Viewing Thread:
"Transfer window shuts: your team's starting eleven?"

This could be rather interesting now the transfer window has shut, especially for leicester, everton and chelsea supporters!

My chelsea select (4-4-2)

Cudicini

Bridge
Gallas (desailly rotation)
Terry " "
Johnson

Duffer
Makalele
Veron
Geremi (haha say the last two quickly)

Crepo (bit of hasselbaink in the mixer)
Mutu " "

Subs:

Sullivan (at least he doesn't sound lite a custard)
Desailly
Lampard (shame he is damn good but makalele has to sart and veron is class)
Petit
Cole
Hasselbaink
Gudjohnsen

To be honest with theres quite alot of width options in the squad albeit none of the names are what you would class as BIG but theres Clapham, Lazaridis on the left... Damien Johnson, Dunn (i'd love to see him in a similar position for Blues as Beckham did for Man Utd) even Clemence can play on the left side of midfield quite happily, Grainger, Kenna also do a great wing-back role so theres plenty of width.

Figueroa may be the key to any success... he scored 17 goals in 19 goals in Argentinas top leauge last season and finished as top scorer, if he can reproduce anything like that kind of form then goals should start to flow, as you might be aware Figueroa is currently recovering from a thigh strain hence his absence... i expect him to make a big impression when he returns to fitness in the next 10 days tho.

If we need another signing (and we do if we are to compete with the best) then we need to sell Stern John and Geoff Horsfield and go grab a Crespo type player... someone who will genuinely put pressure on the current strikers... Forsell is only a loan signing but i understand we have first option on him if he makes a big impression so he might be the 'Crespo' we are looking for, time will tell.

Well I support Bradford City, and haven't made any signings during the season just before. But our transfer window is still open isn't it?

Anyway, do you want me to give you our team or not?

reckon birming might have a shot at a uefa cup place, next season this year they'll become more solid, and rely on the strong spine i mentioned, next year Bruce can move for the wide players, and obviously will have more choice if he finishes higher. This season is exceptionally important for them and will set things up for the following season. They should have moved for trevor sinclair too as he went for a pitance. But if they keep plugging away they should cement there place.

Ashley wrote:
> I think forssell will walk in to the birmingham team, Him and dugarry
> wil be the first choice pairing. Bet you forssell is top scorer at
> birmingham at xmas.
>
> I am predicting a successful season for the brum this season as they
> have a strong centre to there team.
>
> Upson- Cunningham/purse
>
> Savage- Dunn
>
> Dugarry-Forssell
>
> That should go a long way to breaking into the top 10


Thats an extremely interesting reply...

The reason why i didnt include Forsell was cos im under the impression he intended to be a super-sub much like Solskjaer was at Man-Utd and Steve Highway was for Liverpool.

Forsell is easily good enough to be starting alongside Dugarry and i would love to see what that pairing could do together... the thing is with Birmingham we have got 4 or 5 strikers right now and its hard to know who will work best with who.

You are also right that the middle of our team is very solid... Robbie Savage has been the engine behind it all... but theres 4 or 5 others that have been simply magnificent too, i also think a top 10 finish is very possible, maybe a place in Europe if they get a decent run going, this isnt wishful thinking, i really believe its possible with our current team.

Rooney isn't strong... He's just fat!

It's true!! You cannot tell me you haven't noticed...!


He's being relied on too heavily, with too much pressure being put ontop of his shoulders, at such a young and inexperienced age.

He doesn't really deserve to be in the England squad.
All he's done is "wow" the Everton fans as their own ``Michael Owen´´, with one-or-two good goals, and a few surprises in his very-first season in the Premiership.

He isn't like Carlton Cole of Jermain Defoe - they've each done a heck of a lot more for their clubs, on a regular basis too.

They just aren't hyped-up enough for Eriksson to pick them, and become every idiotic England fan's "best-friend".


It's like a Popularity Contest really.
England Caps mean nothing anymore!

Possibly an attacking midfielder then?

I'm always reminded of the turkey game where some Turk tried to nudge him off the ball. Rooney nudged back and the Turk when down like he'd been shot while Rooney ran on like nothing had happened.

He does seem strong for his age, and can produce some excellent passes. I'm not sure if he's an out and out striker though, myself.

Ashley wrote:
> Rooney is no more talented than jemaine defoe or calton cole he is
> pure hype

I'm not sure. He's got good ability on the ball and he can run at defenders.

You can't expect a young gifted player to put in sterling performances every week. That comes with experience. But Ronaldo has the potential to mix things up a bit.

I'm impressed by the way he ran at defenders and his running off the ball on his debut. Obviously, when someone is a hyped up by the media other managers wil try to close him down and restrict his playing area.

But United is plagued with injury worries at the moment.

Rooney is no more talented than jemaine defoe or calton cole he is pure hype