Stevie

I don't think it's quite that clear cut. If everything did go through Xabi, it wouldn't take too long for other teams to work out they just needed to mark him out of the game. I think he was a great option when we were in possession but weren't going anywhere in midfield. Xabi would always be behind the play giving us the option for him to switch the ball from one flank to the other. As much as this was good, you could also argue that it held us back going forward at times as you would have one less player forward of play. Maybe we looked poorer when Xabi didn't play as we don't really have anyone else who constantly looks for the ball the way he does.

Could Defour be Plan B if we can't get Silva? Defour is more of a play maker rather than holding midfielder isn't he?

I would have thought it be fairly clear throughout these negotiations that Rafa isn't stupid. He knows what's going on and put a price on a players head that was initially laughed at by RM. In the end, they crumbled and have had to pay the money. The price laid down was so replacement players can be brought in. I think we can safely assume Rafa already knows who he wants and the prices he will have to pay for them. I'm sure that we will ultimately be in a stronger position with the new players we bring in, even though that maybe hard to believe with losing Xabi today.

According to Tuttosport, AC Milan are reportedly set to launch a £30m move for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

Wouldn't it be hilarious that after all this he failed his medical!

Why, what did he do wrong? Maybe we are after a cheap central midfielder as backup - hence why were linked with Cattermole, but we were scared off by his price tag?

I wonder if RM think that?

And / or Defour. I guess it also depends on what's happening with Lucas.

Well if it is, we can be sure the Muppets at Los t***os will soon be blabbing to the press about how they screwed us on the deal. Hopefully we've got what we want though, and it is they that want to keep the fee quiet.

You must be in a bad way.

Hypothetically, if we did tell RM and Barca that Xabi and Masch weren't for sale, couldn't we report the teams in question to UEFA if they persisted in trying to purchase them, or maybe even sue them if they didn't back off?

We should devise a list containing the names of players which are apparently going to be sold to other clubs, and what rag wrote about it. That should hopefully make for an entertaining read once the transfer window closes.

His corners and free kicks were Fab.

Gutted.

Her indoors told me to turn the sound off last night because he was irritating me so much. I cannot believe how such an unintelligible, unfathomable, halfwit can get a job commentating. I can only assume he's got something on one of the Setanta bosses. There really isn't any other reason you'd give him the job.

Speaking of Irish 'pundits', I thought Niall Quinn used to be a really good pundit. He didn't have any nasty snipes at anyone, and was pretty honest and interesting. Shame he went to Sunderland.

Was that some sort of request?

If the stories that have started to emanate from the papers are true, then I can't see Stevie being charged with anything. If the people he's been with have taken things too far then that's down to them. Maybe the drink made them (and the DJ) do what they did rather than someone just stepping in and having a quiet word. If this would have been anybody else who wasn't in the public eye then I doubt they would have been charged. I can imagine he's feeling quite emotionally shaken up and confused how it's all come about.

On the bright side, he can only get better.

Fair play to the guy. He's improved significantly over the past few weeks, so it looks like his hard work is paying off.

Dolby sounds good though.

Well when Fergie stops laughing and thinking he's got one over on us, maybe the penny will drop what such a t*** Pako is for even contemplating going to join them. I certainly wouldn't trust somebody like that.

I think it would be quite brave of the scum to employ Pako seeing as he was Rafa's best mate. It's not like friendships can't be mended.

Once the rumours start you never know. The press may get to hear about it and run with a story. They can't get enough of us at the moment!

Obviously this won't happen, but we could start by boycotting our home games. Not only would it hit them hard financially (and give them a possible shortfall in gate receipts they were expecting), but it would also show everybody what we think, and show them that actions speak louder than words.