Rag

Evening Standard reporting player and club are to hold talks over his long term future.

When was a hole in the head ever immaterial? As for the Carlo situation, it's easy to discuss with hindsight, but at the time, Carlo was a highly regarded keeper, linked with other clubs that at the time where better than us and stayed very loyal, Cech on the other hand came from a Rennes team that narrowly avoided relegation. I'm not saying Cech is good only for the knackers yard, just that I'd rather replace him while we have option, we might still have that option available next year, but the longer we leave it, the more likely, playing like he is, that Courtois will want to be the master of his own destiny.

Carlo was voted the best goalkeeper in the PL the year he was replaced and our player of the year the season before that, Cech replaced him because he showed more potential (which at that point was unproven) and because Carlo had injury problems that were starting to resurface. Courtois is (in my opinion) every bit as good as Cech, minus ten years, two dodgy knees and a hole in his head and that is why I would bring him in next season as Cechs replacement. What SAF would do with a player like Cech is a mute point, because he doesn't have a player like Courtois.

I don't really think playing for the same team has any bearing on ability or how a player will fit in. Saying that, if Falcoa comes in the summer and can't hit a barn door from 5 yards I might start buying it! The end of this season or next we're going to have to make the choice of Cech or Courtois. I think Courtois is ready now, I doubt the original plan figured for him making such an impact and I just really would like this youth setup of ours to start bearing fruits that end up wearing blue, rather than sodding off elsewhere to be worth millions.

Cech was only 22 when he came over from the big guns of ligue 1, Reina was only 23 when the bin dippers made him their first choice keeper. Neither of them spent a year on loan to Bolton, using David de Gea as an example offers little in genuine reasoning as to why Courtois shouldn't be our first choice keeper. As for him demonstrating his abilities, he's doing it week on week in la Liga.

As for what to do, we sell Cech. He has only a few years left in him after this season, Courtois has 15+

Couldn't happen, Falcoa is part owned by third parties which would make any player plus cash swap nigh on impossible.

If only a good team consisted of the names on the team sheet. They're second in a more competitive than usual La Liga and outplayed us in the Supercup. Now, you can say that is down to a top class striker and a good manager and our current woes are due to a piss poor striker and inept manager, but they are two elements that make a team. Right now, Athletico are the better team. If we get Jose and Falcoa in the summer, then that will no longer be the case. IF.

Well, somethings got to give, hasn't it. Look at the comedy that has been our managerial decisions of late, things are so bad that we now have the inept interim. We couldn't get anyone we wanted as manager last summer so the board and RA stuck with Roberto despite it bing clear they didn't want him, then Pep goes to Bayern despite being RA alleged No.1 target. The club are fast running out of options and if they sack the next manager within a year, will pretty much become a no go zone for any career minded top manager. With that in mind, I'd say the board and RA need Jose more than Jose needs them.

Lamps is without a doubt the best penalty taker in the league, to the point that I think no one, fan, pundit or neutral alike ever expects/worries he's going to miss. That takes some doing.

Does the FSW watch the same games as the ones we're playing?

United are well out of touch with us, Spurs are breathing down our necks for third. I'll have a United win and put some good distance between us, Spurs and the Gooners.

Cahill for me, when we needed defenders to stand up and be counted he was a rock.

Cahill putting in a MOTM performance this half.

Ba to come on with 8 minuts left, FSW is a inept c**t.

Haha, yes, I have an opinion that differs from yours, ergo I must be a Troll. I'll blame everything on Torres shall I?

We need a centre mid dead ball specialist.

I hope not, I have a fiver on 4-0

Nice to see after getting a new contract, Theo Walcott has gone back to being Theo Walcott.

I really can't see how he would be happy with the FSW, his record so far is far from impressive, if we fail to overturn Swansea away that would be two perfectly winnable trophies lost in the space of a few months, RA has sacked managers for less in the past.

I dread to think what Moyes could do with our team. Watching Everton puts me to sleep half the time. Even the highlights are dull.

Yeah, it's a precaution against a serious head trauma happening again, it's also required by the clubs insurers, medical team and at the request of the FA, his skull has been permanently weakened, he suffered minor brain damage. All the jumping up, hitting the ground rattles the brain, players sliding in, clattering in the box at set pieces, it's not hindering his goal keeping ability for the time being, but what happens if/when his bottle goes?

You seem to lack the ability to read my post correctly.

He's not wearing that skull cap as a fashion statement.

That head injury of his hasn't gone away, his career won't have the legs of other keepers. In pure footballing sense, I'd say currently we're behind Athletico, United, Barca, Real, Bayern, City. For all the we're a bigger club stuff, we're also a bit of a circus ATM, no manager, fans turning against the club, a CL victory masking a sixth place league finish and a currently inconsistent team making hard work of a top four finish As for being grateful, I'm sure he is, but you can't build a career on sentiment. Make a huge profit, then spend double it on a new keeper in a few years.