steve_69

Craig Bellamy and Jamie Vardy, both in the way they play and the fact they're both scrotes

It's not as pleasant as the transfer bath I'll give you that. Nicely done!

The minimum of 4 minutes means 4 minutes unless there are other stoppages, which there weren't. It doesn't mean could be 4 minutes, could be 6

Because he has scored, he has contributed. I know he's a bad player, but what are the alternatives. Throw Sorensen in? He might do well but I'd be very surprised, he most likely wouldn't get a kick. He needs to go to a football league club and learn how to play in that environment. Plenty of players have come through from reserve football straight into the premier league and succeeded. The striking position here at the moment is a very difficult one to play admittedly, but I don't see the harm in giving someone like Sorensen minutes ahead of Joselu. What's the point in having these backup players if we don't allow them the opportunity to sink or swim?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Youth_League See, fucking mint idea.

It also makes you wonder why the fuck we persist with Joselu when we could be bringing another youngster through. We know Joselu won't score, won't assist, will barely contribute and will absolutely not trouble the opposition, regardless of who it is. It couldn't be a more perfect situation to bring someone through from the youth ranks. There is literally nothing to lose. It also begs the question - what can be done to make the reserves leagues more competitive so it's less of a perceived risk to bring a reserve player into the first team? Some sort of U21s Champions League might be a good start - a chance to see how the reserve players fair against quality opposition. Obviously it would take some serious organising but it's be better to watch the domestic reserve football.

It does make you wonder why he wasn't brought through into the first team until we faced a midfield crisis. If we'd have had our central midfielders fit this season he probably wouldn't have got a look in and we'd still be wondering if he was ever going to make the step up. Given the class and experience of our manager and coaches you'd think they'd have recognised how good he is well before now. Anyway, he's class and it's nice to see another academy player coming through and doing well, especially in such an important area of the pitch.

£120m development. Doesn't suggest how much he sold it for. So am i right in thinking that plot previously belonged to the club and he's just sold it off?

Really surprised he did the presser in Spanish. He's been in the MLS for a year so you'd expect him to be able to speak decent English by now

If I was Rafa the only way i would stay is if the board gave me complete control over transfers and specified a transfer budget at the start of every season + fees generated from player sales. Otherwise it's just more seasons of perpetual frustration and being totally in the dark. Even if that meant stipulating no players over the age of 26 unless they cost less than £3m. Or capping wages at £50k per week. Even if that budget is only £25m per season, doesn't matter. Rafa is the most qualified man at the club to be making decisions on players and keeping him in the dark about transfers and budgets makes no sense whatsoever. Leaving it all to Charnley and that other stooge is a fucking mockery!

Look, if a takeover was going to happen it would make sense for the buyer to wait until we're confirmed a PL club for next season, particularly if, as has been reported, Ashley isn't prepared to lower his price or have relegation clauses inserted in the deal. IF, and it's a big IF Ashley does actually want to sell, I could see it happening towards the end of the season. We know someone has already been through the books so there's genuine interest.

How much of that money was he told to recoup from player sales? How many avoidable relegations has he had to fight, after which he had to improve the squad to PL level? There's no point even responding to Keys, the guy is a dinosaur wind-up merchant desperately trying to get himself a UK gig again, most probably because he can't find any women in the Middle East who are prepared to shit on him.

Dubs Schar . Fernandez Lejeune Yedlin Ritchie Longstaff Shelvey Ki Almiron Rondon

If he runs himself into corners, constantly throws himself on the ground, gets shrugged off the ball like an 8 year old girl and moans at the ref when any decision doesn't go his way, not very long

Given how total ineffective this guy has been lately, we might as well promote someone from the U23s and let Murphy go regardless of whether we sign a replacement or not. I can't imagine Jimmy Reserve is going to be any worse.

I still maintain that he could've been class for us if he hadn't been managed by fucking Souness I swear down this exact exchange happens on here twice a year. It's true like, the compilation was unreal. That System of a Down soundtrack as well. Imagine walking into a dressing room and seeing Souness foaming at the mouth, pinning Bellamy against the wall yelling about there being no such thing as wingers any more. You'd be straight on the phone to your agent

I still maintain that he could've been class for us if he hadn't been managed by fucking Souness

So, no backup option then?! Seems risky!

That's probably the worst description of Andy Carroll i've ever seen. He's better in the air than Mitro, miles better on the deck and technically superior in pretty much every way. And to call him indisciplined when you're comparing him to Mitrovic is laughable. Yes his injury record is awful but on his day he's still probably the best attacking header of a ball in european and possibly world football. For £2m i'd take him back in a heartbeat. That is an astonishing statement. How many "days" has he had in the last eight years? Name someone better. You're absolutely right though - he hasn't has one of those days for a long time. When he does briefly come back from injury though he invariably scores. In those little windows of playing time he can still be virtually unplayable. Giroud. Firstly he's not as good as Carroll in the air, nowhere near in fact. Secondly he seems to have lost his mojo because he's looked a shadow of his former self for Chelsea. Ronaldo is still one of the best i guess but the general lack of proper physical centre forwards in world football, because the game now favours more mobile, technical strikers is why players like Crouch, Carroll can be so effective. Our gameplan is built around a big powerful centre forward so Carroll would be perfect for us right now (if he could stay fit). Here's an easy question for you - would you rather have Joselu or an injury prone Andy Carroll as our backup option?

That's probably the worst description of Andy Carroll i've ever seen. He's better in the air than Mitro, miles better on the deck and technically superior in pretty much every way. And to call him indisciplined when you're comparing him to Mitrovic is laughable. Yes his injury record is awful but on his day he's still probably the best attacking header of a ball in european and possibly world football. For £2m i'd take him back in a heartbeat. That is an astonishing statement. How many "days" has he had in the last eight years? Name someone better. You're absolutely right though - he hasn't has one of those days for a long time. When he does briefly come back from injury though he invariably scores. In those little windows of playing time he can still be virtually unplayable.

That's probably the worst description of Andy Carroll i've ever seen. He's better in the air than Mitro, miles better on the deck and technically superior in pretty much every way. And to call him indisciplined when you're comparing him to Mitrovic is laughable. Yes his injury record is awful but on his day he's still probably the best attacking header of a ball in european and possibly world football. For £2m i'd take him back in a heartbeat.

If Atsu had some end product he’d be a class player - he’s been absolutely everywhere again tonight

Ki and Schar were freebies can't fail to make profit on them Can't see making profit on Gayle either No he wasn't He's easily a £10-15m defender, if not more.

At the moment the only pace we have in the side comes from Yedlin so this guy is a welcome addition. Playing 5 at the back we're pretty solid already because our CB options are strong so i don't think we need to worry too much about his supposed defensive frailties.

Doesn't matter on the cost, He is an absolute failure because he is fucking abysmal at what he is supposed to do. We can't say he is a success because he was cheap. Schar was cheaper for example. Surely someone who no one expected to succeed not succeeding can't be classed as a failure?! We expected him to be shit, he has been shit and therefore he has met expectations.