Stockholm Canary

Even if we had 10 million (and aside from Bellars most of those players could be targets should we stay up) you have to think about how much a contrcat would cost. Sure, you can bring in 10 players for 1 million each, but if they are all on 20k a week the it costs you another 10 million per season in wages. Thus we''d need a budget of 20 million...

It''s on Canal + Sport here in Scandinavia. www.canalplus.se (sport > kommande matcher). Sadly I don''t have it (i''m skint) and my mate that I usually watch games with might be away... gonne be annoyed if he''s not in!

I have a feeling that Helveg will be one of those players who keeps going a long, long time. Like Nigel Winterburm or Stuart Pearec, both were going strong into their late 30s. The key is that Helveg comes good for us. I do think he will. Otherwise though I''m sure that Charlton, eddy and Flem can do a job for us next season but I''d rather see us building for the future next season whatever happens. I also think that Svensson may be lured by the delights of his home town club here in Sweden who''re just moving into a new ground etc. etc. Though should we go down Ashton, Hucks, McKenzie plus Hendo, Crow and Jarvis is good enough to fire us back up - if we have the defensive solidity to back them up. 

What I meant was that we''d be in the Prem in 06/07 having gone up during the 05/06 deason

We''ll be ok "if" we go down. We''ll be stronger than when we won the league last season and have a lethal attack in Hucks & Ashton. The key will be to replace Francis (who will leave for devent money) and bring in a few players for the future, ideally in defence. I think that we really miss the settled defence from last year. We''d need to build a back 4 for a new assault on the Prem in 06/07. 

I was thinking about this over the weekend as it seems like both Doc and Flem need resting and I agree that Malky is badly missed for his organisation at the back. I honestly think that we would be better off had we have played Malky & Flem at centre back this year. But what ifs don''t help. I''ve heard so many different stories about the centre backs vs WBA. From what I heard on the radio it seemed like Flem went missing and Doc was a rock vs both Everton and WBA, if only that he hoofed the ball clear. Yet he cost us two goals. Flem is the captain and a club stalwart. The Guardian today says that Flem was good and Doc was poor... hmmn.   Right now Helveg won''t be fit for Blackburn, guess he might make the bench but I can''t see him being thrust straight in. So that rules him out as a cb and/or captain. Stuart is getting fitter I guess and could be a captain though he is new to the club and possibly still can only manage 80% of a game. I would let Francis get omn whith his game, no point risking a Drury style drop in form. Charlton might also make a good captain though we donät know how long he will be out. So I would leave Flem in as captain and bring in Shackell for Doc vs Blackburn. I also think that Saturday was further proof that Mackenzie is better coming off the bench than starting. I truly belive that Hucks & Ashton can form a lethal partnership as both are clever players, had Hucks scored vs. Everton from one of Ashton''s flick ons we''d all be saying what a team the two make. I still trust Hucks to finish more than McKenzie. My team for Blackburn Green Edworthy Fleming Shackell Drury/Brennan Jonson Francis Safri Stuart Ashton Huckerby Later on I would like to Helveg back in the team (not sure where though) and Svensson up front with Ashton and Hucks on left when playing at home. Hucks up front when away.

McKenzie is great when chasing a game, comingoff the bench to liven up the crowd. He''ll also bag 10-15 goals in the championship. Sadly his lack of first touch and finishing means he isn''t up to Prem standard. I really wish he was, but he isn''t. And I will bang on about this for the rest of the time he is at the club: Huckerby leaves our left back stranded if played on the wing. It works when chasing the game abd the opposition are sitting back, it works at a lower level as the players are not as good. But at this level we would need a world class central midfield and a world class left back to play him there.

There might be some info about our two Swede''s tonight. On the wekly football show on Kanal 5 here "Liga Europa" there will an "at home with" feature on Jonson & Svensson. Will report back tomorrow if none of the other Swedish contingent beat me to it  

Very good move. We need this kind of experince and on a short term deal too. Smart. A good friend of mine who is an Evertonian and season ticket holder until he moved to Stockholm a year or two back says he''s a great player. Good dressing room player (ie. typical Worthy signing), hard worker and very consistent. He will get a massive reception on Wednesday as he is a hero at Goodison still. Would like to see a young loan player later on today too and ideally a centre half. Bet that''s it though... and I bet that I stay up till midnight waiting...

If his wages cost, say, 500,000 for the rest of the season (compromise with newcastle) then surely this is a better deal than buying a good to average prem player for a the same fee AND being stuck with wages over a long 2 to 3 year contract should we go down? Having Bellers & Hucks plus Ashton you would have a fast. mobile and dangerous attack playing either 442 or 433. The defnce would get respite as team would be scared of or attacking threat, not from one player (hence the three players on Hucks = stops Norwich''s creativity strategy).   However I seriously doubt that this loan will even be looked at by the club or that Newcastle would be into it (he''s injury prone but someone will most likely stump up 6 million, sending him on loan here to possiblt get crocked would not be a sensible way to look after a valuable player). 

His goal record is good, especially as he was mainly used on the wing last season. He''s been part of the average Forest team of the past few years and an ok West Ham team. Thing is, he is fast, powerful and has no little skill. He''s looked a threat in every game (bar the play off final last year) I have seen him in. Most West Ham fans I know say if he had been treated better by Pardew and they had gone up he would be in the England reckoning now. Him and Hucks pulled us apart for Forest a year or two you might recall.  I feel we could get him as him and Pardew seem not to see eye to eye and Pardew would rather play other types of player in that position. He''s also probably about all we can realistically afford - and will most likley stick around should we go down (c''mon we gotta be realists).   

I may be wrong but I think that Jonson wasn''t quite that prolific for Brondy... but for Sweden he plays both a winger and as a striker, though it''s more been as an emergency striker if I recall correctly. Having said that I think that our best strikeforce would be Bentley and McKenzie, with Jonson and Hucks on the wings. Hucks will always pull out to the left and cut in, while we might get the best out of Bentley in the "hole".  He might make up for the lack of creativity coming from our willing, but limited passing wise midfield duo. And Shackell must get a chance a centre back now!  Thoughts?

Gotta say I was shocked. Also seems weird that we are selling a "reserve" player to West Ham. That wasn''t something I expected a few years back. But would we have offered a new contract to a 33 year old Malky? Doubt it. Would he have played much? Doubt it, seems like Doherty and Charlton are ahead of him. Druy and Helveg can play there AND Worthy obviously rates Shackell, who has to get given some games at some point it he''s going to make it. Why did we not fix this prior to the deadline? Injury perhaps? Oh well, another hero moves on. It''s the price of playing in the Prem. 

I''d also rather watch the ODIs right now, but here in Sweden I''m stuck with Hockey. There have been two World Cup''s this year... can''t get into the sport at all...

Can you do something to keep the signatures in control? It winds me up when there are 20pt typefaces and huge animated delia''s all over the place. Otherwise this ace!