Fernando Torres is back

[dww]

Yep and it's the same with any mooted move for David Villa, or indeed any big name striker. Simple fact is we cannot guarantee ANY other forward a game, as these are our two main men. You could argue - if we bought Villa for example - that Gerrard could drop into CM against the crap teams, but I'm not sure about that. Stevie is clearly at his best just off Nando. Hopefully Babel will be happy to stick around as back-up, and Ngog, Nemeth and Pacheco keep progressing. We should concentrate our summer dealings on other areas. Stevie & Nando have this area sewn up.

Hmmm. I think that the 'other areas' have to include goalscorers though. Look at United - they have Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo who they could put in attacking positions in a team together and Scholes, Giggs from midfield added to reserves like Manucho and Welbeck whose record is better than Nemeth etc at the minute.

I really think to be a league winning club we need players on the bench who other teams (and ourselves) would have serious arguments for putting in the first XI. Especially considering the problem with injuries Torres now has we do need a replacement.

I would suggest that either a targetman or a player capable of playing wider would be the best choice as they could be added to Torres and Gerrard when needed.

[Guest]

Hmmm. I think that the 'other areas' have to include goalscorers though. Look at United - they have Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo who they could put in attacking positions in a team together and Scholes, Giggs from midfield added to reserves like Manucho and Welbeck whose record is better than Nemeth etc at the minute.

I really think to be a league winning club we need players on the bench who other teams (and ourselves) would have serious arguments for putting in the first XI. Especially considering the problem with injuries Torres now has we do need a replacement.

I would suggest that either a targetman or a player capable of playing wider would be the best choice as they could be added to Torres and Gerrard when needed.

I won't define them as 'replacements' as someone like Torres is irreplaceable but more like a very good alternative. What happens to Torres if when he comes back from injury he finds himself replaced?

[dww]

I won't define them as 'replacements' as someone like Torres is irreplaceable but more like a very good alternative. What happens to Torres if when he comes back from injury he finds himself replaced?

FFS you are getting a bit Craig_H about this

Well if the other player is playing well enough then he would have to wait for his chance on the bench. It's hard to imagine someone being that good but it is a huge benefit to the team to have that level of competition in the squad.

[Guest]

FFS you are getting a bit Craig_H about this

Well if the other player is playing well enough then he would have to wait for his chance on the bench. It's hard to imagine someone being that good but it is a huge benefit to the team to have that level of competition in the squad.

I was just pulling your leg a bit but if you look at it closer, even though it technically improves our team via stronger competition, it doesn't mean we would be better off with a player of equal quality on the bench.

I would buy someone good enough to play second fiddle and who would regard himself as a bit of a David Fairclough.

[dww]

I was just pulling your leg a bit but if you look at it closer, even though it technically improves our team via stronger competition, it doesn't mean we would be better off with a player of equal quality on the bench.

I would buy someone good enough to play second fiddle and who would regard himself as a bit of a David Fairclough.

I can see where that argument comes from but Fergie has always bought the best available attacking players and then fit them together as it best suits the team over a season. I think that has to be what we aspire to be able to do. At the minute without Gerrard and or Torres we do really have to scrabble around for viable alternatives.

I'd be happy with a decent targetman (I guess Jones from Sunderland for example, or ideally Crouch if Pompey go down) if they came in alongside added firepower and creativity elsewhere. However if someone like Villa were available for an affordable price and we had no equal quality targets elsewhere possible then I would snap him up.

[bobbyfallon]

legend in the making, love the man

[Guest]

I can see where that argument comes from but Fergie has always bought the best available attacking players and then fit them together as it best suits the team over a season. I think that has to be what we aspire to be able to do. At the minute without Gerrard and or Torres we do really have to scrabble around for viable alternatives.

I'd be happy with a decent targetman (I guess Jones from Sunderland for example, or ideally Crouch if Pompey go down) if they came in alongside added firepower and creativity elsewhere. However if someone like Villa were available for an affordable price and we had no equal quality targets elsewhere possible then I would snap him up.

I think the key is to find someone who could work well with Torres, someone who could link up play with him and with a bit of a football brain. It's strange that Robbie Keane wasn't able to achieve that, as he had all the characteristics to be able to fulfill that role. This is something of a mystery for me.

That's what Rafa tried to do anyway, as he sold Crouch and didn't look out for a direct replacement, happy to go for someone who could complement Torres. Maybe Ngog was the idea? A young center forward in the Torres mould, who he could nurture and improve.

[bobbyfallon]

just noticed torres goal celebration there, five fingers up at the mancs. class

[Craig_H]

Nando and Stevie are two of the world's best 5 players, without a doubt.

Torres makes us one of the best teams in the world, we have the organisation and the ability to defend, and he gives us a massive threat at the other end.

[Shaggy]

Don't wanna seem all obsessed with Ollie Holt or anything but he said on that ****fest on Sky this morning that, in his opinion, Torres & Gerrard are the best two players in the Premier League.

I agree with him.

[Leyton388]

According to Dowie wasn't it?

All the bollocks they've chatted about us we have well and truly rammed down their ****ing throats

No wonder the prick cant get a job and when he does he doesn't last long! The guys a idiot!

[Joe Le Toff]

No wonder the prick cant get a job and when he does he doesn't last long! The guys a idiot!

According to Dowie wasn't it?

All the bollocks they've chatted about us we have well and truly rammed down their ****ing throats

I dont know if Dowie was the co-commentator in the UK yesterday as i watched the game overseas on another channel, but he was a ****ing disgrace yesterday.
I dont usually buy into the theory that all pundits are biased towards us but he really was beyond the pale, the things he was saying about Carrick alone were ****ing unbelievable.

[Shaggy]

Well the score must've really stuck in his throat.

I think maybe the ludicrous Carrick bias has something to do with the West Ham connections.

Off topic slightly but I had a pre-kick off text from a Manc yesterday that said "Anderson v Lucas - hahahahahaha".

"Hahahahahaha" indeed Lucas and Mash OWNED those two ****s.

[Rich]

Chicago Rock on Peter Street was my venue of choice to watch the game.

Almost deserted by the time of the final whistle, just like their stadium.

I know this is a gross generalisation, and yes I have some mates that are United fans and good people, but United fans are utter, utter scum.

[Craig_H]

"Hahahahahaha" indeed ****s.