The Manager of the Year has taken time out over the summer to enjoy some time with his family, and why not after such a successful season last time out and with the possibility of another big one this time round?
Personally I can’t wait for the start of pre-season either. It’s pretty dire on the news front to be truthful so once everyone gets back to work we might start seeing things moving along a bit, and there is still a lot that needs sorting this summer!
We have the whole saga with Demba Ba to get sorted one way or the other, our right-back conundrum with strong interest in Mathieu Debuchy being rumoured, a bid for a Dutch international midfielder that may or may not be revisited, plus now a firm interest in FC Twente striker Luuk de Jong. There is also the small issue of trying to keep our key players together ready for an assault on Europe.
Things are bubbling away underneath the surface and all it takes is one thing to happen to start a domino effect so that the others start to fall into place. Yes it’s quiet right now, which is less than handy for a blog writer I’m sure you’ll understand, but I very much doubt that will be the case come the end of the summer.
We need this squad strengthened, especially when you look at the numbers of players who are leaving us over the close season. Danny Guthrie is off and it looks like Leon Best may follow along with a few other inconsequential players like Alan Smith and perhaps Nile Ranger and Fraser Forster – not first choice by any stretch of the imagination but still a reduction in numbers that will, hopefully, be sorted by the time the big kick-off comes around.
So Alan Pardew isn’t the only one looking forward to pre-season by any stretch of the imagination. So are we!!!
Nerves kicking in for the match now like 😐
richietoon(Quote)
@ 151 yeah lets get it on, I hope England can do it. I see they have all learnt the Queen 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave…Aye, time to crack another can open
richietoon(Quote)
Hope England wins this but boy do I hate john terry
MDS(Quote)
Buffon is only 34 😯 I thought he was a lot older than that
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave… Aye he seems to have been around forever.
MDS….nowt wrong with hating JT 😉
richietoon(Quote)
fuk that was some shot 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
Jesus we just got REALLY lucky there 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Johnson the fuking dummy
Big Dave(Quote)
Bloody hell Milner ,it’s a lively start lads 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Would have been the goal of the tournament by miles.
Wow that was close
MDS(Quote)
Kim don’t forget to get your pic up again for Ice later 😆 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave@139 you old romantic you 😀
@162.**** ,you know i’ve only gone and lost it 😳 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim well if you’ve lost it theres nowt you can do 😉 , its Ices own fault for not being on that night 😀
As for 139 yeah 25 yrs legally or 28yrs all together 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
England are playing decent so far
Big Dave(Quote)
There’s already been more action than I expected for the entire match. Roy has england playing well
MDS(Quote)
Dave ,I managed 12 years married but 16 together befor we split so well done mate , congrats. 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
I would like to see AC on later on ,reckon he’ll terrify that Italian back line.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim maybe its because we’re like ships in the night 😆
As for Carroll I think he would cause them all sorts of bother, the same as I thought Walcot should have started ahead of Milner. Now Johnson I really don’t know how he gets picked for England or the Dippers I think he’s *****
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave ,he needs to change his boots I know that much 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
**** sake ,should of done much better there 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
Well done Big Dave, managed to keep quiet about the regular visits to ****** in tigers bay then? 😆
jay jay(Quote)
Well done joe
kimtoon(Quote)
We really should of scored when we had that spell early doors ,you just know if they score they’ll just sit back and defend all night . 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
Jay the one Lass I have is enough for me 😉 Tigers bay millies 😯 I wouldn’t even take you there, unless it was to kick you outta the car and tell them your a celtic fan 😆 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Kim Mario should have scored at least twice 😯 so maybe it’s Englands night, but I can see them scoring but can’t really see England unless they change. I could see Carroll scoring and being the saviour
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave ,yeh cause we are getting crosses in ,set up for AC really ,don’t think they could handle him.
kimtoon(Quote)
Man our finishing has been gash so far…why didn’t Welbeck just welly that one in instead of side footing it…? 👿 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
not a bad 1st half
hitman(Quote)
I would just calmly walk to duncairn gardens, no fear mate 😉
jay jay(Quote)
MM I think Carroll offers England a lot more than welbeck
Big Dave(Quote)
Regarding next season, Sammy could really develop to be a decent attacker across the front 3. His height, pace, and dribbling could be lethal, just needs a little maturity in how to handle situations.
Vuckic looks like he could fill in one of those attacking roles, but seems to prefer to play as an attacking midfielder, spraying around passes and being support.
I really can’t nail down Abeid yet. The lad’s got plenty of ability and potential, but I don’t know if he’s better on the wings or in the center. He definitely likes getting forward, and could be a wildcats for us to bring on this year.
Ferguson has apparent talent. The question is whether he should be used as a winger or fullback.
Marveaux is definitely gonna come good. I really don’t know avout Gosling though. Doesn’t seem to know what to do half the time. I guess the same could be said about Obertan. Although I would really like to see how he would do on the left wing, cutting in with his ball skills and lightning pace
AndrewT(Quote)
What a miss 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Big D all three Mancs up front are just strolling through the game. Rooney looks unfit if you ask me. Hoy Carroll on, cross from Gerard, header boom 1-0 watch out Germany…it’s just a matter of time 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
AndrewT, the good thing about the three bairns you just mentioned is that they can all play differing positions… If one of them makes the FULL breakthrough this season it will be brilliant. I reckon Abeid is perhaps still 1 year behind those lads…
Munich Mag(Quote)
You know what ,I think lady luck may just be with us here 😛
kimtoon(Quote)
fuk England hace been real lucky so far but is their luck going to hold up ?
Big Dave(Quote)
get that milner and welbeck off or we are fooked imo,got to change this game
icedog(Quote)
Ice 100% agree
kimtoon(Quote)
Andrew I had high hopes for Sammi and Vuckic but I think they need loaned out to a champ side for some regular footie otherwise I think they’ll just fade away, like we have been saying the samething about Vuckic for the last few seasons.
Carroll will give them a rough time as will Walcot
Big Dave(Quote)
Ice AC and Walcott I think 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Ice as I said earlier Carroll and Walcot should have been in instead of them 2
Big Dave(Quote)
agree
icedog(Quote)
england have just stopped going with runners 👿
icedog(Quote)
AC just needs some decent balls in and sure he’ll score.
kimtoon(Quote)
is rooney playing or hideing ffs
icedog(Quote)
Ice Rooney is really poor tonight ,looks unfit to me.
kimtoon(Quote)
since that f/b has thumped young a couple of times he just wont run at him anymore
icedog(Quote)
Woy looks frustrated mind
kimtoon(Quote)
Cramp already 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
England and Co rely too much on Shrek, they all think he is their saviour
Big Dave(Quote)
Young should be took off throw Chamberlain on
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE maybe his hair is getting in his eyes noo 😀
icedog(Quote)
Same old England can’t keep hold of the ball ,lots of huffing and puffing ,need a moment of brilliance from someone.
kimtoon(Quote)
well done Johnson 😯
richietoon(Quote)
italy look a lot fitter to me 😕
icedog(Quote)
Feckin come on lads!
richietoon(Quote)
Woy knows that England are technically gash, and cannot keep the ball. Our one creative meidfielder Gerrard is knackered…. Still, we are in with a chance, as long as we have Schreck and the gypsy up front… 🙄 🙄
Munich Mag(Quote)
Henderson coming on
kimtoon(Quote)
game so stretched now
kimtoon(Quote)
…Like a pair of Toonsy’s 44″ jeans 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Richie 😆 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim…I’m trying to be kind by saying they’re just 44″ 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Man Henderson is ugly…. 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM…Tbf that’s not his fault, his mam is his dad’s sister 😆
richietoon(Quote)
MM ,you know the footies dire when you start talking about players looks 😆 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
Diving bastards ,never change . 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
No harm to you’s but I hope it goes to pens 😀 as I like a good old penalty shoot out like 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
OFFSIDE ,theres lady luck again 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
😯 lucky again I think England will be lucky to get to pens 😳
Big Dave(Quote)
Lol. How many heart attacks in England right there…
Right call
MDS(Quote)
Hart was close there,
Big Dave(Quote)
well done stevie
kimtoon(Quote)
😯 young you dummy
Big Dave(Quote)
Cole tried to be too fancy
Big Dave(Quote)