James

Fair play to Marseille tbh. I wouldn't be complaining if we were in their shoes. Ben Arfa's had plenty of offers, but has decided to try to hold his club to ransom to get a move to the Premier League. Only the only Premier League club that want him aren't willing to buy him outright, probably due to the the fact that he is a moody and largely ineffective player who could be a complete flop in this division.

That is the guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Stansfield Last season 9 goals scored before January with time off intermittently due to a stomach complaint. Took time off for ailment to be investigated in January, diagnosed April. Horrific really.

Not a name familiar to most of you, but Exeter City striker Adam Stansfield has died of bowel cancer. He was 31. RIP http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10436~2117958,00.html

I think it would be a nice gesture to give him a first team squad number to show that his performances have been noticed. 99 or something.

I just don't see what other clubs would see in him. He has good footwork, but is not particularly creative doesn't work for the team and is a right moody fucker. YouTube and FM agree with me on this. If Jonas was a moody so-and-so who didn't track back but could do the FIFA skill moves then you have Ben Arfa.

Chillax. Things will happen when they happen and not before.

Nasri and Benzema didn't get into the France squad. Would you take them? Wouldn't take Benzema given the current allegations!

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. Why was noone else in for Enrique? Why was noone else in for Jonas? Why was noone else in for Routledge? Williamson? Coloccini? - these are some of our better players, and there wasn't exactly a fight to get them. The interest levels of other clubs means f*** all to a player's ability. Last thing I'm going to say on this, but those are really bad examples. Enrique was unknown in the PL at that time, and our interest inhim wasn't so well known. Portsmouth tried to sign Jonas at one point, and when we did it we got him on the quiet. We were the best club Routledge and Williamson could play for. Colo cost £10m. Ben Arfa is completely different. He has a very good track record and his availability is widely known but has been completely ignored by other clubs who could easily compete with us. Hence uncertainty. ... how do you reconcile this 'very good track record ' with your implication that he's shit? I don't think he's shit, I'm unsure he'll fit in and fulfil his talent on a consistent basis. Big difference!

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. Why was noone else in for Enrique? Why was noone else in for Jonas? Why was noone else in for Routledge? Williamson? Coloccini? - these are some of our better players, and there wasn't exactly a fight to get them. The interest levels of other clubs means fuck all to a player's ability. Last thing I'm going to say on this, but those are really bad examples. Enrique was unknown in the PL at that time, and our interest inhim wasn't so well known. Portsmouth tried to sign Jonas at one point, and when we did it we got him on the quiet. We were the best club Routledge and Williamson could play for. Colo cost £10m. Ben Arfa is completely different. He has a very good track record and his availability is widely known but has been completely ignored by other clubs who could easily compete with us. Hence uncertainty.

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. You've got to be an elaborate wum. Surely you can't not see that question and feel any uncertainty. If this player is as good as he's been made out, his availability and price is of such that you'd expect the bottom half of the Premier League going for him. Why are these managers not doing so? There are always alternatives, fair enough I've named some bad ones, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any. I'm just unsure whether or not we'd get better over a season from looking at signing more hardworking alternatives. I'm not going to argue this any more though, as very typically for this forum, people have got attached to a name that is foreign and described as 'creative.' The reality is we'll all just have to wait and see.

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong. How come you're not waiting 12 months before giving your opinion on the transfer? Well if you look at my posts, I say things like "could be", "unsure" "uncertain" "gamble," things which I won't know for 12 months and am happy to admit that.

Why did Sunderland choose Welbeck over him? Hell why are Birmingham looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia when they can get this guy? Where are West Ham, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn? Like I said, why not wait 12 months before deciding whether this is a good move or not? I'd be delighted to be wrong.

I want us to sign the best players we can afford that can keep us in this division. I'm just not sure he is one of those. what for 800k, are you seriously taking the piss? That is a fairly expensive loan fee to be honest. at that price there could be alternatives, maybe not with the ability or track record, but with some talent and no tendency of going missing... right, name these players then or would prefer an amdy faye signing Cleverley, Wellbeck, Wilshere

I want us to sign the best players we can afford that can keep us in this division. I'm just not sure he is one of those. what for 800k, are you seriously taking the piss? That is a fairly expensive loan fee to be honest. at that price there could be alternatives, maybe not with the ability or track record, but with some talent and no tendency of going missing...

I want us to sign the best players we can afford that can keep us in this division. I'm just not sure he is one of those.

He would be the best player in our squad by an absolute chasm. If he was that good, he wouldn't be signing for Newcastle. To be honest I'm suprised the likes of Wigan and Sunderland haven't gone for him. Birmingham as well it would seem would rather sign N'Zogbia. Perhaps the fact that they haven't speaks volumes. This could be a player who thinks he is entitled to be at a much higher standard than he is, put in a series of complacent ineffective performances, and subsequently wreck the entire team. This is a massive gamble, we could get survival from this, but we could get yet another massive car crash. Bore off. I'd be very happy to be proven wrong on this one, but its a case of seeing what happens in 12 months rather than everyone telling me now that I'm wrong!

Aye, can't quite fathom that one myself. Simple, after one year with us, he can go wherever he wants at a low price as he thinks he'll be good enough. Sign a permanent deal with Benfica and he'll find it harder to leave. on the other hand proving himself on the champions league stage would attract a lot of interest and portugese sides do have a tendency to sell players to big clubs For £15m, which managers are unlikely to risk on a temperamental lightweight player with no PL experience.

He would be the best player in our squad by an absolute chasm. If he was that good, he wouldn't be signing for Newcastle. To be honest I'm suprised the likes of Wigan and Sunderland haven't gone for him. Birmingham as well it would seem would rather sign N'Zogbia. Perhaps the fact that they haven't speaks volumes. This could be a player who thinks he is entitled to be at a much higher standard than he is, put in a series of complacent ineffective performances, and subsequently wreck the entire team. This is a massive gamble, we could get survival from this, but we could get yet another massive car crash.

Aye, can't quite fathom that one myself. Simple, after one year with us, he can go wherever he wants at a low price as he thinks he'll be good enough. Sign a permanent deal with Benfica and he'll find it harder to leave. Why not go on loan to Benfica? Probably because he wants to go to the Premier League. No decent club in the PL will touch him right now, so I imagine he wants to prove himself, and where better to do it than here. See Tevez and Mascherano.

Ben Arfa will expect to be first name on the teamsheet

Aye, can't quite fathom that one myself. Simple, after one year with us, he can go wherever he wants at a low price as he thinks he'll be good enough. Sign a permanent deal with Benfica and he'll find it harder to leave.

Will he agree in February?

Aye, not that they mean much if a bigger fish comes in though. Surely if there's a contractual agreement in place though? I guess then the player cna just worm his way out of it.. Considering he can leave for £3m next summer, I think such a clause can not exist.

How can he be here Tuesday or Wednesday if he is playing for France? Despite my reservations about this player loan is best if it happens. Although it won't be with a view to a permanent, as anyone can get him for £3m next season.