The College Dropout

What about Bigirimana? Looks a class young act imo and he needs first team football next season.

Agree again. Simpson looked better defensively.

I don't think its "fitness". It's more natural athleticism or yeah maybe mobility. He can do it - it's just a massive effort. Xabi Alonso is the same.

Agreed. He would do a poor job if asked to protect the defence. Midfield 3 for me as a shuttler.

I don't know about mobile but Cabaye is no natural athlete. He doesn;t have the physical capacity to do lots of running AND really influence the game. He can get bogged down in battles. That's why he works best with Tiote, who eases the legwork he has to do. Sissoko - at the moment I agree. Look at his French record in end product - it's not great. his burst when he came here seems against the trend.

Does anyone think Wenger is getting to that stage at Arsenal? I think they should go back to signing the youngsters for sometimes big bucks. I don't buy "they need experience". Let Wenger do it his way. If you don't believe in his policy, sack him. In recent years he's had to sign more mature players as the overall quality dropped and needed quick fixes.

Since Mou left they have been an interesting side to watch. But the fans... biggest bellends in the country.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4709879/Demba-Ba-snubs-80000-a-week-offer-to-join-up-with-QPR.html Him going to a very good team wasn't just a happy coincidence, yo. Most of our players would go to Chelsea given the chance. Pretty certain all of them would. Except Shola.

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? he'll find a way, but has owned since 2007 and as far as i know commercially he's done very little to improve the club...he's cut costs, got rid of high earners and we're back in the PL but we're clearly worthy of better sponsorship and in particular shirt deals aren't we? even the mackems have made a fuckin effort man I agree with better sponsors and the like. We look very budget.

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? It's still a limited company, so losses to himself are limited. Okay, so Newcastle United onw the debt and not him personally. But that debt has significantly reduced the value of his asset, no? Didn't he personally pay-off all the debt and charged it back to himself with low credit?

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.