Davvo

Best thing about that list is Sterling's contract being listed as 2017. That correct ? I thought it was 2016, but 2017 would make me considerably less nervous about the new one being unsigned.

If you don't watch it, there's a transcript somewhere, in here possibly. Clear emphasis that it was BR sitting him down, and telling him he was going to be used more sparingly, that was the catalyst for his leaving. Reading between the lines, and Carra's continued tweeting, it seems he thinks he should still be starting whenever fit, and doesn't want to be phased out just yet.

He answered this in his interview. In the absence of any conflicting information, and the fact it was the club that released his comments, it's hard to understand how it's still open to speculation.

If you mean do something different than be used as a bit part player then I'd agree. Gerrard couldn't have been any clearer could he, emphasising that his decision could be traced back to BR sitting him down, and telling him his playing time would now need to be managed. Whatever our individual opinions on how SG should be used, make no mistakes, this is SG's decision to leave, based on BR telling him his game time is going to be reduced. He's not just thought, ah f*** it I'm too old to play at the top level, I think I'll go and play in LA

For goodness sake, heaven forbid you could just take the comment for what it is/

Yeah, so that's about £55k per week for Henry/Keane and £90k ish per Kaka. I think Beckham's deal was massively bloated by all sorts of commercial stuff to get around the cap business. Maybe these fella's are too.

Graveson and Carsley.

Rumours he's being offered a similar kind of deal to Beckham, rather than the more 'modest' deals other older pro's have been on. If true then scratch my earlier remarks about Carra's comments, the click-baiting sell-out . Would make huge sense to SG in those circumstances too.

Aye probably, think I mean more in terms of us not having many natural leaders, compared with a few years ago, especially one's who are regulars. I don't think it's as important as many would suggest, but I think having a calm, cool head is a huge advantage in some situations. My vote would be Lucas or Sakho for what its worth, but neither seems certain of a spot for one reason or another.

If you'd said Milan or PSG or somewhere then maybe.

One thing that is clear, is that we have somehow found ourselves in a position where there are no standout candidates.

Agree with this, as hard as it is, it's better to make the break before things start to go downhill too quickly. Also think it's been difficult to plan about replacing him, whilst he's still been here, for a variety of reasons.

Not sure the money is that great there is it ? Well, compared with the PL. Think the likes of Robbie Keane and Henry have been on about £50k per week ?

It's surely what he does mean/think. Find it difficult to dismiss Carra's comments really, it's a comment piece written about one of his best mates, and likely to have some substance in terms of how SG feels about it all. Hard to view this as anything other than BR thinks SG should be playing less (something most on here seem to agree with, myself included), and SG's not happy about being phased out. Understandable on all parts really, and I think Carra's just suggesting that an offer of some sort of on the job training, with regards to career after playing, might have made it easier for SG to adapt to playing less.

Not unfair I don't think. He was great whilst trying to prove himself, and then it all seemed to go to s***e once his Dad took over as manager, and the process had begun in terms of trying to get him a move to a big club.He reverted to blind alley running, and sulking if things didn't go his way. Palace and Hull both seemed poor choices too.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. Or a football.

Well those are certainly the areas of fault, whether they know it or not, or have learnt from the mistake, is questionable. The striker thing could probably have been sorted without the need for massive wages too, seems to plenty of pacey lads who can finish knocking about, many of whom would command less than Mario. He's neither a young, cheap lad with potential, nor a proven, experienced goalscorer. Ticks no boxes at all.

It's a tricky one this. I'd say Ince was looking far more impressive at Blackpool, than Ibe has at Derby so far, and his career has nose dived. It's as much luck as good judgement, in knowing the right thing to do with a developing player. The time to come back to us, is the time when BR is certain he's going to be able to give him some game time. Autumn, with League cup and hopefully European group games on the calendar, is likely the best time.

Exactly, letter of the law, and precedence, mean he should have been red carded, however innocuous it may have been. The fact the lino saw it, looked disapprovingly, and did nothing, means nothing could, or should, be done about it. A lucky escape.

Well of course it was, it's not as though we had 3 strikers on the bench now, is it ? It's like he was left with only 10 outfield players or something, and just threw names into a random formation generator.

Aye, and as much as I'd have preferred an alternative where we bought fewer players of more proven quality, there's no guarantee that would have worked better in the short or long term. The jury is out on most signings, some look to be improving, others might be a bust, ultimately the worst thing we've done is have Balotelli, Lambert, and Borini as our striker options beyond Sturridge. I'd focus on how that happened, and make sure those responsible for getting Mario, are not given as much faith in future.

The answer to that is in the article isn't it ? Did anyone not expect a slow start, or at least fear one ? I suppose they could have added '....but not the s*** sandwich we were served for the first 3 and a half months', but that's not much of a positive message to take into the New Year really. Owner's words, like manager's and player's really, mean very little in reality, it's all fluff. Nothing unusual in their quotes for me, not 100% happy with their actions by any stretch obviously, but I don't really ever expect to be.

Most likely, although I wonder if BR will be tempted to try and shoehorn the 4 of them in, similar to how he did in the 2nd half of last season. Doing that, and keeping the current balance, could be tricky. Great to have the option though.

Throw him some gloves

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