At 3pm this afternoon, it was said that we had signed Trond Andersen from Molde for something like £2.5m. Well, apparently we haven’t because Sheff Wed are interested in him as well, and this will/may/possibly hold up the deal a little. That said, Molde accept that he’s not their player any more. Or something. And they’re looking for a replacement for him. Confused? Yeah, so are we.
Slightly more straightforward is the fact that Walid has positively, DEFINITELY got his work permit through, and can now legitimately play for us. He won’t play against Watford, though a subs bench may well be awaiting for him.
According to the Norse Connection (see, I do credit people), Lars has hinted that the team on Saturday will be: Sullivan, Blackwell, Cunningham, Pedersen, Kimble, Cort, Roberts, Earle, Ardley, Gayle and Hartson. It’s also thought that Euell, Jupp may be strong contenders for the first XI. Additionally, do not be in the least bit surprised to see Pedersen as captain. Why? Allow Lars to explain –
“The younger players are picking up zonal defence faster, then those who have been used to man-mark for several years. In addition it is an advantage we have Tore Pedersen. He will get an extra responsibility, and we expects him to take charge in this matters”..
Interesting…….
Also, Lars is very impressed with a lot of things –
“The environment in the club exceeds everything I have experienced in Norway. It’s been even better than I dared hoping for. I enjoy the surroundings very well too. I have also been positively surprised by the attitude of the players. No one is close to be indecorous. This is in all a great club to be in”
When I (and others) met him at the Press and Fans Day, he seemed really at home, and I think it showed. The fact that an “outsider” like Lars can fit in so easily shows just how powerful the club really is – team spirit dying? Nah. Also impressing the Unpronouncable One is the playing side. He decrees :
“It is a myth that English football players have average or bad skills. They are better than any players I have worked with earlier. At our one-touch and two-touch practices, the Wimbledon players make less errors than Norwegian players”.
I assume that he hasn’t seen Alan Kimble yet. Perhaps the most intriguing comment he makes is right at the end, when he said
“There are one or two things that the squad is not used to though, such as training twice a day, working for such long periods with a ball, the feedback we give and the help and advice both on and off the field. The pub culture is still there but the players here are responsible and no-one has over-stepped the mark.”
Note the word “feedback”. I get the feeling this is due to the sort of shite we produced last season, where the players were playing like fuckwits and nobody was telling them otherwise. Now of course the management are being a lot more open, and the players are clearly responding. Methinks they’re also taking a few more chances with the players, and it’s obviously working – look at how well Duncan Jupp is playing, it’s almost as though he’s a different player. Roll on Saturday (although we’ll probably lose….)
New kit is available for purchase in the Palace club shop. Well, the shirt is, and it’s the home one only. Still, it doesn’t actually look too bad, although THAT logo (you know the one I’m talking about) prohibits me from even touching it…..