Philip Degen

[Elvis]

Come on guys - slice it however you want - when Lionel Messi plays pre-season he looks like a player with a great touch and great vision and great acceleration and great creativity...but very rusty. Degen looks....like a headless chicken with one trick - running fast with the ball. If he is our first-choice right-back in January I'll make a smoothie of my own poo and snot and drink it in a oner.

[Vermilion]

Come on guys - slice it however you want - when Lionel Messi plays pre-season he looks like a player with a great touch and great vision and great acceleration and great creativity...but very rusty. Degen looks....like a headless chicken with one trick - running fast with the ball. If he is our first-choice right-back in January I'll make a smoothie of my own poo and snot and drink it in a oner.

Oh big deal......if the 'Smoothie' was made from someone else's P & S then ok, fair play & fair enough, that's a penalty.

[red g]

Come on guys - slice it however you want - when Lionel Messi plays pre-season he looks like a player with a great touch and great vision and great acceleration and great creativity...but very rusty. Degen looks....like a headless chicken with one trick - running fast with the ball. If he is our first-choice right-back in January I'll make a smoothie of my own poo and snot and drink it in a oner.

thats why one is an attacker and worth 80million and the other is a defender on a free. get a grip man, i am sure he cant be any worse than wes brown

[MrsB]

My thought would be "Day-GAN"

I thought it was DAY-gen i.e. the stress is on the first syllable. God we're boring...

Yes, that's not bad. You can listen to it here. Click on the little speaker.

[Vermilion]

Day-gun

[andrewces38]

deggan

I have to be truthfull here,(but i occasionly lie) I have read some **** on here expecially this thread about how **** deegan is, how the **** can you rate or unrate the poor ****er after a couple of pre-season friendlies , Torres didnt light the world on fire last pre-season but was you slagging him off and veronin was electric last pre-season HAVE I MADE MY POINT.Give Rafa some credit okay he has made some **** buy's and mostly the freebies are r have been **** but he dont have scouts for **** all give the guy a chance and by xmas lets get back on here and give our opinions then, to much warm weather some of you ****ers have had i think . Now be calm and if not be SMART:bird:

[MrsB]

I have to be truthfull here,(but i occasionly lie) I have read some **** on here expecially this thread about how **** deegan is, how the **** can you rate or unrate the poor ****er after a couple of pre-season friendlies , Torres didnt light the world on fire last pre-season but was you slagging him off and veronin was electric last pre-season HAVE I MADE MY POINT.Give Rafa some credit okay he has made some **** buy's and mostly the freebies are r have been **** but he dont have scouts for **** all give the guy a chance and by xmas lets get back on here and give our opinions then, to much warm weather some of you ****ers have had i think . Now be calm and if not be SMART:bird:

I've seen both Torres and Degen play before they joined Liverpool and there was a slight difference. But yes, every player should get his chance.

[DannyMan2006]

Degen will prove to be a good signing for us. Him and Dossena have looked very rusty but I think you'll find that is partly down to a lack of understanding English, and I may as well include the new keeper in this to.

Defence is all about communication. How can a brazilian keeper tell a swiss or italian to leave the ball, or to get rid as thereis an attacker close by? It's not gonna happen overnight. From their ability on the ball everything seems fine, it's only at times when they should expect a litle help where they are currently floundering.

It wouldn't suprise me if Arbeloa and Aurelio started first choice, buy by Xmas at the latest they will have a fighton their hands. No doubt Dossena will establish himself first, but for £7m you would expect that.

It's unlikely Deggen would be first choice if Rafa had unlimited funds, but he doesn't and in these circumstances I think we'll all be pleased with his contribution come the seasons end.

[Elvis]

I'm afraid taht in top flight footy you can't be a relativist. You can't say "he's great for a Bosman or he's great for 3 million....he can either do it against top attackers and top defenders or he can't. From what i've seen already that's very unlikely. Even when rusty a player's class shows through occasionally.

[BFG]

I'm afraid taht in top flight footy you can't be a relativist. You can't say "he's great for a Bosman or he's great for 3 million....he can either do it against top attackers and top defenders or he can't. From what i've seen already that's very unlikely. Even when rusty a player's class shows through occasionally.

How much is that then, the Berlin and Krakov games when he was coming back from months and months with no football?

That's not enough to judge a thing about the guy mate.

[Elvis]

How much is that then, the Berlin and Krakov games when he was coming back from months and months with no football?

That's not enough to judge a thing about the guy mate.

I still don't really agree. I mean, I know it's hard (and foolhardy!) to make predictions...but I still think there is a level of innate ability that doesn't go away cos of a summer on the beer or an injury. I mean, if we took Zidane off the beach now - with his extra pounds round the waiste - and played him in a pre-season friendly I suspect that within 5 mins his first touch, his passing range, his control and balance - all of these would be apparent. He wouldn't be able to put them together for 90 mins, but they would shine through the flab. I'm not seeing much shining through with our Phil - in contrast to Pacheco's glimpses of class. Is all.

[BFG]

I still don't really agree. I mean, I know it's hard (and foolhardy!) to make predictions...but I still think there is a level of innate ability that doesn't go away cos of a summer on the beer or an injury. I mean, if we took Zidane off the beach now - with his extra pounds round the waiste - and played him in a pre-season friendly I suspect that within 5 mins his first touch, his passing range, his control and balance - all of these would be apparent. He wouldn't be able to put them together for 90 mins, but they would shine through the flab. I'm not seeing much shining through with our Phil - in contrast to Pacheco's glimpses of class. Is all.

Fair enough mate but Zidane was one of the greatest. Degen isn't and he's also a fullback where fitness and sharpness make a great deal of difference to your game. In centre mid if you're not fit you can stand about and still look good when the ball comes your way.

I just think these games mean nothing mate. I'll start judging him when the season starts.

[DannyMan2006]

I still don't really agree. I mean, I know it's hard (and foolhardy!) to make predictions...but I still think there is a level of innate ability that doesn't go away cos of a summer on the beer or an injury. I mean, if we took Zidane off the beach now - with his extra pounds round the waiste - and played him in a pre-season friendly I suspect that within 5 mins his first touch, his passing range, his control and balance - all of these would be apparent. He wouldn't be able to put them together for 90 mins, but they would shine through the flab. I'm not seeing much shining through with our Phil - in contrast to Pacheco's glimpses of class. Is all.

Mate, Degen has looked very good when in possession of the ball, it's when he hasn't got the ball where he looks below par. This could be down to a number of things - lack of fitness, lack of English, or a lack of ability. We will not know the answer until he is settled. Some players from abroad take a full season, some take six months, whilst some adapt straight away.

As he has joined early pre season I would suggest he will take no longer than 6 months and will be fully adjusted by the time the Xmas games have ended. Why don't we judge him then?

[kev776]

Mate, Degen has looked very good when in possession of the ball, it's when he hasn't got the ball where he looks below par. This could be down to a number of things - lack of fitness, lack of English, or a lack of ability. We will not know the answer until he is settled. Some players from abroad take a full season, some take six months, whilst some adapt straight away.

As he has joined early pre season I would suggest he will take no longer than 6 months and will be fully adjusted by the time the Xmas games have ended. Why don't we judge him then?

Because by then he will have been paid about 500,000 pounds of the clubs money.

[Woobus]

Mate, Degen has looked very good when in possession of the ball, it's when he hasn't got the ball where he looks below par.

I dont think he has or ever will be that great at defending, and I feel Arbeloa or Carra will play out right against teams who will come out to attack us. Reckon Degen will mostly be used for the weaker teams when we need the full backs to stretch the opposition. For this he looks a good player specially since we got him for nothing.