Rich

I'm praying for some scorebag action.

Weyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

Howay the Toons.

Best bit of that article was Mick McCarthy's use of the insult "disgruntled numpty". Love that man.

That £10m was just for the striker though, there was the Neil Taylor interest that coincided with it at the time. So that's at least £11m for pure transfers and goodness knows how much else when every other aspect under the sun has been included in the figure (which tends to be the way we're doing things on here these days). As I keep saying, I'm happy enough with another quality striker, cover for left-back, a replacement for Jose if he goes and then a further centre-back and right-back. However, things should have been better than that considering the wedge we got for Carroll. Can't see more than two from that list coming in, which isn't enough IMO. Aye, I'd agree it wouldn't be, but let's not count our chickens just yet. I keep falling into dips of pessimism about the way things are going again during this "lull" period we're having, but then I think that even with HBA out we're looking at a potential front six of Jonas, Tiote, Cabaye, Barton, Ba and Erdinç for the early part of the season (if nobody else gets crocked before then, obviously). With Marveaux, Gosling, Best and Ameobi potentially on the bench as support to that. I know a few of those aren't proven in the shirt and one of them isn't even signed on yet, but it looks pretty good to me, especially when you add in the exciting layer of potential behind them in Abeid, Ferguson, Ranger (tin hat) and Vuckic, added to the eventual return of Hatem. This could have included Gameiro, Gervinho, Matuidi, N'Zogbia and Sturridge - admittedly not all five - and it would have looked even better, though, which is where some of the understandable frustration appears to be coming from. We've definitely been in for at least two of those, and quite possibly for all of them. I seem to be one of the few, but it is genuinely the backline I'm most worried about. I'm perfectly happy with the five senior ones we do have (even Danny boy), but there's literally fuck all backing them up. Get this fella signed, shift some of the chaff that is of no use nor ornament and then move onto the defence. Hopefully the likes of Gosling and Marveaux will stay fit and surprise a few with their ability.

That £10m was just for the striker though, there was the Neil Taylor interest that coincided with it at the time. So that's at least £11m for pure transfers and goodness knows how much else when every other aspect under the sun has been included in the figure (which tends to be the way we're doing things on here these days). As I keep saying, I'm happy enough with another quality striker, cover for left-back, a replacement for Jose if he goes and then a further centre-back and right-back. However, things should have been better than that considering the wedge we got for Carroll.

I feel about the same as this. Fans always want more transfers, and I think we have tried to do some good deals. N'Zogbia seems like an exception, but I can see why we didn't go for him after signing Marveaux and getting HBA back. You've killed me there, I've added in a few more humourous extra "fees" since the quote. Was going to stick pet insurance in there, but felt it may be a step too far.

Aye, there's levels of "better" - as Prophet and Disco have alluded too. I share in the feeling that we really haven't maximised the opportunity given to us by such a strong return showing in the PL. I'm not getting too downhearted too soon though, as I haven't forgotten the two £10m+ bids we had on the table for Gameiro and Gervinho. Even if it was a case of one or the other, to me that's still at least £10m that the extraordinary minds who run NUFC have set aside for transfers. And, of course, goodness knows what the agent fees, signing on fees, image rights, wages, bonuses, national insurance, tax and insurance fees were for those two deals...

The way we raped these clowns on Halloween, man. What a day. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tFI9HtBESRo/TM4j_No7u1I/AAAAAAAAQ3k/jYV0mJguW5g/s1600/Newcastle+5+Sunderland+1+It%27s+three+cheers+for+the+boss,+as+Nolan+leads+derby+rout++2.jpg

It's a funny one, this. Bloody shame when one of our best players is apparently pig sick during what should be an optimistic period for the club (and he has been for some time, by all accounts). I'm not as cynical as some, obviously, but I don't think this has all sprouted from Jose simply trying to engineer a move - a lot of dodgy shite has happened since we got back into the Premiership, despite the overall positivity of on-pitch performances: Hughton, @St. James' Park, Carroll, Nolan, etc. I don't think he should have to keep quiet though, if he actually has some legitimate grievances to air. Definitely not. Plenty have applauded Barton for speaking his mind about Ashley/Llambias previously, I don't see what's different here aside from Jose not claiming he's desperate to stay at the club. In fairness to him, he kept off Twitter for long enough after the last reprimand he had. If, again, they do think he's on too much money already and aren't prepared to offer him a rise to keep him (as he seems to be suggesting), then I'll point out for about the fourth time, for the fourth different player, that they (well, Mike) authorised his initial contract in the first place.

I can't wait until this lad is off our books, the whole scenario has been a complete farce from start to finish.

Everyone always forgets the Goose.

. I think mehdi could be this seasons bassong Bit of a disconnect from the actual discussion like (wanting a young central defender to come in and challenge Taylor/Williamson to partner Coloccini), but I hope you're right nonetheless in terms of him being a surprise package. I'd prefer it if Cabaye/Tiote just stayed fit and available for most of the season, so it didn't come to him needing to become a regular first-teamer just yet. Certainly wouldn't hurt us if he was good enough to push ahead of Guthrie in the pecking order, though.

There was that Nathaniel Clyne (Palace RB) link a couple of weeks back, which is the sort of signing I would hope we're looking at for LB/CB as well. If there's one thing we have got quite adept at in the market it's keeping things quiet, although this summer hasn't been as sneaky as the previous was. Is that not down to the players we've gone for having release fee clauses and all that rather than just being more straight forward transfers? Had forgotten about Clyne, he's one I wouldn't mind in and would fit the young and cheap ethos. Quite possibly. I may be being typically naive here, but I can't believe Graham Carr's work this year has led to Cabaye, Marveaux, Erdinc/Gameiro and nothing else. Surely they've been preparing to replace Sol Campbell for months, for example, while being fully aware of the lack of adequate cover in both fullback positions as well? I know people have written the Neil Taylor interest off as opportunism given his circumstances (understandable given our other business), but there must be continental targets as well.

There was that Nathaniel Clyne (Palace RB) link a couple of weeks back, which is the sort of signing I would hope we're looking at for LB/CB as well. If there's one thing we have got quite adept at in the market it's keeping things quiet, although this summer hasn't been as sneaky as the previous was.

I'm still hopeful we've got another Bassong type signing up our sleeve, but it's getting late in the day for another situation like that. We definitely need another central defender.

Well fuck my ozone, that was class.

when the fk did he comes on ? Snuck on with Shola and Abeid while the camera focused on Forster the entire time.

Ba's playing Skirge.

Oof, nice from Tavernier.

Lovely ball from Shola in the build up, although I'm sure it wasn't meant for Abeid.

I just celebrated. Get in.

Not approving any comments during national anthem. Patriotism at it's best.

Had to be another Admin, naturally. Still, well played mate.