ITK - archibald spursod...

[Dan Ashcroft]

Interesting. It seems like our team next season may be quite close to Jol's team when we still had Carrick, and the LM (Tainio or Davids) often drifted inside to form 3 CMs, and an overlapping LB (Lee) providing the width on the left flank.

From an attacking and creative perspective though, Bale/Gilberto and Modric are an upgrade on Lee and Davids/Tainio. However, Lee and Davids or Tainio are probably stronger defensively.

However, if it's correct that we're also trying to buy two MORE CMs - one defensive, one more creative (eg Diarra/Veloso/Kompany, and Lucho Gonzalez), then I'd have to imagine JJ will go. He wouldn't stay as a back-up squad player. So, maybe we'll be getting some Thai filthy lucre - courtesy of Sven & Man City - to help finance these big money signings.

Indeed. Although the lack of defensivity (that's not a word I'm sure) would hopefully be made up having better centre halves (well, Woodgate over Dawson partnering King), GK and DCM (in a purely defensive sense, not ingnoring Carrick's other attributes).

I'm sure in that situation we'd love to keep JJ on as back-up and would try our best to pursuade him to do so for at least a season - sell what he could learn from Gonzalez or A N Other etc. It would look very defeatist for any ambitious footballer to leave just because another player is brought in in his position (remember Chimbo's agent moaning). 6-12 months of not playing then maybe it's a fairer cop.

 

[weststandvoice]

That's not quite true - I've only ever been passed on more minor targets and the truth (and often opinions of players) re. nonsense rumours (Ronaldinho, Jarque, Drowning etc).

Any serious leaks of top transfers is now a first time sackable offence. PK fell on his sword partly because of this.

Good work and keep it up....

 

[MattWilliams]

Great work Dan. I'm starting to get a warmer glow with the Ledley news coming out. If (and I'm still cynical enough that, for me at least, it is an if) the King does step up fully fit at centre back next season... well that's two world class signings before the summer has even started.

I wasn't confident about this season because we were being so heavily hyped and I imagined our team crumbling under the pressure. Along with injuries that is exactly what we got. But, if we can keep Berbs, if King is fit etc etc... next season is looking very, very exciting.

 

[SpurSince57]

The impression I've been given is that Modric will simply take over from Malbranque on LM in a 4-4-2 and play as a Pires, J Cole, Roiscky, Hleb, Arteta style

interesting Dan it was amazing (well it wasn't, it was all too pdepressingly predictable - how so many JJ bashers were out and about forecasting the end of JJ on the back of this signing - I said straightaway it's by no means obvious he's a straight JJ replacement

Not being a JJ basher, indeed someone who's supported him (but I sure as hell wish he'd give me some help), I'd beg to disagree. No, it's not at all obvious that Modric is a straight JJ replacement, but that begs the question, What is a straight JJ replacement?

I'd say JJ has another season to deliver what it says on the tin. His old manager at Forest reckoned no-one would see the best of him until he was 25; he's just turned 25.

Of our current CMs, it wouldn't surprise me if Zokora wasn't Ramos' current favourite, in spite of general SC wisdom. If (and it's a big if, given his known predilection for 4-4-2) Ramos switches to a 4-2-3-1 next season, I can see Zokora plus A. N. Other in the two. I'm pushed to see Jenas in the three.

 

[Blotto]

Neither. Both (particularly Jarque) want to come to us but the interest isn't especially reciprocated. Neither are seen as sufficient (if at all) improvements on Dawson and Kaboul.

Unless something more tempting comes up I'd expect the likes of Gardner, Rocha, Chimbo and Lee to be the only defensive transfers this summer, in either direction. A centre half is a lowly 5th placed priority (after DCM, GK, ACM, 4th S) now that King and Dervitte are both fully fit again.

Interesting, I tend to agree about Jarque but I rather like Diaz as a back-up...neither are bad but neither are the answer to our problems in the back...wonder if Dervitte will get some more first team football next season--he's supposed to be mustard, so to speak.

 

[senseispab]

I'd prefer we give Kaboul a bit longer and perhaps loan him out for a season in the way Real Madrid do.

I've just got a feeling he could turn out to be a very good defender and we may regret being so hasty with him.

Agree 100%. Besides, have you seen how good he is on Football Manager? My word what a player!

And why on earth do people imagine we'd be able to sign Diarra after he's had just half-a-season at Pompey?

In any case, the guy's a total prick who's made it very clear he's only interested in playing for a really big club, because only a really big club is good enough for him. I doubt that we qualify.

As far as I can tell he wants to play regular football for the best club that'll have him. Hardly a sin.

 

[SpurSince57]

"The negotiations went very well," he said. "The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at the club. I could add a clause to my contract.

"If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I already know that everything will go well. I don't want any more battles."​

Rather missing the point that he's already been at two really big clubs, and if he'd demonstrated a tad more patience and humility might have been a regular starter for the second of them next season, assuming the Flamini-Milan stories are true.

 

[DC_Boy]

well 57 I'd say a straight JJ replacemtn would be if we bought someone like the Scott Parker of his Charlton days - a box to box midfileder - obviously there's no-one exactly like JJ - but Modric is definitely not like JJ - so I repeat my point about the JJ bashers and their mistaken haste in shipping him out on the back of Modric's signing -

of course most of them would ship JJ out if we signed Coco the Clown or a Conference player from Aldershot, but this weekend it's been use a Croatian to bash JJ

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

I don't think Modric is a replacement for JJ in anyway. I would expect him to be a wide playmaker and then our entire midfield to be restructured.

If we move to a 3 man central midfield thenI fully expect to see JJ as an integral part of that. With the ideal situation being a 1. tough tackling leader type midfielder (which JJ isn't), 2. a pace dictating ball playing midfielder (which JJ certainly isn't) 3. JJ, hugely mobile hard working attacking midfielder who will drive from the midfield, score goals and cover a lot of ground.

JJ would most likely flourish in this situation, his role would be more defined, and suited to his game. Most importantly he won't have to take the burdon of having to be all 3 players like he is now. It's pretty tough for him to have to be the leader of our midfield, the creative spark and the guy who covers ground/scores goals.

I'd then have modric as a left forward, lennon/keane/new signing as a right forward and Berba/or another focal point striker up front. We would have the potential to change formation to a 4-4-2 because we would have all the midfield roles covered.

Talk of JJ going is bonkers in my opinion and I think he still has a crucial role to play, just hope we can get in the other midfielders to make his life easier and his game more effective.

 

[DC_Boy]

good post IOMLS

 

[Chris12345]

Of our current CMs, it wouldn't surprise me if Zokora wasn't Ramos' current favourite, in spite of general SC wisdom. If (and it's a big if, given his known predilection for 4-4-2) Ramos switches to a 4-2-3-1 next season, I can see Zokora plus A. N. Other in the two. I'm pushed to see Jenas in the three.

:clap::clap:

I don't get why people don't see this... ok Zokora's never gonna win PFA player of the year... but he works very hard for the team, the amount of times this season our defense has been committed upfield and he's run half the length of the pitch to break up an attack (cue jokes about it being our attack he's breaking up :lol is staggering... and he provides so much versatility... he can do a half decent job (for 45mins at least) anywhere in defence or midfield! Which (with Ramos loving to switch things around) can only help his case!

 

[Manwhore]

I'm sure in that situation we'd love to keep JJ on as back-up and would try our best to pursuade him to do so for at least a season - sell what he could learn from Gonzalez or A N Other etc.

From what I understand, Gonzalez is on his way to Athletico Madrid for 20m euros.

A lot of you are kind of 2nd guessing teams and formations for next season, as i'm not a big follower of Spanish football from previous seasons, has Ramos played with 3 CM's before whilst he was at Sevilla?

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

From what I understand, Gonzalez is on his way to Athletico Madrid for 20m euros.

A lot of you are kind of 2nd guessing teams and formations for next season, as i'm not a big follower of Spanish football from previous seasons, has Ramos played with 3 CM's before whilst he was at Sevilla?

Real Madrid and Fiorentina are interested too. It would be another Modric size coup if Ramos and Commolli charm this one in too.

 

[si_yidarmy]

We can't let Kaboul go. :-(

he is on my shirt.

hardly anyone gave carrick time when he first joined! I had him on my shirt and everyone laughed.. HOW THE TABLES TURNED!!!

Kaboul is going to be immense

still young too.

 

[Tequila]

I don't think Modric is a replacement for JJ in anyway. I would expect him to be a wide playmaker and then our entire midfield to be restructured.

If we move to a 3 man central midfield thenI fully expect to see JJ as an integral part of that. With the ideal situation being a 1. tough tackling leader type midfielder (which JJ isn't), 2. a pace dictating ball playing midfielder (which JJ certainly isn't) 3. JJ, hugely mobile hard working attacking midfielder who will drive from the midfield, score goals and cover a lot of ground.

JJ would most likely flourish in this situation, his role would be more defined, and suited to his game. Most importantly he won't have to take the burdon of having to be all 3 players like he is now. It's pretty tough for him to have to be the leader of our midfield, the creative spark and the guy who covers ground/scores goals.

I'd then have modric as a left forward, lennon/keane/new signing as a right forward and Berba/or another focal point striker up front. We would have the potential to change formation to a 4-4-2 because we would have all the midfield roles covered.

Talk of JJ going is bonkers in my opinion and I think he still has a crucial role to play, just hope we can get in the other midfielders to make his life easier and his game more effective.

great post mate.