Magic8Ball

the real problem is there's nothing to fill the gaps between the reserves and the first team. becase of this promising players cannot get the experience of first team level without Rafa taking a chance on them during a game. typically youth players are no consistent so they only get used when we're desperate or when we are safely ahead. Until we solve this problem youth developemnt here is going to be stunted.

I know its unlikey, but I really would like to see Henry here. It's not that he would be a great alternative to Torres - its that he could spark better performances form Babel and N'Gog as well if he performed well he would raise the belief of the entire team as hes someone who does his job exceptionally well thus breeding confidence. All in all would love to see Henry playing fuor us next season.

I'm not going to defend Keane, but playing with Torres is like playing with Henry - both are such unusual talents that finding a partner who can work with them effectively is not easy. TBH for Torres to work with anyone other than Gerrard ( we know that kind of works) Torres would have to change his game ( why should he do that, when he's effective with it as it is? ). To work with Keane Torres has to be involved in the link play more often, which he can do, but that takes him away from goal. To work with Torres, Keane needs to start by putting away his chances. We haven't the money or the time, but the player I would have liked would have been D Villa - sure they don't work together for Spain, but both are equally capable of linking the play and if they learn how to "alternate" both are equally good at finishing THEORETICALLY I think that would have been the best partnership and once working it would hav got more experience being used for Spain. I think buying Keane probably has a lot to do with Gerrard wanting to play midfield and our not getting Barry - Maybe Rafa wanted to use the money that was there rather than lose it .... Anyway we have Keane now, and he really needs to start putting them away - he get's enough chances

Please note there are honest questions, there is no agenda. what winger would you have bought ? Keane has several problems but the biggest one IMO is missing his chances - he'd have at least 4 more goals had he taken his chances and we'd have at least 2 maybe 4 more points

I'll hold you to that ! Part of me thinks we have the players and we coach them how to defend, but we dont work on how they attack, especially in the final 3rd. - let's return to this topic later after Keane and Torres have played a few more games together

Thank you, but I rarely take Everton as an example of anything - please find me another - let's say a team like Wigan or Stoke or Bolton or Sunderland would do Look, I'm glad we have Keane, I just think SO FAR he's falling short of what I expected. Having said that were he as clinical as Fowler he'd have more than enough goals to silence anyone. So its not in his getting opportunities its in his creating opportunities for others and putting away his chances that I'm disappointed most

This is critical to our success, but we need to move onto the next level which is being able to use the ball better in the final third. Retention is good but we don't probe for weakeness with a feeling of efficacy. I was watching keane work his socks of and couldnt shake the thought that a young Fowler may actually be the perfect foil for Torres - where's a young Fowler when you need one Clinical finisher, can play main striker or link striker - could in theory play with Babel or N'gog - I think that's the type of striker we need to move on. As a link striker Keane is an improvement on what we had but so far I've not seen the ball control or the skill at opening a defense we need to move on to the next level Regarding Kuyt, he's been impressive - I can only hope Babel is watching and learning

well long may that continue and hope it spreads to chelsea and Man u too

whats the problem with Wengers current policy ?

What then of N'Gog ? - if we have Torres, Babel, Keane , Kuyt all playing as striker, what happens to N'gog ?

so what's going to happen to N'gog ? Mind you - if we're playing counter attacking football we could do worse than a front 3 of Babel, Torres and Heskey ? - they're not exactly slow

Not sure why we're in for Heskey. I have to assume its as he's premiership experienced and can stand in for Nando as a target man even though we have N'gog. What will happen to Heskey when Torres is fit, will he take Kuyt's place on the right?

YES IF: He matches Kuyts work rate and positioning - Babel has the greater talent He continues to score 10+ goals a season from the RH position He continues to improve (so that he can play well all through a game) He's not needed on the left the above formation or --------Torres Riera--Keane--Babel Marcherano---Gerrard or Riera--Torres--Babel -Keane ---Gerrard -----Masherano etc

same for me !!!

This is interesting. I looked at the Arsenal youth and our own. Even though we've won the youth league and the youth cup 2 times, there is a "glass ceiling" between the youth team and the first team with few youths bridging the divide and making it in the first team. This si clearly something they do better at Arsenal, so we should look into that. Also what we need are a set piece and striker coach as our strikers seems poor in front of goal, there is little movement and few ideas there.

Pepe's been immense ! as for Keane, maybe you're right, but he should have had at least 2 goals so far - I think he's been through on goal 3 times and fluffed it

and that's part of the point, I'm not asking for stuff he hasn't done consistently before ... time will tell

I guess I'm not seeing goals or an understanding with Torres that would lead me to believe goals are to come - Keane as link striker is fine but I would expect 15-18 goals for Keane plus 10 assists and I'm not seeing anything to indicate that's coming

General observation do you think he was great today ? ( bear in mind Kuyt is more an old fashioned CF )

loved the change in attitude, we saw they were there for the taking and took 'em - we need to do that more often still not sure about Keane - can he really play as link striker ? Who plays RW now we have Reira - Gerrard or Babel ? I guess it has to be Gerrard as we can play 4231 then - still not sure Keane's being used correctly

if Reira makes the LW/LA position his own - does that mean that Babel get to play RW/RA or are we to play Gerrard there and keep Alonso and Mash in the middle ?

Finnan also appears to be leaving -> Espanyol there may be some money for Jan at this rate

talking of Argentina - I think the FA are mad, they don't allow us to sign South American players unless they play regularly for their country, by which time they've already be signed by a european team and we can't afford them - Messi, Kaka - I was hoping with Rafa here we'd get more South American talent like Mash and Aguero here

have you thought, that could have something to do with the quality of the youngsters ? - you instantly blame the management - may not be their fault. How often doesn a Rooney, an Owen a Gerrard come along ? - not very often and you need to be near that quality to make it into the first team permanently. In recent months and this summer Rafa seems to be actively trying to remove the dead wood to create space for the youngsters to make more appearances Also would you deny your son the best coaching just so they could play more games ? - its about developing the player properly and having them reach their max potential and that requires top coaching not just games

what ever the reason: To save money on transfers, to 'grow' our own world class player, to make money for transfers .... whatever the reason we're going to see a lot more youth come in, with only the best staying and going on loan before making the first team. Hope Rafa gets to stay to see this come to fruition