Pick Your Poison - Manhester United

The Challenge

Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone onto bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which one you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on their time of sale, not currently.

The Challenger
Richard Laverty, 20, Leeds.

Player 1

Gerard Pique - Central Defender

July 2004 - May 2008

"First name out of the hat, Gerard Pique. It seems obvious doesn't it, Pique perhaps wasn't suited to the English game as he was the La Liga, maybe he would have been, but he didn't show it during his spell at Old Trafford. Caught out many times, namely at Bolton, when Nicolas Anelka finished off a free-kick which Gerard Pique didn't have a clue about. But he showed glimpses of why he has been such a success in bringing the ball out of defence, a cutting edge through ball in 2007 against Wigan set-up United’s second goal. 

He got his name amongst the goals too, against Kiev and Roma, and was picked for the game title decider against Arsenal in 2008. It was a surprise to everyone when Pique was let go, and went on to become a regular Barcelona defender, and beat United in the Champions League final just 12 months after his departure. 

Maybe we’ll never know how suited to the English game Pique would have become, but I do wish we’d have found out."

Gerard Pique looked a very promising defender during his four-year stint at Old Trafford and it came as a bit of a surprise to most fans when he was let go for a measly £5M. He showed great potential while at the club and generally looked like a superb talent. While on loan at Real Zaragoza he made 22 appearances for the Spanish club and we all thought that the next season would be his breakthrough year. However, he made just 9 league appearances and with the stable partnership of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the defence with an emerging Jonny Evans and a Wes Brown in his prime, it looked like he didn't have much room for   game time and was moved on. He's gone on to become one of the best defenders in world football, and it's no coincidence that he has become that after constant game time. We can only imagine what he would have become had he stayed at Old Trafford.

Player 2

Diego Forlan - Striker

January 2002 - August 2004

"Number two on my list is like marmite, you either loved him or hated him. Diego Forlan. To say he took a while to get going at United would be an understatement, but we let him go just as he was becoming the striker he still is today, and showed in South Africa 18 months ago almost.

Once he got that first goal, against the mighty Maccabi Haifa, the goals flowed. There were some scruffy ones, Northampton springs to mind, as does Southampton, when he was running around half naked. But there were the crackers, Southampton again, Chelsea in the last minute and against Rangers in the Champions League. And there were the downright memorable ones…Mr Jerzy Dudek.

Forlan had all the qualities of a top striker, he went on to score plenty with Atletico, he dominated teams in the World Cup with Uruguay and I have no doubt he would have done the same had he stayed at Old Trafford."

Diego Forlan went from one of the flops of the 21st century, to one of the most lethal and feared strikers in world football within 2 seasons. He signed for £7.5M from Independiente with a tonne of potential. He never really hit the heights he was claimed to have stored away while at United, as it took him 27 games before he finally opened his account for Manchester United. His most memorable goal for the club was without doubt the double against arch-rivals Liverpool and that famous blunder from Jerzy Dudek. He signed for Villarreal in the summer of 2004 for just £2M and went on to become one of the most feared strikers in world football, scoring numerous goals for Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, although he's struggled since his summer move to Inter. When he left, he was on the brink of a breakthrough and the season after his departure, United struggled.

Player 3

Zoran Tosic - Winger

January 2009 - June 2010

"Finally, a controversial choice maybe, the little Serbian, Zoran Tosic. There was much excitement when it appeared United clichéd a double deal to bring Tosic and then Partizan team-mate Adem Ljajic to Old Trafford, but when the Ljajic deal fell through, rumours surfaced that Tosic had only been brought here as a buddy for Ljajic, and suddenly the Serbian was out of the door.

He had his moments, a fleeting debut against Tottenham was followed by the odd appearance. He shone in the 2009 pre-season, setting goals up, and scoring a nice goal against Greentown over in Asia, but he was soon on his way to CSKA Moscow, where he has flourished and become a key member of the Serbian national team squad.

Tosic didn’t win the hearts of many United fans but I feel with a few more chances, Tosic would have developed well here and given us good back-up options on the wing, where we sometimes struggle to find back-up for these days."

A strange choice from Richard, I can't see many reasons why any United fans would want Zoran back at the club. He was an exciting young winger, but never looked like he had anywhere near the quality to make an impact at Old Trafford. He had a good pre-season in 2009, but other than that he didn't do much to stand out to the fans or management. He went on loan to Koln in January 2010, and upon his return was sold to CSKA Moscow for around £6M in June. He's done well in Russia, his direct running and skill earning him a starting berth and a regular place in the national squad. With options such as Giuseppe Rossi, Tim Howard and even Cristiano Ronaldo, I myself am struggling to see a reason why he's been included in this list and I don't think we would have offered much more to the current squad than any of the players we already have in the team.

CONCLUSION

RICHARD LAVERTY 

"Who would I take back out of the three at the time they were sold? Under circumstance, it’s too easy to say Pique, but at the time, Rio and Vida were in their pomp, Jonny Evans was a developing young talent, and Wes Brown had just endured his best United season. For me, Diego Forlan left at a time when he could have been a star.

The 04/05 season wasn't a success, in any way. United lacked creativity, sure, Ruud was scoring the goals, we didn’t know if Wayne would sign for us or head up north to Newcastle, Saha had only been with us six months, Solskjaer was crippled, Smith was a new entity, Ronaldo was just a one-trick pony and nobody knew how poor David Bellion would be. There were youngsters, as ever, when nowadays we look to Welbeck and Macheda for youthful inspiration, back then it was Rossi, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, and erm.. Kenny Cooper. Forlan had a chance to shine that season, would we have signed Rooney if he hadn't gone, who knows? But Diego had much more to give, it’s just a shame he didn't want it."

DMF

Personally, I think from the selection given to me by Richard, this is a fairly easy choice to make with the current squad. Forlan would be a good addition to the side, but we currently have plenty of striking options with Rooney, Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen, Welbeck and Macheda so I don't think he'd be necessary or add much to the side that we don't already have. 

Zoran Tosic would still struggle to get into the side with the options we have on the wings in Nani, Young, Valencia, Park and even Giggs to an extent. I also firmly believe if he were still in the side, youngsters like Macheda and Ravel Morrison probably wouldn't be getting a look in right now.

So that leaves world-class defender Gerard Pique. When he left he was ready to break into the starting eleven, but with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in the pecking order ahead of him he couldn't find a way through. With Rio aged 33 now and struggling to play constantly at a top level, Pique would be the perfect player right now. Young, on the brink of stardom and able to partner Vidic (when fit), Jones, Smalling, Evans and Rio would be a masterful defensive display to watch.

 Do you agree with the choices @JournoRich made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Tottenham Hotspur

The Challenege

Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which one you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on their time of sale, not currently.

The Challenger

Stephen Walker, 62, London (residing in Belfast)

Player 1

Paul Robinson - Goalkeeper

May 2004 - July 2008

"Paul Robinson joined Spurs from Leeds in May 2004, for a fee of £1.5M. He was an instant hit with the fans and in the next two seasons he put in some top quality performances in a team that generally was considered to have a poor defence. It was easy to see why many considered him to be England's best goalkeeper. In his third season, he was very inconsistent, due to the lack of confidence after his mistake at the beginning of the season for England against Croatia. He never fully recovered and in that season Spurs had a poor record of keeping clean sheets. The team however, still managed a fifth place finish in the league. 

His form again suffered for club and country and he lost his No1 status for both club and country. However he showed his professionalism & regained his place and collected the first major trophy of his career in Tottenham's 2–1 victory over Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup Final. His form suffered again after this and he eventually left the club on transfer to Blackburn in July 2008 for a fee of £3.5M. His performances since for Blackburn showed what a good goalkeeper he still is and it is no coincidence that Spurs have struggled to find a replacement of the same standard. Brad Friedel is showing he is close. I believe he is still a genuine contender for an England place, if he chooses to make himself available for selection. Worth noting that on his Blackburn appearances at WHL, since he left, the fans have given him a special and warm welcome."

Paul Robinson is a good goalkeeper and not much more in my opinion. A committed player to the cause, he is capable of pulling off some top saves for his side but is just as prone to making errors to throw that same side in at the deep end. He always tries hard and gives his all for the team but for me Spurs already have better options in that position in Gomes and Brad Friedel. Their record breaking start to the season is proof to that.

Player 2

Dimitar Berbatov - Striker

July 2006 - August 2008

"This decision is a hard call. I don’t think he has played as well for Manchester United as he did in his spell for Spurs, but he was sold for a club record £30m. He joined Spurs in July 2006 and took time to settle, but formed a good partnership with Robbie Keane and from about April 2007 put in some great performances. However, he is very moody and needs careful management (a genius often does). His languid approach on the pitch can be deceiving; he has a great eye for goal, much like Greaves and Klinsmann before him. We have not really replaced him. Pavlyuchenko is a mood player, Crouch was clumsy, Keane fell out with Redknapp and Jermain Defoe is only now getting some form back. Emmanuel Adebayor is proving to be another shrewd acquisition that has good potential."

Dimitar Berbatov proved he was a genius at Spurs and although he's struggled since his move to Manchester United, we have seen glimpses of it at Old Trafford. In his first two seasons with United he struggled to reach the heights he did with Spurs, but last year he bagged 21 goals in all competitions making him joint top goalscorer in the league with Carlos Tevez. This season he's struggled to break into the team ahead of Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck, but when he's played he's looked good, scoring 3 goals so far this season. Spurs' depth is something of a huge strength to them, but their striker department looks fairly bleak. Emmanuel Adebayor looks the perfect man up front for them, but he's only on loan and it's looking unlikely the North London club can match his wage demands to make it permanent. Jermain Defoe is a poacher and struggles in the lone role. Although he's bagged goals this season, he still doesn't look as good as he has done and there are lots of reports linking him with a move away while Roman Pavlyuchenko has been invisible this year. Dimi would add a new dimension to an already impressive Spurs squad.

Player 3

Sol Campbell - Central Defender

December 1992 - July 2001

"Sol made his debut in 1992 and proved his class almost immediately. Initially he played up front and also covered all across the back line, but eventually settled into the central defensive position circa 1995. He moved to Arsenal under the ‘Bosman ruling’ amidst a lot of hostility from Spurs fans in 2001 and that is still prevalent today. He played a key role in Arsenal’s success in the early part of that decade and also key games for England, although injury restricted his appearances. The natural successor was Ledley King, but injuries have severely restricted his appearances over the years. We have not had a strong defensive player since, Dawson and King are the closest when fit."

Sol Campbell was a defensive stalwart for Tottenham Hotspur during his time at White Hart Lane and caused mass controversy when he moved to arch-rivals Arsenal on a free transfer. His massive physique along with his deceptive quickness made him a force in defence and he was a key member of Arsenal's invincibles squad. He was excellent for England too alongside Rio Ferdinand before his injuries took their toll on him.  He'd add some real leadership to the side as well as a pure defensive mindset. He and Ledley King would make a formidable centre half pairing and it would be very difficult for anyone to break them down.

CONCLUSION

STEPHEN WALKER 

"If I had to choose one of those 3 above the others, it would be Campbell. Central defence has been Spurs’ achilles heel ever since he left. I am certain we would have been a better team had he stayed."

DMF

I personally think Spurs have got a perfect blend of guile up front and power/speed/creativity in midfield. The defence is solid but could do with some shoring up and for that reason, a Sol Campbell set to enter his prime would be my choice to take back into the squad today.

Do you agree with the choices @spursmentor made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Sunderland

The Challenge

Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone onto bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which one you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger

Michael Graham, 31, Sunderland

Player 1

Danny Welbeck - Striker
2010/11 (LOAN)

"Whilst many may have raised an eyebrow when seeing how involved with the Manchester United first team Danny Welbeck has been this season, there was no such surprise amongst Sunderland fans. Last season we had the privilege of having the youngster on loan and he had Manchester United pedigree oozing out of every facet. Welbeck appears to be the archetypal modern day striker, possessing the touch and vision to go with formidable physical attributes. Many believed that the club had enough prospects of their own that should be getting the playing time that would be devoted to that of another club. But the player started contributing to the first team immediately and it was clear from the start that he was far more than a 'prospect' - he was a Premier League player. 

It is fair to say that Sunderland have been haemorrhaging strikers at a frantic rate this year, with Welbeck, Bent, and Gyan all wearing the colours of another club at this moment in time. The latter two will not make this short-list, as the only thing 'bigger and better' about what they have done since leaving is their pay-packets, but Welbeck is making a big contribution to the champions and being fast-tracked into the England side. Whilst the other strikers we have lost have made the headlines, Welbeck has been a huge miss."

 Danny Welbeck has been superb for Manchester United this season, but that is with a huge thanks to Sunderland for the way they developed the youngster last season during his loan. He struggled to make an impact at first, but once he found a home cutting in from the left flank he found great form scoring in a run of games including the 3-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. His general play improved greatly but he also developed physically during his loan spell on Wearside. He pushed for an England call-up but injury pulled the plug on that before he returned to Manchester United this season to earn that illustrious cap. 

Welbeck offers great pace, guile and vision beyond his years as a footballer. Sometimes he can be a bit rash though but his general approach to the game is something to be admired for a man of such tender age.

Player 2

Shay Given - Goalkeeper
1996 (LOAN)

"It may surprise people to see such a Newcastle United stalwart in a Sunderland list. In fact, a lot of people may not even be aware Given is a former Sunderland player. But before he was a Premier League mainstay, before anyone had even heard of him actually, Given was a very important part of the Sunderland team that laid the foundations of the relative successes the club is enjoying today. At the turn of the year, Peter Reid signed the then Blackburn youngster on loan and stunned everyone by instantly throwing him into his promotion chasing team. We needed not worry, though, as Given's immense quality was evident from day one. During Given's brief 17-game spell at Roker Park, he amassed a massive 12 clean sheets as the championship was claimed. For the record, that means that in 17 games with Sunderland he won more medals than in the 400 he played for Newcastle. 

The club seems to have been searching for a reliable goalkeeper for years at this point. Craig Gordon is a richly talented shot-stopper, but suspect in other areas of his game and has an atrocious injury record. Mignolet we have high hopes for but injury has just befallen him as well. Given was good enough from the day he walked into the club as a 19 year-old and I wish we could have kept him."

Shay Given has become one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the Premier League after his fantastic spell at Newcastle, struggle at Manchester City and now Aston Villa but he began to make his name at Sunderland while on loan from Blackburn Rovers. He kept 12 clean sheets in his 17 games at Roker Park and helped them to a championship medal. His superb reflexes and handling make him one of the greatest British goalkeepers ever and at the age of 19 he would have had his entire career ahead of him.

Player 3

Stewart Downing - Winger

2003 (LOAN)

"Another high-profile player that many may not be aware ever played for Sunderland. Downing enjoyed a loan-spell at Sunderland back in 2003 as Mick McCarthy was trying to steady the ship following the total implosion of the club during Peter Reid's final months here. The more eagle-eyed of you will notice that this makes it a hat-trick of loanees, but for whatever reason Sunderland has always been a club for overachievers who struggle to replicate it elsewhere. The elegance and quality on the ball that has defined Downing's career was evident immediately at Sunderland despite his tender 19 years. In fact his form was so good that he was recalled after a mere 7 games and thrust immediately into the Premier League limelight by Middlesborough. 

It is no exaggeration to say that I genuinely struggle to remember the last natural left-sided wide-player we have had at Sunderland of any actual quality. You probably have to go all the way back to Julio Arca. It is a failing that has plagued the club for years and how different it could have been had the club been in able to secure his services on a permanent basis. The fact that he was in the England squad within 18 months of having his loan spell ended shows that even the 19-year-old version of Downing could have impacted Sunderland at Premier League level."

 I personally don't remember Stewart Downing ever being at Sunderland and now I remember why. He played a mere 7 games at the club before he was recalled by parent-club Middlesbrough and put straight into their first team. A traditional left winger he has pace and likes to run at his man before whipping in a cross with his favoured left foot and he's gone on to big things since his loan spell. He didn't do anything special while on loan at the Stadium of Light, but it was enough for Middlesbrough to notice his talent which has subsequently seen him get his "big-money move" to Liverpool this summer for £20M. A natural, creative winger is something that Sunderland have lacked for a while now and he would be a perfect fit for that role in the squad.

CONCLUSION

MICHAEL GRAHAM

"The great Brian Clough always said that he couldn't understand why top goalkeepers didn't cost as much as top strikers, and I completely agree with that. A save can be as valuable as a goal and Shay Given has made a career out of pulling off saves that he had absolutely no right to make. For that reason, coupled with the fact that he was young enough, and good enough even at the time, to provide the kind of goalkeeping stability Sunderland and so many other clubs rarely enjoy, it has to be Shay Given. He would immediately improve the current team considerably."

DMF

This season, Sunderland have struggled a fair deal throughout the pitch. Their defence has been leaking goals, their strikers haven't been scoring and their midfield has struggled to create. It's difficult to choose to who take back, but with Steve Bruce sacked yesterday it shows that some fresh blood in the squad could be exactly what the club needs to kick-start their season. Simon Mignolet and Craig Gordon have great potential, but Mignolet seems a bit hot and cold this season while Craig Gordon seems to have terrible luck with injuries and it's been said numerous times that a reliable and sturdy goalkeeper is the key to success so for that reason, Shay Given is the player that I believe would be best to return to the Stadium of Light in the current day.

Do you agree with the choices that @Capt_Fishpaste made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

Also, take a look at @RokerReport - 'Sunderland AFC's finest blog and podcast'.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Manchester City

The Challenge

Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone onto bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which one you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger

Andy Morris, 41, Yarm.

Player 1

Nicolas Anelka - Striker

May 2002 - January 2005

"My first choice has to be a player who is still playing at the highest level, in the Premier League, Nicolas Anelka. Anelka has been haunted by an assumption that he is somewhat miserable but he was the consummate professional during his time at City and was most definitely a diamond in the rough that made up the City squad at that time."

Anelka has proven wherever he's been that is a natural goalscorer. At Manchester City he constantly scored goals during his two-and-a-half-year tenure at the City of Manchester Stadium finishing as top goalscorer in both of his full seasons at the club. He decided to move on in January 2005 to Turkish side Fenerbahce, before returning to the Premier League with Bolton and currently Chelsea. A superb footballer, his pace and versatility could be an asset to the current Manchester City squad.

Player 2

Georgi Kinkladze - Winger

August 1995 - June 1998

"My second choice is a player who shone brightly for City and only had a brief cameo on the Premier League stage but I would have little Georgiou Kinkladze back at City in an instant and I truly feel that the player we had in 1995 would be able to do a very good job for the team we have now in 2011."

Kinkladze is a cult hero at Manchester City for his memorable goals and mazy dribbling during his time there. He stuck with the club when they were relegated in his first season at the club, despite being linked with European giants such as Barcelona, Liverpool and Inter Milan. He stayed for a further two seasons in a bid to get them back into the Premier League but wasn't able to and when Joe Royle took the reigns at the club he was seen as the weak link in a relegation battle. He was dropped and when he was restored to the line-up he couldn't help lead them out and they were relegated once again. He was consequently sold in the close season to Ajax for a reported £5M. His pace and direct running could be exactly what City need on the wings this season as they chase success on all four fronts.

Player 3

Marc-Vivien Foe (RIP)- Central Midfielder
2002/2003 (LOAN)

"Lastly a player who City had on loan only and who, at the time, every City fan thought was the perfect player to take us up a level, Marc-Vivien Foe. Foe was a great player who tragically died at the age of 28 whilst playing for his national side, Cameroon. Foe seemed to ooze class back then and had everything that would be needed for a midfielder in Mancini's City. Strength, power and presence with an eye for goal as well."

Marc-Vivien Foe in my opinion, is one of the greatest unsung heroes in Premier League history. His ability for being a genuine box-to-box midfielder was sublime. He had a knack of being in the right place at the right time, but it was more a skill due to his fantastic positional sense. He never quite fulfilled his potential but for me he was a lot like the legendary Claude Makelele. Unfortunately for us all, Marc passed away at the age of 28 after having a heart attack on the pitch while representing Cameroon in the Confederations Cup. 

 CONCLUSION

ANDY MORRIS

"When it comes to choosing one of the three I suppose most City fans would go for Kinkladze, but I think that the promise of Foe means it is the number 23 that would once again be seen on the back of a City shirt for me, and of course that would be wonderful in so many ways."

DMF

Personally, I think that Marc-Vivien Foe is the perfect foil for the Mancini midfield. A solid tackler, but with a spark of creativity to his game he is the game changer from the midfield that Yaya Toure has proved to be. With both in the squad, it could have been a partnership that completely dominates European football as well as the domestic league. A magnificent footballer, I'm sure all football fans would give something to see Foe back playing football again.

 

Do you agree with the choices @TheRealFBloke made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Aston Villa

The Challenge

Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at your club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger
Elizabeth Steadman, 18, Birmingham

Player 1

James Milner - Midfielder
Sept 05 - Aug 06 & Aug 08 - Aug 10

"After impressing during a loan spell in 2005-06, Villa signed the highly rated midfielder in the summer of 2008. Although mainly regarded as a wide player, James Milner arguably played his best football in his short time at Aston Villa in the centre of midfield. 110% was the least you could ask from James Milner, a player who worked hard for 90 minutes week in, week out whichever position he may be asked to play in. During his two year spell at Villa Park he made 73 appearances in which he scored 11 goals, he played twice at Wembley, featuring in a Carling Cup final and an FA Cup semi-final. Though unlucky to win any silverware he did win PFA Young Player of the year, and also made it into "team of the year"."

James Milner was a key member of the Aston Villa side that saw them claim 6th place for 2 consecutive years. Although he was known as a wide player when he signed, he was excellent when converted into a central midfielder after Gareth Barry's departure. He was influential throughout his time at the club and moved to Manchester City in order to look for trophies/success. He got that in his first season in Manchester, winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.

Player 2

Kyle Walker - Right Back
2011 (LOAN)

"Despite only being a Villa player through a loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the 2010-11 season, it didn't take right-back Kyle Walker long to impress the Villa faithful; scoring a screamer 9 minutes into his debut on his return to former club Sheffield United in the FA Cup. Walker then continued to impress during his time at Villa Park. Although there was no doubt he was a force going forward, his defensive ability was often flawed, although at 20 years old this is something he could work on. Villa fans had hopes of signing him permanently in the summer transfer window but these hopes were dashed when he signed a 5 year deal when returning to Spurs."

Kyle Walker has showed tremendous ability in the last 18 months but he really caught everyone's attention while at Aston Villa. He started last season on loan at QPR and helped push them to the top of the Championship, before moving to Villa Park and showing his true potential. He put in some excellent performances for Villa and chucked his name into the hat for the Euro 2012 squad. This season he has been Spurs' first choice right back and even earned his first England caps in the recent friendlies against Spain and Sweden. 

Player 3
Ashley Young - Winger
January 2007 - July 2011

"Ashley Young spent 4 good years at Villa Park, so it was no surprise when Manchester United came knocking in the summer of 2011. Ashley Young is known for his pace, set pieces, and mastered crosses in the box. He made 157 appearances for Aston Villa and scored 30 goals, many of these direct free-kicks and towards the end of his Villa career, penalties. Despite playing in a wide position at Manchester United, Young was also effective in the role behind the striker during his time at Aston Villa, building a good relationship with star striker Darren Bent, he continues to do so for the English National Team."

Ashley Young started as a centre forward at Watford and showed great potential there. He was signed for  £9.75M (a club record fee at the time) and became a fan favourite. He soon converted into a winger and began hassling full-backs across the country with his phenomenal pace and excellent crossing ability. He spent a long time at Villa Park and began entering the fringes of the England squad. He was on the verge of breaking through into the line up before he signed for Manchester United in the summer and has since become a regular in the England set up and almost a certainty for Euro 2012.

CONCLUSION

ELIZABETH STEADMAN

"All 3 players were brilliant for Villa but James Milner is the stand out man for me. Despite the signings of Stephen Ireland and Jermaine Jenas (loan) the Villa midfield lacks his cutting edge, work rate, assists and goals. Although I'm not sure new manager Alex McLeish's style of play would suit his central midfield role, he can also play on the wing, another position where Villa are struggling. His first season at Manchester City didn't see him start many games, but this season he looks as though he is looking to cement a place in the starting 11. Despite scoring against us on our recent trip to the Etihad (and notably not celebrating), I know a lot of Villa fans still admire him and would love to have him back at the club."

DMF 

The obvious choice here would be James Milner in my opinion. His work ethic and end product are something that Villa have missed greatly this season although they sit in a decent position in the league. Ashley Young has been superb for Manchester United and England this season but with Marc Albrighton, Charles N'Zogbia and the in-form Gabriel Agbonlahor they are stacked for options on the wing. James Milner's versatility and winning mentality makes him the perfect choice to fit straight back into the Aston Villa team.

Do you agree with the choices @avfcelizabeth made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter!

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Bolton Wanderers

The Challenge
Pick 3 players you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at your club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger

Gareth Couperthwaite, 25, Norwich.

Player 1

Eidur Gudjohnsen - Striker

July 1998 - July 2000

"Eidur Gudjohnsen came to Bolton in 1998 after he’d been released by PSV after injury problems. His start wasn’t immediate but when he came into the side, he had an immediate effect. He finished his first season with 5 goals from 14 games and got Bolton to the Play off final against Watford. In his second season, along with Bo Hansen and Dean Holdsworth, he drove the Whites’ attack, guiding Bolton to three semi finals. He finished the season with 14 goals and was a cult legend at the Reebok. 

During the closed season Bolton received a lot of enquires for him, two seasons outside the Premier League had had a massive effect on the finances and Bolton were forced to sell Eidur to Chelsea for £4m. While at Chelsea, he won 2 league titles and a League cup, but had his greater success when he was sold to Barcelona, where he won the Primera División, Copa del Rey and the Champions League."

Eidur Gudjohnsen is one of the most technically gifted players the Reebok stadium has seen in a long time. With his phenomenal first touch and his clinical eye for goal he became a Bolton legend in his 2 years at the club and nobody was shocked he went on to win trophies with Chelsea and Barcelona in the prime of his career.  He'd add real creativity to the Bolton side (something I feel they're lacking at the moment) and could be a replacement for the departed Johan Elmander.

Player 2

Daniel Sturridge - Striker

2011 (LOAN)

"Daniel Sturridge, unlike the other two players, was on loan at the Reebok from Chelsea. He started his career at Man City before moving to Chelsea when his contract expired. Chelsea loaned him to Bolton, where he made an immediate effect of scoring in the 90th minute of his debut against Wolves, he followed this up with another three goals in his next three games and became only the sixth player to score in his first four games in the Premier League for his club. He finished with 8 goals in 12 games and became a fan favourite. With Chelsea telling Bolton it would cost £3m to continue the loan for a further twelve months and any transfer being out of Bolton’s price range. Sturridge went back to Chelsea, where he has had a great start to this season, including getting two goals against Bolton at the Reebok."

Daniel Sturridge was a superb youngster with bags of potential when he joined the Trotters on loan in January 2011. He desperately needed game-time and wasn't getting it at Stamford Bridge and was placed under greater threat with the purchase of a certain Fernando Torres for £50M. Sturridge arrived at the Reebok and took the opportunity by the scruff of the neck, bagging a goal on his debut. He continued to score, scoring 4 in his opening 4 games for the club. He ended with 8 goals in 12 games and has gone back to Chelsea and has fought his way into the starting line up. His movement suited Bolton like a glove to a hand - and this season it's clear to see they miss his explosiveness up front.

Player 3

Blerim Dzemailli - Midfielder

July 2007 - July 2009

"The final Player is Blerim Dzemaili, he signed a pre season deal to join Bolton from FC Zurich in 2007, there were high hopes for him based on his performances and he was touted as a future star for his native Switzerland. Unfortunately he suffered a serious knee injury in training before his move. Throughout the 2007-08 season, he was unable to break into the first team and only made one appearance in the FA cup. He moved to Torino on loan, where he found a new lease and signed for them the season after, since then he has signed for Parma, before moving to Napoli this season."

Blerim Dzemaili was a talented young teenager, fresh into the Swiss national team after an amazing season with FC Zurich. A serious knee injury cursed his time at the Reebok and he only ever made one senior appearance for the side, in the FA Cup. When he went on loan to Torino he found a second wind and started to show some more of that promise that made Bolton sign him. He went to Parma after that and this summer moved to Torino where he made his Champions League debut against Manchester City coming on as a substitute.

CONCLUSION

GARETH COUPERTHWAITE

"In a choice out of the three, I would prefer to have Sturridge back at Bolton. His goals and movement seemed to suit Bolton’s style of play and I feel we are a poorer team this season without him. 

Eidur was a fantastic player for Bolton and has left and achieved great things since leaving the club. Although there was huge support to the idea of him returning to Bolton, he has returned to the EPL with three clubs but not to The Reebok. 

Blerim had a torrid time at Bolton and never achieved the highs that were expected of him. I, along with a lot of Bolton fans I know, are happy to see him playing at the highest level."

DMF 

Bolton are quite clearly struggling in an attacking sense this season and although they just beat Stoke 5-0 at home, they've been struggling for goals too. Johan Elmander's departure to Galatasaray on a free transfer has taken a lot of goals from the club, and an intelligent striker like Eidur Gudjohnsen could be the answer for them. A creative force when deployed deeper, but a fantastic finisher when given the chance, it seems to me that he's the perfect choice to put into the Bolton side.

Do you agree with the choices @Lordcoup made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Blackburn Rovers

 

The Challenge

Pick 3 players who you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

The Challenger
James Fallon, 25, Bolton.

 

Player 1
Alan Shearer - Striker
July 1992 - July 1996

"Despite Alan Shearer winning the title (the only honour in his career) with Blackburn Rovers, some would argue he never hit the same heights as he did with Newcastle with Rovers. Even though he was adored by the Blackburn faithful, he was absolutely idolised by the Newcastle fans and with that he became the most feared striker in English football and a wonderful asset to Newcastle. Even though we are scoring goals at the moment, he would offer us plenty of hard work and plenty of goals if he was still around at this moment in time."

Alan Shearer is without a shadow of a doubt the most prolific goalscorer in Premier League history. During his 4 years at Blackburn he scored an amazing 112 league goals in 138 league games, an average of a goal every 1.23 games. He was an amazing finisher, capable of scoring with any part of his body and was truly an asset to English football. However, he became even better at Newcastle than at Blackburn and became the first (and only to this day) player to reach 200 Premier League goals. Blackburn right now lack that striker who can score 20+ goals a season and Alan Shearer entering his prime would be more than capable of providing that.

Player 2
Henning Berg - Defender
July 1992 - August 1997

"The versatile defender who left Rovers for Manchester United and went onto win considerably more honours with them. He would offer us a solid grounding at the right back position as that's been something of a concern for Rovers this season, even though we have the young Jason Lowe filling in the gap left by Michel Salgado. He would also bring a winning mentality that we desperately need. Winning the honours he won at United helps any team that may acquire a players services."

Henning Berg signed for Manchester United in 1997 for £5M - which was the joint highest fee for a defender at the time in Britain.  While at Blackburn however he showed his versatility - making the right-back position his own, while also showing he could play competently at centre back. He won the Premier League with Blackburn in 1995 and won plenty of trophies while at Manchester United. He re-joined Blackburn in 2000 and lifted the League Cup as captain in 2002. Berg was a solid defender and one of the most reliable full-backs in the league, while also very good at centre back. He'd be a welcome addition to the leaky defence Rovers have had this season so far.

Player 3
Damien Duff - Winger
March 1996 - July 2003

"Where do we start with Damien Duff, he was one of the three players that made Rovers exciting to watch in the early 2000s and was one of the main reasons we were promoted from division 1 after two years out of the Premier League. Duff, David Dunn and Matt Jansen were the spine of our team. Damien was sold to Chelsea the season they got their money. We got good money for him at the time and he went onto become a relative success at Chelsea. He would bring with him some valuable Premier League experience if he was in our squad now. Something we seem to be lacking at the moment."

Damien Duff when he signed was an unknown Irish winger, with potential to move onto big things. He made Rovers exciting and was one of their best players when Blackburn went from promotion to the Premier League to a League Cup victory. Blackburn got a massive £24M from Chelsea for Duff and in turn they turned him into one of the most dangerous wingers in the league. His pace, direct running and excellent final ball (whether it was a shot or a cross) made him a constant threat to every team, which he showed vs Barcelona in the Champions League. If he returned to Ewood today, he'd probably struggle to get into the team in his favoured left wing position, now occupied by hotshot Junior Hoilett.

CONCLUSION

JIMMY GOODE

"Out of the three, I would bring back Henning Berg. Simply reason being he would bring the defence some much needed experience and versatility. We have made very costly mistakes in our defensive side of the game this season and I feel his experience would see us shipping less goals and his experience could be passed onto the younger players in our squad. And of course his winning mentality would emanate to the rest of the squad."

 DMF

Looking at the squad now, although they are scoring goals it's hard to see past taking Alan Shearer in his prime back to Ewood Park. The man was capable of scoring 30+ goals per season every year and that kind of goalscorer is something that Blackburn will need to keep them up this season in my opinion. The leaky defence I believe is down to a lack of confidence - when Michel Salgado returns and the side pick up some points I believe they will become stronger defensively. Duff would be a good option too, but Hoilett, Formica, N'Zonzi and Pedersen are all capable options in midfield and I don't think he is an necessity in today's squad.

Do you agree with the choices @St_Jimmy_77 made? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)

Pick Your Poison - Arsenal

The Challenge

Pick 3 players who you believe have left your club and gone on to bigger/better things and you want back at the club. Then make a choice between the 3 players as to which you'd take back in the current squad. Judge all players on the time of their sale, not currently.

Challenger
Frankie Hobbs, 16, London.

Player 1:

Mathieu Flamini
July 2004 - July 2008

"The French workhorse, with the scraggy locks and old fashioned aura, whom went about his business with little fuss, is a player most Arsenal fans would take back in a heartbeat. This man had a work ethic like no other, and would literally leave it all on the pitch. Coupling this with the great versatility Mathieu possessed, and you have a fine player. The type of player trophy winning sides are built around. Sure, he won’t score 15 goals from midfield, but he was simply the perfect foil for the emerging star Cesc Fabregas.

But Arsenal now have Alex Song? Despite this, I still think that Mathieu was a big loss. Simply for the fact it was so avoidable. Arsene Wenger made a mistake by not showing any sort of care for his future and didn’t really have any significant plans for Mathieu. He left for Milan on a free later that summer."

Flamini was certainly the perfect central midfield partner for Cesc Fabregas during his time at Arsenal and the fact he was allowed to leave by Arsene Wenger on a free transfer tells me it was a case of "you don't know what you've got till it's gone". Personally I feel they've only just properly replaced him with the emergence of youngsters Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey, as players who can do the business offensively and defensively. 

He's struggled to make a massive impact in Milan since his move, with injuries and rotation but I'm sure had he stayed at Arsenal he would have been a key fixture and would have been successful at the North London club.

Player 2
Patrick Vieira
September 1996 - July 2005

"Vieira was simply a machine. He had everything to his game - pace, power, leadership, aggression, height, and even popped up with important goals. The fact Arsenal haven’t won a trophy since his departure, simply shows how much of a key asset he was. I’m not saying that we would have won a trophy if we had kept Patrick, but it would have given us a much better chance in doing so! 

The fact we even considered the offer is what seemed to force out Patrick, and a clear rejection to Juventus would have shown to Patrick Vieira that he was wanted at Highbury (later the Emirates), so this was again, an avoidable transfer, and yet again, we seemed to mess this up."

As has been said, this man was a monster. A true machine he had everything in his game and was the glue that held the Arsenal side together through their most successful period. He was their lynchpin in defence and sometimes offered that spark in attack that led to goals. Went on to Juve and won the league (before they were demoted) and then went on to Inter and Manchester City before retiring this summer. A true icon in his time, it's no surprise Arsenal haven't had a leader like him since his departure.

Player 3
Cesc Fabregas
September 2003 - August 2011

"Cesc Fabregas, a player whom was brought through the ranks from the early teen years, to becoming captain of the First Team, is a world class performer. He epitomized Arsenal. He was the heartbeat of Arsenal. At the age of 23, younger players looked up to him, as ‘the man’ of Arsenal.

Many Arsenal fans were open to the fact that Cesc would be leaving to go ‘home’, yet for the fee to be so low for a player of his world class ability frustrated a lot of us.

Despite this, it’s frustrating the player has so much power. Why couldn’t Arsenal just shut up shop and not let him go? The fact Arsenal didn’t exactly squeeze Barcelona dry for our captain and best player is the reason he makes it into the list."

 Possibly the best Arsenal player of his generation, he was the focal point of all of Arsenal's supreme football in the Premier League and Europe. His move to Barcelona this summer was much expected, but nobody realised the huge effect it would have on the Arsenal side now. Replaced by Mikel Arteta, it's noticeable how much Arsenal miss their Catalan superstar. His vision was amazing and was capable of spotting most things others couldn't dream of, but he had the ability to make it happen too. A truly world-class player.

Conclusion

FRANKIE HOBBS

"We saw in the summer, that clubs do not have to sell their best players (Modric to Chelsea) yet it feels like every time an Arsenal player is wanted, he will eventually go. Here’s to hoping that Robin Van Persie isn’t the next one to go, and that if I was to do this again in 5 years, Robin will not be on this list.As for who I would like most in our current team, I would have to go with Cesc Fabregas. The man was the focal point of everything good with Arsenal. He created chance after chance, and after all, he was just coming into the peak years of his career, and he was a player the fans loved. He fitted our tactic perfectly, as it was built around him, and as you can see, Arsenal are not the same without him. It is without doubt that Cesc will always remain in Arsenal fans’ hearts, but had he stayed, he would have simply gone down as a legend of the club. It’s a shame that his move to Barcelona had to happen so early in his career, but since it has, I wish him all the luck in the world, and hope we can see him back at the Emirates one day."

DMF

Looking at the team right now, they're clearly missing a playmaker capable of spotting a pass and playing it but also being able to produce that moment of magic  to score themselves. They've got a midfield enforcer in Alex Song and the link man between defence and attack in Jack Wilshere. However, although they've got Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta as playmakers - neither are on Cesc's level and it's showing in their league performances this season. So for that reason, if I were an Arsenal fan I'd want Fabregas back in a heartbeat.

 

Do you agree with the choices @FrankieH_ made? Let us know in the comments  section or on Twitter.

DMF. (@dmf180593)