Big Phil

[Ted Hughes]

If he doesn't find a club today, is that it? Does he have to spend the next 6 months sat on his arse/just playing league cup games etc?

Or can he still get a loan deal outside the window?

If we have an empty space in the squad & he's stuck at the club we should register him, it's just not fair to leave him doing nothing, he's a decent player & he's at a crucial stage in his career. It would be a terrible indictment of idiots that thought of these rules if the poor guy ends up doing sod all for 6 months.

[ant london]

If he doesn't find a club today, is that it? Does he have to spend the next 6 months sat on his arse/just playing league cup games etc?

Or can he still get a loan deal outside the window?

If we have an empty space in the squad & he's stuck at the club we should register him, it's just not fair to leave him doing nothing, he's a decent player & he's at a crucial stage in his career. It would be a terrible indictment of idiots that thought of these rules if the poor guy ends up doing sod all for 6 months.

I was actually going to post something along these lines earlier

Personally I find it quite baffling that only Wet Spam have made serious efforts to take Felipe on loan. He could so do a job for lots of clubs....I think Liverpool, for example, could do a lot lot worse than having him in their 25

[Kladze]

I'd actually be quite happy to see him in our 25.
There are one or two aspects of his game that definitely need working on but he does have a few important attributes :

He's prepared to graft.
He has a thunderous shot.
He knows where the net is (the goal posts don't move and all that stuff).

[Ted Hughes]

If he doesn't find a club today, is that it? Does he have to spend the next 6 months sat on his arse/just playing league cup games etc?

Or can he still get a loan deal outside the window?

If we have an empty space in the squad & he's stuck at the club we should register him, it's just not fair to leave him doing nothing, he's a decent player & he's at a crucial stage in his career. It would be a terrible indictment of idiots that thought of these rules if the poor guy ends up doing sod all for 6 months.

I was actually going to post something along these lines earlier

Personally I find it quite baffling that only Wet Spam have made serious efforts to take Felipe on loan. He could so do a job for lots of clubs....I think Liverpool, for example, could do a lot lot worse than having him in their 25

What about Scotland? If Samaras can get a game for Celtic surely big Phil can? If it's down to big wages we should do the honourable thing & help out like we did with Bellamy. We tempted the bloke over here when he was happily lumbering away in Choccoland & shouldn't be responsible for stopping him from playing football.

[DoomMerchant]

he could still go to a Championship club after today, couldn't he?

we shouldn't be so short-sighted. Unless we start scoring some goals regularly Big Phil might get a shot up front to showcase his bowlegged footballing panache.

If Mancini is committed to Tevez as captain, and 1 up front....we are in for a very very long season.

cheers

[kinkylola]

I've always thought that him and tevez could have made a decent partnership ... he is a fucking battering ram up top.

His first touch isn't that great, but when he gets it under control he has great feet and he isn't afraid to try a pass. I think tevez could do very well with that type of player in front of him.

I don't think he will ever be a first choice player here, but honestly, we could do much worse and I think being young and strong he has some great short term benefits that could serve us well. He seems like a nice guy as well, so I hope for the best for him. If he gets left out there is no one to blame but the fucks who came up with this 25 player rule.

[Bingo Lewis]

I think he's good enough to be in our squad. He's better than Jo FFS!!!

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

My prediction was that by the age of 25, he will NOT be playing on top flight of any decent league. That first touch.....jeezes.

[Rag_hater]

Can't be nice for him but I think he is young enough and so early into his career 6 months just training with us or being in the elite squad won't have to bad an affect on him.And he will still be getting paid.

[ant london]

There's space for him in reality isn't there?

The definites in the 25 look to be

Homegrown x 8
Hart
Richards
Lescott
Bridge
A Johnson
Barry
Milner
SWP

Imports x 12
Given
Kolarov
Kompany
K Toure
Boateng
Zabaleta
Silva
Y Toure
De Jong
Vieira
Adebayor
Tevez
(Balotelli) - don't think he counts as is under 21


That leaves the following players who are on the books and not still under 21

Taylor
Caicedo
Robinho
Santa Cruz
Jo

and then the following lads who are all under 21 so can be included in our squad outside the "25"

(Balotelli)
Boyata
Nimely
Ibrahim
Cunningham
Guidetti

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

NO. There's no space for him.

[mr_nool]

In that case Santa, Robinho or Jo needs to go to make room for Big Phil.

[Beeks]

I'd rather Big Phil in the 25 than Jo

[ant london]

I'd rather Big Phil in the 25 than Jo

how about big phil at right back? ;-)

[Ted Hughes]

1 Hart
2 Richards
3 Lescott
4 Bridge
5 A Johnson
6 Barry
7 Milner
8 SWP
9 Given
10 Kolarov
11 Kompany
12 K Toure
13 Boateng
14 Zabaleta
15 Silva
16 Y Toure
17 De Jong
18 Vieira
19 Adebayor
20 Tevez
21 Taylor
22 Robinho
23 Santa Cruz
24 Jo
25 Could be Caicedo but what about Michael Johnson?

[ant london]

25 Could be Caicedo but what about Michael Johnson?

well, by his own admission, October is the earliest he will even start to be "back" for. That's without setbacks.

I'd say that we have the potential to include Michael in the CC/FA Cup squads maybe pre-xmas....otherwise....let him find his feet (and knees) in the EDS and look whether he merits a place in the PL 25 at the January reshuffle

[Ted Hughes]

25 Could be Caicedo but what about Michael Johnson?

well, by his own admission, October is the earliest he will even start to be "back" for. That's without setbacks.

I'd say that we have the potential to include Michael in the CC/FA Cup squads maybe pre-xmas....otherwise....let him find his feet (and knees) in the EDS and look whether he merits a place in the PL 25 at the January reshuffle

I'd agree with that but Mancini has him in the European squad.

[Beeks]

I'd rather Big Phil in the 25 than Jo

how about big phil at right back? ;-)

He would do a better job ;-)

[ant london]

25 Could be Caicedo but what about Michael Johnson?

well, by his own admission, October is the earliest he will even start to be "back" for. That's without setbacks.

I'd say that we have the potential to include Michael in the CC/FA Cup squads maybe pre-xmas....otherwise....let him find his feet (and knees) in the EDS and look whether he merits a place in the PL 25 at the January reshuffle

I'd agree with that but Mancini has him in the European squad.

true enough.....I think one of the things Johnson (M) has in his favour in terms of how much patience they would have and his "value" to the club is, quite aside from his potential talent should he recapture it and blossom further, he is homegrown and should we decide to flog someone like Bridge or Lescott or SWP in January he can fill that vacant slot in the 8 and leave us free to shop at the duty free again

[mcfc1632]

I'd actually be quite happy to see him in our 25.
There are one or two aspects of his game that definitely need working on but he does have a few important attributes :

He's prepared to graft.
He has a thunderous shot.
He knows where the net is (the goal posts don't move and all that stuff).

I am with you on this - I think he is just 'smidgins' in a number of key areas to being a top player

now - I do not want to get carried away, but I genuinely believe that he could make it - and if he did - his style could make him much sought after

I would rather give him a whirl in our squad - bring in on when games are safe and see what he can do in a good team - if he fails - well he fails