Been announced today that Chelsea have signed Mark Schwarzer on a free from Fulham on a one year deal. Since it's apparent that Pants wants away (or at least wanted away) I find it surprising that we weren't in for Schwarzer, by joining Chelsea he's obviously happy with more of a bit part role.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23250248
A few days ago West Brom also announced they'd signed Nicholas Anelka on a free. Since there are no two ways about it, we do need at least one striker, would you have taken Anelka back to City? Personally the only thing that would have prevented me having a punt on him would be a worry that he wouldn't integrate well with the strikers we already have (all two of them!), but maybe me being a young 'un during Anelka's time at City, watching a player who was undoubtedly more talented than most of what we had at the time, causes me to look back on his time with us in a slightly different light to those of you a bit older...
I know we're not in a position where we need to be looking at bringing players in on frees, but every now and then good players become available, and they certainly help in adding depth to the squad whilst also balancing the books.
Missed a trick... Or two?
posted on 10/7/13
Loved Anelka and thought he was unsettled by the continued newspaper articles droning on about Le Sulk etc just because he didn't smile. The same trick they tried with Balo as well. WTF if a player doesn't want to smile that's up to them. However I just don't think he has the legs anymore which is why Chelsea decided to part company..
Pants is still better than Schwarzer and if its only for a year then it wouldn't be worth it. Think he wants to convince Pel he deserves a run in the side.
Know what you mean about freebies but decent ones don't come around that often unless a players determined to see his contract out and become a free agent.
posted on 10/7/13
If he could assume the role of poacher though lee, bring him on late in games and stick him in the box, I'm sure he hasn't lost his eye for a goal... Not dissimilar to the role Owen carried out for United.
Personally I'd be happy for Pants to stay, he's a decent enough second choice, but if we stick with what we had last season I think both our keepers will need managing slightly differently in order to give Pants the number of games he needs/wants and to give Hart the kick up the backside/competition he needs.
posted on 10/7/13
The problem with last season is we went out of the Carling or whatever fairly early. It was obvious I think that that's were Pants was going to get his games and he did all the way up to the final of the FA cup. Still think the manager was right to pick hart fr the final but it was Pants bad luck.
posted on 10/7/13
The problem you had was that Joe thought (correctly) that he was undroppable - Mancini didn't have the balls to stick him on the bench after any of mistakes last season.
posted on 10/7/13
I agree Hart was right for the final lee, if only for the fact Pants dropped a b0llock before the game and said he would be leaving the club. But, both are very young keepers, so I think they'd both benefit from having and older influence on them (no offence to the guy but perhaps a little more highly regarded than Richard Wright!)
posted on 10/7/13
Would those be the mistakes that had him as the goalie with the most clean sheets or the mistakes that had him with the less goals conceded record in the Prem....just wondering.
posted on 10/7/13
Its odd Lee I could swear I saw Joe awarded the golden gloves last season. Must be delusional - after all DDG was the best keeper in the prem - wasn't he? Same way I missed Tottenham winning the Champions League in 2011, although they clearly did.
posted on 10/7/13
Hart getting the Golden Glove again last season is testament to just how good our back five really are; I don't think he did hit the same heights performance-wise that he did in 11/12, but then again, which of our players did?