Hugo Viana

[Looney]

The next Rui Costa apparently, touted as the best young player in the world and a Newcastle player. What does everyone (anyone) think?

[psh03]

He sounds fantastic. I thought he might go to Celta Vigo but Newcastle pulled off a clever signing.

[Robledo]

top class signing by SBR. Having seen him at the U-21 Championships this summer and a few Sporting Lisbon games last season, I'm over the moon with this signing.
But will he be restricted to sub appearances? H'e unlikely to displace Laurent Robert. Maybe just F.A/Worthington Cup starts

[Looney]

He could always do the centre left can't he?

[psh03]

I thought he played in "the hole" between the strikers and midfield. Maybe you will have to change your formation to accomodate him?

[Looney]

We don't have a true holding midfielder to make up for it, that's the problem, plus we already have Dyer who can play that kind of role.

[Robledo]

we can't have Viana and Dyer playing centre midfield. It would be too lighweight IMO. Unless SBR plays 3-5-2 formation, with Dyer/Viana/Jenas (or Speed), as the central 3 midfielders and Robert and Solano as wing backs. I think I mentioned this on the soccernet boards already, but what the hell, we need the posts on here!

Personally I can't see SBR playing 3-5-2 though

[Looney]

That's true, last time we did 3-5-2 was the Spurs at home I think..... that was a disaster. I've never seen Viana play so I dunno how big the bloke is. Tho we could do Viana in the hole and Acuna behind him, maybe experiment with that in the League Cup or something.

[doz]

Viana has to be a certain starter.The boy's a genius with the ball at his feet.Newcastle did a great piece of business signing him.

[Looney]

Well shows the quality of Newcastle's midfield that Viana isn't certain of a starting spot. He'd walk straight into the pitiful Inter line-up wouldn't he doz? ;)

[doz]

No because Cuper likes ONLY defensive grafters like Di Biagio.:silly:

[Robledo]

I've just bought Hugo Viana in Championsip Manager, and he's not doing bad at all. Btw he only cost me £8.3m less than what SBR paid for him. I got him for a mere 200k, a steal !

[Looney]

I got Jenas for 750K and sold him for 14 million, but you've beaten me by 550K!

[BLAUGRANA]

I think Viana will turn out to be a brilliant signing for Newcastle. I'm quite surprised you didn't face stiffer competition for his signature.

[Looney]

What were you saying before about how Viana won't settle in England? :p

[Robledo]

I've just been watching the re runs of the European U-21 Championship, (just the Portuguese games cuz of Hugo), and this guy is a wizard on set pieces! Every free kick he took was hit with accuracy, he hit 2 screaming free kicks against the bar against Italy.

Channel 5 are showing Portugal's final game tomorrow night, and I hear he scored in that game. So that game is deffo being watched.

Btw, SBR said he was a central midfielder? From what I've seen so far ,Hugo has played wide left in EVERY game

[Robledo]

out injured for at least 3 weeks.

It will probably take an extra two weeks, just to get him match fit again

[al1892]

yep hell be out for three weeks and they say he could be requiring surgery for a partial dislocation to his shoulder. still jj is a good deputy IMHO.

[Robledo]

Originally posted by al1892
yep hell be out for three weeks and they say he could be requiring surgery for a partial dislocation to his shoulder. still jj is a good deputy IMHO.

Aye, it's a shame about Hugo. Even if he was 100%, he still wouldn't make the first 11.

I looks like Speed/Dyer is 1st choice, Speed/Jenas 2nd choice, and Viana is 3rd choice. Lets just hope he doesn't whinge to the press, like many foreigners do.

JJ can be even better if he adds a bit more upper body muscle weight. Mind , he's only a young un, and is looking class already

[al1892]

i think jj is class already. people are always complaining about him being lightweight but in my opinion he is closer to gary speed in terms of going in for tackles and alike. in the games ive seen hes looked like a perfect replcement for him whereas Viana has stood away from tackles a lot. im of the school of thinking where i dont think we can rely solely on flair and pace. we need someone like gary/jj to hold up the ball and make the tackles.

[Looney]

I see Jenas replacing Speed eventually, and Hugo'll probably replace Robert in the long term and fill in positions until them. Tho I think JJ and Hugo may rotate.

[Robledo]

Viana out for upto 4 months:mad:

http://www.planetfootball.com/article.asp?id=124251&Title=Viana+faces+four+months+out