Rich

This salary shit has been a joke on here this summer. Can't believe we've been reduced to including five-year contract estimations into player acquisitions. Do we have no other regular income to cover those costs year-on-year like?

"Gabriel Obertan Ready For 2011/2012" - could be an interesting search to put into a well-known video site for those prone to excitement like myself.

And Kuqi, ffs.

Think we'd be dead certs to go down if that were the case. We would like. There's simply not enough goals in the team at the moment. Ba, Shola, Best and Lovenkrands??? Howay man. Horribly pessimistic, even for you. I can't actually believe you're serious. Wigan? QPR? Norwich? Swansea? Wolves? Madness.

I must be on smack or something, because I still think the midfield/forward options we have at the moment match or even better what we had last season. In that area we've currently brought in Ba, Cabaye, Marveaux and Obertan for Carroll, Nolan, Routledge and Lua Lua. I admit Shefki Kuqi is yet to be adequately replaced... The proof will be in the pudding, but every time I look at that part of the squad on paper it looks exciting to me.

Think we'd be dead certs to go down if that were the case.

Now, now

I have thought that might be the case for some time. The striker pursuit has been half-hearted IMO. There doesn't seem to be any clear target we are pursuing. I do genuinely think Gameiro, Gervinho or Erdinc would have come here had they wanted to and I think our interest in all of them was serious.

I'm torn on it, I really am, but I'm struggling to see where all these pieces fit together anyway, without another striker coming in. Of course I wouldn't complain if we did pull a good one out from somewhere.

I've changed it. Need as much positivity around these parts as possible, and I trust Pards over Mick Lowes any day of the week.

Could Obertan be the only signing in an advanced position, then? Wonder if the emergence of Vuckic and the planned role for Ben Arfa off the striker means we might go with Ba, Ameobi and Best as the three actual/main striking options.

Aye.

Tiote having to wrestle him for food every mealtime, like? I jest. Seriously, Tiote is the one player in our squad I'd be least worried about in terms of fitness due to something like this. He's a beast. As TRon says, he has been undertaking his own programme in Ghana anyway, so match practice would be the major concern.

Home win.

I honestly don't think match fitness or general fitness will be a big issue. He dropped into our team with ease last season. If he arrives back on the morning of the game I'd play him if he was up for it.

Hopefully he's sealed it today and he continues to kick-on from here. Seems a great lad.

Best pre-season ever.

still not legal. Paul Mosley? I'm sure he is by now, although he doesn't look it.

Remember the crack about radio streams lads, still not legal. Keep it to PM.

Just rollocked it down in Wallsend.

I'm impressed by the signing of Ba and Cabaye, keen to see what Marveux can do, hopeful that Abeid can develop into a good player and unsure on Obertan. No need for the above post in this thread. As opposed to the hundreds of absolutely essential posts that came before it? Well mine was class for starters. He's probably just judging you against that standard. Don't worry about it.

Even so you did a fair job there Rich I try. He is a ridiculously good footballer though. If he somehow manages to play even better this season without missing so many games through suspension then we'll be well set.

Enjoying this interview with Tiote, his English really is strong. What a fucking player. I struggle to express just how much I love him.

Is nobody else growing increasingly convinced that Harper is being phased out, by the way? Or, alternatively, have I got it completely wrong and Pardew is so sure he's currently #1 that he doesn't need to be playing him?