I'm glad you asked Charon. i'll tell you. It was a bit of a joke at first. But... Huddlestone and Livermore last season were piss poor. I commented on it and was shot down. A few months later it was obvious to all. Now if Tom and Jake had have stayed fit plus Diame in a 3-5-2 last season. Meyler wouldnt have got a game and rightly so. But Tom Huddlestones career is on the skids. Minimal effort, questionable weight issue, nose put out of joint by the signing of Diame. Whatever he was piss poor. Meyler comes in because of this. But gets abuse for not being Tom Huddlestone pre slump. I know he isnt as good. But what he does, he does well. Disrupts play gets stuck in and gives it easy to better players, ala Ian Ashbee. Yes he cant hit 40 yard passes. This season. Bruce again tries Tom. We lose or draw matches and look week as piss. Bruce tries Meyler. We win games, strangling their midfield. Meyler scores a few cracking goals. He gets grief for not being Tom Huddlestone. I stick up for him because calling your own player to **** is a meffs trick. So we go on a good run in October, its only stopped when Meyler gets injured and Tom comes in against Derby. coincidence??? Maybe. But i dont think so. go back over when he plays we win and when Tom plays we lose or draw. Its not all the time but it s a better win ration. When a ball breaks on the edge of their box. I'd rather see Meyler taking the shot as Tom or Jake would rather knock it out wide than take the responsibility. Tom's got the best touch of anyone i think I've ever seen in a City shirt. But he lacks drive power and just will to bloody win. Something that wins you leagues. Meyler has that. He also has faults. You say he passes backwards but Tom does that as much if not more than anyone. I think once you hate someone Charon thats it. You refuse to acknowledge they can play well. I've already said if Tom performed how he can this season we would be 20 points better off. He isnt going to. I hope I'm wrong. The Championship is about scrapping it out getting stuck in as people are saying about Forest against us. Tom is that good he should be able to overcome that but he doesnt. If Meyler's fit then I'd play him and Jake. I call Davies because he let this club down last season with his demands for money. another one with his nose put out by new players. i'm glad this season he's got his act together. Not as good still as his first season but better. But if you cant see how bad he is with his left foot you arent watching. His right was bad at times too last night. As i said above. Aluko may have a part to play and I'm glad he was right place right time. But he did lose the ball or give it away. I dont want to see him up front.
Has there been any more rumours regarding Aluko to Fulham or did their Management get their senses back? According to what I can gather the following are out of contract at the end of June this year: Huddlestone Elmohammady Davies Aluko Taylor Jakupovic and I think a young Goalkeeper called Watson. I believe that Davies is negotiating a new contract. After his 'Blinder' against Arsenal did Jakupovic get an extension? The others would surely be 'let go'! Has there been any developments?
It was sort of lost in the Happy Birthday to him thread, although it's been all over Facebook/Twitter/OWS. Interview with him etc is out there if you look. I'm fairly certain the others are being worked on. I'd still ship Aluko out tbh, Hudds I'd sign, Jak I'd sign, not sure about Elmo which is bloody annoying. He's been one of my favourite players, but recently, or in fact most of this season, he's just not been the same.
Players out of contract in the summer... 2016 - Aluko, Sone 2016 - Elmohamady, Ahmed (offered new deal) 2016 - Huddlestone, Tom 2016 - Jahraldo-Martin, Calaum 2016 - Jakupovic, Eldin (GK) 2016 - Taylor, Ryan
I don't think Elmo warrants a new deal, he has been a ghost of his former self. For all the thud bashing I think he's played pretty darn well in the last month or so and he does have the ability to make a difference. Otherwise I wouldn't offer anyone else other than thud and jak
Failed joke, failed grammar, I'll get me coat now... you're not Dave... Longhill lad Reece Shearsmith in his Papa Lazarou get up