Fabio Aurelio

[BrianF80]

Insua seems to have got over his dip in form now though and playing well!

Interesting to see Clcihy at arsenal antoher potential class player has been having a mare the last month or so!

Clichy was the same last season.

[The Birdman]

We already have two holding midfielders in Mascherano and Lucas.

The problem for me is that we are lacking creativity. We need a pacey flair player who can open up defences and turn matches. To be honest I'd forgotten we'd signed a striker on a Bosman but I still think the attacking area of the pitch require more focus than the defensive area

Has Jocovich or whateverhisnameis actually officially signed?? I too think we are organised and functional enough, I think Lucas is more than good enough to play there instead of Mascherano when required, seeing as Rafa loves Kuyt and we have signed Maxi it's the old left wing spot up for grabs again, someone pacey who keeps his width

[Armchairkopite]

We already have two holding midfielders in Mascherano and Lucas.

The problem for me is that we are lacking creativity. We need a pacey flair player who can open up defences and turn matches. To be honest I'd forgotten we'd signed a striker on a Bosman but I still think the attacking area of the pitch require more focus than the defensive area

I knew this would raise afew eyebrows but my idea would be to allow Lucas to push further up the pitch as an alternative to Aquiliani.

I think Lucas has a lot more in his locker in the final third then what he has been producing and i think a defensive midfielder is a cheaper option as back up to Masher.

Of course we want more creativity but unless we can go out and buy that elusive winger I think we should hold.

Aquiliani, Gerrard, Benni, Riera, Babel, Torres, Ngog, Jovanovic and Maxi are already in the squad that 9 players that pose an attacking threat.

We need the players out there to start performing to the best of there abilities I'm not so sure a Silva type would really be the answer tbh.

[Exiled_red]

I knew this would raise afew eyebrows but my idea would be to allow Lucas to push further up the pitch as an alternative to Aquiliani.

I think Lucas has a lot more in his locker in the final third then what he has been producing and i think a defensive midfielder is a cheaper option as back up to Masher.

Of course we want more creativity but unless we can go out and buy that elusive winger I think we should hold.

Aquiliani, Gerrard, Benni, Riera, Babel, Torres, Ngog, Jovanovic and Maxi are already in the squad that 9 players that pose an attacking threat.

We need the players out there to start performing to the best of there abilities I'm not so sure a Silva type would really be the answer tbh.

I'm not sure about the obession with Silva that has been on here for a while but I do think we need additional pace in our side to get behind fullbacks etc. I know it's a cliche but pace does cause defenders problems, and the lack of it for me is why we are playing in front of so many teams which play with banks of four and not hurting them. Of the players you list there Only Torres, Babel and Ngog have pace and run with the ball at people. I think we should make signing such a player our top priority!

Aquilani Jovanovic and Maxi have little (or no) experience of the English game and we have no idea if we can rely on them regularly, the latter also applied to Babel. And while I like Riera, he gives a balance to the present side and width which we lack I think that we a different option to him and Kuyt in the wide areas, as I don't think we exploit these areas enough. Too much of our play is through the middle, meaning we don't stretch the opposition.

[Armchairkopite]

I'm not sure about the obession with Silva that has been on here for a while but I do think we need additional pace in our side to get behind fullbacks etc. I know it's a cliche but pace does cause defenders problems, and the lack of it for me is why we are playing in front of so many teams which play with banks of four and not hurting them. Of the players you list there Only Torres, Babel and Ngog have pace and run with the ball at people. I think we should make signing such a player our top priority!

Aquilani Jovanovic and Maxi have little (or no) experience of the English game and we have no idea if we can rely on them regularly, the latter also applied to Babel. And while I like Riera, he gives a balance to the present side and width which we lack I think that we a different option to him and Kuyt in the wide areas, as I don't think we exploit these areas enough. Too much of our play is through the middle, meaning we don't stretch the opposition.

I would love to see a pacey winger at the club but given the current financial situation I wont be holding my breath as these players are usually very expensive.

I think that left back needs addressing first though especially if we are going to lose Aurellio.

[Exiled_red]

I would love to see a pacey winger at the club but given the current financial situation I wont be holding my breath as these players are usually very expensive.

I think that left back needs addressing first though especially if we are going to lose Aurellio.

I would hope that given the that sales in January raised a few quid, and Hicks claims of a 'big summer' we should be able get someone in as a winger, and scramble around for whatever we can get as a replacement for Aurelio. The winger would have more impact on the team so I'd prefer us not to compromise on that position.

[Armchairkopite]

I would hope that given the that sales in January raised a few quid, and Hicks claims of a 'big summer' we should be able get someone in as a winger, and scramble around for whatever we can get as a replacement for Aurelio. The winger would have more impact on the team so I'd prefer us not to compromise on that position.

I dont know, a johnson type signing on the left would give us another dimension.
Bilic pointed out the other night on MOTD that it was our full backs that where keeping our system so rigid and to play the system that Rafa wants to perfection you need excellent full backs, just thought it was interesting.

Anyway I would love to go out and sign that lad Turan, hes made the right noises and would seem like the perfect candidate for the wing.

[cream]

I dont know, a johnson type signing on the left would give us another dimension.
Bilic pointed out the other night on MOTD that it was our full backs that where keeping our system so rigid and to play the system that Rafa wants to perfection you need excellent full backs, just thought it was interesting.

Anyway I would love to go out and sign that lad Turan, hes made the right noises and would seem like the perfect candidate for the wing.

Its true that. The full-backs are supposed to be the wingers in our system and the three behind Torres should be made up of attacking midfielders and support strikers. Turan and Krasic would be perfect for us, even if it meant selling Babel, Riera, Yossi and Kuyt.

[Armchairkopite]

Its true that. The full-backs are supposed to be the wingers in our system and the three behind Torres should be made up of attacking midfielders and support strikers. Turan and Krasic would be perfect for us, even if it meant selling Babel, Riera, Yossi and Kuyt.

I dont think we could afford to lose for players mate, the squad is too light already.

[cream]

I dont think we could afford to lose for players mate, the squad is too light already.

Squad isn't light, its mostly average. We wouldn't be losing four players, only one actually.

Our attacking players (front four):

Torres
Gerrard
Kuyt
N'gogg
Babel
Maxi
Riera
Yossi
Pacheco

Could be:

Torres
Gerrard
Turan
Krasic
Maxi
Jovanovic
N'gogg
Pacheco

[Boro Boy]

Hahaha no really Adam Johnson was gash trust me utter gash totally bigged up by the media downing was and is 100 times the player Johnson can ever be. Jinky was not the answer to your problems, you should have snaffled downing last summer

[cream]

Hahaha no really Adam Johnson was gash trust me utter gash totally bigged up by the media downing was and is 100 times the player Johnson can ever be. Jinky was not the answer to your problems, you should have snaffled downing last summer

What the **** are you on about

[BobTheCharmer]

Aurelio is world class. letting him go would be suicide. he has the sweetest left foot in the business. name another fullback with a better delivery from set pieces? without the injuries he'd be worth £20M easily. long live the king of brazil, long live the elephant man, long live eddie the kid, long live bonnie prince charlie.

[Exiled_red]

Hahaha no really Adam Johnson was gash trust me utter gash totally bigged up by the media downing was and is 100 times the player Johnson can ever be. Jinky was not the answer to your problems, you should have snaffled downing last summer

When he said Johnson, I think he meant Glen Johnson not Adam Johnson:

I dont know, a johnson type signing on the left would give us another dimension.
Bilic pointed out the other night on MOTD that it was our full backs that where keeping our system so rigid and to play the system that Rafa wants to perfection you need excellent full backs, just thought it was interesting.

Anyway I would love to go out and sign that lad Turan, hes made the right noises and would seem like the perfect candidate for the wing.

Boro Boy it would be interesting to know your views on Adam Johnson, I thought he was a highly rated prospect in the Under 21's (and I had assumed at Boro).

[Paul12]

He is our best left back and thats where he should play. He himself knows he has injury problems so he should just sign the pay as you play deal. He's a very good squad player and I wouldn't want to lose him

But there have been times this season where Insua has needed to be given a break, yet Fabio has not been fit enough to give him that break. So Insua has played on and made mistakes that have cost us goals. So, good player though he is when he is fit, his value to us as a squad player is limited.

I still say that, if we want to win things, we need high-quality first teamers and reserves that are good enough and will be available when needed. We don't have that at left back so we need to buy. At taht point Fabio will be surplus to requirements. Life is hard sometimes, but we are not running a charity!