The College Dropout

Mike Ashley is one of the best businessman in the UK man. In terms of making money for himself/the club, I'm not concerned. He'll find a way. In the UK, his attempts to go International have been a flop so far for Sports Direct. Strategically, that hasn't been of prime importance in recent years. It was the reason why he bought NUFC in the 1st place. He bought NUFC pre-recession right? Yeah things change. The European economy crumbled and his biggest rival failed. There's now opportunity for a monopoly in the UK if they can stave off online vendors. When did i say Europe? He wanted to use NUFC to take Sports Direct global especially in the far east who missed the global recession. Point is. In '06 opportune for growth probably looked biggest abroad. With how things have gone, the UK market is so volatile yet there to be profited fom.

Mike Ashley is one of the best businessman in the UK man. In terms of making money for himself/the club, I'm not concerned. He'll find a way. In the UK, his attempts to go International have been a flop so far for Sports Direct. Strategically, that hasn't been of prime importance in recent years. It was the reason why he bought NUFC in the 1st place. He bought NUFC pre-recession right? Yeah things change. The European economy crumbled and his biggest rival failed. There's now opportunity for a monopoly in the UK if they can stave off online vendors.

this is a f***ing joke post right? Mike Ashley is the sole owner of Newcastle United unless I am mistaken. He and the club are one legal identity, no? Meaning whatever profits or loses the club makes goes into/out of his wallet?

Mike Ashley is one of the best businessman in the UK man. In terms of making money for himself/the club, I'm not concerned. He'll find a way. In the UK, his attempts to go International have been a flop so far for Sports Direct. Strategically, that hasn't been of prime importance in recent years.

Mike Ashley is one of the best businessman in the UK man. In terms of making money for himself/the club, I'm not concerned. He'll find a way.

You say that but Demba Ba more than replaced Carroll's goals. If Demba Ba was Lovenkrands replacement then that was excellent business. You see how you don't give credit when it's due? You don't credit Ba being better than our main man the season before whilst not even counting him as the former main man. But because Gouffran isn't better than him, Gouff doesn't count? I don't have a problem waiting to get the right player instead of signing inferior players to fill out numbers. I do have a problem with our team/squad being put together due to skill/money rather than specific requirements.

Agreed. Having a target to hit makes it easier for the other 10 players. Although De Jong wouldn't win so many headers in the PL and he didn't have a good first year in Germany.

Remeber Wijnaldum being touted as a Seedorf type. Total package CM type. But he's developed into some type of wide man. Still looking a player though. Leroy Fer looks a unit and is good in the air. Would sign all day. Holland hitting long balls to De Jong.....

The mercenary thing comes from him basically stating that he'll go where the money is. Apparently he has a lot of people to look after. Either way, I'd take him back. Really? Do you have a link?

I genuinely think Mourinho has taken a year or two off Xabi's top level time. At Madrid he does a lot more running and tackling than he did under Benitez. And Mourinho rarely rotated Alonso either. As someone who doesn't seem much of a athlete either. Think he may need 2 shuttlers alongside him in a few years to maintain performance.

Where does this mercenary thing come from? He joined a club that regularly wins trophies and is in the CL every year. I'd take him back, Sell Papiss and bring another striker in. That's not realistic at all though.

Exactly, I don't understand the point people are making here. Lying is a sin, murder is a sin, pre-marital sex is a sin, immoral money lending is a sin, gambling is a sin. It is a given that every follower sin pretty much everyday. That doesn't mean you can't turn around and stand up for something based on your moral and religious beliefs. You really wouldn't be able to stand-up for anything if something negative you do means you can't do something positive. I've watched porn but I wouldn't accept any type of job within that market on moral grounds. Probably makes me a hypocrite. But I just couldn't actively and continuously support it through my professional life. Sin only counts if you believe in religion, which i don't and tbh think people who do are stark raving mental. We all do things we shouldn't or don't do things we should do. I suppose the only real gripe is Cisse using his religion to refuse to do something. Yet he does things his religion supposedly also doesn't permit. Because he likes the others things, well so what is what i think. Religion is going to blow this all out of porportion, as religion usually does. It would probably be messier if he didn't want to wear it because of non-religious moral reasons bur equally as valid imo. I've turned down approaches from gambling companies and i've had the odd flutter myself.

Exactly, I don't understand the point people are making here. Lying is a sin, murder is a sin, pre-marital sex is a sin, immoral money lending is a sin, gambling is a sin. It is a given that every follower sin pretty much everyday. That doesn't mean you can't turn around and stand up for something based on your moral and religious beliefs. You really wouldn't be able to stand-up for anything if something negative you do means you can't do something positive. I've watched porn but I wouldn't accept any type of job within that market on moral grounds. Probably makes me a hypocrite. But I just couldn't actively and continuously support it through my professional life.

Madrid were amazing to watch on the counter tbf. His Inter side in the league was very good to watch too. He's only won the CL playing defensive football in a lot of games and his Chelsea side were by far his most boring team so I see why people think that.

It's only been that way since they signed the likes of Arteta. Just 2 seasons ago they had Nasri, Van Persie and Fabregas. A better Arshavin, a decent Walcott. At that point, only 2 top players away from winning things imo. Now it's 5. When they started signing more and mroe experienced players that aren't that good due to panic, it's been poor.

Aye, crap was a bit far. But he's not and never will be Arsenal quality. there's a few in that team that have no place tbh.

Not for teams like Everton or Newcastle.

Mentally he needs a reset. If anything he really needs a break away from football to evaluate himself and how the season went rather than being right in there and still worrying. From that I hope we get new club Pardew rather than a couple of years in Pardew who has painted himself in to a corner of negativity. Agreed. Neds some distance.

For Arsenal - he's the worst integral central midfielder they've had since Wenger took over. Petit - Edu - Silva - Flamini -Song - Fabregas - Vieira. His positional sense is far better than Song mind. He knows his role and sticks to it.

He's the best central midfielder at the club! Wilshere? He's the first Arsenal midfielder that needs replacing. He sits in front of the back 4 but offers little defensive cover. His passing is solid but they can do so much better. He was a panic signing that worked but clearly not good enough. Love Wilshere, but the guy can't even string 5 games together without missing for a month after! Arteta did a great job of initialising all their play from the back, something we could certainly do with in our poxy team. Think Arteta was ultimately forced to play so deep because they didn't get anyone else in. Arteta is a quality player for sure. Yeah he does a good job of that but IMO they would improve leaps and bounds if they had a top player in that position.

I'd argue we need both types of player, one who can hold the ball up and one who can stretch defenders. Well Cisse is always looking for balls through to goal. Many times along Ba someone in midfield would have the ball and both players would run away from the ball, it's so easy to defend against. 1 runs towards goal, 1 run towards ball - confusion galore.

He's the best central midfielder at the club! Wilshere? He's the first Arsenal midfielder that needs replacing. He sits in front of the back 4 but offers little defensive cover. His passing is solid but they can do so much better. He was a panic signing that worked but clearly not good enough.

For me Arteta is never Arsenal quality.

Don't want Remy. He';s another who looks to beat offside traps. Not seen much to say he can hold it up or link very well. His a good player no doubt.

Arteta is being boosted by the Arsenal/Wenger system. He's crap. He does a good job but any number of players could do it better. The best thing about Wenger is he makes players' look better than they are. Arteta is a prime example. They should break the bank to get Fabregas back.