Coates on the way good signing.

Isn't the thing with athletico not having a shirt sponsor due to it being some form of anniversary? Either way, I am all for it, going to snap one up.

I think it's the 100-year anniversary of the red and white shirt but I'm not sure that's why there's no sponsor.

Diarra off to Spurs according to Spanish radio. Adebayor on loan too.

What will you do, quote me on another forum to get him on me?



I've been through it before with you, Iker is overrated. He's the darling of Spain because of what he represents in Madrid. He's a good goalie, but nothing more than that.

Someone who's also getting a mythical reputation is Lloris.

I agree about Lloris, bit of a flapper for me. Samir Handanovic has impressed when I've seen him. The two best keepers both play in Spain but Casillas shades it because of Miss Carbonero.

I assume you mean Ashley Young, he looked very promising at Watford, but as is the case immediately got a big price tag whacked on him

Obviously its early doors with Cleverley in the first team, but he looks tidy and comfortable with the style of football United are playing at the moment, that is all you can ask and judge him on at this point. I do think there are more robust midfields out there than United have faced so far this season, so whether the options United have in there are enough, or equipped to go all season, clearly we don't know.

Anderson appears to be in good shape, and has looked pretty good, I think and hope he'll benefit from an extended run and some faith being put in him

Cleverley was played out wide a lot of the time at Wigan as they had better central midfielders.

I don't know if they had better central midfielders but they definitely had more robust and solid central midfielders which is what they needed in their position at the wrong end of the table. Cleverley is very slight which is my worry about him. Good technically though. He was outstanding against Arsenal at home despite serious provocation from England's lord and saviour Jack Wilshere.

Never heard of him before Copa America and the rave reviews seemed to be more about his colleague at the back. From what I've read he seems a great prospect but I'd be interested on someone's opinion of him who has seen him play a bit. If he signs the word is that he won't be one for the future and will be challening straight away for a starting spot.

I backed them for the Copa mainly due to our little gem that plays for them, so watched most of the games in the early hours, they were pretty solid all round in defence but you wouldn't notice he was making his debut at that level he didn't look out of place at all, for someone so tall he stood up well pace wise and had some nice passing touches.

What about Buffon? Top drawer keeper.

I watched him too. He's got a resemblance of Hyypia - which I like. He's young, dominant, massive (at 6ft 6) and good in the air.

He's a good player who I'd welcome, sooner Coates than Scott Dann.

He doesn't appear to be dominant to me. I would rather sign Godin.



I reckon he is probably second best player in the world............behind Suarez

Nor me.

From what I have seen of Coates playing for Uruguay he swept up around Diego Lugano who did all the dirty work. I'm not saying he isn't a good prospect but he might have to change his game a bit to succeed in England.

Won plenty of headers and tackles etc in the games I saw him in, will fit in fine over here.

Not bad for 20yo

Is that not true of a quite a lot of foreign centre backs though?

Nasri to city confirmed. Great signing and a decent fee for Arsenal. city's squad is comfortably the strongest in the league (and was before this to be fair). Interesting to see how he fits them all in - suspect Adam Johnson will be warming a bench again.

Not really. Look at Vidic, Vermaelen, Kompany, etc. Even a player like Carvalho, who was originally deemed a bit soft, toughened up and got physical.

You get some centre halves, particularly younger ones, that come over and take a while to adjust, like Daniel Agger, but even he's toughened up and 'gets it' now.

I've not seen a lot of Coates, in fact, I only watched two of Uruguay's games and they were both on poor streams. It seems when you read his measurements and nationality, you instantly think big and fierce, but reading the thoughts of those that have seen him, they say he's not that quick, not that agile and not that dominant. Sounds a bit like Paletta who we signed a few years back, it never worked out for him, but hopefully it does for Coates if he comes. Either way, I'd rather see him than Kyrgiakos, and, if Coates doesn't instantly settle, we can move Kelly across, who is a beast.

And they're not even finished buying. Hasn't Mancini said he thinks there a bit thin in the middle of the park (you know, with only Barry, De Jong, Milner, Toure) and started praising De Rossi.

Mancini has FM12 before all of us, it's the only logical explanation.

Who's this Savic fella they've signed?

You have to wonder if Mancini is simply sat in his office, scanning a computer, putting random bids in for all the big-priced players?......His transfer policy is so scattergun its unbelieveable....Yes, Nasri is a good player, but nothing significantly better than what they already have....Its signing players simply for the sake of it.

Ultimately, Mancini has to show some balls and realise that he can't hide behind all these signings....He has to show HIS worth and actually fashion some sort of answer from all these jigsaw pieces.

I really like Nasri, I never quite got the deal with him before he came to England but he's a footballer that's really grown on me, especially when played centrally. Assuming he'll take Barry or Milners place from the starting midfield 3 at present, he's a player who can carry the ball (at pace) who can play wide also, scores & creates goals. I think it's a great signing.

With him & Silva, they've two of the most creative midfielders in the Premiership.

I'm enjoying City this year, I thought they needed to make themselves likeable, if you're going to spend all that money, play good football & be expansive. I think all the signs are that they're going to be a good watch this year, it's good for the league.

Nasri is a very logical signing. The main thing that we lacked last season was a bit of creativity in midfield. Remember all those accusations of "too many defensive midfield players"?

Where he fits is interesting because the situation has changed slightly since we first started chasing him. Then it was very clear cut. We'd continue playing 4-2-3-1 with Nasri in the middle of the "3" flanked by Silva and one of Balotelli, Milner or Johnson depending on who and where we were playing. Yaya would drop deeper in place of Barry. And Aguero would replace Tevez as the lone striker.

Since then though Dzeko has started to look like a different player from last season. There must be a temptation to keep playing Dezeko and Aguero in a 4-2-2-2. I think we'll do that in some matches but revert to 4-2-3-1 in the big games.

And of course Tevez is still here. But it would be foolish to regard that as anything other than temporary. Any attempts to fit Aguero and Tevez into the same team would be a big mistake.

What do you think of Toure when he's played deeper? It seems Mancini liked him further forward, he's a bit of a freight train when he gets going and he's seemed immense when played further forward.

I think he was played forward last year because when he joined his fitness wasnt great and he took time to adapt to the PL. He was great at making those surging runs forward but often would drift out of the game for the next 10 minutes whilst he recovered. Rather than play box to box he was given a "half way line to box role". But he became much fitter as the season went on. Noticeably his cup final winner came after he'd dropped back into Barry's position. I think Mancini will expect much more from him physically this year.

He played deeper on sunday and I thought his overall contribution was rather overlooked. He did a lot of tidying up in De Jong's absence and his movement off the ball was excellent. He didnt really need to get forward so much because Barry and Milner were pressing forward. And of course De Jong wasnt playing so Yaya had to be more disciplined. I'd expect him to get forward more if De Jong plays.