NJS

Do what thousands if not millions are doing and will do over the next couple of years - accept a market price for their asset and not what it was worth 12 months ago.

Good of the club my fucking anus - nobody will pay his price so he attempts to get back in in - and there are complete idiots who actually buy it. Also the timing meant to deflect from the Bobby Robson day should see the cunt shot.

One thing that disappoints me about our current team/squad is that they don't look after each other. A player doing two teammates should result in someone taking the cunt out. I know its not professional but the nastier side of football is something I miss. I think we should find Steve Carney and put him on the bench to bring on for these kind of occasions in a kind of American special teams stylee.

I just hope like last year the bastards give up at 3 and save themselves for harder games.

For wide players can you tell me how many decent crosses into the box Duff or Guttierez played today?

It wouldn't be if we didn't have clueless midfielders who play like they've never seen either of them in training. Having said that I'd bring back the 4-3-3 - it got the best out of all of them imo.

You and your mates at NUSC better hurry up and help him sell the club then. Haven't joined but a sale is the only real hope imo. Facing a new season with Ameobi, Martins and Xisco and a championship plodder would bring relegation. I thought you told me yesterday that you were a Viduka fanboy? Why haven't you joined up btw? You've been vocal in support of them on here in the past. I am and I'd give him all the money they are trying to give Ameobi for however many years just to play for one more year. I support the main aim NUSC to give a voice to fans but have felt that their statements are crass (though improving) - I think Peasepud talks a lot of sense and if the party line reflected him more I'd join.

You and your mates at NUSC better hurry up and help him sell the club then. Haven't joined but a sale is the only real hope imo. Facing a new season with Ameobi, Martins and Xisco and a championship plodder would bring relegation.

The worrying thing for me is that if Ashley stays then the needed replacement will not be top draw. Or if we do spend money on a goalscorer, that will leave no money for anything else. No progress.

Not on the same fucking planet.

He signed a pre-contract with RM in Jan iirc - either way, he moved on a free. I always expected this outcome being honest but I also think if the club was "looking good" he may have signed. Edit - sorry I was thinking of McManaman.

From his pov I can't blame him - I wouldn't sign for this club with such an indeterminate future (and this includes if Ashley dropped the sale). It also makes my opinion on the outcome more likely - Ashley will sell him in January.

What's the best we could ever hope for with Kinnear as manager and Ashley's modest investment? I'd say a sniff of the top 8 - if you're happy with that then fine - I can't be arsed with it.

Keegan didn't lose to Sunderland for one - I'd have sacked Kinnear for that.

13 games on we are still hovering around the relegation zone (and a win today won't change that). We have wasted home games against shit teams - again have we actually improved?

I'd dispute both of those - continuing poor results and recruitment is hearsay at the moment.

Did you think Keegan done well then? Last season he did yes - not just to boost him in my eyes I was convinced in January that we were going to relegated. As I've said before, the main disappointment of this season is that considering the volatility of the league, I think even with what I consider to be an under-strength squad Keegan would have had us higher. With a bit more ambition in the market I think he could have pushed Villa. I think the view that we could have and may still "get away" with having an under-invested squad and finish in quite a decent position is one that sickens me because of what could have been. Of course this may look different on Feb 2nd with what I think will happen.

I think it's the idea that Ashley thinks Kinnear has done well that scares me - 2 or 3 good results out of 13 games or whatever it is, is not a recipe for success.

Mediocre at extreme best manager brought in by a clueless owner = mediocre, unambitious, mid-table club. The plan comes to fruition.

I don't think he is clearing the way to sell Owen. I think in those quotes he's just trying to emphasise that despite him being a billionaire, he is not of the calibre of Abu Dhabi and we should have realised that from the start. It was clear from very early on that that was the case - despite him saying it I don't think many people really expected Chelsea/Man City level spending - a bit yes but nothing daft. The bit about "I can't stop him going to Man City" while very true is telling imo.

Playing the jolly santa and praising Kinnear while clearing the way to sell Owen.

Add to that a property developer.

Ooh, an entire 5 in 13 years? There have been other good foreigners come in during that time anyway, but still ashley's regime brought in 3 alone this summer that have been outstanding. Promising not outstanding - we've won 4 games - when they've made the difference the first 4 on that list make then we'll judge them. My point was that foreign scouting/signing is nothing new. The thrust seems to be that the regime is so brilliant, so unique that its hit gold already which to me is overstating the point. Clubs have always signed foreigners with mixed results - just as this setup has (Gonzalez and Xisco being pointless)

Of course this is brilliant new concept - we have never ever signed any good foreigners before the holy trinity came. I imagined Ginola, Solano, Albert, Robert and Beye - hat's off to Ashley for coming up with fantastic new idea.

Disregarding a sale I'd honestly like Ashley to seriously invest in the team - either from a real "I want to come back" view or a "fuck me this league is shit, a bit of money would give me a chance of getting it back in terms of being a better prospect". It sounds daft given everything I've said but given the points spread I think 3 or 4 good players would give us a chance of finishing quite high despite Kinnear - the most frustrating thing in all of this is that most people recognise that with a bit more effort we could have had a good season - note that frustration includes disappointment with Keegan. It does not however deflect blame from the main cause imo,