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Navas looks sharp, and sinclair looks busy, beast off with an injury

Half time band is great fun sign them & sack the cheese. Also they just had the Count picking the raffle winning ticket, fucking great. Old school.

Ted Hughes wrote:Thought it was an hour later here! Just found it on tv because the sun went behind the mountain & I went inside. Early days but for a young player, Zucculini looks the dog's fucking bollocks to me, very very clever.

I'm with you... he's got a little spark to his play and his movement is very intelligent. Think he could settle into Garcia's role for example very easily inside 12 months, possibly adding a little more too.

Finally that sow is coming off!

What's was Negredo's injury? Anything serious?

How's Rekik look?

Saul Goodman wrote:What's was Negredo's injury? Anything serious?

How's Rekik look?

Same as he's ever looked. Composed... but not a naturally dominant defender by any stretch of the imagination. Hearts got in behind him quite easily a couple of times. He's not the answer i don't think.

twosips wrote:

Saul Goodman wrote:What's was Negredo's injury? Anything serious?

How's Rekik look?

Same as he's ever looked. Composed... but not a naturally dominant defender by any stretch of the imagination. Hearts got in behind him quite easily a couple of times. He's not the answer i don't think.

I doubt it but he'll have a decent career I think.

Denayer fucked up quite a few times tonight ponced a bit on the ball & obviously isn't ready, but he shows the desire to be a defender imo. I have big hopes for him.

Nastasic showed a bit of that tonight too but Denayer imo has 'something'. He could go to PSV & Rekik could step up to France perhaps.

Ted. Do you think we'll keep Nastasic, or rely on Rekik or Sagna as the fourth centre back?

interesting to see Clichy get run out at right back

and i hope Fernando wins the ball better than he did for Heart's goal

blues2win wrote:Ted. Do you think we'll keep Nastasic, or rely on Rekik or Sagna as the fourth centre back?

Rekik has been given a low squad number and told he's staying. Looks very classy and can play either left or right I think.

I wonder how this will be reported in Scotland? After the last game against Dundee there was a report slating our multi-million pond players efforts, claiming we were a bit of a disgrace.

Alf gets a sore one - hope it's not serious

Beefymcfc wrote:I wonder how this will be reported in Scotland? After the last game against Dundee there was a report slating our multi-million pond players efforts, claiming we were a bit of a disgrace.

the commentators last night were a pure joy - I'd almost forgotten what a fair commentary was like

blues2win wrote:Ted. Do you think we'll keep Nastasic, or rely on Rekik or Sagna as the fourth centre back?

I don't see why we would sell Nastasic now, I imagine we would give him this season to move up a level, then get rid if he doesn't.

As for Rekik replacing him, I think this would be a potentially catastrophic mistake. There was an incidence yesterday where Nasti dived in & missed a challenge. The striker was played in behind Rekik (all perfectly understandable, new partnership etc) BUT, the bloke with the ball was actually moving faster than Rekik trying to catch him. He made no ground. Had this been a 1v1 further out, the bloke running with the ball would have actually pulled away from Rekik, running without the ball. With Denayer, it was the complete opposite, he made up groujd very quickly.

I think we need to look at Rekik very carefully in these coming games & watch for signs of that as well as keeping a close eye on his judgement on the end of a high ball, where I also believe he has a problem.

From what I've seen of Rekik, I believe he is another of those slow, passive cbs who looks ok on the ball but can only defend if in his comfort zone. Many on here like those kind of players; I think they are no use to this team whatsoever.

I hope Rekik proves he can deal with these situations, as I always thought he would be a star, but imo he has lost two yards of pace & a fair bit of jumping ability since we signed him, just due to growing bigger I think.

This Denayer kid is the one from the EDS we were talking about earlier this year wasn't it?

I always got the impression that Rekik was in the last group that won't quite make it. Obviously not all of the current u15, u16, u18's will make it but I get the feeling they are going to contribute more to the 1st team. That u15 side last season was very good, lots of potential there.

Denayer has all the physical attributes potentially, and the quality on the ball potentially too, but he's unbelievably raw at the moment. Cos of his age he's got Titus Bramble-esque getting caught in possession moments in him but there's nowt to say he couldn't get there eventually.

I suppose the reason for selling Nastasic is because the Club wants to raise funds for one more decent purchase, perhaps Barkley. Richards Sinclair Nastasic Garcia Negredo would be in the frame if that were so. I think now that Yaya has made his declaration we're probably done assuming Mangala is effectively over the finishing line. If that is the case Richards and Sinclair will go and the rest will probably stay. I should include Milner who looks as though he will stay either running down his contract or agreeing to an extension.

I guess he does sign autographs and takes pictures with the fans.



*His smirk ruins the photo though.

Saul Goodman wrote:What's was Negredo's injury? Anything serious?....

still smiling

The EDS lads might have to make up the squad numbers in Europe if we have any injury crisis(es) to our reduced first team squad, so Pellegrini will want to have a good luck at the likeliest candidates over the preseason. Having a few players out for a while after the world cup obviously gives him a good chance to do it.