James

Ketsbaia

I'm sure there has been interest when we have been in the PL, but Ashley hasn't wanted to sell e.g. Not turning up at that meeting set up with Middle East investors

Man City will win 2-1 with all goals in the second half

Barry Moat

27 year old Drinkwater for £35m compared to 21 year old Merino for £6.5m is a perfect case in point. Proven vs unproven, low-risk vs high risk. Won't work nearly as often as it doesn't. Not quite as clear cut as that though. Pay £35m and a player may have already peaked or may lose hunger now they have secured that big move. We could instead buy 3 players for £7m. A lot less money but with potential and hunger to improve and a manager who can help them do so. Yes one or even two may be duds (happens with Rafa fairly often) but statistically the risk is actually less than the single high cost option.

Never really a big fan of determining transfer market success via something as arbitrary as net spend. We have spent a lot less than many clubs yet have built a better squad. We simply have to have a very good manager (sorted) and give him the resources he needs to grow the side to where he wants the get us. Continual sustainable growth without constantly ripping up the squad.

Charnley forming his own consortium of Southgate, Jimmy Nail, Sting, John Major and Mike from Breaking Bad / Better Call Saul.

Yohan who?

From the sounds of accounts of his season at Liverpool before he joined us he was excelling as a CM playmaker with a great passing range but was forced to play up front for us. Was a bit harsh when Gullit threw an MBE party for Stuart Pearce and left Barnes off the guest list, even though Barnes had been awarded an MBE on same day!

Can not wait for Charnley's spreadsheet ejaculation when we sell him to Liverpool on Jan 28th for £14m

This got lost in the news that Merino signed as people were talking about square pegs in round holes in the Merino thread. Does anyone remember this sorry past?

I also remember a time when a significant minority of either this forum in its early years, or possibly its predecessor, wanted Shearer to play CB so Kluivert and Bellamy could play up front!

Don't forget Dummett at CB. David Edgar and Paul Huntington competing for LB Shola LW Enrique in goal

Huntington's is a very tragic illness so I hope this is not true. Sufferers are meant to become quite erratic as one of the first symptoms and then ultimately the club would effectively owned by someone else via power of attorney Safeguards would be needed on that one!

That won't happen because under Financial Fair Play. Look at what happens to PSG first.

Would you applause if it were Ashley? That's an absolutely different question. You're comparing someone who loved the club at heart but was also flawed and did some questionable things to someone who has attempted to destroy the club, plastered us with SD logos and relegated us twice in eight years. He certainly did love the club. It made him richer than he could ever have really imagined. Never liked his managerial appointments Probably died of some complications related to Greggs

My defining moment though was when he called Mick, HTT and co a betting scam. This was a man who never did his research and just went with what he believed

RIP He clearly tried to make the club as good as it can be, and profit himself in the process. But his success and the club's success were tied together but that wasn't an issue for me. I think in the end he presided over a period where the Premier League was becoming much more globalised and modernised and yet Shepherd took a much more inward, conservative view that led to appointments like Souness.

I thought Dave has been everywhere otherwise a tame first half

Rafa will always have the team well drilled and defensively aware. We may have a few bad days but these will be blips. In the other hand I think that as long as you have Ritchie on corners and free kicks with the likes of Lascelles, Clark, Joselu and Mitro to aim for we will nick one goal wins and score draws even in days when our open play attacking isn't working out. This is a big difference to seasons under McClaren, Carver and Pardew and is why we will finish comfortably top 12

Should be ashamed of yourself David

? Dunno what for yet breaking news

Rooney's been arrested

New manager speculation = high September click bait profits

Looks like he's left enough room between his car and the kerb for another car to fit in. We're signing someone lads. Very close to the white line, wheel not straight, signing no one lads.