Mata

[Mostar]

Do you think that HE considers them to be players that arent suitable for his system? He clearly doesnt, he wouldnt have bought them otherwise.

I dont think any of our signings are poor or average players, they're all good. But i dont think any of them are 'difference-makers' and i think that's what we lack more than anything. I would hope to be proven wrong by them.

Same here. Too early to analyze our new signings but clearly we threw all eggs in one basket going with British talent only and I am concerned that we haven't "properly diversified"

Yes Kenny has his vision of how he wants things to be done and he signed players that created most chances last year but Adam had a single season at PL level and you cannot say much more for Hendo neither.

We are short on the game changers and without one or 2 more I'm not so sure we'll be able to get into top 4.

Take Suarez out (Stevie is still not fit and who knows what imprint on the next season and when he'll be available) we are the average team at the best. We don't have a single player that can decide the game on his own.

If we don't get this right it will be even more difficult to attract top talent next year and with FFPR in the full swing we may have even less money to spend next year.

I guess will have to wait and see.

[Mostar]

@Football_Juice
Valencia have agreed terms with Real Madrid over Sergio Canales, taking him on loan.

This may mean that Mata is on the way out..

[Lecter]

Same here. Too early to analyze our new signings but clearly we threw all eggs in one basket going with British talent only and I am concerned that we haven't "properly diversified"

Yes Kenny has his vision of how he wants things to be done and he signed players that created most chances last year but Adam had a single season at PL level and you cannot say much more for Hendo neither.

We are short on the game changers and without one or 2 more I'm not so sure we'll be able to get into top 4.

Take Suarez out (Stevie is still not fit and who knows what imprint on the next season and when he'll be available) we are the average team at the best. We don't have a single player that can decide the game on his own.

If we don't get this right it will be even more difficult to attract top talent next year and with FFPR in the full swing we may have even less money to spend next year.

I guess will have to wait and see.

FFPR start this window

[Shaggy]

GuillemBalague Guillem Balague
Mata and Liverpool: Liverpool DID think of him and knew it would cost around 20m euros. But went for Downing. Now not interested

[wiw]

Some people will be outraged by that but our team needed a Downing-type player more than a Mata-type player imo

[Fierce]

Oh god. Can we have the number for the Samaritan's at the top of each page?

[Mostar]

FFPR start this window

Yep. That's what I meant.

[SimonNo7]

The thing is that the teams that have won the league often had a British spine - United, Chelsea and Arsenal when they won it had a strong selection of British players. I think your analysis is flawed in a number of ways.

It's about getting combinations and a team that plays together. Nationality is not a key factor - it might help short term to allow players to bond and adapt to the league though.

Even the target of previous league winning teams seems to me to be a mistake. Look at Man City - they had a budget far in excess of that accessible to anyone else and they still had to accept getting top four before looking to challenge for the league. We are building the spine of a team.

We have no idea how many foreign players were looked at or what the reasons for rejecting them was. It seems to me that a lot of people are really criticising Kenny for not signing the players in their fantasies rather than looking at the situation realistically.

[SimonNo7]

Oh god. Can we have the number for the Samaritan's at the top of each page?

And perhaps we should keep an eye out for the NF, seeing as we have a British only policy and have no foreigners in our team/squad/staff...

[Arn]

Some people will be outraged by that but our team needed a Downing-type player more than a Mata-type player imo

So what is Downing better at than Mata? Mata can be a Downing type of player if he need to be it and be better at it. Can Downing be a Mata type of player. No.

How many years left at the top for Downing? Say two or three. How many years left at the top for Mata? Say seven or eight.

Mata would simply been the better signing. He would have offered us more short and long term.

If he want to leave in three years time or so then we would almost certainly be able to get £25m+ for him. Downing will most probably be finished as a starting XI player at a top club at that time.

[Shanks]

So what is Downing better at than Mata? Mata can be a Downing type of player if he need to be it and be better at it. Can Downing be a Mata type of player. No.

How many years left at the top for Downing? Say two or three. How many years left at the top for Mata? Say seven or eight.

Mata would simply been the better signing. He would have offered us more short and long term.

If he want to leave in three years time or so then we would almost certainly be able to get £25m+ for him. Downing will most probably be finished as a starting XI player at a top club at that time.

Would Mata have matched or bettered Downings crosses ratio last season..
Would he be hugging the touchline and whipping the ball in..

For me, Downing will offer more width and that's what we've been crying out for..


It's easy to make the wrong comparison, now that figures and fees are being banded about..

[Arn]

Would Mata have matched or bettered Downings crosses ratio last season..
Would he be hugging the touchline and whipping the ball in..

For me, Downing will offer more width and that's what we've been crying out for..


It's easy to make the wrong comparison, now that figures and fees are being banded about..

If you would have played Mata in the same position and in the same team as Downing last season then he would IMO probably bettered Downings crosses ratio and he would have hugged the touchline if he was ordered to do it.

[Rich]

How many years left at the top for Downing? Say two or three. How many years left at the top for Mata? Say seven or eight.

Two or three? He's 26 isn't he?

[Arn]

Two or three? He's 26 isn't he?

27.

[red g]

If you would have played Mata in the same position and in the same team as Downing last season then he would IMO probably bettered Downings crosses ratio and he would have hugged the touchline if he was ordered to do it.

if he settled into the team straight away, if he fitted into the premiership straight away, if he could produce it on a wet wednesday in stoke. You only need to look at the likes of Malouda, Nani and Nasri all talented players all of them are arguably better than Downing in most peoples eyes yet they all took a season or 2 to flourish.

I would much prefer to gamble on Mata next summer when the functional downing has got us there.