Flanders

Back in the old days it wa Best, Marsh, McClintock and Thommo. Although that lot could be annoying, the show seems to have been dumbed down now. Le Tissier and Merson

Will you repeat this post in even bigger CAPS in another 35 pages?

Course they do, our very own Xabi chose not to only last season. That was only a small European affair though.

Christ almighty, the same people will be here on Sept 1st saying the deal will happen In January. It's dead, thankfully because it has been a f***ing bore.

IF Rafa belives he's worth £18M.

Let's just ask Henry Winter who we need to sign to finish first then.

How do you know that Benitez isn't in full agreement with the board? I mean, £18 Million pounds for Gareth Barry! No doubt we thought that was the opening gambit and the actual deal would take place for a lot less ie. about £12m. The bottom line is, he isn't worth that much and they won't get that from anyone else either. Given that we couldn't get a decent offer for Alonso, we are right not to pay Villa their top price. They get to keep their man and hopefully that is the end of the saga and we stick to our guns and look elsewhere.

Believe it or not, we've been doing these posts for years. Let' see what are actual TEAM plays like before we get too excited about the individuals within it.

The Curious Orange maybe, not sure about this Pidgeon Toed Orange Peel you speak of.

Not amazing at all, just scary. Old age (if you are lucky) and death, imminent.

Carheex has settled down in Wales and get's married next year. He no longer sells watches and doesn't post on any forums due to being banned from them all I expect. I watched 'Me, myself and Irene' the other night, Jim Carreys character remined me of Carheex, if you've seen it, you'll know what i mean. It's his intended I feel sorry for.

None. Read the forum most days, just don't post much.

Lampard injured Alonso once, Xabi was anonymous for the rest of the match. FACT.

If he can't take his share of bench time then I guess he'll be moved on next summer, until then I think he's the type to keep his gob shut, especially as it's a bewteen year for internationals. Next season he'd be looking for first team footie for sure.

Not really, unless you think a team would be willing to pay more than we did for him. By evolution of the team he is hopefully now a squad player. He'll be a good squad player and we should keep him unless someone more than £10M

Not really, unless you think a team would be willing to pay more than we did for him. By evolution of the team he is hopefully now a squad player. He'll be a good squad player and we should keep him unless someone more than £10M

Three times. ----------------Reina Carragher Agger Skrtel Dossena ---------Alonso--------Barry ---Kuyt------- Gerrard-----Keane -----------------Torres

Seems like KD has an unassailable lead with 55mins to go(52.5%), it will be interesting to read the guardians interpretation of this, especially given that Banks and Moores have receive a pitiful fraction of the vote.

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Rafa desperatley wants the player and ideally taking part in the pre-season build up. That's why he made it clear we were after him as soon as possible at the end of the season. IF we get him, it will be much later than Rafa would have wanted and for more than the board want to pay. Yes, this transfer has been a struggle with 2 participants.

Bentley is quite good and Pennant really isn't. Bentley will work on his game and improve, Pennant won't and won't.

You think we'll play a midfield three often do you? I don't but it's interesting as to how the team will line up. The three i think we'll play will be behind Torres and Barry will not be a part of that three, I think he'll be deeper. While his left foot can only help balance the side, it isn't essential in a deep midfield position, more often that not the most forward left sided player next season is going to be predominantly right footed, Keane or Babel, or is Keane left footed?? Anyway, if he comes I'm sure he'll be good for the side and if he helps us win the title the money will be well spent as said by another poster, I'm not sure why people allude to him being the type to turn draws into wins though. He'll not be taking pens and nowhere near as many free kicks as he does at villa.

B*ll*cks. It is an unresolved struggle.

It's not so much what I expect from Barry, more what I would hope for from such a titanic struggle over a £20M'ish player. When he beds into the team, the money we paid for him won't be apparent in his performance on the pitch. He'll obviously do what he was bought for, but I can't help but think I'll be sitting there wondering whether all the fuss was worth it. Another club will probably have paid £12m for Alonso who could be dominating games for them, which he is capable of but Barry isn't. Just seems stupid, that's all!

Barry is going to be on a hiding to nothing if he does eventually sign for us. I'd expect at least a touch of fantasy after such a dogged pursuit for a near £20M player not just a solid left foot, good work rate and an English passport.