Right, I think we've established that we need a really good centre half (although I'm with Arsene Wenger on this one: there aren't that many really good centre halves around and even fewer centre halves to build a team around). However, it seems to me that we could have the entire Italian rearguard as our defence and it would still leak goals as long as our midfield is so crap and offers almost no protection to the defence. So, with limited resources, do we prioritise a centre half or a central midfielder?

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Answers

Isn't BR on the lookout for players for those exact 2 positions?

Is this Distin any good? Does anyone know. Also - what about the Caldwells, do they fiqure in Bobby's plans I wonder.

Personally I would like to see a good central midfielder who can attack and support the front men and also break up the opposition attacks. Er that's Patrick Viera though......

Can we not buy Michael Carrick? Just a thought.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Central midfielder, definitely. Again they're scarce. We have players that can do some of the job, but neither Speed, Lee or Acuna have the engine anymore to cover the whole pitch in the way a Roy Keane or Viera can. In that respect, we've really missed a fit Dyer. But Dyer doesn't have the physical presence/ball winning or even distribution. To get everything in one player is exceptional.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Lynda, I looked at the PSG site and can't say they were gutted to be losing him...

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Oh great, another dodgy centre half, is not what we need. So lets buy a midfielder. There choice made!

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

This Distin (that Bolton are signing?) from PSG is a midfielder

BTW Did you realise that Pablo Bonvin is playing for Sheff Wed at the moment?

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

The Iranian fella's (forgotten his name) apparently isn't coming because of international commitments.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Yeah heard that Bonvin had been picked up by Sheff Weds....wonder if he'll set the world alight there as well? :)) mind you a couple of our ex duffers seem to be doing ok..Saha is going well and Jon Dahl Tomasson is flying in Holland....

Makes you wonder why they couldn't do it at our place!

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Barbie,

Apparently Bolton have pulled out of talks with Distin who is angling to join his marra, Laurent Robert, at the Toon. We're haggling over the fee, and how it is paid. I've read today that he was at SJP again on Saturday for talks, so it must still be alive.

Were'd you pick up that he's a midfield player? I saw a little of him on a teleivsed PSG UEFA Cup game last season when he definitely played CB - he was canny actually. Perhaps he's versatile enough to play in either position.

I had read somewhere about Bonvin - he looked decent in the Resorves last season, and was a little surprised we didn't keep him on.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2001

Saw Distin playing for France against Jormans, played CB.

-- Anonymous, August 29, 2001

called a midfielder on ceefax, musta been wrong.

Bonvin played half of last nights Safc reserve win (4-2) over Sheff Wed too

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2001