Gribz

Gourmet meals / Snacks - good way of putting it but its true at the end of the day. Cuellar and McCulloch are a bit more of a snack IMO, id say they were a good home cooked meal. There fee's are a bit more worthy than a sandwich anyway. And Darcheville on a free isnt a bad deal. These are the 3 I expect to make us stronger and maybe Beasley when I see him. The last few seasons we have had half a team of SPL average run of mill players with a few good players who can play at a higher level and its those better players who have made the difference in us finishing 2nd last year rather than 3rd for a second season in a row. If we had taken Ferguson, Hutton, Hemdani and Prso away from the squad and continued with average players then we would have struggled to finish in the top 4. But if Smith can pull out at least 1 more signing who will be a first teamer then it rids some of the average players then we will jump from the band of being 3rd / 2nd to challenging for 1st. We should never have let Lovenkrands leave, I think he would have fitted straight into this team now and would have been the final piece of the attacking jigsaw, but if Buffel comes good then things may be a lot better.

There down fall could be playing at Fir Park every week when they are use to a ground that holds about 23. They will probably freeze infront of full houses. I tip Dundee Utd to get away from the bottom 4 this season so it will be between Gretna, St Mirren and then Caley, Motherwell and Falkirk will be above that.

This guy is the real deal. Every decent Argentina player that comes along gets classed as the new Maradona - Orteta, Riquemle (sp) - but Messi has to be the closest yet with the goals he has been scoring. He still has a long way to go before getting near Maradona - he has to win a world cup and then start scoring goals like this every other week along with the same amount of assists. Maradona also took Napoli from being a lower team to winning trophies so Messi has it all to do but he is only 19 and on the right track. Should be a good final on sunday, Argentina should win it as Brazil seem to be drop a few of there better players for this competition. Argentina sould also have won the WC lastyear, they were easy the best side until the got knocked out on pens

Its the team id like, i know that Boyd is going to play. I think everyone knows I dont rate Boyd and would give Sebo a chance ahead of him.

I think its safe to say the back 5 of McGregor, Hutton, Weir, Cuellar and Smith is a cert as long as Cuellar starts well, if not Webster or Big Ugo will come in. After that its anyones guess.

Using Calscots post on another thread (I like your Carroll spelling mate ) it will be interesting to see what / who is the starting formation and line up. So the squad for next season may be: I still think we need another player or 2 to come in and fit straight into the first XI, preferably a right midfielder/winger and a creative player. But by going on what we have at the moment id go this: ______________McGregor_____________ Hutton______Weir____Cuellar______Smith Novo_____Ferguson___Hemdani___McCulloch _________Darcheville____Sebo__________

Aye, I read that aswell. Probably a tim on the wind up. As ive said Im happy with this signing, its the sort of player we have been crying out for. 1) Can play LM mid and is more attacking than defensive 2) Isnt a out and out winger so will give the midfield a more solid look 3) Can play upfront and can score goals 4) Has came through the ranks in England and didnt look out of place in the EPL.

I heard this. His surname sounds like a bad German beer or one of that dodgy shots you get.

Its nice to have the options for once. We just need a right sided player unless Sionko has woken up and puts his boots on the right feet and burke has been training with the WWE all summer.

Chopra for 5 million!! Are they mad!! I hope Sunderland go down but I bet Keane is a scary bassa to play for and he will get the best out of players and I can see them doing ok. The first game on Sky is Sunderland v Spurs. First time il be routing for Spurs. But its actually good having interest in a team whether you want them to win or lose, its better than not giving a shite like when Birmingham play Bolton - Sky always seem to televise games like that and they make for shocking viewing.

Great stuff Ian

I remember his Scotland debut a few years ago and he played an absolute stormer upfront. It was at Hampden and we won 1-0 but I cant remember who it was. Since then he has definatly been one of Scotlands better players IMO. He "should" cruise the SPL and I can see him getting a run upfront a lot as Beasley will play left. He is strong and should score a good few. We are crying out for midfielders to get goals and McCulloch should get double figures.

Hertz are even more crazy to knock it back

Im happy with this signing and would think he will be a first teamer. If he was a foreigner the transfer fee wouldnt get a mention. He has always done a good job for Scotland when ive watched him and he has held his own no problem in the premiership. Welcome to the Gers Lee

I agree with going in solid for 50/50s but i dont think they should be going into team mates in training the same as they would in the SPL match. They should leave themselves another gear for real matches. Fergusons words were you should get wired into your team mates and give your best mate a kick up in the air - thats not training, thats rugby. That is also once of the things wrong with the scottish mentality in the game these days - I bet if the Spaniards, French, Germans and Italians would be in shock about that.

Never heard of this dude. The new owner has been brought back to Thailand to faces tax charges. He could end up in jail for 10 years. That would send Man City all pair shaped and would be funny to see Eriksson's face.

"Darchey puts balls in your hands and stuff and makes them disappear" But disagree about his training routine. It cant be good to get "wired" into your team mates (whatever wired means) and give them a good kick in the air. There is being competitive and being dirty. Have to say though, BF is looking trim and fit in those pictures.

Laudrup is what 37? And Albertz was still playing last season and just left a club. Sheringham and Brewster are still playing at 40 so they could probably still play depending on injuries. But they should still be signed up as part of the coaching / scouting set up.

I've highlighted a bit in bold. We may have signed 7 players but does anyone else agree with me that we have only really signed 3 potential first teamers? Obviously the 3 im talking about are Darcheville, Cuellar and Beasley, but the rest are going to be squad players. Now there isnt anything wrong with this as we need fine back up and good numbers but I still think we are crying out for at least 2 more players who will go straight into the first team. Maybe Gow will have a bit more to play as he is a vertisle player who can play in behind the strikers and I have a good feeling about him. But if we arent buying guys who are first pick then we arent improving IMO and we cant go into another season of being average after picking up no silverware in the last 2 seasons. Im not having a dig at Smith's buys here Im just saying in the up coming weeks we still need to buy 2 players who can make a difference.

Great crowd BTW, it looks more than the 30,000 counted. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHnymOMP8u4&NR=1

Sounds like we should be signing Laudrup up for a year. He could probably do a job for us coming off the bench at games. No Gazza on show!!

Yeah totally agree Pete, he practically tackles Hemdani for the ball in our own half. Id like to see Ferguson barely cross into his own half and try to be more attacking but the more a player matures he tends to go towards his own box. Its either that he just sits infront of the back 4 and we do let Buffel try and come good.

The talent in that team was scary. Would id do for some of the players shown to be back: Albertz, De Boer, Gio, Mols, Numan, Ferguson, Tugay, Klos etc. I actually forgot De Boer played in the same team as them, I thought he came just at same time as Caniggia and Nerlinger just as DA sold off our great midfield.

Reading this, Im just realising Whittaker is a right back and not right midfield. Thats worse if we use 1.8 million for a position where we have a player on the top of his game - Hutton. It may make Hutton determined to keep his place but we should be putting that money into another position and taking he likes of Danny Mills on a free contract for RB cover.

If Boyd was worth 3 million plus then we should bite the hand off anyone who would make an offer. If he gets fitter and loses a pound or 8 then id be happy with him as he would be more mobile to give more to the team.