BottledDog

I'd say in comparison with a fair wedge of Premiership clubs, our players are far from mediocre.

That makes me so very, very happy.

Still on his page for me. /as it should, nothing wrong with it really.

How sickeningly sensible.

Pretty close to being first choice behind Cole I think. Certainly got some playing time preseason.

I hold some ill feeling towards him. He was paid handsomely throughout his time here, had one good season in the Championship, then 6 very good months in the Premiership before his head was turned and he started acting like a prat. The way he practically cut communications with the fans (went from weekly in-depth interviews about the club/players/fans/area/etc to saying f*** all) reaked of agent instructions to maintain radio silence whilst his services were whored out to someone willing to pay him significantly more money. The twitter rant was also pathetic, we let fatty Nolan go and bring in a decent number of players with over half the window remaining and he throws his toys out of the pram. He's a c***, no different to Owen, or Beye, or any other footballer who sold the fans his twaddle then ran as soon as the opportunity arose. I've been calling him a prick/c*** all summer because he turned cold towards the fans as soon as his head was turned, and I'll certainly continue calling him a c*** for as long as he's wearing a Liverpool shirt. I think you need to grow up and come to terms with the fact that footballers leave clubs from time to time. He could've came out and been honest still, instead of lying and saying he was waiting until we were safe. Everyone on here seems to slate Bassong but at least he had the balls to say he wanted out, rather than the likes of Duff and Beye who pledged their loyalty but the weaseled out when the chance arrived. Small point, but he never said that. Just like he never said he wanted to sign for a Champions League club. Said something similar didn't he? Or at least his agent did? Nope, it all came from Alan 'Andy Carroll is definitely not for sale at any price' Pardew, on behalf of his invisible Managing Director if we're to believe Pardew has f*** all say in contract negotiation (as I've also seen people claim on here). I think the two claims are different tbh. Re: Carroll, Pardew either lied to us or was lied to. Re: Jose, Pardew either lied to us or was lied to. Why wouldn't Jose set the record straight? It is absolutely absurd to believe that Jose didn't say himself or intimated through his agent that he would wait until the summer etc. How does Pardew gain anything to say that he did without there being any basis to it? We look like idiots for hanging on for him to come back to the table. I don't have any problems with Jose turning down the contract if he didn't feel it was good enough, not at all, but it does smack of him keeping us dangling hopefully in the background while he's out testing the water for bigger fish.

Marveaux? By all accounts we simply offered him more money in that instance. Funnily enough, something we 'don't do any more'. You what? "By all accounts"? What accounts? Most if not all accounts I have read have said nothing of the sort. As for not being able to see the difference between a player actively wanting to move (preferably to a CL club, but Liverpool will do), and a player who's head might be turned if a bigger club came in for them then I find that fairly surprising. "Does that mean none of our players want to play for us?" What an absolutely bonkers thing to say. Presumably you believe his move to Liverpool broke down at the last minute because he's a crock then, despite it being denied by the player himself. Er... No, you presume wrong. I believe what has been reported, that discussions didn't work out (over what who knows, possibly likelyhood of playing, length of contract), and we jumped in. I find it very tough to believe, given your general stance on our belt tightening, that you think we blew Liverpools contract offer out the water enough to force him to choose what you suggest is the lesser club.

Cheers Jose, loved you as a player for us, foolishly hoped you might stay. Wish nothing but misfortune on your new club.

Marveaux? By all accounts we simply offered him more money in that instance. Funnily enough, something we 'don't do any more'. You what? "By all accounts"? What accounts? Most if not all accounts I have read have said nothing of the sort. As for not being able to see the difference between a player actively wanting to move (preferably to a CL club, but Liverpool will do), and a player who's head might be turned if a bigger club came in for them then I find that fairly surprising. "Does that mean none of our players want to play for us?" What an absolutely bonkers thing to say.

If Jose was adamant that he was off and we got no offers over £5.5m, then while it's fair for Ashley to try for more, the market has decided that that is his worth sadly.

No, Pardew said he didn't feel the need for a vice captains role.

I've a vague feeling that this has come out before, or at least Sir John Hall saying they were honest and he thought they were a good fit. The next couple of lines of that interview balance it out a bit - I think the most important bit regarding the sale though, is that a large part of the reason for selling to Ashley rather than the Malasians was that apart from offering more, Ashley was willing to risk pushing the deal through quickly rather than be thorough - Something that clearly appealed to Hall an Shepherd considering the state of the clubs finances. Congratulations on completely missing the point to shoe-horn in your usual pile of bollocks, well done I didn't miss what you were highlighting, as I said, I'm sure I heard similar in the past. Just found the bit about the alternative Malaysian offer and issue of due diligence more interesting. Pretty dodgy from SJH to lean towards the quickest sale rather than give the Malays a chance to check the books, but simply fecking idiotic from Ashley to try and get the uperhand in the proccess by saying, no worries, we're happy to do minimal checks if you go with our bid.

I've a vague feeling that this has come out before, or at least Sir John Hall saying they were honest and he thought they were a good fit. The next couple of lines of that interview balance it out a bit - I think the most important bit regarding the sale though, is that a large part of the reason for selling to Ashley rather than the Malasians was that apart from offering more, Ashley was willing to risk pushing the deal through quickly rather than be thorough - Something that clearly appealed to Hall an Shepherd considering the state of the clubs finances.

Replacement for Enrique: Cheikh M'Bengue. Also, we should've had a contingency plan in place a long long time ago. How much have you watched Cheikh M'Bengue? How much have you watched Erik Pieters?

Can't disagree, not that Chelsea would entertain the idea, but a Paddy Van and Sturridge double deal would be perfect for us.

Should have a target painted on his forehead Almost looks like he enjoyed signing a player. You'd hope so considering he has signed fair few of them in his time.

A happy chairman is not a cash strappy chairman? Kinda adorable without his glasses.

In other words, no real replacement for Enrique? At best, a back-up? Yes, I can imagine we might sign a Dutch international as, at the very best, a back up player.

Less concerned about left back, but to see Pardew in his interview today looking like they are genuinely still struggling to get a striker in is a real worry.

By lad, you're on form today.

“I had a chat with the manager about his plans and he gave me a great speech which pleased me a lot. “There is a lot of ambition here and it is a great challenge for me.” MORE LIES!!1!!1!

eh? 2/3 nights of bellends kicking off and a major sporting event has been pulled. I know it's just a friendly but there will have to be some serious thinking done if something similar isn't going to disrupt the games next year. Spot on. Disgrace that this hasn't been nipped in the bud and that a sporting event that millions would have watched has been cancelled. Saves millions of people a great deal of boredom if previous in-ger-land friendlies have been anything to go on. Sadly sounds like it could cost us millions in compensation to the Dutch FA.

Is that what you can see them saying or God forbid have they said that?! Just Colocho being a helpless troll. Pardew's been interviewed on sky and says we'll need to bring in players if any more leave (presumably Enrique/Barton) but the priority is to get the striker in.