Trialists, Transfers & Speculation

[sweeper]

I was a bit concerned at this line on the official site:

"Dickov, a former Arsenal trainee"

i.e trying to fool us into thinking Dickov might be half decent just because he had a trial for a decent side in the 60's

I would rather see that fat fucker Robinson on the pitch than this rat-faced, chippy, scottish wankstain.

[eric olthwaite]

that excruciating pairing of 'wanchope dickov'

Is Paulo Wanchope available then? Rather have him than Dickov.

[welshwhite]

maybe with mcshefrey, gradel, and now dickov there will be some sort of change of style in our play, lets face it we have been unable to make our domination pay and kill games off as as we should have,

Well McShefrey and Gradel started Sat and where not at the races so what the fuck is Dickov going to do ?

Some how I don't think he's going to score 20 goals between now and May.

i agree, but grayson can only use the tools that the company supply him, the way he has had to bring in frees and cast offs shows me we are trying to go up on a shoestring budget, imho grayson has worked a minor miracle to get us where we are now.

[the flying pig]

I was a bit concerned at this line on the official site:

"Dickov, a former Arsenal trainee"

i.e trying to fool us into thinking Dickov might be half decent just because he had a trial for a decent side in the 60's

I would rather see that fat fucker Robinson on the pitch than this rat-faced, chippy, scottish wankstain.

hmm, so he was an arsenal trainee during the george graham years... presumably that means he spent every training scheme doing his best to boot people whilst sweating off the effects of twelve pints the night before...?

[simplyleedsutd]

Paul Dickov? Give me strength!

[jackos]

THIRTY FUCKING SEVEN?????

[Quiffy]

that excruciating pairing of 'wanchope dickov'

Is Paulo Wanchope available then? Rather have him than Dickov.

nope - it was a play on words.

just in case, 'wanchope dickov' sounds a bit like 'one chop dick off'.

[MightyWhite]

i agree, but grayson can only use the tools that the company supply him, the way he has had to bring in frees and cast offs shows me we are trying to go up on a shoestring budget, imho grayson has worked a minor miracle to get us where we are now.

We have no idea what restraints Grayson is working under, for all we know Bates might be begging him to spend some cash! Unlikely, I know, but nobody knows for certain one way or the other.

I don't agree that it's a miracle that we are where we are. There's no money in this level of football, transfer fees are a rarity. By attracting Bromby, McSheffrey, Gradel, Kisnorbo, Naylor, Vokes to drop down a division or two we are flexing our considerable muscle in terms of reputation and wages. Not many others in our division can compete with that.

Anyway, let's put the monotonous negativity aside and have a look at what Dickov brings to the set up. If he does fuck all you can all bang on Grayson's door and tell him he was wrong. Because, conspiracy theories aside, this signing is his decision and his decision alone.

[Phil LUFC]

As its only a trial, I don't see the fuss at the moment. If he earns a deal and then does fuck all then fair enough, but there's never any harm in having a look - unless he breaks someone's leg in training.

[Ponte]

that excruciating pairing of 'wanchope dickov'

Is Paulo Wanchope available then? Rather have him than Dickov.

nope - it was a play on words.

just in case, 'wanchope dickov' sounds a bit like 'one chop dick off'.

Wanchope, one of the answers from the old 'footballers names you might find on a barbecue' quiz.

[sweeper]

The thing is, if Dickov is even being considered then why are players like Grella and Robinson even at the club? If they can't ever get a game then surely they should be shipped out on loan even if someone is prepared to pay 25% of their wages (at least in Robison's case it would reduce the clubs Balti Pie expenditure)

The only sensible explanation to this would be that Grayson is doing Dickov a favour by letting him train at the club, and that there is no chance of him getting any sort of "deal"

[dirty leeds]

I don't agree that it's a miracle that we are where we are. There's no money in this level of football, transfer fees are a rarity. By attracting Bromby, McSheffrey, Gradel, Kisnorbo, Naylor, Vokes to drop down a division or two we are flexing our considerable muscle in terms of reputation and wages. Not many others in our division can compete with that.

I agree, there is no money around at this level of football. Only the likes of Norwich and Southampton are able to spend anything like a decent fee on a player and in general the job for a League 1 manager is trying to find the pieces that work together for as little as possible. The good ones do it and create a team, and maybe go on a run up the table, even get promotion - Doncaster, Scunthorpe - and then are able to spend a tiny bit more to try and stay there.
We have a big advantage over that kind of club because people do expect us to stay once we go up, and also expect us to rise further.
I can't stand Bates, but it just might be that between them, Larry and Ken have seen that it's now probable to get out of League 1 doing it this way and then save any proper spending for the Championship. I mean proper Championship spending, of course, so it won't be massive but it will be a step up. We'll only really see the proof one way or the other in the summer. Will they try and keep Beckford? Who will they replace him with if not? How many of the current team he thinks he needs to upgrade? That kind of thing.

At the moment I'd say that players like Kisnorbo, possibly Higgs if he's ever properly fit, Kilkenny, McSheffrey, Becchio, possibly Gradel, Snodgrass and of course Beckford [if he stays] would be regulars in the next league up, but many of the rest will need to be replaced by better players or will become stand-ins. I suppose there's a chance for Parker and Aidy White to develop too, of course. And, you never know, Howson might, just might, flourish in the Championship [but I'm not holding my breath].
When it's playing well, this current team could handle probably half of the teams in the Championship, or atleast not start the game feeling inferior to them. But we want a team ready to be in the top 10 at the very least, and that means fuckers like Dickov shouldn't even be on the radar. I don't care if he pays us to play.

[Krumpli]

When Paul Dickov was a trainee at Arsenal, the Berlin Wall was still up.

[sweeper]

When Paul Dickov was a trainee at Arsenal, the Berlin Wall was still up.

Yes, George Graham was always good at defensive set piece organisation.

[Krumpli]

Yes, George Graham was always good at defensive set piece organisation.

The night Arsenal's offside trap was first sprung, David Hasselhoff was there.

[sweeper]

Yes, George Graham was always good at defensive set piece organisation.

The night Arsenal's offside trap was first sprung, David Hasselhoff was there.

[the flying pig]

The thing is, if Dickov is even being considered then why are players like Grella and Robinson even at the club? If they can't ever get a game then surely they should be shipped out on loan even if someone is prepared to pay 25% of their wages (at least in Robison's case it would reduce the clubs Balti Pie expenditure)...

well, with robbo [who in his 30s has no time to improve & who clearly is no more than a fringe part of grayson's plans in league one, never mind the championship] i'm sure we did have a figure in mind for what proportion of his wages we would find acceptable as a contribution... and no-one met that offer.

grella's clearly not exactly 'in favour' but will no doubt be earning far less & at least has a bit of time on his side...

[MightyWhite]

Yes, George Graham was always good at defensive set piece organisation.

The night Arsenal's offside trap was first sprung, David Hasselhoff was there.

Never has the phrase 'so bad it's good' ever been so....erm....inappropriate

[sweeper]

The thing is, if Dickov is even being considered then why are players like Grella and Robinson even at the club? If they can't ever get a game then surely they should be shipped out on loan even if someone is prepared to pay 25% of their wages (at least in Robison's case it would reduce the clubs Balti Pie expenditure)...

well, with robbo [who in his 30s has no time to improve & who clearly is no more than a fringe part of grayson's plans in league one, never mind the championship] i'm sure we did have a figure in mind for what proportion of his wages we would find acceptable as a contribution... and no-one met that offer.

grella's clearly not exactly 'in favour' but will no doubt be earning far less & at least has a bit of time on his side...

I see you conveniently ignored the "pie" part of my argument, no answer for that have you , eh, eh?

[the flying pig]

The thing is, if Dickov is even being considered then why are players like Grella and Robinson even at the club? If they can't ever get a game then surely they should be shipped out on loan even if someone is prepared to pay 25% of their wages (at least in Robison's case it would reduce the clubs Balti Pie expenditure)...

well, with robbo [who in his 30s has no time to improve & who clearly is no more than a fringe part of grayson's plans in league one, never mind the championship] i'm sure we did have a figure in mind for what proportion of his wages we would find acceptable as a contribution... and no-one met that offer.

grella's clearly not exactly 'in favour' but will no doubt be earning far less & at least has a bit of time on his side...

I see you conveniently ignored the "pie" part of my argument, no answer for that have you , eh, eh?

i suppose so. but you'd have to balance that cost saving against the money we'd lose out on from the several hundred teenage girls who turn up to matches just on the offchance that they might catch a glimpse of robbo's torso...