Fabian Delph

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Not if we are spunking £150m on our 3 main targets.

There is no comparison between hazard and Sinclair at all. Delph isn't going to be an alternative to our top target, he will be to compliment or provide rest or as cover. You want to spend £40m on an understudy. Someone who isn't going to get in our best 11.

Well City were clearly happy to otherwise they wouldn't have approached Arsenal for Wilshere, not that we know the true valuation.

Delph is filling a spot, a cheap alternative to an A target, who like those mentioned may fill a spot, but is completely inadequate and will offer us little to nothing, and isn't good enough to sit on the bench for us, and anyone telling me they'd be happy for him to line up in our team against Barca or Bayern is just beyond reason, because by accepting his signing you are accepting him being called upon whenever Pelle feels like it.

 

[johnmc]

Well City were clearly happy to otherwise they wouldn't have approached Arsenal for Wilshere, not that we know the true valuation.

Delph is filling a spot, a cheap alternative to an A target, who like those mentioned may fill a spot, but is completely inadequate and will offer us little to nothing, and isn't good enough to sit on the bench for us, and anyone telling me they'd be happy for him to line up in our team against Barca or Bayern is just beyond reason, because by accepting his signing you are accepting him being called upon whenever Pelle feels like it.

You don't know under what circumstances we approached arsenal over wilshere though? We could have bought Wilshere and still gone after Delph but not gone after Pogba. You just don't know. You don't know how concrete our approach was. You don't know how serious it was. Maybe we went for him, got told he was going nowhere so had to look elsewhere. Who plays alongside wilshere in the national team. Some might consider him the next best alternative. Maybe the fees for Pogba, De Bruyne and Sterling mean we have to go bargain shopping to pad out the squad.

And yes I would not be worried about a midfield of Pogba Yaya and Delph lining up against anyone. I prefer that than Pogba Yaya and Fernando truth be told.

 

[BigOscar]

We have lost 2 players who could play centre midfield. Lampard and Milner. Fernando didn't pull up any trees either. So maybe the management see it as somewhere we are short.

I'd love to share your optimism that Lopes could play that position but I don't.

And why do those two players need to be replaced by homegrown players? Milner also only played in CM about twice last season, so I wouldn't worry too much about replacing him there anyway, while Lampard was a bit part player. One quality foreign signing would easily play both of their central midfield minutes and probably a lot more on top. (Pogba, for example, would play in CM far more than both of those two combined for last season)

As for whether Lopes can play central midfield, he has in the past so it's not really an opinion that is optimistic, even if it isn't his best position. We also have people like Fofana who could play CM if we were truly desperate, which I don't see why we would be.

 

[johnmc]

And why do those two players need to be replaced by homegrown players? Milner also only played in CM about twice last season, so I wouldn't worry too much about replacing him there anyway, while Lampard was a bit part player. One quality foreign signing would easily play both of their central midfield minutes and probably a lot more on top. (Pogba, for example, would play in CM far more than both of those two combined for last season)

As for whether Lopes can play central midfield, he has in the past so it's not really an opinion that is optimistic, even if it isn't his best position. We also have people like Fofana who could play CM if we were truly desperate, which I don't see why we would be.

So Lampard was a bit part player. Well that's all Delph would be. Did you have an issue with signing Lampard? (In any case Lampard played a part in 32 games last season). I take your point about Milner but he did play there and was always available to play there if required.

When has Lopes played centre mid in the premier league? We don't even know if he will hack it in this league yet so to say he's available to play out of position is maybe a risk the management don't want to take.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

You don't know under what circumstances we approached arsenal over wilshere though? We could have bought Wilshere and still gone after Delph but not gone after Pogba. You just don't know. You don't know how concrete our approach was. You don't know how serious it was. Maybe we went for him, got told he was going nowhere so had to look elsewhere. Who plays alongside wilshere in the national team. Some might consider him the next best alternative. Maybe the fees for Pogba, De Bruyne and Sterling mean we have to go bargain shopping to pad out the squad.

And yes I would not be worried about a midfield of Pogba Yaya and Delph lining up against anyone. I prefer that than Pogba Yaya and Fernando truth be told.

I wouldn't. And equally you know nada.

To put it bluntly, I'd rather not buy Delph than buy Delph, so I'd rather save the extra £8m.

 

[bluemoon98]

my mate says delph is staying at the lowry and reckons he will be our first signing, any truth he is there?

 

[johnmc]

I wouldn't. And equally you know nada.

To put it bluntly, I'd rather not buy Delph than buy Delph, so I'd rather save the extra £8m.

Well the management of our football club look like they work rather buy him it looks like.

We aren't going to agree on this obviously. I just think when they sat down and had a chat and thought all our main targets strengthen our first 11 we still need some depth. Ok we need depth. Maybe it would help if they were homegrown, and cheap, and have experience of the league. Delph is available for £8m, he is an international, he may well be happy being a squad player and who knows, he could not only improve whilst he's here but also increase in value. To me it's a good deal.

 

[BigOscar]

So Lampard was a bit part player. Well that's all Delph would be. Did you have an issue with signing Lampard? (In any case Lampard played a part in 32 games last season). I take your point about Milner but he did play there and was always available to play there if required.

When has Lopes played centre mid in the premier league? We don't even know if he will hack it in this league yet so to say he's available to play out of position is maybe a risk the management don't want to take.

Put it this way, if we sign Pogba, like is being heavily suggested, why on earth would we need Fabian Delph as well? We'd be losing one central midfielder, a bit part player in Lampard and replacing him with an every game starter in Pogba, then signing Delph on top to pick up cones in training? The maths doesn't add up to me, unless someone else is leaving as well.

As for the Lopes thing, I wasn't actually suggesting we use him in central midfield, it was more in jest at your random assertion that one of our HG players needed to play there. Excellent use of the "has he done it the premier league" cliche though

 

[We'reNotReallyHere]

If he was an addition to the summer signings I see no problem, £8 million is snip at the current rate of English players.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Well the management of our football club look like they work rather buy him it looks like.

We aren't going to agree on this obviously. I just think when they sat down and had a chat and thought all our main targets strengthen our first 11 we still need some depth. Ok we need depth. Maybe it would help if they were homegrown, and cheap, and have experience of the league. Delph is available for £8m, he is an international, he may well be happy being a squad player and who knows, he could not only improve whilst he's here but also increase in value. To me it's a good deal.

probably said the same about Rodwell and Sinclair, and to call them useless would be insulting to the word.