BottledDog

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Not long now.

That better be shite.

He's too expensive for Liverpool, presumably they mean wages wise. Not going there. Pretty unambitious lot if that's the case.

No.

Probably not, no.

Oh aye.... I bet there will be some

ON THE PITCH!

Carroll played 24 last season which isn't his only Premiership season. Whey, there were very few of us acknowledging him as Premiership quality before we went down now were there.

The concept, however? Well in the abstract it sounds unlikely, but I don't think it's that crazy when looked at in reality. And the man he replaced had even less experience of success. Not that I'm dissing Hughton, I liked him, just pointing it out. The man he replaced won the league in his first proper season has manager, Pardew has never achieved that. Just pointing that out! Nope, got into the playoffs fairly quickly though. And then won promotion. And then came forth the season after promotion before being poached by Wham.... Who he then also got promoted.... And got into Europe.... Oh, and got Southampton their first trophy since 1976....

The concept, however? Well in the abstract it sounds unlikely, but I don't think it's that crazy when looked at in reality. And the man he replaced had even less experience of success. Not that I'm dissing Hughton, I liked him, just pointing it out. Looking at all Ashley's managers, Keegan from a two year limbo, Kinnear from the scrap heap, Shearer and Hughton unknowns. I'd say Pardew is almost reaching for the stars.

Ba has played 12 games in this country, N'Zogbia over 200. And Carrolls played 24 games. I think that's enough to label them both Premiership quality.

Downing <= N'Zogbia I'd tend to agree with, different kind of players though. Lets see if they similarly replace Young.

Buying proven Premiership footballers for a start. Fair enough, so have we in Ba at least. They have lost more proven Premiership footballers than we have so far though.

He is a good player. He'll complement Ba and the midfielders we have in our squad. At the moment, it's not the most exciting partnership in the world, but it has the potential to be an effective one. Pleased to hear that. Hope we can tie this one up soon, would give everyone a boost. I think getting this deal done must be a priority for the hierarchy right now. After losing out on Gameiro, Gervinho and Zog (the only realistic one out of those) losing out on Erdinc as well would be a big dent in the credibility after such a drawn out chase. Both Gameiro and Gervinho were drawn out chases which we lost in the end. Can see this going the same way if the player genuinely doesn't want to come.

If N'Zogbia goes through, they'll have brought in 2 players (Given being the other) for £12.5m. They have lost 10 players (including around 5 first teamers) for a combined total of £36m this window alone. If you are including Carroll, then you also have to include Ben Arfa as part of the winter window. This window we have so far brought in 4 in while losing one first teamer. Let's see where we both stand at the end of the window, but as it stands now, yes I can see what they are doing, cost cutting to a far greater extent than we are, and not in a better position than when the window opened. So what am I missing that Villa are doing Jonny?

If N'Zogbia goes through, they'll have brought in 2 players (Given being the other) for £12.5m. They have lost 10 players (including around 5 first teamers) for a combined total of £36m this window alone. If you are including Carroll, then you also have to include Ben Arfa as part of the winter window. This window we have so far brought in 4 in while losing one first teamer. Let's see where we both stand at the end of the window, but as it stands now, yes I can see what they are doing, cost cutting to a far greater extent than we are, and not in a better position than when the window opened.

As well all do.

Wow. Villa really showing us up here. Because they've signed a player? Because they've signed one player to replace two equally good if not better players? Whereas we have replaced both our losses and have actually increased in numbers?

Aye, alright. And what is your f***ing point? That they couldn't give two f***s about what he 'tweeted'. And that it was no way an attack on those players. Christ, even if you don't see it as a direct attack which is fair enough, to not see as entirely disrespectful towards the players recently brought into the club is frankly astonishing. What I will say though is his usual mis-use of the language give's him the benifit of doubt for me over whether any offence was even vaguely intended. No, see to me he has quite clearly said this board will not sanction the purchase of quality players, and that is the reason everyone wants to go. That is an unfortunate thing to say in front of any new signings and entirely unhelpful prior to any further signings. I, like you, wish for more investment in the team, and I'd welcome Enrique simply saying that, but he hasn't, he has gone beyond that. Maybe that's through it's openess to interpretation but many of us clearly see his words as lacking respect for the club (I have sympathy for that), but far more importantly, for his team mates during a critical period of transition.

Aye, alright. And what is your f***ing point? That they couldn't give two fucks about what he 'tweeted'. And that it was no way an attack on those players. Christ, even if you don't see it as a direct attack which is fair enough, to not see as entirely disrespectful towards the players recently brought into the club is frankly astonishing. What I will say though is his usual mis-use of the language give's him the benifit of doubt for me over whether any offence was even vaguely intended.

I understand what you're saying, it just isn't relevant to our day to day running and how we could put potential advertising income to good use now. But there is no distinction between the club and Ashley. There is no 'we' the club. The club is, like it or not, Ashley's. Money into the club, money out of the club is money into Ashley's pocket, money out of Ashley's pocket. When we're sold, the new buyer will consider our future cash flow (included advertising which isn't being paid for), sum it, discount it, and pay. Our day to day running, at this moment of time, isn't affected in the least by any advertising we do for Ashley or Sports Direct. Last example: You own a company, and you own a car (that is in your name). If you start sticking advertising on your car for your company, does it matter whether your company pays you for the advertising? It doesn't, because it's moving money from one pocket to another. Leaving aside tax reasons, there would be no logic in doing it. The curious thing is that he only owns something like 70% of Sports Direct, so it actually makes more sense to shift money from there into the club, since it's shifting 70% of his money + 30% of other people's into something that is 100% of his. But SD's shares increase a lot more when they're profitable, and an increase in the share price is worth hundreds of millions of pounds to Ashley, so it makes business sense to shift money the other way around. Our accounts would look a lot healthier if Sports Direct were paying us a few million a year though. Funny, that. Let's hope that in the next accounts we see thet they are then (they may well be). I understand what Pip is getting at, but as they are separate companies, I'd prefer to see actual money going into the accounts than just accept the idea we are benefiting on trust.

Not like we're alone in that. There must be a reason that only Villa have apparently been willing put in an acceptable offer for him.

That was from the 2009 accounts, we've had another set published since but I can't remember seeing any mention of money in or out for the advertising in the latest set of accounts. So, in 2008/9 that won't refer to the naming rights, big fuck off sign then? We just don't know yet what money SD might/might not be paying.