midds

Got to remember that the mackems are shitting themselves too about this game. They know they're pretty wank and going away to Newcastle and losing is their biggest nightmare. They'll play for a draw I think so the onus is on us to take it to them and pressure them. We've got a few injuries but we should have a few back too. We're also due a win. I think we'll do them.

How do you get the impression that they've not been honest about this!?! Everything they've said about the financial side of the club has been proved to be honest. They said that the club was in danger of going out of business when they took over. True. They said that the debts had been paid off. True. All that can be true and there can still be money available to the manager for transfers. Ashley can be prepared to provide the money himself if the manager identifies a player that fits with the club's strategy (Young, value for money both in terms of wages and transfer fee, future potential, etc), that player is available (ie his club is willing to sell), and they want to come here and the club can still be financially in the shit at the moment. Unfortunately, that strategy is going to restrict the number of players available to us, especially within the confines of the ridiculous January transfer window - which surely needs to go, if FIFA/UEFA are serious about encouraging an element of financial realism in football - but that doesn't mean it's wrong. If we're needing to get in a few fire-fighters to see us through until the end of the season, then fine, but we should try and make them loan signings if they don't fit with the sensible, neigh essential, transfer strategy. The anger comes from people's desire for there to be a hero and a villain in all of this and their subsequent inability to see both sides of the story. People have simply refused to accept that Ashley has had legitimate reasons behind doing what he's done - whether you think he's made mistakes or not - preferring to see him as some kind of evil super-villain whose taken us over simply to destroy the club. That's simply fucking ridiculous and it's about time reality bit for many people, hopefully this is the start of that. Absolutely 100% nailed it indi. Particularly the last paragraph.

Right now whenever we're linked with a CM, my initial question is 'is he better than Nicky Butt?'. Invariably the answer is 'yes, much'. Not saying we should sign him but he's better than what we've got.

Clare Balding?

Tuesday's press conference should be interesting...

We've always had more than our fair share of injuries for years now but I can honestly say I've never known anything like this. Is that about 14 injuries now? Fair enough some aren't regular first team but these lads would normally have got a few games this season had they themselves been available to play. It's just absurd.

Did Decky design those?

The stuff I've read tonight answers a few questions tbh. I wanted him to spend a bit (I think we all did tbh) but I can understand why he's a bit reticent to bankroll us. I don't necessarily like it but I can understand it.

Viduka will be worth nothing, so any money raised would be pure 'profit' on the books. Perhaps (and I'm fucking hoping here) that's the reasoning behind signing Ameobi up. We're on the same wavelength here Dave. Getting something for someone who's always been worth nothing has got to look good.

One last thing before I'm off: Suppose Owen signs a contract this summer. I know, I know.... but suppose he signs it - is he still on the books as being worth £0? His 'worth' will have decreased by about £4m a year so in a few months time he'll be worth nothing. If he signs a new contract is he still listed as being worth nothing in the books? I'm guessing he is? So if he doesn't sign the we let a player worth £0 go and it doesn't affect the books (I'm aware we'd have to replace him with someone else). If he does sign we stand a chance of turning a(n accounting) profit on him should we sell him later. Same applies for Viduka. Also, if we sign someone on a Bosman for a 4 year deal, how much is he worth?

So how much was Milner 'worth' when we flogged him then? I know this will be included in the next set of accounts but if we bought him for £5m and he lost his value by about a million a year and we got £12m for him then he'll have made us about £10m profit. Have I got that right?

Please god let them go out on pens....

50-pager this one. Conservative estimate.

Two players squared up on a training field. So fuck.

19 Is that Earth years or Martins years? How old is Martins supposed to be now? Same age as Yakubu Both 26 then?...

19 Is that Earth years or Martins years?

Plus he wasn't playing, so it would have been a bit of a pointless "singling out" Last time I checked Gerrard didn't play for Chelsea on Saturday either. Point is that it will always be the foreigners fault and the English players will always get away with it. They brought it and the culture over here, doesn't excuse the copiers though. Franny Lee was clipping his own heels to win penalties 35 years ago man.

Berlusconi says Kaka is going nowhere and he's not for sale.

Relegation always has been the worst possible scenario for the last decade or so. We've never been in this much bother at this stage in the season either. That said, it's one of those league's where just 2 or 3 wins lifts you 6 places up. The bottom 3 is like musical chairs and we've got to make sure we're not down there when the music stops in May. Personally I think we'll survive but it's going to be closer than quite a few think it's going to be. I also don't subscribe to the view that 'it's done and dusted and we're definitely going down so why bother' mentality. It's clearly not cut and dried. It's no co-incidence that our recent shit performances have come at a time when we've had loads of injuries too. We'll get the players back and we'll pick up the points we need to stay up. I've got to believe that. If people don't agree then fair enough. Why not just forfeit our games and give up right now? We're doomed, why bother any more? Fuck that, I'll keep fighting thank you very much.

That's a ridiculous thing to come out and say publically. If he genuinely thinks that's the case then he's got a right to his opinion - but he shouldn't have come out and started blaming the last manager. He's in charge and he is judged on what happens on the field and over the last 4 weeks it's starting to unravel. Now isn't the time for pointing fingers, shifting blame and squabbling like kids. Manager, owner, chairman and players ALL need to stand up and take a bit of responsibility for the mess we're in.

Struggling to see what good would come from protesting any further. It would be like trying to put out a fire by throwing petrol on it. It's hard to stick by this club sometimes but going down would be the worst possible scenario and the players need 100% support, even though some of them don't really deserve it. The club comes first.

he is spoiling the man city KAKA bid, they have offered £100 million, he has thrown a 120 million pence bid in. I've just sat and giggled at your avatar for a few minutes.

Nope but i want clarification from him Can you read and understand English? The name of the person who edited your thread title has already been quoted several times.

Surely you're not that thick?