steve_69

Is that a rule now for having an opinion that a player is not good and not worth keeping? We have to somehow know the availability of replacements/improvements? Seems like a silly requirement tbh. I'll just stick to thinking he's not worth keeping, ta. Because I consider the option of "get rid without replacement" equals to bullshit. What's the point of getting 15m and then relegate? Hanging on Mitrovic may not guarantee us safe, but having Gayle as the only striker for this season guarantee Championship next season. Mitro isn't the striker we need. He doesn't score enough in the PL and he didn't score enough in the championship and he doesn't fit into the system that Rafa plays. I love the guy but I don't see the point in keeping him. I'm confident we could get a striker for £15m that fits Rafa's style better and would at least equal the 8-10 goals we'll get from Mitro this season. Negredo might be worth taking a punt on for example, he's a much better finisher than Mitro for a start

I would too if i hit them like that

He's 27 and managed to not score in 17 appearances last season. He isn't going to sort out his finishing like Yeah, i think he's a lost cause. Hopefully he'll be someone else's problem before long

Obviously it's a massive part of the game but if he could sort out his finishing and composure he'd be a decent striker. His movement has never been in question and he's got reasonable pace but in front of goal his arse falls out. Hopefully he can resurrect his career somewhere else, ideally somewhere where he gets more time on the ball. It was a gamble that didn't pay off on our part. Win some, lose some.

Jonesy, great lad is Deano.

Who the fuck is DeanJonesBR?

That's exactly what happened with Assou-Ekotto, he said as much in an interview. He wasn't passionate about football, just happened to be good at it and was only doing it for the money. I doubt he's the only one but he's then only one I can think of who came out and said it.

Two different types of players. Fernando is more of a player who breaks up play (DM/DMC), Delph will sit a bit further up run at defences more without being an out and out AM. Merino signing will put an end to our interest in Fernando. Is he? I always thought he was a box-to-box type of player. To be fair he's been injured or benched for most of the last few years so I can't recall the last time I saw him play.

and then one of the thick cunt presenters chirped in with 'but i still think Newcastle will go down' followed by 'why aren't English managers given a chance in the Premier League'?

Even Djilibodji went for about 8m despite barely even playing for them. Buy them low, rent them out every year, keep the good ones and still sell the ones that flounder at a profit. They're just taking advantage of the loopholes that exist, I don't blame them but if the authorities aren't interested in stopping it then why wouldn't you? How could they stop it though. Their argument will be that they're developing players, loaning them out to get experience but if they're not deemed good enough they get sold. To be fair, if they are good enough Chelsea will probably put them in the first team squad. I don't think there's anything underhand in what they're doing at all

If it's true that Fernando is available for £4m we be mental to go anywhere near Delph

They've always made decent money from their academy, selling 4-5 players a season for a few million each. Now that transfer fees have gone crazy there's even more reason for them to keep doing it. Ake just went for £20m and was never realistically going to get anywhere near their first team, £9M for Bertrand Traore, £7m? for Atsu and another fee for Cahlobah. It's a great business model, I wish we could do something similar.

This could be the best piece of transfer business we do all summer, even if we make a huge loss. The only way it could be bettered is if we manager to offload Ginger Jack.

Well he can carry the ball and go past players, that's a massive upgrade just there. Goes for the return pass as well which Colback would never dream of. I suppose the only question mark would be how he will hold up to the pace of English football and getting clattered a few times. Rafa wouldn't be signing him if he thought the physicality was an issue. He knows the Premier League too well to take that sort of risk. It might take him a while to adjust but he's a big enough lad, I doubt he'll be phased.

Realistically I can't see that happening. The only way I can see them leaving is if they accept a loan deal to a championship club

He definitely looks to be. He hit a couple of peachy cross field pings

Why no option to buy?!

His Youtube highlight reel isn't the most exciting watch. Seems a bit average

Urgh!!

It's unsurprising really. Even if he was an absolute superstar their thread would be identical to that. As with Murphy, Clark, Yedlin & Hanley last season - I had my doubts but each one of them proved to be successful by contributing in us coming back up. He'll get a clean slate when he walks through the door and I'll judge him based on his performances for NUFC as everything else is pretty irrelevant. What they don't seem to be taking into account is that he'll be managed and coached by a world class manager this time around, rather than David fucking Moyes

Why do we need to get rid of deadwood first? If the money's there we should spend it. Then if someone wants to buy our deadwood we can shift them as and when. It just doesnt work like that man.... How big of a squad do you think we can have? Do you want the wage budget so high that it becomes unsustanable? The way the club is run our budget will be surplus money only, I would have thought the wages being paid are already accounted for before Rafa is told you have X amount to spend. So yes we'll have extra bodies, but we should be able to buy players in and then work on shifting those who no longer figure for this season. Then work on shifting those no who longer figure for this season? Thats what the club have been trying to do since the transfer window opened, thats the problem, we are struggling to get rid of these players If we sign players like Gibbs etc on high wages and fail to shift deadwood like Riviere, Hanley etc then our wage budget will be unsustanable. I know its frustrating but I dont think the club are willing to take the risk of spending big whilst we have so many players on our books The additional problem that we have is that I doubt many (if any) clubs want our failed players and if they do it'll be for a pittance. Ashley wants to make money back on every purchase, which means we're stuck with some of the s*** we've bought, like Riviere for example. Yup I think the club is willing to admit that they are going to make a loss on players like Riviere, but we still have far too many players that other clubs dont want Until these players leave, Benitez wont able to spend big and bring in the targets that he wants You can imagine with prices sky-rocketing like they have, we'll be asking for £10m for Riviere, £25m for Mitro, 40p for Colback.......

Why do we need to get rid of deadwood first? If the money's there we should spend it. Then if someone wants to buy our deadwood we can shift them as and when. It just doesnt work like that man.... How big of a squad do you think we can have? Do you want the wage budget so high that it becomes unsustanable? The way the club is run our budget will be surplus money only, I would have thought the wages being paid are already accounted for before Rafa is told you have X amount to spend. So yes we'll have extra bodies, but we should be able to buy players in and then work on shifting those who no longer figure for this season. Then work on shifting those no who longer figure for this season? Thats what the club have been trying to do since the transfer window opened, thats the problem, we are struggling to get rid of these players If we sign players like Gibbs etc on high wages and fail to shift deadwood like Riviere, Hanley etc then our wage budget will be unsustanable. I know its frustrating but I dont think the club are willing to take the risk of spending big whilst we have so many players on our books The additional problem that we have is that I doubt many (if any) clubs want our failed players and if they do it'll be for a pittance. Ashley wants to make money back on every purchase, which means we're stuck with some of the shit we've bought, like Riviere for example.

The fact that he's challenging Mike specifically, rather than Charnley or this 'fixer', suggests Fat Mike is far more involved than he himself is letting on

He looked very good for Hull last season.