't think Mignolet is bad. He has made some questionable decisions, but overall, didn't he have the second most number of clean sheets last year?

Anyway, Sirigu is free for transfer this winter, we could get him.

He has no idea where to distribute the ball. He can't kick beyond the halfway line. He punches when he ought to be able to hold. He stays on his line when he should come out. He clatters his own defenders when he ought to shout that he's coming. He passes the ball to marked (and, recently, injured) players. His positioning for set pieces is terrible. His defenders clearly don't trust him because they have no idea where he's going to be and he exposes them constantly.

He does make good reaction saves, though.

A clean sheet can be the result of many things. All in all, Mignolet is the player whose replacement would make the most difference to us, imo.

[Steppy]

He has no idea where to distribute the ball. He can't kick beyond the halfway line. He punches when he ought to be able to hold. He stays on his line when he should come out. He clatters his own defenders when he ought to shout that he's coming. He passes the ball to marked (and, recently, injured) players. His positioning for set pieces is terrible. His defenders clearly don't trust him because they have no idea where he's going to be and he exposes them constantly.

He does make good reaction saves, though.

A clean sheet can be the result of many things. All in all, Mignolet is the player whose replacement would make the most difference to us, imo.

Pretty much agree with all that. Mignolet is one of many changes that are required.

[Raza]

He has no idea where to distribute the ball. He can't kick beyond the halfway line. He punches when he ought to be able to hold. He stays on his line when he should come out. He clatters his own defenders when he ought to shout that he's coming. He passes the ball to marked (and, recently, injured) players. His positioning for set pieces is terrible. His defenders clearly don't trust him because they have no idea where he's going to be and he exposes them constantly.

He does make good reaction saves, though.

A clean sheet can be the result of many things. All in all, Mignolet is the player whose replacement would make the most difference to us, imo.

I don't think "the most" difference, but I can agree with everything else.

[Steppy]

I don't think "the most" difference, but I can agree with everything else.

New GK - is needed, but I don't think it is TOP TOP priority (to use Harry Redknapp vernacular)

New CB - My god - this has to be TOP of the agenda, a commanding and leading CB, no matter the cost !! A leader, a general

New - DMC/MC - Either/Or really - someone that will allow Henderson/Milner/Can to move further upfield, none of those 3 of fully capable of the very important DMC role.

New Winger - My god we have Coutinho, Lallana and Firmino - they are all central players - we need a least 1 pacy, attacking wide playing winger to complement them, giving Coutinho options on the wing would make him twice the player!!

Striker - Just give Sturridge some bloody lucozade and a kick up the arse and Benteke a reason to fight and I don't think we have a problem, really I don't!

Top 4 is still easily achievable

[Raza]

New GK - is needed, but I don't think it is TOP TOP priority (to use Harry Redknapp vernacular)

New CB - My god - this has to be TOP of the agenda, a commanding and leading CB, no matter the cost !! A leader, a general

New - DMC/MC - Either/Or really - someone that will allow Henderson/Milner/Can to move further upfield, none of those 3 of fully capable of the very important DMC role.

New Winger - My god we have Coutinho, Lallana and Firmino - they are all central players - we need a least 1 pacy, attacking wide playing winger to complement them, giving Coutinho options on the wing would make him twice the player!!

Striker - Just give Sturridge some bloody lucozade and a kick up the arse and Benteke a reason to fight and I don't think we have a problem, really I don't!

Top 4 is still easily achievable

While I agree for the most part, I still don't think a new GK is strictly needed, not like the other positions. However, the talk is that Sirigu and Ter Stegen are looking for new homes.

Even DMC, I'm not sure. With Lucas playing at the top of his game like he has been, it would be disappointing to see him benched for a new hire. The main weaknesses in our midfield are Milner (consistent, but mediocre; like Henderson all grown up before Henderson took his star turn) and Can (still hasn't realized that he's not an attacker, doesn't understand that you can pass the ball instead of running until you're dispossessed, and he's a defensive liability with his rash challenges and uncontrolled temper....if he doesn't get control over himself, he may well be the next Shelvey). Cover wouldn't be unappreciated, but I'm not sure, again, that it's strictly necessary. Still, there are players that may be available to step in. Kovacic may be able to be loaned in, he's getting few starts and a lot of bench appearances.

Centerback was a must before Lovren's injury, and now with Skrtel, Sakho (injury-prone), and Toure (great, but too old to play day-in, day-out) as our only big men at the back, there's too many matches riding on too few people. Subotic is available and will go for little. Barring that, fancy isn't needed at this position. David Luiz is fancy. Hell, Lovren is fancy. Fancy gives up goals. Solid is needed. Look at smaller clubs who just have centerbacks who stop and clear (which is the thing Toure is so effective at; his positioning is all but faultless and his clearances are often done right, which is more than anyone could say about Lovren). We need someone solid.

Winger. Yes. Lallana and Coutinho can both play on the wing, but they both want to cut in and operate more centrally. I don't think Firmino has the right skill set to play wide. When you look at a player like Mahrez, who can cut in and still cross, it's amazing to think that so few players can do that, but the jewel of Leicestershire can. Looking at even effective wide players now, they're mostly inverted; the game has moved on from the Aaron Lennon types. But we need someone who can do both. Maybe it's the time of night or the four bottles of Delirium Nocturnum I had, but no names come to mind that will be available this winter. Recalling Markovic may be an option, but I remain unconvinced. He's right footed, and I don't see him playing well as an inverted winger on the right. He may be able to play as a natural winger, but that really won't get you anywhere. Who we really needed was Pedro, who, ignoring this season, is as deadly on his right as he is on his left and was looking for a prime time gig. Winter's a smaller market; guys who we may have been able to get in the summer, like Walcott, aren't going to be available now.

Striker. Yes, but who? And what kind? Do we fuel the jet and head to Turkey for Chelsea's old man, Eto'o? He's creating a goal a game (13 goals, 3 assists in 16 appearances), but he may not have the physicality to survive in the Prem anymore. When we're over there, do we beg Robin Van Persie to come back to England and wear red again, but for a different club? Do we go for an untested Prem striker in the form of Alexandre Lacazette? He was fire last season, but he's down to embers right now. Just 6 in 15, with no assists, which isn't that much better than the yield we've gotten from Benteke's crop, 4 (1 assist) in 14 (4 subs, 10 starts). Giroud would have been available in the summer, who I screamed and screamed at any TV or computer screen that I could get a hold of would be a better fit than Benteke for us, and he's netted 10 times out of 11 starts and 6 sub appearances. Another unwanted Prem striker has scored 11 in 14 in the Bundesliga (12 starts) and his name is Javier "1% chance of playing at United" Hernandez. Chicharito is a poacher, something we desperately needed; someone who got in the box and scored goals because of excellent positioning, awareness, and finishing. Balotelli looked great in his 2 starts and 2 sub appearances at AC Milan, but he only got one goal (a BRILLIANT free kick that made me cry because it was so amazing) before taking a long term injury. So even recalling him isn't an option. Even though it may be a bad one anyway; I want him to succeed at Liverpool, I just don't know if he can.

So who do we get at striker? 10 in 16, says Charlie Austin, but QPR says he's not for sale (though £12m may change their minds, since he's out of contract at the end of this season, I believe). Berahino? Who will warm West Brom's bench then? Fernando Torres? As happy as that would make me, I don't think he's up to it anymore. He's just too in his own head and has been for years. I'd like to see Deportivo's Lucas Perez, but I doubt they'll let him go. I think he's the 3rd highest scoring La Liga player right now.

For me the number one position that needs to be strengthened is centerback. Either a striker or a winger will help create more goals, so keeping them out is plenty important.

I think we could also look at another fullback, someone who can play left or right would be ideal, like Erik Durm. Moreno has been fantastic, but he'll need a break. Jose Gaya, Durm, or even a more experienced player would work too. Wish we could have gotten Dani Alves or Fabio Coentrao over the summer. Or Carvajal, as they were hinting at back then.

[tribe125]

[Raza]

[Raza]

Oh man, we're going to get killed today.

[shameless]

i bet man u were on the phone to Mourinho at half time !! Rooney dropped also -quite right -van Gaal might not see New Year -if he does and Chelsea beat them its his last game

yes i have a fiver on Leicester !

[Steppy]