takanohana

Hmm, yes I try to forget about Houghton...

and a certain Mr Aldridge...

I understand what you're saying but you don't always know in advance who's going to be s**t. Many people were v happy to see Cole joining (myself included). It hasn't worked out and so now we're hacked off about the wages he's on and the fact that we may not be able to get other players in till we offload him. Lesson from that seems to be to be careful about contracting large wages to players who are getting on or are past their prime. Bellamy may turn out to be as successful as Cole. I don't reckon he will, but seems reasonable for fans to think we maybe shouldn't contract £Xm in wages on an older player who's been out of the Prem a while.

Indeed. If supporters are interested in transfers, it's reasonable to have an opinion on the transfer fee and wages/contract length. There's a finite amount of money in the pot, so spending a lot on a player in terms of fee or wages is likely to affect who else we can get now or in the future. That said, will be happy to see Bellamy back and don't reckon the current regime will go overboard with contract length for a 32 year old.

Downing would be a great signing for us, can't understand why some are sceptical. Consistently performs well, gets crosses in (perfect for Carroll as has been said), creates and scores goals, requires no adapting to the english league, and is probably entering his prime. I'd have had him before Young if it had been an option, as Young I think is more streaky and likes to come inside more. Clearly a tricky, pacier type of winger would be welcome also, but that's a higher risk signing and should come afterwards if and when funds allow.

Reina Nicol Hansen Lawrenson Kennedy (A) Gerrard Souness Beardsley Dalglish Barnes Rush

Gary Gillespie - tough job coming in towards end of Hansen/Lawrenson era.

Souness to Sampdoria.

Gerrard Cole Johnson

Think that's what pepe was asking...

Yes, he's getting cross with G&H. Seriously though, am v pleased at the prospect of seeing the back of those two, and at the same time think it's bloody depressing that we are now this commodity that essentially anyone with a wad of cash can bid to buy and run as they see fit, dodgy businessmen, Arab royalty...the government of bloody China. Short term may look much rosier if this comes off, long term this can't be good though...

This is insane. The Chinese Government...! Christ on a bike

Kelly and Insua both looked out of their depth at times last season. Young's no great shakes but he's got experience and is generally a fairly steady performer.

Both could develop into better players than him, but don't think they are now

No

Reasonable cover for Johnson and new first choice left back. I hope.

No offence but if that's a glass half full scenario, I'd hate to see your pessimistic view. That's the most depressing post and team-sheet I've ever seen...

Bloody Coiln Murray is everywhere at the moment. Got to be a contender for most annoying sports presenter on TV.

The defender didn't stand there doing nothing. He stuck his leg out. Lucas went over it. Could he have avoided it? Possibly. Should he have? Nope.

Quite. It's one thing wanting the club to be competitive and, as the game is currently run, the only way to do that is to attract some random billionaire with loadsmoney. Fine, but I'm damn sure if we're bankrolled to the top of a league of three of four clubs it won't feel the same to me as when we did it in the 70s/80s. That's not nostalgia. It's hoping that we can preserve some spirit and authenticity in the game. It can be done by those with the clout looking at other models of club ownership and governance (although seems to be a slim hope) I think some people are deluding themselves though if they think is just a issue for pseuds (whatever that means) and that there isn't a bigger long-term problem with all this.

I don't have a problem with anyone getting a turn, in fact that's what I'd like to see preserved. I'm not arguing there's not historically been financial advantage for certain clubs - there clearly was in the 80s for example when we benefitted from it. It's more about degrees - the scale of the financial advantages now just blow out of the water the chances of a QPR, Villa, Watford and even Everton (all 80s refs) from coming through to win/challenge for title based on good management and crop of not-hugely-expensive players. The amount of money involved now means that that is almost impossible - when the money becomes so overwhelming that no amount of good coaching, management and young or well-bought cheaper players can get you even close to the title, I think there's a problem for the game.

Agree with this largely. When Gillett & Hicks took over it wasn't them I disliked so much as what they represented and how we were being driven down the same route as Chelsea etc If football can't sort it's sh*t out then it's going to lose fans in the long term because the authorities are too weak, in thrall to the free market to and apathetic to do anything about it. The PL can only hype so much before many fans start to realise that, as their club hasn't got squillions they don't stand a chance of competing for anything meaningful and probably never will. Who wants to see billionaire owners slug it out for the league title year after year - I do increasingly less.

Best description of Gary Neville I've ever heard... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/21/carlos-tevez-gary-neville-boot-licker

Degen looking alright - going forward anyway - hopefully he can take his chance at RB with Johnson out

Rider is a generic sports hack who knows v little about football and tries to cover it up by parrotting the cliches of the day