Rafa explains why he is open to the idea of selling Alonso

[Parm]

Theres also clubs that would have Alonso too, if they had the money. Arsenal being one also.

if Arsenal got Xabi they would have a sublime partnership in midfield. Xabi would be awesome for them and would just dictate play and make them so much stronger than they are

[Reece]

Watching the highlights of the Villa match Barry looked excellent at the weekend. I think the fact he runs from inside to out rather than staying out on the flank is actually likely to benefit our style of play whether he started on the left of a narrow midfield quartet or in the centre of any of the formations we are likely to play.

Any anyone who thinks Barry is a defensive midfielder who only passes sideways needs to watch the highlights of that game.

[Imy]

fully agree, Plessis, for all his hardwork has very limited passing.

My theory behind that is he was asked to keep it simple, do the donkey work and pass it to the nearest team mate.

[red g]

fully agree, Plessis, for all his hardwork has very limited passing.

Sissoko pt2 if you ask me. I am sure we will continually say but he is only a kid etc......but not convinced he wil make the grade tbh

[dww]

Fat Ronaldo

Was Joe Cole not linked with a £10m move to Villa only last week?

I was thinking more of worryingly be-shorted Ronaldo myself.

Yes but it was ludicrous paper speculation in my opinion. He started at the weekend was excellent and was many peoples choice as Chelsea's player of last year. It's not as if they need the money and the only reason the link came up was because no one could work out how to get all the attacking midfielders into their starting XI but we saw yesterday how they will do it.

[Exiled_red]

Any anyone who thinks Barry is a defensive midfielder who only passes sideways needs to watch the highlights of that game.

From what I saw Barry was impressive at the weekend. I'm not saying he's the answer to all our problems but is definately a better player than many give him credit for

[Shaggy]

fully agree, Plessis, for all his hardwork has very limited passing.

I disagree.

In the reserves Plessis has shown a great passing range. He's not afraid to switch the play with crossfield balls, try long balls over the top or little balls in behind. In the first team he's seemed a little bit inhibited and played the percentage game by taking the safe option - which is understandable.

[dww]

My theory behind that is he was asked to keep it simple, do the donkey work and pass it to the nearest team mate.

I actually thought that Plessis made nice low risk passing. Played some nice balls into the front at times. He is no Alonso but unlike everyone else in the team at the weekend he did for most of the first half find his own team mates and didn't hoof the ball to the Sunderland defenders.

[PTP]

I'll raise both of you a Joe Cole

well of course - that goes without saying - **** it i'll raise you all Lionel Messi end of arguement

realistically tho - how much money do we have - it's obv we don't have the cash to splash, otherwise the owners wouldn't have choked over £18m for barry, - there is zero chance we would get Joe Cole, he doesn't want to leave chelsea and if chelsea were to sell they would be more like to sell to someone outside the top four for £10m than sell to us for £20m,

Downing is tricky one - a good player put he would cost £12m minimum purely for the fact he is young and english - we'd prob end up paying £15m for him - so it becomes a big gamble, if he struggles rafa, parry, hicks, gillet, etc etc would be hung and quatered for spending that much money on a flop.

Petrov tho....

if we sold say pennant for £5m to blackburn, and voronin anywhere for £2m - we could prob snap Petrov up with a next to nothing nett spend - don't get me wrong, i'm not bigging up petrov and i don't think he is the answer to our prays(thats joe cole/kaka/messi/robben/robinho) - just purely that we want/need a left sided attacker who could give us some width and if he can deliver a set piece then bonus! - we a struggling to find this mystically left winger that we could afford!

[Imy]

I was thinking more of worryingly be-shorted Ronaldo myself.

Yes but it was ludicrous paper speculation in my opinion. He started at the weekend was excellent and was many peoples choice as Chelsea's player of last year. It's not as if they need the money and the only reason the link came up was because no one could work out how to get all the attacking midfielders into their starting XI but we saw yesterday how they will do it.

Just going of track slightly, Deco was good yesterday wasn't he. I know we never stood a chance and many on here don't like him but i still think for the price he would have been a good signing for us.

[MindGuerrillas]

My theory behind that is he was asked to keep it simple, do the donkey work and pass it to the nearest team mate.

Agreed. It's very unfair on Plessis to compare him to Alonso. They are very different types of players. I see Plessis more as backup for Mascherano rather than Alonso. He is a much more defensive, destroying type of midfielder whose job it is to work hard, win the ball and then keep it simple.

[Imy]

Another name to add to the mix, Gamst Pederson? in exchange for Pennant?

[PTP]

Another name to add to the mix, Gamst Pederson? in exchange for Pennant?

haha doesn't someone have the user name - no-gamst pederson! - think that sums it up perfectly

I'd prefer petrov

[dww]

well of course - that goes without saying - **** it i'll raise you all Lionel Messi end of arguement

realistically tho - how much money do we have - it's obv we don't have the cash to splash, otherwise the owners wouldn't have choked over £18m for barry, - there is zero chance we would get Joe Cole, he doesn't want to leave chelsea and if chelsea were to sell they would be more like to sell to someone outside the top four for £10m than sell to us for £20m,

Downing is tricky one - a good player put he would cost £12m minimum purely for the fact he is young and english - we'd prob end up paying £15m for him - so it becomes a big gamble, if he struggles rafa, parry, hicks, gillet, etc etc would be hung and quatered for spending that much money on a flop.

Petrov tho....

if we sold say pennant for £5m to blackburn, and voronin anywhere for £2m - we could prob snap Petrov up with a next to nothing nett spend - don't get me wrong, i'm not bigging up petrov and i don't think he is the answer to our prays(thats joe cole/kaka/messi/robben/robinho) - just purely that we want/need a left sided attacker who could give us some width and if he can deliver a set piece then bonus! - we a struggling to find this mystically left winger that we could afford!

The biggest risk for me is settling for a lesser player who would fit our system less well. For me Downing offers set piece delivery and crossing of consistent quality which we don't have.

I'm not an expert on Petrov but he seemed very hot or cold last season and at times a mite lazy.

So long as we can afford the cash we have to go for the best option available and ignore any possible backlash if they flop.

[dww]

Just going of track slightly, Deco was good yesterday wasn't he. I know we never stood a chance and many on here don't like him but i still think for the price he would have been a good signing for us.

It was a risk that was easy for Chelsea to take though - they could write it off, don't care about resale value and have a manager who has a good relationship with him and got him playing well for Portugal even when by all accounts he was a bit **** for Barca. I would like to think that if we can get a left sided player this year then next year we ight be in a better position to take similar gambles ourselves.

Also one swallow does not a summer make.