Players we didn't want...

[Bartleby]

Probably add Leon Britton. No pressure to sell really, just a calculation that he wasn't good for us so worth getting rid.

Too good a footballer for the style of play we had in the Blackwell/Adams era?

 

[Blade56]

Hanson will be the next to slip through the net

 

[Revolution]

Too good a footballer for the style of play we had in the Blackwell/Adams era?

He played for us exactly the way he plays for Swansea: stayed in the centre circle and played short passes. The only difference is that he had good teammates at Swansea and bad ones at the Lane, so it was harder for him to get away with.

 

[Silent Blade]

Unless my memory fails me I'm fairly sure that for some reason Dellas played in midfield for us. Think his success came when he moved to the back - which given his size you'd have thought his obvious position.

I think you're right. He played at centre-half for Greece in Euro 2004. Was one of their star performers too.

Dellas had a back injury just after we signed him. Made his debut in November and playing in centre back he wasnt used to the English style zonal marking at the back and struggled. When Thompson took charge he decided ditch Spackman's 352 and Dellas struggled in the 3-0 defeat at Forest. Bruce played 442 too making Borbokis look less effective than in previous season. Dellas played more in midfield and played up front at times. He went back to Greece and was more comfortable in the sweeper style formation, did well at Roma and in the 2004 Euros he was immense in Otto Rehhagel's sweeper system

 

[BushBlade]

He played for us exactly the way he plays for Swansea: stayed in the centre circle and played short passes. The only difference is that he had good teammates at Swansea and bad ones at the Lane, so it was harder for him to get away with.

The difference was that Swansea's style of play needed someone to do that.

 

[Revolution]

The difference was that Swansea's style of play needed someone to do that.

What, make wall passes in his own half?

 

[BushBlade]

What, make wall passes in his own half?

No, screen, intercept, keep the ball moving, sit in front of the defence so the attacking players can get forward. All the things none of the arsenal players did yesterday.

 

[JohnDenver]

The difference was that Swansea's style of play needed someone to do that.

His ability to receive the ball in tight areas deep in the pitch and move it on safely was the base camp for Swansea's method for an incredibly successful decade. It's very similar what McCall did for us when everyone else thought his legs had gone. An aged Britton's reintroduction to the Swansea side late last season was a significant part of their survival. That's some career contribution from a useless shirker.

 

[IMABLADE]

Jordan Slew... oh wait.

 

[8lade]

On Maradona

Yes. The fee they wanted was deemed to be too high for such a young player, the idiots.

Console yourself (as I do) with the fact that after one season he would've moved to l**ds or even possibly man utd (for a change) maybe netting us a million quid profit, which would've gone the way that all money up to this point has gone.

 

[Bladey McBladeface]

Billy Sharp

 

[Down by Christmas]

Gary Cahill, refused to pay £1million for him when on loan to us....would have been ok in a back four with Walker, Naughton & Maguire!