Apparently we're looking to get him in as a replacement for Wayne Bridge.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...Ronaldinho.html

Perfect! He can play left back at a push (assuming we don't have Cole, Ivanovic and Ferreira available) and from what (fairly little) I've seen of him, he looks like he can be pretty devastating out on the left wing, brilliant - hope we get him

He's just the type of player we need. He doesn't speak portuguese, so I don't know what chance there is of us signing him at the moment, but one can always hope.

lmao at this though!

What do you get if you cross the skill of Cristiano Ronaldo, the pace of Henry, the close control of Messi and the shooting of Rooney? The answer, it seems, is Yuri Zhirkov - and he could be coming to a stadium near you.

But still, if he's anywhere near that, he ain't doing half bad!

Agreed withs Maks though ^ would love to sign him

What do you get if you cross the skill of Cristiano Ronaldo, the pace of Henry, the close control of Messi and the shooting of Rooney? The answer, it seems, is Yuri Zhirkov - and he could be coming to a stadium near you.

That is obviously over the top, but he does have pace and skill AND seems to be a pretty consistent performer. He won't score loads of goals himself, but he will set up loads of chances for our strikers to score from.

He's 25 and played for the National Team yet I know nothing about him, so I can't make a comment, but if he's fast and can whip in a ball I'm game.

lmao at this though!

But still, if he's anywhere near that, he ain't doing half bad!

Agreed withs Maks though ^ would love to sign him

ive heard when he traps the ball the earth stops turning, and he once dummied someone so well the bloke ended up orbiting the moon for a month...

He's 25 and played for the National Team yet I know nothing about him

Did you watch the Euros last summer? I think he was one of the players of the tournament and so did plenty of other people as well as he was in the team of the tournament and he was a Ballon d'Or nominee last year. He doesn't score that many goals himself which might the reason why there haven't been more headlines about him, but he certainly can beat defenders and set up other players for scoring chances. He has scored some goals though as he scored the goal of the season in UCL a few years ago and scored the winner in UEFA Cup final in 2005.

Indeed, Russia did very well and that was mostly due to Arhsavin and this guy. I'd actually argue he was Russia's best player of the tournament, not quite as exciting as Arshavin but not far off, and far more consistent.

He's certainly got sweet feet and a nice turn of pace and although he may not score loads of goals (14 in 129 games for CSKA) if there of this quality I won't mind.

So is anyone up for:

---------------Cech-----------------------

Belletti---Carvalho----Terry-----Ashley

----------------Mikel----------------------

----------------Lampard------------------

Cole--------------------------------Zhirkov

----------Anelka----Drogba---------------

Did you watch the Euros last summer? I think he was one of the players of the tournament and so did plenty of other people as well as he was in the team of the tournament and he was a Ballon d'Or nominee last year. He doesn't score that many goals himself which might the reason why there haven't been more headlines about him, but he certainly can beat defenders and set up other players for scoring chances. He has scored some goals though as he scored the goal of the season in UCL a few years ago and scored the winner in UEFA Cup final in 2005.

I did, just not a name I recall, all I remember is all the talk of Pavlyuchenko and Arshavin for Russia.

Sounds impressive though.

All the talk was about Arshavin and Pavyluchenko but Zhirkov was the player who impressed me most from the Russian team in the Euros. The fact that he is versatile enough to play both left wing and left back (as occasional cover) would make him a very logical signing. I imagine Roman would be happy to see a Russian at the Bridge too. Lets hopt there is some truth behind this rumour.

For what it's worth, here's the goal that was voted the goal of the season in UCL a few seasons ago:

He controls the ball well while running.

So is anyone up for:

---------------Cech-----------------------

Belletti---Carvalho----Terry-----Ashley

----------------Mikel----------------------

----------------Lampard------------------

Cole--------------------------------Zhirkov

----------Anelka----Drogba---------------

Belletti over Bosingwa?

So is anyone up for:

---------------Cech-----------------------

Belletti---Carvalho----Terry-----Ashley

----------------Mikel----------------------

----------------Lampard------------------

Cole--------------------------------Zhirkov

----------Anelka----Drogba---------------

I think if we were to play like that it would be against a team like Stoke who put all 11 behind the ball and invite you to break them down.

But if we were to do it, Bossie in at RB for his crossing and Ballack in for Mikel for the passing and balance in midfield

If Zhirkov is really as advertised, we could could tear apart many a stubborn opponent with that team. And an actual dangerous forward on the other flank, as opposed to Kalouda, might open up alot of space for Joey, Ashley, the forwards, etc to take advantage of.

Well from what Scolari's been telling Sky Sports News, it appears there may be more departures if the price is right, but there is no possibility of anyone being brought in, because says Scolari: "I have a good squad".

You believe that? I don't want to but I've got a nasty feeling that this is the truth. Expect NO new signings this month.

There's no chance in hell that we'll sell players in January without bringing in new ones. Selling Bridge only makes sense if there's a deal in the works that makes up for his loss and improves us as a team ( Zhirkov makes the most sense in that respect but so far it's just a rumor).

Otherwise with only A.Cole as a genuine LB left in the books we'll be running a risk having to play somebody else out of position, like we did all last season with Essien at RB and that's very silly mistake to make yet again.

With regard to his Euros performance worth noting that a lot of us had him in the team of the tournament.

http://www.theshedend.com/index.php?showtopic=8277

Belletti over Bosingwa?

Yes. I figured with everyone else up attacking, we'd need some defensive steel at right-back instead of Bosingwa bombing forward.

Well from what Scolari's been telling Sky Sports News, it appears there may be more departures if the price is right, but there is no possibility of anyone being brought in, because says Scolari: "I have a good squad".

You believe that? I don't want to but I've got a nasty feeling that this is the truth. Expect NO new signings this month.

Yeah, I just saw the interview on BBC and didnt leave with a good feeling.

Some high points. When the reporter asking LFS about the players he had been linked to, including Zhirkov and Kleber, he got this confused look on his face and goes "Who?" It might be an elaborate ruse, though, because he later added in "I dont say the names of the players I want to the press before I tell Kenyon".

So at least we have got that right, at long last, and if we get these players, it will hopefully be a sneak attack like Ivanovic and Bosingwa were

But the way he said what he said, didnt leave me with much confidence there will be any new faces. And if thats the case, management needs to put down the drugs, sober up, and look at the wingers currently at the club.

There's no chance in hell that we'll sell players in January without bringing in new ones.

There's every chance we'll sell players in January without bringing in new ones.

There's every chance we'll sell players in January without bringing in new ones.

We could always promote some youngsters to the first team instead of buying. Somehow I don't see it happening, though. I fear we'll get some has been portuguese/brazilian on a free transfer instead.

We could always promote some youngsters to the first team instead of buying. Somehow I don't see it happening, though. I fear we'll get some has been portuguese/brazilian on a free transfer instead.

Like Fabio Paim you mean? Whatever happened to him?

Like Fabio Paim you mean? Whatever happened to him?

No I was thinking about the likes of Mineiro, but that's a good question. Where is Paim?

I think Paim is still in the ressies. Not sure about who we will sign, or who we will sell, but I do think if Bridge is all that leaves, or even Alex too, we still don't really need to buy anyone else in. Paulo, like it or not, can play at LB. Manicenne can play at CB or RB, and I think we are giving a couple youngsters a run out this weekend too. I hope this is a bit of a sign of the future, not being held to ransom. Selling before buying, giving a run in to some youngsters. Sounds good, but I do think we will still need to sign in a few "key-players" now and again as it's unreasonable to assume that every youth prospect we give the chance too will make it

Scott

Scott