Concrete Ron?

[qpr]

I think he's crrap actually. One good WC game means nothing. Cesar did well at the WC too

[acricketer]

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/723724162?-294:802

Looks like Caulker's chauffeur got lost on the way to W12 and ended up at Selhurst Park - and so the target is now Vlar instead.

Incidentally, interesting in another report that Spurs are apparently upping Vertongen's salary from £45,000 a week to keep him. I really want Caulker but if our wages on offer - apparently a similar amount - are not enough for a far less established player then sadly it prob is time to move on....

Didn't Rio rave about Vlar's performance against Argentina in the semi-final?

[Suffolk]

Vlaar looked much better than he actually is at the WC, played alongside 2 other CB in a defensive Dutch team. He will get carved up playing alongside 1 CB in the prem

The transfer speculation thus far would indicate to me that Harry intends/is considering playing 3 centre backs. This would explain why bringing in CBs is our top priority. Such a formation would enable us to utilise one or two less mobile CBs and allow us to park the bus against the top teams. If this is the case we are already sorted at LB as Yun and Traore are better as a wing back than they are as a conventional LB. I could not understand why we were being linked with RBs at the start of the transfer window (Johnson among others) but it would make sense if we go 352. It could also explain our lack of transfer activity as the forward players we would be looking at would differ to those wanted for a 442 or 433. All IMO of course.

[Shepherds Mush]

Didn't Rio rave about Vlar's performance against Argentina in the semi-final?

To be fair, Vlaar mopped up everything in the semi-final.

[stainrodisalegend]

The transfer speculation thus far would indicate to me that Harry intends/is considering playing 3 centre backs. This would explain why bringing in CBs is our top priority. Such a formation would enable us to utilise one or two less mobile CBs and allow us to park the bus against the top teams. If this is the case we are already sorted at LB as Yun and Traore are better as a wing back than they are as a conventional LB. I could not understand why we were being linked with RBs at the start of the transfer window (Johnson among others) but it would make sense if we go 352. It could also explain our lack of transfer activity as the forward players we would be looking at would differ to those wanted for a 442 or 433. All IMO of course.

See where you are coming from but so many teams play with just one striker and have a roaming number ten think three centre backs can largely be left out of the game - better to have a holding midfield player strong in the tackle imho. But I should stress I have not played football at a high level...

[hal9thou]

The transfer speculation thus far would indicate to me that Harry intends/is considering playing 3 centre backs.

Nice idea and suggested before but you need four quality CBs available to make that work on a regular basis. Right now - Thursday lunchtime - we have none good enough at this level.

It also depends on the quality of covering mid park players but that's another story. If we were going in that direction, the CB i'd have top of the list is Lascelles.

I quite like 4-2-3-1 as an alternative, an idea floated before Deutchland Uber Alles ;)

[hh9]

Do we need Ferdinand to teach Vlaar how to play

[Suffolk]

See where you are coming from but so many teams play with just one striker and have a roaming number ten think three centre backs can largely be left out of the game - better to have a holding midfield player strong in the tackle imho. But I should stress I have not played football at a high level...

Nice idea and suggested before but you need four quality CBs available to make that work on a regular basis. Right now - Thursday lunchtime - we have none good enough at this level.

It also depends on the quality of covering mid park players but that's another story. If we were going in that direction, the CB i'd have top of the list is Lascelles.

I quite like 4-2-3-1 as an alternative, an idea floated before Deutchland Uber Alles ;)

I see us going all out for survival - a mid table finish would be a bonus. I don't advocate us playing with three centre backs but I could see Rio, Ned and Vlar/Caulker/Lascelles doing a decent job in the roll. After England were dumped out of the World Cup Harry pointed out that the last time England went into a tournament with a game plan was under Hoddle - we played a wing back system with 3 CBs. It must of crossed Harry's mind and he tried it on a couple of occasions last season.

[fisnik]

I think you mean Roncrete!